wfn.org | ABCUSA DATA IN 'FACT' REPORT

[RICH.SCHRAMM@ecunet.org]

AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS SERVICE 
Office of Communication  
American Baptist Churches USA 
P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851 
Phone: (610)768-2077 / Fax: (610)768-2320 
Web: www.abc-usa.org
Richard W. Schramm, Director 
 E-mail: richard.schramm@abc-usa.org

AMERICAN BAPTIST INPUT PROMINENT IN `FAITH 
COMMUNITIES TODAY' REPORT 
DETAILING MOST COMPREHENSIVE STUDY EVER 
OF U.S. CHURCH LIFE 
 A majority of American Baptist congregations have 
increased or held steady in the number of members, 
consider the Bible by far the most important source of 
authority in worship and teaching, have tended to undergo 
some changes in their worship services in recent years, 
consider themselves theologically moderate or somewhat 
conservative, maintain ongoing Bible study and/or prayer 
groups, are vitalized by active lay ministries, lead or are 
involved in food and cash assistance ministries, and 
consider their senior pastor to be a good preacher, 
motivator and administrator.
 A report released yesterday at a major media 
event in New York City recounted those and other results 
of a wide-ranging survey of practices and realities of 
congregational life that elicited significant input from 
American Baptists and 41 other faith groups.
 Faith Communities Today, a coalition of religious 
organizations including American Baptist Churches USA 
(ABCUSA), began initial work on the project in the mid-
1990s.  It's survey returned by 14,301 U.S. churches in 
early 2000 has been described as the most comprehensive 
ever of church life and practice in the U.S.
 The survey covered six broad areas: worship and 
identity, location and facilities, internal and mission-
oriented programs, leadership and organizational 
dynamics, participants and finances.  Researchers from 
the faith groups developed a common questionnaire, 
customized for each group, in order to gather comparable 
data from local churches, synagogues and mosques.  The 
faith groups involved-including American Baptist, United 
Methodist, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., Progressive 
National Baptist, Southern Baptist, Roman Catholic, 
Episcopalian, Evangelical Lutheran and United Church of 
Christ among others-represent an estimated 90% of all 
worshippers in the U.S.  
 Among the churches responding--usually through 
the pastor or a congregational leader--748 (5.2% of total 
respondents) were American Baptist.  (The total number 
of surveys sent out to ABCUSA churches was 1465; the 
return rate was 51%.)  Approximately half of those 
churches were from three American Baptist regions-
Central (Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas), Connecticut 
and Ohio-and the other half of responses were gathered 
from churches from among the 31 other denominational 
regions.
 The Rev. Paul Light, former director of Research 
and Development for American Baptist National Ministries, 
has been the key researcher and facilitator for American 
Baptist input from the project's inception.  Light has been 
working with the ABCUSA Office of Communication in 
following the surveying and dissemination process, and 
will help to provide analysis of the data in consultation 
with that office.
 
