Experiences in worship

By Deborah Bruce

What are the most common experiences in worship services? Eight in ten worshipers (81%) say they "always" or "usually" experience God's presence in worship. Almost as many experience inspiration (76%) and joy (75%) on a regular basis. Few report boredom (6%) or frustration (5%) in their congregation's worship services.

What's more, almost nine in ten worshipers believe the worship services and other activities of their congregation help them with everyday living.

There is more good news—these results are very stable. There was almost no change in these percentages between 2001 and 2008. Congregations continue to offer worship experiences and other activities that are meaningful and important to their worshipers.

Worshipers in different types of congregations do have slightly different experiences in worship. As the table shows, worshipers in conservative Protestant congregations are a bit more likely to say they are inspired and joyful in worship. Those in Catholic parishes are somewhat less likely to say worship helps them with daily living.

Yes, these differences are small. Overall large percentages of worshipers—regardless of the type of church they attend—experience God in worship and find something there that is useful in the coming weeks.

	Catholic	Main- line Protes- tants	Conser- vative Protes- tants
Always or usually experience:
A sense of God’s presence	84%	77%	85%
Inspiration	75%	75%	85%
Joy	73%	75%	84%
Boredom	7%	4%	4%
Frustration	6%	4%	4%
Worship helps with     everyday living	86%	91%	93%

Will people in your congregation's visitors have similar experiences when they visit? New worshipers might be different from your typical worshiper in a variety of ways (younger, less educated, from other cultures, from other denominations, or lacking a church background, for example). Will your worship services meet their needs, too?

Learn more about new worshipers in A Field Guide to U.S. Congregations (second edition).