We recently compiled results from the Supplement to the Session Annual Statistical Report completed by 85 percent of PCUSA congregations at the end of 1998. The results provide an inside look at various aspects of congregational mission statements and evangelistic goals across the denomination.
Most Presbyterian congregations (71 percent) have a church mission statement or statement of purpose. Larger congregations (more than 600 members) are more likely than medium (251-600 members) and small congregations (250 members or less) to have a mission statement or statement of purpose. Among congregations with a mission statement, three-quarters (75 percent) use the mission statement at least to some extent for planning purposes. Large congregations use their mission statement for planning to a greater extent relative to medium and small congregations.
Slightly more than half of all responding congregations (52 percent) reported setting explicit ministry or evangelistic goals for 1999. Large congregations are more likely to set explicit goals. Those congregations that set goals were asked to indicate which of 16 possible goals they had set, and for each, what kind of priority it was given (i.e., top, medium, or low). As can be seen in the table, attracting and enlisting new members is a top priority goal for most congregations (74 percent). Other top priority goals are increasing ministries with youth (64 percent), assisting members in their spiritual growth/commitment to Christ (64 percent), increasing worship attendance (64 percent), and strengthening Christian education opportunities for children (60 percent). Interestingly, helping to start a new church, increasing racial-ethnic ministries, and increasing involvement in foreign mission are a top priority for very few congregations.
| An Explicit Goal That Is: | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Priority |
Medium Priority |
Low Priority |
Not an Explicit Priority |
|||
| Attract and enlist new members | 74% | 21% | 1% | 3% | ||
| Increase ministries to and with youth | 64% | 28% | 2% | 5% | ||
| Assist our members in their spiritual growth /commitment to Christ | 64% | 29% | 2% | 5% | ||
| Increase worship attendance | 64% | 25% | 4% | 7% | ||
| Strengthen Christian education opportunities for children | 60% | 32% | 3% | 6% | ||
| Identify and meet the needs of people in the congregation | 49% | 38% | 5% | 8% | ||
| Improve our worship service(s) | 48% | 33% | 7% | 12% | ||
| Involve more members in active discipleship roles | 46% | 36% | 8% | 11% | ||
| Increase the recruitment, training, and empowerment of lay leaders | 39% | 35% | 11% | 14% | ||
| Identify and meet the needs of people in the local community | 29% | 48% | 13% | 9% | ||
| Increase our giving to local mission projects | 26% | 45% | 16% | 13% | ||
| Increase our giving to presbytery, synod, and General Assembly mission | 16% | 37% | 25% | 22% | ||
| Increase our involvement in foreign mission projects | 13% | 30% | 28% | 29% | ||
| Increase our involvement in U.S. mission projects outside of our community | 11% | 32% | 29% | 28% | ||
| Increase our racial-ethnic ministries | 11% | 22% | 24% | 42% | ||
| Help start a new church | 3% | 6% | 13% | 78% | ||
| Other | 46% | 6% | 1% | 46% | ||
When the priority level of these goals was compared across congregational size, several differences were found. Large congregations were more likely than others to label as a top priority increasing giving to local mission; increasing involvement in U.S. mission projects outside the community; increasing involvement in foreign mission; increasing the recruitment, training, and empowerment of lay leaders; and involving more members in active discipleship roles. Compared to small congregations, medium and large congregations were more likely to place a high priority on increasing youth ministries and less likely to place a high priority on increasing worship attendance.
In sum, many Presbyterian congregations have and use mission statements for program planning. Most congregations consider attracting and enlisting members and increasing worship attendance as top priority ministry goals. Larger congregations appear to view increasing involvement in domestic and foreign mission as higher priority goals than do smaller congregations. Congregations do not appear to be as interested in helping to start new churches or increasing racial-ethnic ministries. Mission statements and explicit ministry goals, then, are part and parcel of the Presbyterian experience.
The full report on the results from the Congregational Annual Report is available on-line at: Congregational Statistics for Year Ending 1998
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