Half of Your Church Struggles With Loneliness (and 4 Things to Do)

50 percent of Americans feel lonely some or all of the time, with younger generations reporting the highest rate of loneliness, according to a survey by health insurer Cigna. Using one of the best-known tools for measuring loneliness, Cigna polled over 20,000 respondents across the country. 40 percent of survey respondents said their relationships “lack companionship,” “aren’t meaningful” or leave them feeling “isolated from others.”

“Half of Americans view themselves as lonely,” David Cordani, president and CEO of Cigna Corp, told NPR. “I can’t help but be surprised [by that].”

For those who work in churches though, this research is less shocking. Whether through conversations with first time guests or pastoral counseling conversations with long-time members, most pastors are fully aware how common a sense of isolation is among their congregants. Many pastors feel the same. The question then is how can the church respond? Here are four ideas.... Read More