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Church Member Profile 2006 The Brethren in Christ Church

Church Member Profile 2006 The Brethren in Christ Church. Overview. Church Member Profile 2006 Builds on earlier work 1972 – Anabaptists Four Centuries Later 1989 – Mennonite Mosaic 2002 – General Conference Survey (BIC only). Church Member Profile 2006. Churches Brethren in Christ

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Church Member Profile 2006 The Brethren in Christ Church

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  1. Church Member Profile 2006The Brethren in Christ Church

  2. Overview • Church Member Profile 2006 • Builds on earlier work • 1972 – Anabaptists Four Centuries Later • 1989 – Mennonite Mosaic • 2002 – General Conference Survey (BIC only)

  3. Church Member Profile 2006 • Churches • Brethren in Christ • Church of the Brethren • Mennonite Church USA • Young Center – Elizabethtown College – Don Kraybill – Director of Project • Three sociologists (1 @denomination)

  4. Church Member Profile 2006 • 7000 surveys – Feb. to March 2006 • Mail surveys (individuals but churches provide lists) • Return rate – 70% • Data available – Fall 2006 • Reporting Begins – 2007 on

  5. Why is this needed? • To gain insight into past and present • To aid in planning for the future – “Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take…” Jeremiah 31:21 [2010 to 2020]

  6. Brethren in Christ – Number of Congregations – No. America • Congregational growth from 1972 to 2006 – from 151 to 288 • Congregational growth – 190% in 34 years

  7. Brethren in Christ - Membership • Membership growth from 1972 to 2006 – 9730 to 26629 members • Membership growth – 273% in 34 years

  8. The CMP Survey • Over 700 variables in the survey • Approximately 40% of the questions are similar to 1989 CMP • Incorporation of items from new denomination (Church of the Brethren) • Incorporation of items from other national surveys (CNN, Gallup, ABC) • Some editing of items for clarity and accuracy

  9. My faith story Religious beliefs and practices Congregational life Family life and background The Larger Church Faith and Social Issues Faith and the Larger World Stewardship and Lifestyle The CMP Survey – Eight Categories

  10. My Faith Story • Accepted Christ as Savior and Lord? • 99% yes; 67% a specific moment • 89% would describe themselves as “born again” • 97% say their faith is very important to them • 93% believe God has a specific plan for their lives

  11. My Faith Story • 7 in 10 respondents describe their relationship to God as very close (31%) or close (38%) • A slight majority (56%) of the BIC respondents say they were actually baptized in a non-Brethren in Christ church

  12. Religious Beliefs and Practices • Highly orthodox beliefs • 93% believe that Jesus is both fully divine and fully God • Jesus born of a virgin (99%) • Jesus only way to God (88%)

  13. Religious Beliefs and Practices • Reject punitive view of the atonement (only 6% think Christ died to satisfy God’s anger against sin) • Majority (63%) agree that “Salvation depends equally on one’s beliefs and how one lives”

  14. Religious Beliefs and Practices – special emphasis: holiness • See holiness as “surrendering one’s life fully to God” (78%) • Sanctification was most often defined as “the process of becoming more Christ-like; it starts at conversion but continues as one grows in Christ” (66%)

  15. Religious Beliefs and Practices • The BIC see charismatic gifts as genuine gifts of God’s spirit even if they have not personally experienced such gifts (79%) • About 36% report having received the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” and 29% report experiencing a miraculous healing

  16. Religious Beliefs and Practices • View of scripture: 97% see the Bible as the Word of God; more than half support a literal reading of the Bible (58%) • BIC respondents see both the Old Testament and the New Testament as having equal authority (66%); a minority (34%) privilege the NT

  17. Religious Beliefs and Practices • 76% report praying daily • 36% report reading the Bible daily • 56% participate in small groups at least once a month • 8 of 10 respondents attend church at least once a week • Most popular self-designations: BIC (72%); spiritual (47%); evangelical (44%)

  18. Congregational Life • Respondents – average 15 years as members of BIC congregations • 55% have been members in other non-BIC congregations • While growing up, only 29% report having a parent who was a member of a BIC congregation

  19. Congregational Life • Strong support for “open communion” (88%) • Majority believe adult baptism should be required of those baptized as infants (62%) • Support of feetwashing as a symbol of humility and service (73%); as spiritually moving (26%) • A minority see feetwashing as either outdated (5%) or awkward and uncomfortable (20%)

  20. Congregational Life • Strong majority (86%) agree that women can fill pastoral roles; about half of this group, though, felt that women should not be lead pastors (51%) • Should a practicing homosexual be accepted as a member of their congregation? 79% said no

  21. Family Life and Background • Demographic information (sample) • Female – 58% • White – 94% • Married – 81% • Median age – 53 years old • Lived same place 20+ yrs – 50% • HS grad – 61% College grad – 28%

  22. Family Life and Background • Level of happiness in marriage • 69% - very happy • 21% - somewhat happy • Occupations • 36% Managerial/technical • 27% Technical/administrative/sales • 20% Retired • Unfair treatment at church? 19% yes

  23. The Larger Church • Top four responses to the question: How are BICs different from other Christians? [open ended question] • Close community, fellowship, family like • Peace emphasis, anti-war, nonviolent • Simple living, not materialistic • Evangelistic, missional

