Classes offered to the congregation at least once a year...

Most education offered by churches is

related to religion rather than daily life

(Original release date:  November 8, 2005)  Research results released in the November/December edition of Facts & Trends magazine show the only type of class or education a majority of all Protestant churches regularly offer to their congregation is a new member class.

The study, conducted by Grey Matter Research (formerly Ellison Research) of Phoenix, Arizona among a representative sample of 872 Protestant church ministers nationwide, explored what types of classes or education churches offer at least once a year (not including sermon topics on the subject).

The average Protestant church offers regular classes or education on 4.6 different topics in a typical year.  However, this number is 3.5 topics or classes among churches with an average attendance of fewer than 100 people, 4.5 among churches with 100 to 199 people, and 7.9 among churches with 200 people or more.  These numbers would not include “ad hoc” education, such as a class offered only one time, or once every three or four years.

The most common type of class or education churches consistently offer is for new members (60% offer this at least once a year).  Following this are classes on the basics of Christianity (47%), how to study the Bible (43%), evangelism or outreach training (39%), spiritual growth or spiritual renewal (37%), and effective prayer (35%).

Other relatively common types of education include a spiritual gifts inventory (31%), marriage enrichment (28%), leadership development (26%), the basics of the church’s denominational perspectives (25%), and parenting or child development (20%).

Types of education regularly offered by relatively few churches include financial management (17%), a skills and talents profile (15%), grief recovery (9%), substance abuse recovery (8%), health, weight loss, or exercise (7%), ministry in the workplace (5%), divorce recovery (5%), and life skills (4%).  Only 4% of all ministers report any other type of class being offered by their church at least once a year.

There are significant differences in what churches offer according to their size and denomination.  For one thing, for almost every type of class, larger churches are significantly more likely to offer that type of education than are smaller or mid-size churches.  Only ministry in the workplace shows no difference by church size.  Sometimes the differences are relatively small (such as the basics of the church’s denominational perspective, which is offered annually by 33% of large, 25% of mid-size, and 21% of small churches); sometimes the differences are dramatic (such as marriage enrichment, offered by 56% of large, 33% of mid-size, and only 16% of small churches).

There are also differences by denominational or theological perspective (mainline versus evangelical).  Churches from mainline denominations are more likely than those from evangelical denominations to offer regular education on how to study the Bible, denominational basics, and grief recovery.  Evangelical churches are more likely than mainline churches to offer regular education on evangelism or outreach training, marriage enrichment, financial management, and parenting or child development.

Getting down to specific denominations, the sample size is large enough to allow analysis of six distinct denominational groups:  Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Southern Baptist, other Baptist, and Pentecostal/charismatic churches (although many other denominations are represented in the total sample).

Southern Baptist churches are somewhat less likely than average to offer regular classes in the basics of Christianity, the basics of their denominational beliefs, and how to study the Bible, but they are more likely than average to offer education on marriage enrichment and evangelism or outreach training.  As a group, Baptist denominations other than the Southern Baptist Convention are fairly average in what they offer their congregations.

Methodist churches are less likely than average to offer regular education on evangelism or outreach training, but more likely than average to offer classes on the basics of their denominational perspectives.

Lutherans are much less likely than average to hold regular education on effective prayer, but much more likely than average to hold new member classes and education on their denominational perspectives.

Presbyterians are less likely than average to educate people on marriage enrichment, financial management, and evangelism or outreach training, and more likely to have classes for new members and on denominational perspectives.

Pentecostal and charismatic churches rarely offer regular education on grief recovery, but are somewhat more likely than average to offer education on marriage enrichment, effective prayer, leadership development, and financial management.

Ron Sellers, president of Grey Matter Research, noted that this study did not include topics which are the focus of a sermon series, or which are offered on an irregular basis.  “What we measured in this study was the issues to which churches have a regular, ongoing commitment – offering them at least once a year,” Sellers explained.

Sellers also noted that the study helps demonstrate what churches really emphasize.  “Churches are focusing on the basics:  what is Christianity, what is necessary for church membership, how to study the Bible.  When they go deeper, they tend to focus on basic Christian practices:  prayer, evangelism, and spiritual growth.  These are all critical, but churches also need to recognize why many people come through their doors in the first place – often they’re seeking real-life answers to marriage problems, issues at work, raising children, or financial worries.  Many of these ‘daily life’ issues are not regularly dealt with in churches.

“Even in large congregations, a majority are not offering regular education on financial management, divorce recovery, leadership, workplace ministry, or health issues, and just over half consistently offer anything on parenting, spiritual gifts, or marriage.  The more a church can move the congregation’s involvement from a ‘religious’ experience to living out their faith on a daily basis, the more that church can effect a real change in people’s lives and in their communities,” Sellers stated.

Study Details:

The study was conducted by Grey Matter Research (formerly Ellison Research), a marketing research company located in Phoenix, Arizona.  The sample of 872 Protestant ministers included only those who are actively leading churches.  The study’s total sample is accurate to within ±3.2 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level with a 50 percent response distribution.

The study was conducted in all 50 states, using a representative sample of pastors from all Protestant denominations.  Respondents’ geography, church size, and denomination were carefully tracked to ensure appropriate representation and accuracy.

“Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any

more than going to the garage makes you a car.”

Laurence J. Peter, professor of education

Classes offered, by major denominational group...

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