Beyond the Ordinary

Gardens of earthly and spiritual delights

By David Briggs

Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Matthew 19: 21-22

What delights us in this world?

Religious teaching encourages followers to discover true happiness in their faith, and in particular in the love of God and one another. A relentless consumer culture urges us to find meaning and satisfaction in material goods.

The 2008-2009 U.S. Congregational Life Survey asked a series of questions on this topic to a random sample of 833 worshipers.

And the winner is ... our possessions.

Forty-two percent of respondents said they were "extremely delighted" with the things they own. There were no differences among Catholics, conservative Protestants and mainline Protestants, with more than four in 10 in all groups saying their possessions were a source of great delight.

Actually, the things they own was tied at the top of the list of extremely delightful aspects of their lives along with close relationships with family and friends. But there was not the same unanimity in this area among religious groups, with Protestants much less likely to say they were extremely delighted with such relationships.

What may be equally surprising as the value worshipers put on their possessions was the relative lack of satisfaction they reported with other central aspects of their lives. Consider these findings:

• Thirty-four percent of worshipers said they were extremely delighted with their own happiness.
• Slightly less than a third said expressed the same satisfaction with their spiritual lives.
• Twenty-eight percent of worshipers said they were extremely delighted with what they had achieved in life, the lowest level of satisfaction reported on any of the nine areas surveyed.

What areas of your life make you extremely delighted?

 

 

Thy sister’s keeper: Breaking the silence on religion and mental health

By David Briggs

The suicide of Matthew Warren, who fought a long battle with depression, is shining a light on the issue of religion and mental health.

His father, Rick Warren, the author of “The Purpose Driven Life” and a prominent pastor, launched a petition "to urge educators, lawmakers, healthcare professionals, and church congregations to raise the awareness and lower the stigma of mental illness … and support the families that deal with mental illness on a daily basis.”

Other Christian leaders also have seized the moment to call for an end to the shame and guilt associated with mental illness, and to encourage church members to respond with love, compassion and understanding.

"Churches need to stop hiding mental illness," Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, said in a post on the CNN Belief Blog.

How well churchgoers listen to these messages can have a substantial influence on the lives of millions of Americans suffering from various degrees of mental health issues, and address a glaring gap in congregational ministries, according to a growing body of research.

Several studies have indicated that belief in a loving God, along with the social support of being part of a congregation whose members care for one another, leads to positive physical and mental health outcomes, including lower rates of depression and anxiety and greater overall happiness.

While the subject makes many within the church uncomfortable - some fear admissions of sadness could be interpreted as spiritual weakness - mental health issues do not stop at church doors.

More than four in 10 worshipers said that within the past week they had a feeling of the blues they could not shake off, even with the help of family and friends, according to a 2008-2009 U.S. Congregational Life Survey of 833 respondents. A similar percentage said they felt at least some or a little depressed in the past week. Some six in 10 reported feeling sad just within the last week.

However, in part because of the stigma attached and in part because the nature of their illnesses makes it more difficult to be part of social groups, many of those who could benefit from the support provided by congregations are more likely to stay away.

The 2010 Baylor Religion Survey found depressed people were much less likely to attend religious services or read sacred texts.

What may be even more striking is the apparent lack of concern many congregation members show for the issues faced by others in the church.

Consider these US CLS findings:

• Four in 10 worshipers said other congregation members rarely or never let them know "they love and care for you."
• More than half of worshipers said their fellow church members either once in a while or never "talked with you about your private problems and concerns."
• More than four in 10 worshipers said non-clergy in their congregation rarely or ever even expressed interest or concern in their well-being.

The congregation should be a safe place for those who struggle, Stetzer said.

"Christians believe the church is the body of Christ—the hands and feet of Jesus—and that means going into the darkest places and the toughest situations to bring light. It means walking with those who are suffering, no matter what the suffering looks like."

Social support is a major factor that helps to prevent depression, Dr. Harold Koenig, a prominent researcher on religion and health, said in an interview.

