Broad-based study of U.S. congregational life moving ahead
8/14/2000
CHICAGO (UMNS) - The most extensive survey of congregational life ever conducted in the United States is moving from a data-gathering phase to analysis, according to representatives of more than 40 denominations and faith groups meeting Aug. 7-9.
The survey of local churches, mosques and synagogues is being conducted by a coalition known as Faith Communities Today (FACT). Researchers and educators from the widely diverse groups have been working for nearly five years on the project, which is funded in part by the Lilly Endowment of Indianapolis.
David Roozen, the project's co-director, announced at the Chicago meeting that 95 percent of all worshippers in the United States will be represented in the study. Roozen is professor at Hartford (Conn.) Seminary and director of its Institute for Religion Research.
"The hard work is over; now our fun begins," he said. "Analysis of the extensive data will occupy scholars for months, even years."
Co-director Carl Dudley led conversations among researchers, educators and communication specialists about ways the local groups will study themselves in light of the FACT findings. "We want to help congregations build on their strengths and overcome any weaknesses," Dudley said. "This will be the most powerful use of the data." Dudley also teaches at Hartford Seminary and is involved in its institute.
Preliminary analysis of the responses shows that most of the congregations consider themselves "spiritually vital and alive" and that nearly half (48 percent) of the congregations report that the number of regularly participating adults has grown since 1995.
The still-incomplete returns indicate that youth participation is also high. Fifty-five percent of the congregations reported that "most" or "almost all" of the high school-aged children of adult members are involved in the religious life and activities of the congregation. Another 27 percent of the congregations said "some" of the members' children were involved.
The coalition conducting the survey includes mainline, Pentecostal, evangelical, independent and mega-church Protestants, as well as Catholic and Orthodox Christians, Jews, Muslims, Mormons, Baha'i and others. During the Chicago sessions, participants frequently affirmed the warm and inclusive nature of the gathering.
Each faith denomination or group, responsible for its own data through statistically valid samples, will develop its own follow-up programs. The groups used nearly 190 questions from a common core of questions. Some groups added additional questions of a specialized nature.
United Methodist participation in the project is being coordinated by the office of research of the church's General Council on Ministries in Dayton, Ohio, in cooperation with the J.M. Ormond Center at Duke University Divinity School in Durham, N.C. Surveys were mailed to 1,000 randomly selected United Methodist congregations. The sample was stratified by church membership size and jurisdictions.
Craig This, staff member of the GCOM research office, said about half of the 600 survey responses from United Methodist congregations have been tabulated so far. About 16,000 responses from all groups are expected. Roozen and Dudley said final aggregate results will be announced early in 2001.
GCOM's This hopes to have the United Methodist responses ready for release early this fall. "The study offers the United Methodist Church a unique opportunity to examine the vitality and life of its congregations, not only in and of themselves, but also within their surrounding communities," he said.
The survey, with more than 200 variables, is divided into sections such as leadership, finances, participants, evangelism and outreach, worship, building and location, and congregational identity.
The GCOM research office anticipates working with other agencies in the denomination on areas of special interest to them, This said. The research could address such questions as, "What are our congregations doing in social outreach?" "What does the typical worship service look like?" "What are the characteristics of a growing United Methodist congregation?" and "Where do our congregations spend their money?"
This expressed hope that the data and statistics churned up by the study will shed light on basic assumptions about the church and will provide a jumping-off point for further research into the life of the congregations.
FACT materials that are projected to help local congregations will include self-guided workbooks, study documents, analytical reports, Web sites and newsletters. Workbooks will be offered to theological seminaries, interfaith organizations and denominational offices, as well as to local churches, synagogues and mosques.
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