The Question and Answer
2000 Archive of the
RRA Discussion Board

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RRA Discussion Board Archive

Index of Topics Discussed:

Dropping the denominational label in a church name
Monetary compensation for filling out questionnaires
Clergy Time Allocation
Divorce rates by Denomination

Question - Does anyone have research showing that changing a congregation’s name to eliminate the denominational label makes any difference in recruitment or growth of the congregation?

Answer – [from the Administrative Director of one denomination]

Our denomination looked at churches begun in the 1980s, whether they were successful or not. Each of these new congregations was identified (by our district superintendents--roughly equivalent to state supervisors) as to whether they downplayed the denominational affiliation. The official church name was often indicative, but the superintendents knew about non-official language in signs and advertising. Then, we analyzed the success rate of churches and the size of the group four years after organization. (Separate research showed the four-year size to be the strongest determinant of size for the next decade.)

Our findings:

1) It was slightly harder for non-identified denominational congregations to reach organization. Our interpretation, backed up only by a few anecdotal reports--congregations that had downplayed denominational ties would get ready to organize, then congregants found that this group was expected to be part of a denomination. Then (anecdotally), the pastor had to start building the congregation again because several families left, or the group left the denomination altogether.

2) After organization, those that had downplayed the denominational tie were slightly more likely to be larger congregations. Our interpretation--insufficient data to draw any conclusions. If another study is done, we will want to check on other characteristics of the founding church pastor. Maybe "downplayed denominationalism" is a secondary characteristic of those with more effective church planting skills--part of a "maverick attitude" that plays well among new congregants.

As I recall (I'm not in the office, and if I have to look it up, I'll never finish this response), in both cases the differences were significant, but slight. Overall, we advised our superintendents that the denominational tie

was not a major factor in effective church planting. Any decision should be made on other grounds than growth potential.

Question -- Monetary compensation for filling out questionnaires, does it increase the response rate?

"We are contemplating cash vs voucher or gift certificate as premiums for a new project. Does anyone have any experience with cash or other premium enclosed with the questionnaire vs offering a premium (cash or other gift) for the return of the completed questionnaire? Are there significant differences in return rates between the two?"

Answer 1 – [from a denominational researcher]

I have used both cash and gift vouchers. There is not significant difference between the two in terms of a response rate. The key element is to make the premium "equal" in some way to the amount of difficulty that the respondent is being asked to undertake. Also, you have to decide whether to enclose the premium with the original mailing of the questionnaire or mail it in response to the returned questionnaire. This involves problems with perceptions of confidentiality.

Here are some of the methods that I have used in various studies:

1. A survey of judicatory executives in which they were asked to pull data from records and send it in. It was time-consuming (even though their clerical staff would probably do the work) and we needed a high response rate (100% really) very quickly (two-week turnaround time). There are only 58 of these individuals, so we paper-clipped a crisp, new $5 bill to the cover letter, which began, "I need your help quickly and I know this five-dollar bill doesn't begin to cover the cost, but it is just to tell you I am serious." We got 54 of the 58 responses, and about 20 of these staffers returned the $5 bill to us saying things like, "This is my job. I don't need a financial incentive." Similar surveys I had done (without any premium) have taken much, much longer and never achieved a response rate this high.

2. A survey of pastors in which they were asked to do several things -- fill out a long questionnaire, complete a standard personality profile and supply us with the names of 5 key lay leaders for a second phase of the study. It was complicated and time-consuming enough that we offered them a $35 gift certificate which they would get when they returned the package.

They were told in the cover letter that a lower-level staff person would unpack the returns (not the PI) and separate out information so that it was completely anonymous for everyone else on the staff. We got 239 responses from a sample of nearly 500, and a half dozen or less wrote complaining that it was not confidential as promised. We also reduced our costs by making a deal with the publisher who charged us only $20 for the $35 gift certificates.

3. I have used $25 gift certificates with other surveys of pastors and it appears to increase the response rate some. At least it insures that you will not fall below the level of viability.

4. I do consumer panels for Christian publishers and periodicals in which we recruit 50 individuals to participate on site for two hours in an evening through phone calls to churches. We tell each church that we will pay them $25 for each person who shows up and participates from their church and ask the church to pick a number as to how many they will send.