In particular, the support found in congregations, where love of neighbor and caring for one another is integral to the faith, “is a major part of … why religious people have better well-being,” said Koenig, director of the Center for Theology, Spirituality and Health at Duke University.

What is needed moving forward is education, both of the nature of mental illness and the value of reaching out and listening to those in need, Koenig and others say.

Matthew Warren was not able to overcome his depression, even with medical care and spiritual support. But his painful journey may light a path for people of faith to relieve the suffering of others in their midst, whether they struggle with their physical or mental health.

"I would hope that with this event this would encourage more people to talk more about it,” Koenig said. “Maybe events like this are wake-up calls to the evangelical community and to others.”

 

Praying for Our Country

 

By Ida Smith-Williams

 Many people may know about the First Saturday of May representing the greatest two minutes of sports, at least in Louisville.  It’s the day of the Kentucky Derby!   But many people may not be aware of what the first Thursday in May represents.  In 1952, President Truman declared an annual national day of prayer and in 1988, the law was amended, permanently setting the first Thursday of May as a national day of prayer.  All Americans, regardless of their religious or political affiliation, are encouraged to pray on this day.   This Thursday, May 2, 2013 is National Day of Prayer and that got me thinking about prayer. 

How often do worshipers pray?  Nearly seven out of ten worshipers spend time daily praying on their own (68%).  This percentage of worshipers has stayed steady since 2001.  

What do worshipers pray for?  Three-quarters of worshipers pray daily for themselves or their family members (74%).  Fewer than three in ten (29%) worshipers pray daily for world peace or an end to war, and one-quarter (26%) pray daily for an end to world hunger or poverty.

 

Do national and international events influence prayer?  When asked if they prayed more often than previously because of national or world events in the previous five years, three-quarters of worshipers said they did to some extent (75%).  Few (17%) increased their pray time a great deal.

  

Do prayers make a difference?  Three out of five worshipers think prayers make a difference regardless of events (62%).  When asked “because of national or world events in the past five years, to what extent have you doubted whether your prayers made a difference?” only one in ten had much doubt about the effectiveness of their prayers (9%).

I hope you take time on Thursday and join me in saying a prayer for our country. 

 Please visit the National Day of Prayer Website to learn more about this event.

 

Ready, Set, Go Green!

 

By Ida Smith-Williams

Earth Day originated on college campuses in 1970 as a way to bring environmental issues to the national agenda.   Today, more churches and places of worship are joining the movement.  It’s a good fit spiritually and financially for churches to emphasize and act as a role model in caring for one of God’s greatest creation, the Earth. 

Churches are going green in lots of ways.  Some are including energy-efficient features in construction projects, recycling printed materials, eliminating use of Styrofoam coffee cups, serving organic coffee and local foods, and opening community gardens, to name a few.

On a recent survey, PC(USA) congregations were asked about their environmental ministries.  Each was asked if it had a stewardship of creation, “earth care” or other “green” committee that focused on environmental issues.  While relatively few congregations (13%) reported having such a committee, those that do, focus their environmental energy in many ways.  One third of congregations with a committee that focuses on environmental issues celebrated Earth Day in 2010 (36%; compared to 9% overall).   Half are interested in becoming certified as Earth Care congregations (51%; 6%), and three in ten conducted an environmental project to make their facilities more “green” (29%; 5%).  

The full report can be found here.  

Interested in making a difference?  Here are a few places to start:

Energystar.gov/congregations – Download educational and promotional materials that help motivate your congregation

National Council of Churches Eco Justice Programs – This site provides links to funding sources for people who are interested in finding ways to conserve energy but may not have the finances to do so.

CoolCongregations.com – Currently offering a contest to win prizes in categories of energy efficiency, renewable energy, grounds and water conservation, and helping congregants lower household energy use.  Take the challenge! 

 

How can congregations compete with demands of youth sports?

By David Briggs

Talk to pastors about youth sports, and few will not have stories lamenting how some children and their parents in their congregations are missing on Sundays due to a child's softball tournament or softball game.

