According to the Faith Matters Survey (2006) of 3108 people, the top reasons people chose their current congregation (according to reasons they indicated were “very important) are
- Theology or religious beliefs (60%)
- Liturgy or style of worship (45%)
- Marriage, spouse, or partner (40%)
- Family [other than spouse] (40%)
- Clergy (39%)
- Location (32%)
- Childhood congregation (27%)
- Friends
- Political or social views
So What?
Liturgically speaking today is the first Sunday of Christmas, but pragmatically in many congregations it ranks as one of the lowest worship attendance Sundays of the year. As you look around and see empty seats or pews, hear a message from an unfamiliar preacher or lay leader (or have no sermon at all in favor of more music), and begin to think ahead to next year take some time to consider why people join your church.
- Do you currently have a process that captures data about why people choose to join your church? If so, how has that information helped you reach more people? If not, how can you integrate this into your assimilation strategy or new membership classes?
- Whether or not you have any formal data about why people have chosen to join your church, how can you benefit from the research above suggesting the top reasons why people have chosen their current congregations?
- While friends may rank lower on the list of why people join that you would expect, the Faith and Matters Survey shows that developing friendships is a key component of retaining members as those members with more friends within the congregation have a lower likelihood of switching to a new parish. How do you help people within your congregation (non-members and members alike) make those connections?
A more complete explanation of this data is available in American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us (2010) by Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell (p.167-174)