We book about 130% of what we need and almost always get attendance right on the button of what we need. We tell the churches that they can either use the money for some church activity or give it to the individuals. Most get a couple of groups that are trying to raise money (the children's choir, etc.) and have them do this as a fund raiser. Churches usually commit to 5 to 10 individuals they will have at the consumer panel. Sometimes this involves a minimum of screening, such as, "We can only use adults." Or, "We must have only people who have attended a small group Bible study at some point in their life." It is simpler to write a check each to a dozen churches than it is to dole out cash to 50 people at the end of the evening.

Answer 2 [from an academic researcher]

Dillman finds that money works better than vouchers, and that paper money worked better than coins, and $5 (I believe) was the optimal amount. Also, that the money should be brand new, and unused.

Answer 3 – [from an academic researcher]

I don't know of any studies that might help you, but I can share something from personal experience.

About a year ago, I received a request for my participation in a radio-listening study. Enclosed with the initial letter was a crisp, new, two-dollar bill. A few days later, a crisp, new, one-dollar bill arrived with a follow-up request for participation. I was amazed at how this small sum of money made me look forward to getting more mail from the research company. A week later I received the papers in which I was to log all of my radio listening time for the week, and this log came with another crisp, new one-dollar bill.

In short, I might have participated in the study without the $4 they sent, but when they kept sending short, polite, and friendly letters with money enclosed.... let's just say that I was delighted to participate.

Answer 4 – [from an academic researcher]

Survey research experts say that sending the money with the original letter produces a better response rate than sending it afterward. I haven't actually seen the studies, however, but these are people who usually know what they're talking about, based on research. We're doing this in my current study of moms of babies with birth defects. I think it works as much because it says to the respondents that they are valued and that the researchers are willing to do something for them instead of only wanting something, as it does as a reward. Anyway, our response rates have increased since we started using the incentives ($20 money orders, in our case). It seems to be particularly effective with less intrinsicly motivated people, and with the poor, who often feel ripped off by research. I don't know how much of a difference it would make with church people. It might even be counter-productive, with some people criticizing you for wasting church money. Can you pilot-test it in a random fashion with your intended population? Might be worth it.

Question – Clergy Time Allocation
[from a consultant]

I am looking for a study of time allocation by clergy apparently done by Samuel Blizzard. The general conclusion appears to be that clergy spend most time on administration but think it is least important. Does anyone who the citation for this?

Answer – [from an academic researcher]

Sam Blizzard's time allocation study can be found in "The Protestant Parish Minister: A Behavioral Science Interpretation" published by the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, Monograph Series #5. The article that summarized preferences for particular roles vs. the time spent in actual roles was also published in The Christian Century, Vo. 73, April 1956. It is probably Sam's most frequently cited article.

I assume you saw the recent article replicating the study (to some extent) in the Review of Religious Research (Fall 1999 issue).

 Question – Divorce rates by Denomination
[by a denominational researcher]

Has anyone seen any good, recent data about divorce rates by denomination? Someone submitted this question to our Research web site and I have been unable to find a reference. The person said he read that Baptists had the highest percentage and Lutherans and Catholics the lowest.

Answer 1 – [by an academic researcher]

In our fifteen denominational study, we have both present and "ever-divorced" rates of women and men Protestant clergy. Zikmund, Lummis, and Chang, Clergy Women: An Uphill Calling (Westminster/John Knox. 1998, see chart p. 143).

In doing the analysis of divorce trends -- and "ever divorced" is a much better measure of divorce rate than "currently divorced" because remarriage obscures the true divorce rate -- the Southern Baptist clergy had among the lowest ever-divorced rates (17% of the women, 4% of the men), and the American Baptists (19% women, 13% men) and Evan. Lutheran Church in America (19% women, 9% men) were about tied. The highest clergy divorce rate is found among the Unitarian Universalists (47% women, 44% men) with the other denominations in between.

Although as far as I know there are no reliable statistics of lay divorce by denomination, however, the average clergy ever-divorced rate (24% women and 19% men) is comparable to the total lay "ever-divorced" rate most recently reported by the Census (this comparison was provided us by staff at the Associated Press). Or in other words, generally and in most denominations the clergy divorce rate is the same (not double, not half) the lay divorce rate. In those denominations with married clergy where usually or in many parts of this country, divorce spells the end of the pastor's ministry, such as Southern Baptist, the clergy divorce rate is probably lower than the lay divorce rate.

Answer 2 – [from a denominational researcher]

Percent ever-divorced, of those ever-married, from a 1996 Presbyterian Panel (PCUSA) survey:

members, 18%
elders, 17%
pastors, 20%
specialized clergy, 30%