Last week I offered a survey on this site regarding Sunday night. I also asked members of Seven Oaks to fill it out. I thought you might enjoy learning about the results and my observations. There were 93 respondents and I appreciate each who took the survey.
The Results:
- Which of the following best describes where you are, or what you are doing, when you are NOT in worship on Sunday evening?
- 11 – Working – 12.1%
- 21 – Spending Time with Family – 23.1%
- 2 – Doing house chores – 2 – 2.2%
- 0 – Watching TV and Sports – 0%
- 1 – Enjoying a favorite hobby or recreation – 1.1%
- 8 – Getting ready for the week – 8.8%
- 34 – I am always in worship, so I don’t know – 37.4%
- 14 – Other – 15.4%
- Which of the following would motivate or encourage you to regularly attend a church even on a Sunday evening?
- 14 – Classes for children 4th grade and below – 18.2%
- 20 – Bible class format on Sunday evening – 26%
- 22 – An organized small group ministry in people’s homes – 28.6%
- 28 – Fellowship meals and activities – 36.4%
- 11 – Youth training program at the same time as worship – 14.3%
- 41 – Special sermon series on topics you are interested in – 53.2%
- 15 – Community Service projects – 19.5%
- 7 – Other – 9.1%
- Do you wish your congregation would have a longer morning worship period with Bible classes, prayer time, and worship in place of the traditional Sunday night worship?
- 20 – Yes – 22.2%
- 44 – No – 48.9%
- 20 – Not Sure – 22.2%
- 6 – Other – 6.7%
- Do you believe you have a stronger spiritual and congregational life if you attended Sunday night church activities?
- 58 – Yes – 69%
- 15 – No – 17.9%
- 7 – Not sure – 8.3%
- 4 – Other – 4.8%
Observations
- The last question allowed open responses. I received a good number of statements, that could be put into a few categories: 1) Some commented in support of the difference small groups made for them in building close relationships. 2) Some spoke of the importance of Sunday night and how Christians serious about growing their faith would be present. 3) Some discussed their congregations struggles with this issue and spoke of considering various options from the longer Sunday morning to monthly Sunday night services. 4) A couple commented about how churches have emphasized Sunday morning over Sunday evening traditionally.
- Most folks who do not attend on Sunday evening do not see the benefit in it to their spiritual and congregational life. If you take out the 34 who always attend worship, then only 24 respondents said they believe attendance would give a stronger congregational and spiritual life. From the comments and the responses to question 1 it is obvious that people feel spending time with family or having free time for themselves is more important.
- I was most surprised that “special sermon series” had the highest results in what would encourage or motivate your attendance. I don’t mean to doubt respondents, but I just haven’t seen that to be true. Maybe it is my preaching or my topics, but I have seen very little difference related to topics I preach on getting folks back. This even goes for special speakers. I have tried contemporary concerns, family lessons, textual studies, and overall they don’t make much difference. All you hear is, “that was a good sermon, you should have preached it on Sunday morning!”
- The survey also shows the high desire people have for relationships. The fellowship meals and small groups were both really high in what people desire. We started a monthly family fellowship at 7 Oaks where I preach on family the 4th Sunday night and we have a fellowship meal together. This has grown in popularity and involvement through the year. But I don’t see any statistical attendance difference in it and our regular Sunday night in terms of worship attendance.
- My final observation is that churches are going to be struggling with this issue for years to come. There is a recognition that we need more Bible study and worship time, but we also are living in a world that is so busy that people are often not willing to attend. Churches must strive to find their relevance and the best means to impact and serve future generations. The traditional Sunday night service has served, and continues in many ways to serve, a great function in the church; but churches must always be exploring how to make it impactful or be wiling to change to something else that could do more good.
