A survey of Disciples is providing a snapshot of congregational and ministerial priorities as North America emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey reflects the evolution of worship after months of online or socially distanced worship, a transition in how music will be resourced and provided to congregants, and perhaps a refocusing on congregational life as Christians assess the changed landscape after the pandemic.
The online survey, taken in October, collected 246 responses from across the United States and Canada, representing a variety of urban, suburban, and rural congregations of all sizes. Fifty of the respondents were laity.
“We know the pandemic affected congregations in ways that were unpredictable and in large part uncontrollable, and only in the last few months are we beginning to figure out what changes were temporary and what changes are permanent,” said Sheila Spencer, interim president of Disciples Home Missions. “How we live our faith lives changed. We became much more self-reliant and tech-savvy, and the pastors and employees and volunteers who managed worship and Christian education are recognizing the changes needed to keep members engaged and worship vital in the years to come.”
The Disciples Home Missions Board of Directors initiated the survey in partnership with Chalice Press and Office of the General Minister and President Yearbook. Each organization will use the survey and other research to guide programming decisions in the coming years to better serve Disciples and their congregations.
Editorial note: An earlier version of this posting had an incorrect table of respondents. (12/9/2021)
WORSHIP
Asked to forecast the main worship music resource(s) in five years, Chalice Hymnal remains Disciples’ go-to option for a majority of respondents despite the fact it is almost 30 years old. However, a majority indicated they foresee using online music licensing websites such as OneLicense and CCLI for worship. Less than 30 percent foresaw investing in a new denominational hymnal or contemporary worship book like Chalice Praise.
How congregants will use those music resources, however, reflects a growing acceptance of screens and projectors in sanctuaries while continuing to have musicians performing live in the worship experience.
RESOURCE FORMATS
Given the change in worship formats and delivery systems during the pandemic, congregations are seeking a broader range of resources. While still looking for worship and curricula, they are open to online options and guest speakers dialing in from other locations:
Looking deeper into adult Christian education programming, no clear favorite emerged from the different presentation styles, reflecting the shift in how we consume information.
AREAS OF INTEREST
The survey asked which topics congregations wanted to explore in the next few years. Unsurprisingly, faith exploration and congregational resources fared well, while more focused topics lagged behind.
More than half the respondents indicated a need for seasonal devotionals for Advent and Lent, small-group study resources, and denominational calendars.
RESPONDENT DEMOGRAPHICS
Respondents represented a spectrum of congregational roles. Each was asked to indicate each of the roles they filled. The survey link was distributed in October 2021 via Disciples News Service, Disciples Together and other ministry newsletters as well as various social media postings. Responses were received from 36 states and one province.
Offering received Sept. 26 & Oct. 3
Bob
With 90% of respondents being pastors I question the validity of the responses representative of our congregations.
Gary E Phillips
You are exactly right Bob. Things look different for those in the pews and not in the pulpit. Many Pastors believe their every sermon is model of great oratory and Christian inspiration – true sometimes but more often some members do not find it so. I am also not sure what this survey tells us except that online worship is more important now than ever before.
Cherilyn Williams
Our sincere apologies. The respondent table that appeared in the original posting was in error. The version posted 12/9/2021 is corrected. The survey link was distributed via the Disciples News Service, Disciples Together and ALEX user newsletters as well as social media and various other general and regional ministry communication channels to reach as broad a swath of Disciples as possible with the tools available.
Brad Lyons, Chalice Press
The final chart above corrects an earlier error that misstated the total number of respondents as percentages . The corrected chart states 62% of the respondents are pastors (Senior, solo, associate, and bi-vocational). Keep in mind respondents could select more than one option, so there are multiple entries for the same individual.
—Brad Lyons, Chalice Press
Bill
As retired pastor I think the sample is too small to arrive at major conclusions yet, and in particular we are still trying to find our way through the Covid delimnas. If the sample was pastor heavy it would not be an accurate cross reference of congregational life as we find it today and their experience. But good beginning place!
David
I agree with the previous Bob comment. I question the whole survey. The intent is good but no way of knowing how representative it is. It’s a very complicated process doing a survey like this one and while I commend the effort I just don’t know about it’s validity. I doubt the number of responses indicating such a strong use of the Disciple’s Hymnal as well. I don’t want to be negative about this but I’m just not all that sure about the validity of the survey.
Lloyd
Youth and evangelism need to take priority. Political driven social justice activities have replaced preaching, teaching and reaching the lost. Our church is the fastest declining in membership of all mainline denominations.
Rev. D. Kent Deubner
I would like to see what the person in the pew says, thinks, feels. However, their silence, or choice to be silent may say volumes. Is this because we are not getting this to the person in the pew? Is this because the person in the pew sees this as a useless exercise of futility?
I have ten months until retirement and I’m trying desperately to get our folks more engaged, with little result. Will this take a more concerted effort by Regional, General, and Area staff? To be honest, I feel that as Pastors, especially in smaller congregations surrounded by much louder conservative and political congregations, our voices are muted when it comes to these tools that help us understand and forecast the church of the then and there.
Robert Lyons
The more pertinent questions would be how many congregations did not emerge, but were forced to close. Are we maintaining and sharing data in that?