The 2008 Faith Communities Today survey found school- and sports-related activities, more than driving distance or work-schedule conflicts or other potential obstacles, were the biggest challenge to regular participation in church. More than a third of congregations said it was somewhat or quite a bit of an issue.

In an in-depth study of 16 Protestant congregations, more than half of the pastors interviewed said competition with sports was one of the main reasons fewer people were attending their churches. In focus groups with members, many also identified children's sports activities on Sundays as the main reason more people are missing, researcher Stephen McMullin reported in the current issue of the Review of Religious Research.

The challenge for congregations is how to respond. And it is not an easy one. Say or do nothing about parents who choose youth sports over church and the losses will continue. Draw a line in the sand demanding parents choose one or the other, and many young families will walk away.

One way many congregations have responded is to offer additional services. This gives people with busy schedules, including parents ferrying kids to sporting events, more options to attend.

More than one in five congregations in the 2008-2009 U.S. Congregational Life Survey reported starting a new worship service in the past five years.

Many congregations also offer their own sports programs.

Twenty-two percent of congregations in the 2008-2009 survey said they offered sporting activities or teams. In addition, more than half offered other social, recreational, or leisure activities.

This combination may beneficial. In the 2010 Faith Communities Today survey, more than two-thirds of congregations who said sports and fitness programs were a specialty of the congregation reported more than a 10 percent growth in attendance from 2000 to 2010. In contrast, only a third of churches with no athletic programs reported such growth.

“Any time you can include programs that are of interest to people in the community, that is an advantage,” said Cynthia Woolever, research manager of the congregational life survey.

But much more can be done by the church to be a light to its own members and the community, say some scholars and observers.

"The church hasn't thought deeply about this," said John White, director of the Sports Chaplaincy/Ministry Program at Baylor University. "We simply said, 'World, we'll capitulate in how you do sports."

He advocates developing a theology of sports that emphasizes the positive values of athletics, while also criticizing its negative aspects, including unbalanced family lifestyles.

Religious education about athletics should begin at an early age before kids and their parents make decisions about travel teams and other ways they will be challenged to balance sport and faith in their lives, White said.  The church can also partner with other community group that share similar concerns about the excesses of some aspects of youth sports.

In his study of declining congregations, McMullin also visited two rapidly growing churches for comparison purposes. The pastor of one rural Canadian Church with  an average Sunday attendance of 600 is a hockey coach in the community, and encourages people in the congregation to be active in sports organizations.

“So it’s not like we’re going to win against the culture; it’s a reality. So we try to partner with people and help them understand that,” the pastor said.

At the same time, the pastor said he will “challenge our people that when sports and God collide in terms of church, when sports and God collide every Sunday, if sports wins every time you have sent a message to your kids that could damage them spiritually forever. And that you better have God win sometimes. I try to make that balance.”

In deciding how to face an increasingly pervasive culture of sport, the best advice for congregations may be simply to not sit on the sidelines.

 

Key to a spiritually alive church: Support your fellow church members

By David Briggs

My wife and I had just moved to Fairfield County in Connecticut, and were searching for a church. We were impressed when as visitors to an Episcopal congregation, the priest invited my wife to work with other volunteers at a craft fair.

She looked forward to the opportunity to meet people in a new town. Until it was time for lunch, and all of the women from the church working with her went to eat together, leaving only my wife behind to staff the table.

We never went back.

In a religious world that can often seem hierarchical, from clergy leading services to regional and national offices making decisions that impact local churches, the significance of the role played by each person in the pews can often be overlooked.

Yet a growing body of research is showing how worshipers treat one another can have a significant impact on the congregation and the spiritual life and physical health of its members.

In a new study using data from the U.S. Congregational Life Survey, researchers found informal support from church members was more associated with spiritual growth than worship service attendance or belonging to formal church groups.

Conversations before services or at church suppers may be even more effective than Bible study groups or Sunday School classes in that they provide give-and-take opportunities with trusted companions that can directly address the spiritual needs of individuals, say researchers Neal Krause of  the University of Michigan and Cynthia Woolever of the US CLS.

