Announcement: St. Luke’s Summer Survey Results are In!

Last week I sent out an invitation for St. Luke’s members and friends to take part in a completely un-scientific survey of attitudes and impressions toward church in general, and St. Luke’s in particular. The survey remained open for one week, and had 19 respondents. The questions, along with answers, can be found below:

Question #1:

To me, church is:

a place (0/19 | 0%)
people (6/19 | 31.5%)
a gathering (7/19 | 36.8%)
part of my weekly routine (0/19 | 0%)
other (5/19 | 26.3%) : “the body of Christ,” “a place to feel at peace with God,” “a living thing,” “all of the above,” “the people of God, gathered together.”

Question #2:

I go to church because:

it gives me the opportunity to think about God and life (10/19 | 52.6%)
my family expects it (0/19 | 0%)
it gives me energy to make it through another week (2/19 | 10.5%)
it’s where I see and talk with friends (3/19 | 15.7%)
other (3/19 | 15.7%) : “it’s a timeout to devote to God, to worship in community with God’s people,” “I don’t go to church,” “to give thanks and praise for all that God has given me.”

Question #3:

Which Bible passage do you think best describes our church:

1 Samuel 3:10 (“Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel, Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.”) (2/19 | 10.5%)
Mark 6:34 (“As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.”) (1/19 | 5.2%)
1 Corinthians 12:18-20 (“But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body.”) (9/19 | 47.3%)
2 Timothy 1:7 (“God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.”) (2/19 | 10.5%)

Question #4:

A typical worship service at my church is like:

a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get (6/19 | 31.5%)
a McDonald’s menu: you pretty much always know what you’re going to get (1/19 | 5.2%)
a Zach Braff film: predictable message, but great soundtrack (2/19 | 10.5%)
the Energizer bunny: it keeps going, and going, and going… (1/19 | 5.2%)
other (4/19 | 21%) : “a reality check,” “A joyful, uplifting service where I feel God’s love in the beauty of the service,” “a variety show: some I connect with, some I don’t, but it’s all done together,” “welcoming home … again”

Question #5:

Which public figure would you choose to substitute for your pastor during a worship service:

Nelson Mandela (7/19 | 36.8%)
Dave Chapelle (0/19 | 0%)
Oprah Winfrey (0/19 | 0%)
Other (7/19 | 36.8%) : Joel Cohen, Stephen Colbert, “I can’t think of anyone who could fill his shoes,” none, Jim Wallis, Barack Obama, Garrison Keillor

Question #6:

The musician most likely to become a new member of my church after a few visits would be:

J.S. Bach (6/19 | 31.5%)
Kanye West (1/19 | 5.2%)
David Crowder (1/19 | 5.2%)
Kelly Clarkston (0/19 | 0%)
other (6/19 | 31.5%) : evanescance, elton john, Belle and Sebastian, “someone very eclectic… but who?”, Mozart, Elton John

Question #7:

After a worship service at my church, I might feel inspired to:

join the ONE campaign to end poverty (5/19 | 26.3%)
pray (1/19 | 5.2%)
meet with friends in a small group Bible study (1/19 | 5.2%)
get caught up on sabbath rest; i.e., take a nap (1/19 | 5.2%)
other (6/19 | 31.5% ) : get together with a friend who needs someone to listen, all of the above, keep on keepin’ on in love, talk about the sermon, have lunch, all of the above

Question #8:

The time I spend in church:

de-stresses me (2/19 | 10.5%)
gives me less time to do all the things I need to do (0/19 | 0%)
connects me with people I care about (3/19 | 15.7%)
lets me spend time with God (4/19 | 21.0%)
other (5/19 | 26.3%) : refocuses me, praise and thank God in community, renews me in spirit, refocuses me for another week, all of the above

Question #9:

I feel the presence of God the most when I’m:

going through some sort of crisis (1/19 | 5.2%)
in a worship service (1/19 | 5.2%)
outside in nature (3/19 | 15.7%)
with people I love (4/19 | 21.0%)
other (5/19 | 26.3%) : least expecting it, when everything is going right, All of the above, daily life, feels pretty equal

Question #10:

Someone who really loved __________ would really love my church.

Martin Luther (1/19 | 5.2%)
17-century music (0/19 | 0%)
people (4/19 | 21.0%)
God (5/19 | 26.3%)
other (4/19 | 21.0%) : God and people; personalities!; traditional worship, strong preaching, and good music; God and people

Again, thank you to everyone who took the time to answer our summer survey – and thank you to Augsburg Fortress, who published this survey in their Akaloo! curriculum for studying the gospel of John. What do you think of the results – any surprises?