wfn.org | Broad-based study of U.S. congregational life moving ahead

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Aug. 14, 2000  News media contact: Thomas S.
McAnally·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.     10-21-71B{367}

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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United Methodist News Service
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