Several other studies also uphold the benefits of this type of positive social support within the congregation.

For example, a study of older adults over time found that greater spiritual support appeared to be associated with having fewer doubts about religion. In contrast, older people who encountered more negative interaction with other church members reported having more doubts.

 Those people who have negative experiences with others also are more likely to suppress those doubts, an action associated with less favorable health, researchers Neal Krause and Christopher Ellison of the University of Texas at San Antonio reported in an article on “the doubting process” in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.

 In a separate study on self-forgiveness reported in the Review of Religious Research, Krause found results suggesting older adults who were more satisfied with the emotional support they received from church members were more likely to forgive themselves than those who were not satisfied with the support they received.

 At their best, what worshippers say to one another at coffee hour or in the grocery store reflects the prayers they recite during services.

When other church members model messages of love and forgiveness that are at the foundation of a faith’s teachings, it reinforces belief and the value of being part of a congregation, Krause says. If the messages are contradictory, with church members gossiping about or criticizing one another, it can place those beliefs in question.

Amid other pressing concerns such as church finances and programming, congregations need to evaluate how members are expressing their faith in their relationships with one another, Krause advises.

“Are the people in our congregation getting along? Are they supporting one another” are among the questions that need to be asked, he said.

The choices members make when they are together matter, whether it is to offer spiritual support in an environment of trust and mutual caring or even for a group of church friends to decide to go to lunch in two groups so a newcomer will not be left alone at a church fair.

It is in those settings, Krause says, "where the real business of religion takes place.”

 

The role of congregations in reconciling faith and doubt

“Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.” - Theologian Paul Tillich

“Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” - Gospel of Mark 9:24.

The wounds of the Oklahoma City bombing were still fresh, and the rescue worker quietly, almost apologetically, admitted to a group of churchgoers that he wondered where God was as he stood amid the rubble where so many innocent lives were buried.

Almost immediately, others gathered around the table jumped in to tell the man not to question the sovereignty of God. One minister said he thought the people died for a city and a nation that needed to experience love overcoming evil. A laywoman said that "Satan's worst" was more bombs and more people killed, but that God intervened with quick action by law enforcement.

Not long after, the rescue worker slipped away from the group without a word.

Expressing doubt may be a staple of Scripture, from the Book of Job to the plea of Jesus as he faced his death "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" But it still unsettles many religious people, who fear that it demonstrates a lack of faith.

And that fear, when expressed in judgmental attitudes to others struggling in their own spiritual journey, can alienate churchgoers dealing with doubt, and contribute to problems from loss of social support to depression, research indicates.

In contrast, listening to and supporting others in their moments of doubt can foster a healthy relationship with the divine that enables human beings to talk honestly with God. Many end up with a stronger faith by working through rather than suppressing mysteries such as the deaths of innocents, some scholars say.

What is clear is that those who doubt are not alone.

In a survey of 834 respondents to the U.S. Congregational Life Survey, more than three-quarters of worshipers said they often or sometimes had doubts about the teachings of their faith. The uncertainty was spread across every faith group, with two-thirds of conservative Protestants and more than four-fifths of mainline Protestants expressing at least some doubts.

In the wake of the recent mass murder of children in a Connecticut elementary school, it may come as the no surprise that the problem of evil in a world overseen by a just and loving God is a leading cause of doubt. More than half the respondents to the congregational life survey said the presence of evil caused them to have doubts about their religious faith.

So how does doubt make a difference in the lives of individuals?

The research picture is mixed, with some studies over the past few decades reporting seemingly contradictory results.

On the positive side, studies have associated aspects of religious doubt with principled moral reasoning, reduced prejudice and spiritual well-being, researchers at Indiana Wesleyan University reported in an article on adolescent religious doubt in the Journal of Psychology and Theology. They also noted some studies have linked religious doubt to higher levels of anxiety and depression, low commitment to religion, less social support and greater distrust and intolerance.

When faced with doubt, much of the research does reveal, however, the value of having positive  relationships with others at church.

