The State of Quiet Time: Who’s Most Likely to Practice Daily Devotions

Survey finds that two-thirds of churchgoers set aside time with God at least every day, but practices vary.

Most Protestant churchgoers spend time alone with God at least daily, but there’s a range in what they do in that time and what resources they use.

According to a study by Lifeway Research, nearly 2 in 3 Protestant churchgoers intentionally spend time alone with God at least daily, with 44 percent saying daily and 21 percent saying more than once a day.

Meanwhile, 17 percent of churchgoers say they are alone with God several times a week, and 7 percent say once a week. Others admit to being alone with God a few times a month (5%), once a month (2%), less than once a month (3%) or never (1%).

This time looks different for different churchgoers, but they are more likely to talk to God through prayer than to listen to him through his Word.

Churchgoers most often pray in their own words (83%), thank God (80%), praise God (62%) or confess sins (49%). Fewer than 2 in 5 read from the Bible or a devotional (39%). Fewer repeat a set prayer (20%), consider God’s characteristics (18%) or something else (1%).

But if churchgoers were to read something during their time alone with God, most would read from a physical Bible (63%). Others would read the Bible in a different format such as a Bible that includes additional commentary or devotional thoughts (25%) or Scripture from an app (20%).

Fewer than 1 in 3 say they would read from a devotional book that prints some Scripture (32%), and even fewer say they would read from a devotional book that doesn’t print Scripture (8%). Still, others say they would read a devotional from an app (7%) or read something else (3%).

Quiet time frequency

When it comes to spending time alone with God, women (48%) are more likely than men (38%) to say this is a daily habit for them. Those in the ...

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from Christianity Today Magazine
Umn ministry