LifeWay Christian Resources has completed a survey in which more then 1,300 evangelical leaders from all around the world were asked what they thought the most urgent concerns were in their church. The survey revealed that it is the Prayer that is the No 1 issue in both church life and personal life.

LifeWay’s e-business department started its 2 months survey in November; conducting a first round, where the ministry leaders were asked by e-mail to cite the top concerns in their churches. Later a second round was held during December, and from the initial list of responses, the 20 most frequent were re-sent to the same leaders who responded in the first round, and were asked to rank a top 10 among these 20 issues.

The effort was completed on 11 April, when the No 1 issue was announced: Prayer.

"In order for today’s church to remain strong in the midst of an evil society, it must be a praying church," said Gary Butler, a survey participant from Gospel Lighthouse Church in Anadarko, Oklahoma. "If we as believers want to see the same mighty move of God that the early church saw, we must pray just as the early church did. Show me a praying Christian and church and I will show you a victorious Christian and church."

Gary McClure, LifeWay’s e-business marketing manager said: "This project was an opportunity for us to learn what challenges churches are facing and it will provide data with which the Southern Baptist entity can have the opportunity to propose effective biblical solutions to those issues."

The final list of top 10 issues includes diverse topics related to faith and life in modern society. According to the survey, the list is as follows:

1. Prayer: The need for more ongoing, passionate prayer in both personal and church life.

2. Discipleship: The need for involvement of every believer in being continually transformed into the image of Christ.

3. Leadership: The need for clear, biblical vision and direction by church leaders.

4. Evangelism: The decline among Christians in personal sharing of the Gospel.

5. Doctrine/Worldview: The growing pressure to compromise principles to make truths more palatable to an audience. The widening influence of explicitly anti-Christian culture and negative influences on the church.

6. Apathy: The seeming lack of personal interest, support and enthusiasm from the pews for the work of the church.

7. Marriage: The negative effects on families that result from divorce, adultery, etc.

8. Relevance: The seeming inability of the church to answer questions one has living in the "real world."

9. Homosexuality: The rising social pressure to accept same-sex behaviour and relationships.

10. Abortion: The church's lack of an effective response to 30-plus years of legalized abortion.

The LifeWay unit collected information and multiple resources related to each issue and hav published them online. For the complete survey results and reports visit www.lifeway.com/top10.