In one study of older adults conducted in three waves from 2001 to 2007, researchers found that over time, people who receive greater support and attend Bible study groups are more likely to seek spiritual growth when faced with doubt.

 But people who have negative experiences with others are more likely to have doubts about religion. They also are more likely to suppress those doubts, an action associated with less favorable health, researchers Neal Krause and Christopher Ellison of the University of Michigan reported in an article on “the doubting process” in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.

Churchgoers who encounter conflict and derision when they express doubt may find this “especially painful because it may involve feelings of shame and guilt. Shame and guilt may arise because people may feel as though it is wrong to question fundamental aspects of their faith,” Krause and Ellison note.

In their study on adolescent religious doubt, Indiana Wesleyan researchers said that a process of exploring different ideas and asking basic questions can be seen as a healthy part of psychological development.

Instead of condemning all doubt as unbelief, the researchers suggest parents and adult caregivers in the church affirm young people who doubt, and give them some “elbow room” for exploration.

“Practically speaking, … some adult caregivers in the church will need a more balanced perspective  on religious doubt enabling them to respond to the doctrinal uncertainty, questions, and hesitations of religious youth as opportunities for discussion, exploration, and growth, not only as threats needing to be silenced,” the researchers said.

In other words, doubt not only happens, for many people asking questions of God is an integral part of their spiritual journey.

What churchgoers may want to consider is not how to deliver people from doubt, but how not to be led into the temptation to judge, rather than embrace, their sister or brother on their journey to understanding.

 

Challenge for next pope: Reaching out to Catholic women

By David Briggs

There are two gender gaps in many U.S. congregations.

One gap is the stained-glass ceiling in many churches. While social and cultural changes have allowed women to reach the top in numerous secular arenas, the 2006-2007 National Congregations Study found women lead less than 10 percent of congregations.

The second gap is that women greatly outnumber men in the pews. The 2008-2009 wave of the U.S. Congregational Life Survey found that 61 percent of worshipers were women, the same ratio as in the 2001 survey. Just 2 percent of congregations do not have more women than men.

As researcher Cynthia Woolever has pointed out, the imbalance is not due to the fact that women live longer than men. It shows up in every age group, with women making up 61 percent of worshipers ages 45 to 64, 60 percent of those ages 25 to 44 and 57 percent of people ages 15 to 24.  

And women in many other ways are more active in their faith lives. Women are more likely than men to pray daily and say religion is very important in their lives, according to the Pew Forum’s U.S. Religious Landscape Survey.

But there are signs the second gap may be fraying.

As U.S. Catholics await the election of a new pope, one area of concern is new evidence that non-Hispanic women are no longer so different from men in their spiritual practices.

In 1987, more than half of Catholic women reported attending Catholic Mass weekly, compared to 38 percent of men. By 2011, the gender gap was gone, University of New Hampshire sociologist Michele Dillon reported at the annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. She used data from the American Catholic Laity Project, a national survey taken every six years since 1987.

And, for the first time in the 2011 survey, women were less likely than men to say the Catholic Church was among the most important parts of their lives. They also were less likely to declare, “I would never leave the Catholic church.”

If tension over women’s exclusion from leadership roles is in part driving the diminishing gender gap, it is unlikely that issue will be resolved soon. None of the candidates mentioned as possibilities for the papacy would be expected to allow women priests.

What do Catholic worshipers think about that topic?

In the U.S. Congregational Life Survey, 43 percent of Catholics said they support the ordination of women, and 22 percent said they were unsure of where they stood. Just one-third opposed women priests.

At the same time, most Catholics in the pews indicated they would be OK if their next minister was a woman. Fifty-six percent said they would be accepting or very accepting of a woman leader, while just 14 percent said they would be “not at all accepting.”

Something for the next pope to think about?

 

Resolving to be happy . . . or perhaps resolving to attend worship?

By Ida Smith-Williams

 January just wrapped up, a month when many people think about change and new beginnings.  Did you make any New Year’s resolutions?