AMERICAN BAPTIST RESULTS
 American Baptist data confirmed, among other 
results, the following:
 The physical condition of the congregations' 
buildings was judged good (50%) or excellent (24%).
Over half (53%) considered parking facilities, and 
43% identified educational space, as "less than we need."
 Only 24% of the largest worship services held 
weekly are 80% or more full, with 50% of churches 
reporting those services at 40%-80% of capacity.
 Major worship services are described as being 
significantly reverent (78%), joyful (77%), friendly (91%) 
and experiencing a sense of God's presence (82%).
 Sermons often tend to emphasize personal 
spiritual growth (88%), practical advice for daily living 
(78%) and struggling with faith and belief (64%), and are 
less frequently focused on social justice (21%) or 
stewardship of time and money (27%).
 Those sermons often tend to include personal 
stories or first-hand experiences (64%) and detailed 
explanations of Scripture or doctrine (68%).
 Overwhelmingly the Bible ranked first--95%--as 
the single most important authority for worship and 
teaching. "Revelation of the Holy Spirit" was ranked first 
by 3% of respondents.
 Worship often includes a time for congregants to 
greet each other (70%) but not a regular time for 
members to testify about their faith (27%).
 Common ongoing year-round programs include 
(non-Sunday school) Bible study (72%), prayer or 
meditation groups (62%), youth/teen activities (61%) and 
American Baptist Men, American Baptist Women's 
Ministries or other lay groups (63%).  Program areas that 
a majority of churches have not undertaken during the 
past year include spiritual retreats (54%), parenting or 
marriage enrichment (61%), group discussions on books 
or contemporary issues (64%), self-help or personal 
growth groups (59%), sports teams (70%).
 Responses (visits or phone calls) from church 
leaders to visitors (identified through visitors' cards, etc.) 
take place within a few days in 42% of churches and 
within a week in 26% of churches.  Approximately 5% of 
churches have no means for visitors to identify 
themselves.
 Church members are involved in recruiting new 
members to "a very great extent" in 5% of churches, to a 
"large extent" in 15%, to "some extent" in 41%, to a 
"slight extent" in 34% and not at all in 4%.
 In describing the theological outlook of the 
majority of regularly participating adults, survey 
participants responded: very conservative-17%; 
somewhat conservative-45%; moderate-29%; 
somewhat progressive or liberal-7%; very progressive or 
liberal-1.5%. 
 Those regularly participating adults also tend to be 
similar to nearby community residents in terms of race 
(93%), culture or language (93%), income (79%), age 
(72%) and lifestyle (76%).
 Comparing current worship with that of five years 
ago, 20% said the style basically is the same, 39% said it 
had "changed a little," 24% said theirs changed "more 
than a little" and 16% indicated their worship style had 
"changed a lot."
 Describing their congregation, respondents said 
their church at least "quite well" fit the categories of: 
close-knit family (66%), spiritually vital and alive (56%), 
easy incorporation of new members (60%), well organized 
programs and activities (59%) and excitement among 
members about the church's future (58%).  In some other 
areas respondents were less inclined to indicate their 
congregation had done at least "quite well": dealing 
openly with disagreements and conflicts (41%), 
celebration of the church's American Baptist heritage 
(38%) and working for social justice (14%).
 The rate of regularly participating adults (including 
non-members) since 1995 was identified as: increased 
10% or more-29%; increased 5%-9%--19%; stayed 
about the same-31%; decreased 5%-9%--11% and 
decreased 10% or more-10%.   The average number of 
regularly participating adults (18 and over) was 123 
(median: 80); the average number of regularly 
participating children and teens was 42 (median: 25).
 Churches tend to have promoted themselves 
within the past year through ads or features in local 
newspapers (71%), in special services aimed at the 
unchurched such as "Invite a Friend" Sunday (55%) and 
phone calls or personal visits by church staff (84%) and by 
lay members (75%).  Direct mail or distribution campaigns 
were done by 34% of the represented churches.
 Ecumenical activities during the past year included 
joint worship services: 39% of churches met with other 
ABCUSA churches or persons and 66% did so with other 
Christian churches.  Joint service projects were undertaken 
with other ABCUSA congregations (21%) and other 
Christian congregations (51%).
 A majority of represented churches during the 
past year led (54%) and/or were involved ecumenically 
(61%) with a food pantry, soup kitchen or other food 
assistance program; cash assistance programs were led 
(69%) by the churches and/or involved them cooperatively 
(33%).  Most churches did not provide programs for 
temporary or permanent shelter (55%), substance abuse 
(74%), day care, pre-school or before/after school (72%), 
tutoring or literacy (81%), migrants/immigrants (92%) 
and senior citizens (51%).
 The median age of the senior pastor in surveyed 
ABCUSA churches was 51.  Employment status of leaders 
included 74% full time, 16% part time and 10% full time 
bivocational.  Co-pastors led in 6.3% of the churches.  
Some 24% of church leaders hold only college bachelors 
degrees, 47% hold masters degrees and 20% have 
doctoral degrees.  Of those, 77% have seminary masters 
or post-masters degrees.  
 Of the pastors represented, 92% were male; 84% 
were white, 10% Black/African American, 3% 
Hispanic/Latino, 1.3% American Indian/Alaska native and 
 .7% Asian.
 Those responding to the survey said they felt their 
members would rank their senior pastor in the "quite well" 
or "very well" category as: a good preacher--94%; 
effective administrator-66%; effective teacher-87%; 
"knows how to get people to work together"-81%; 
charismatic leader-50%. 
 Churches reported the degree of conflict during 
the past five years in several areas, including: theology-
73% none and 14% moderately or very serious; budget-
49% none and 23% moderately or very serious; pastor's 
leadership style-55% none and 28% moderately or very 
serious; and how worship is conducted-47% none and 
22% moderately or very serious.
 Regarding conflict resolution, respondents 
reporting conflict said that in their churches: "all conflicts 
were resolved with no negative consequences"-20%; "all 
conflicts were resolved [but with] some negative 
consequences" -49%; "some conflict still exists but it is no 
longer serious"-26%; and "We still have serious 
conflict"-6%.
 In their purchasing of worship, educational, 
stewardship, evangelism and other materials, churches did 
so: exclusively from within the ABCUSA-2%; primarily 
from within the ABCUSA-19%; in even balance from 
ABCUSA and non-ABCUSA sources-40%; primarily from 
outside the ABCUSA-33%; and exclusively from outside 
the ABCUSA-6%.
 Mission statements and/or vision statements were 
in effect in 73% of the churches represented.  Churches 
that had "definite expectations for members that are 
strictly enforced" accounted for 7%; those with "fairly 
clear expectations for members" but with "not very strict 
enforcement" of them characterized 51%; and those with 
"only implicit expectations for members that are seldom, if 
ever, enforced" best described 43%.
 Churches described their current financial health 
as: excellent-26%; good-37%; "tight, but we 
manage"-29%; "in some difficulty"-6%; and "in serious 
difficulty"-2%.  Current church expenditures totaled on 
average $150,408 (mean--$100,000).  Current income 
from all sources averaged $155,848 (mean--$100,000).   
Of total expenditures 8% on average was allocated for 
ABCUSA mission work (regional and national) and 44% 
was allocated for staff salaries and benefits.

SURVEY-WIDE RESULTS
 Among the most significant positive findings from 
across the spectrum of respondents were:
 The great majority of faith communities are vital 
and alive.  Half of churches surveyed see themselves as 
growing in numbers, especially those using or blending 
contemporary forms of worship and those located in 
newer suburbs.
 By and large U.S. houses of worship are making 
major, though unheralded, contributions to the welfare of 
their communities through social and spiritually-focused 
ministries.
 Many congregations have the commitment and 
the facilities to undertake social welfare programs but lack 
the infrastructure to see such programs realized.
Many churches without explicit expectations for 
members experience less vitality and more conflict.
 Vitality in churches requires change, but such 
change often is implemented at the cost of conflict 
affecting new member growth, new volunteers and 
financial support.

 Faith Communities Today, supported by 
participating faith groups and the Lilly Endowment, is 
directed by Professors Carl Dudley and David Roozen of 
the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, a part of the 
Hartford (Conn.) Seminary.  The Faith Communities Today 
report and its complete specific data pertaining to 
American Baptist Churches, as well as other information 
and commentary on the findings and their implications, 
will be accessible through the American Baptist Churches 
USA Web site: www.abc-usa.org.

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