  24. The Larger Church • Top Four Priorities (from a list of 8 in Vision 2010) • Fervent prayer • Healthy congregations • Active compassion • Leadership development • Lowest priority – bold communication

  25. The Larger Church • Commitment to denomination • Always want to be member – 37% • Prefer BIC but could be in another – 42% • Just as happy in another – 17% • Considering leaving BIC – 4% • Participation in ecumenical organizations? – 72% agree

  26. Faith and Social Issues • Support for affirmative action in hiring and promotion? 64% oppose such efforts • Should church discuss and address racism? 74% say yes • Is immigration a good thing? 61% yes; 39% no [immigration in general]

  27. Faith and Social Issues • Abortion – 82% oppose • Cohabitation – 86% oppose • US Govt Spending on environment • 43% too little • 40% about right amount • 17% too much • Euthanasia (self) – 73% oppose • Death Penalty – 39% oppose

  28. Faith and Social Issues • List of 26 “social issues” – top five issues seen as always wrong: • Extramarital sex • Homosexual relations • Pornographic materials • X rated movies • Premarital sex

  29. Faith and Social Issues • List of 26 “social issues” – lowest five issues seen as always wrong: • Spanking children • Marriage between different races • Dancing • Entering the armed forces • Working as a police officer

  30. Faith and the Larger World • If confronted with the draft? • 58% - military service • 31% as regular military service • 27% as non-combatant • 25% - alternative service • 15% - not sure • 2% - refuse or not register

  31. Faith and the Larger World • “It is wrong for Christians to fight in any war.” – 75% disagree • “Peacemaking is a central theme of the Gospel.” – 88% agree • Has any member of your [immediate] family served in the military? 60% said yes

  32. Faith and the Larger World • In 2004 88% of the BIC respondents voted for a presidential candidate • Of this group, 88% voted for Bush • 74% identify with the Republican party • “The US did the right thing by going to war against Iraq.” 61% agree

  33. Faith and the Larger World • 92% support the mission of the Mennonite Central Committee • 73% are satisfied with the program and emphases of the Mennonite Central Committee

  34. Stewardship and Lifestyle • 7 out of 10 BIC respondents report giving at least 10% to the church and charitable causes (estimated monthly contributions – $228) • Over half of the households had incomes of over $50,000 • Most had computers (78%), the internet (73%) and cell phones (82%)

  35. Stewardship and Lifestyle • How much stress do you feel from the pace of daily life? • 5% very much • 41% a fair amount • 15% pretty much • 35% a little bit • 3% none

  36. Stewardship and Lifestyle • Top five temptations (from a list) • Looking out for my own needs/interests • Concerns about how I look • Earning as much money as possible • Enjoying popular movies, TV, music • Getting the nicest home I can afford

  37. Stewardship and Lifestyle • Top five issues that concern you the most? (from a list) • Erosion of family values • Abortion • Child abuse • Sexual immorality • Terrorism

  38. The Past? Changes? – Some examples • 1989 compared with 2006 • Continuity and change • Continuity: • God exists: 92% 1989; 94% 2006 • Jesus arose: 96% 1989; 98% 2006 • Hell is real: 90% 1989; 95% 2006 • BIC continue high level of orthodoxy

  39. Changes? - continued • Church attendance • Attendance increases – • 1989 – 66% at least once a week • 2006 – 83% at least once a week • Decline of multiple weekly services • Attend more than once: 1989 – 46% • Attend more than once: 2006 – 13%

  40. Changes? - continued • Divorced? 1989 – 6%; 2006 – 18% • Cohabitate? 1989 – 6%; 2006 – 22% • Church leaders should influence govt: • 1989 – 67% agree; 2006 – 87% agree • Noncombatant military service? • 1989 – 72% agree; 2006 – 88% agree • Women and careers? • 1989 – 38% yes; 2006 – 61% yes

  41. Moral Issues - Changes

  42. Comparisons – BIC with National Samples • Church attendance • BIC – 83% attend weekly • Gallup (2005) – 31% attend weekly • CNN (2004) – 31% attend weekly • Belief in God • BIC – 94% no doubts • GSS (2000) – 63% no doubts

  43. Comparisons – BIC with National Samples • Describe self as “born again”? • BIC – 89% yes • LA Times (2005) – 52% yes • GSS (2005) – 48% yes • Belief in Hell • BIC – 95% yes • FOX (2003) – 74% • Newsweek (2002) – 60%

  44. Comparisons – BIC with National Samples • Party Affiliation • BIC – 74% Repub. 13% Dem. • Fox (2005) – 39% Repub. 41% Dem. • Iraq War? Right Thing? • BIC – 61% right thing (2006) • ABC News – 48% right thing (2005) • Princeton U – 46% right thing (2004)

  45. Comparisons – BIC with National Samples • General outlook (abortion) • BIC – 90% pro life • CNN (2005) – 42% pro life • How happy is your marriage? • BIC – 69% very happy • GSS (2000) – 62% very happy

  46. Concluding Observations • Both continuity and change • The Brethren in Christ continue to reflect religiously conservative, orthodox views in many areas (e.g. religious beliefs/practices) • Some changes reflect the surrounding culture (e.g., divorce, some lifestyle issues) • Evidence of some impact of conservative politics on Brethren in Christ views – especially on certain questions (increased voting, political participation and allegiance with the Republican party)

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