According to Professor John Norcross, clinical psychologist at the University of Scranton in Philadelphia, 40% to 45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions each year.  The top resolutions are to eat healthier, exercise more, and spend less money.

Do worshipers make resolutions? Dissatisfaction with aspects of one’s life often drives resolutions to change.  The U.S. Congregational Life Survey  didn’t ask about resolutions, but it did ask worshipers about their satisfaction with various parts of their lives.  Worshipers were asked to rate their satisfaction with their health, relationships with family and friends, happiness, spiritual life, and more. 

In 2008, the largest numbers of worshipers were satisfied with their life as a whole, their relationships with family and friends, and their spiritual life.  Other items were not far behind.  Feelings of satisfaction had grown from 2001 to 2008 for worshipers in terms of their own happiness, health, and feeling safe in their community. 

From the looks of these results, one might wonder if worshipers might be more satisfied with life and happier, in general, than those who don’t attend worship.  Does having God in one’s life really make a difference?  These results are for those in worship only and would need to be compared to those who do not attend worship services to identify any differences.  However, another study did find that religious people were more satisfied with their lives than nonbelievers.  But the study found that it was not a relationship with God that made worshipers happier, but rather that the happiness stemmed from friendships and relationships formed within the congregation.

How does your satisfaction stack up?  Perhaps you should consider attending a church if you do not already belong. 

 

Growing congregations keep pace with changing times

By David Briggs

Longer services. More substance abuse counseling. And a greater emphasis on the environment.

Add to the mix a presence on Facebook and Twitter.

What you get are some of the traits more likely to be found in fast-growing Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations in 2011, compared to the practices associated with fast-growing churches in the denomination in 2002.

Navigating the challenges posed by an uncertain economy, growing Presbyterian congregations appeared to embrace new opportunities to meet the needs of contemporary worshippers, Ida Smith-Williams reported in a study presented at the recent annual meeting of the Religious Research Association.

Smith-Williams, a researcher with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the U.S. Congregational Life Survey, compared survey data from 114 fast growing Presbyterian churches in 2011 with responses from 93 fast growing Presbyterian congregations in 2002.

In the post-recession period, the fastest growing congregations are doing more with less. In 2011, about three in 10 growing congregations reported increasing finances; in 2002, nearly three-quarters of growing churches said their finances were on the way up.

But fast growing congregations in 2011 continued to lead the way in using technology to reach out to potential new members.

In 2002, 70 percent of growing congregations had a website, a percentage similar to the average
Presbyterian congregation according to the 2008-2009 wave of The U.S. Congregational Life Survey. But 97 percent of fast-growing congregations in 2011 reported having a website.

While 73 percent of growing churches in 2002 reported placing an ad in the paper and 61 percent
advertised in the phone book, the evangelism strategies of six in 10 fast-growing churches in 2011 included following up with emails and using social media such as Facebook and Twitter.

Among other changes, nearly half of the fastest-growing congregations in 2011 used visual projections in worship services, compared to 26 percent using those devices in 2002. Today's growing churches were also almost twice as likely to offer substance abuse counseling and four times as likely to offer animal welfare or environmental activities.

As some activities were added, others were cut back. Consider also these findings:

• Longer services:  Even in an era of decreased attention spans, 89 percent of worship services in the fastest growing congregations in 2011 lasted more than an hour.  In 2002, just 55 percent of worship services in the fastest growing congregations were longer than an hour.
• Missing teens: Six in 10 growing congregations in 2002 said participation by teens was part of the worship service. Just four in 10 of growing churches in 2011 reported teen participation.
• Exit laughing: Ninety-one percent of growing churches in 2002 said laughter was part of their worship service. But that dropped to 80 percent of growing congregations in 2011.
• Fewer sports: A quarter of growing congregations in 2011 reported offering sporting activities, compared to 38 percent of growing congregations in 2002.

It should not come as a big surprise that fast-growing congregations change over the years.

What is consistent throughout research on church growth is that openness to change and a commitment to embracing the future are key indicators of successful congregations.