By Cynthia Woolever
We often hear this question when FACT releases a new report, we publish a book, or we discuss research findings with religious leaders. A brief explanation may help you appreciate the unique contribution each effort makes to supporting healthy congregations.
Who is involved?
Faith Communities Today (FACT) is an interfaith research effort that collects data and provides reports on a range of subjects related to congregational life. The Cooperative Congregations Studies Partnership (CCSP), a group of denominational researchers from more than 25 faith groups, funds and produces the FACT reports and other resources. The academic resources of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research and Hartford Seminary support the work. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), one of the denominational partners of CCSP, began its support in 1996. FACT surveys occurred in 2000,2005,2008, and 2010.
The U.S. Congregational Life Survey is a research effort based on two national studies, profiling worshipers and their congregations. The survey is conducted by U.S. Congregations, a religious research group staffed by researchers and sociologists, housed in the national offices of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Lilly Endowment, Inc. and the Louisville Institute funded the national random sample of congregations, and ten denominations and faith groups funded additional samples of their worshipers and congregations. The first national study took place in 2001; the second national study was conducted in 2008-2009.
How are they alike?
National random samples representative of all 330,000+ congregations in the United States. Research findings and reports are based on representative national random samples of congregations that include all denominations and faith groups. These samples of churches, parishes, synagogues, and mosques are generated through accepted social science methods.
Certified research geeks do the work. Academically-trained social scientist (such as sociologists, psychologists, demographers) with training and extensive experience in the field of religion direct the projects, analyze the data, and produce reports.
You get the big picture. Both describe the big-picture profile of congregations across America and track changes in size, worship, conflict, and other issues related to congregational vitality. Both portraits of congregations include how evangelical and mainline/oldline churches, Catholic parishes, synagogues, mosques, and other faith communities differ in their programs, services, and activities and in their response to societal change.
What is unique about the U.S. Congregational Life Survey?
Everyone who attends worship completes a survey. Most other studies of congregations and their worshipers (including FACT) rely on the views and responses of a key informant—typically, the pastor, other clergy, or a single lay leader. In contrast, the U.S. Congregational Life Survey is based on surveys completed by all worshipers (15 years of age and older) who attend worship services on the survey date. More than 500,000 "people in the pew" to date have described themselves and their congregation through their participation in the U.S. Congregational Life Survey.
When only one person in the congregation completes a survey the picture is limited because that person's knowledge is limited—even if that one person is the most well informed person who attends or works there. The key informant methods works best when the questions are more objective (such as, "When was this congregation founded?"). Most people in the same congregation would give the same answer to this type of question.
While the contributions of this type of research design have considerable merit, there are limitations. Much of what is critical for congregational health and sacred about congregational life is subjective—what people value, what they're experiencing, and their dreams for the future. A key informant cannot get inside the heads and hearts of worshipers and accurately report what is going on. Questions such as, "What portion of your worshipers are bored during your congregation's worship services?" are difficult for a key informant to answer. (Most pastors would optimistically say, "None!")
Congregations love their reports. A second big limitation of a key informant research design is that, at the end of the day, the researcher can't give back to the congregation individualized results. It may be helpful for the congregation to hear about big-picture results or see a profile of their faith group. But at the congregational-level, the congregation already "knows" what their informant said when they completed the survey.
Each congregation that participates in the U.S. Congregational Life Survey receives customized reports based on their worshipers' responses. Because everyone in worship participates, the results are a surprise to everyone! Each worshiper knows what he or she is experiencing but doesn't know if that is true for everyone else. The compiled picture helps everyone get a complete view of the congregation. It is so democratic! Each person's experience is seen as equally important. As we know, some people are hesitant to express their views but completing an anonymous survey puts everyone on the same footing.
The "everyone-completes-a-survey" process means that each congregation gets customized reports that identify the unique aspects of the congregation. Most members and congregational leaders are pleasantly surprised by their congregation's strengths as identified through their responses. Learn what people say about the survey.
If I'm correct, U.S. Congregational Life Survey not only gets responses from the worshipers in the pews, but you also collect separate survey information from the pastors . . . as well as from a key informant from each congregation. You've done a really great job in seeking out the data that matter. Congratulations!
Posted by: Dr. B | 07/28/2010 at 02:27 PM