With funding from the Lilly Endowment, Inc., the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) recently began a systematic study of racial-ethnic members. This study provides, for the first time, information about how these subgroups are similar to and different from the majority of members (93%) who are white. This summary presents results from the second survey sent to African-American, Hispanic, and Korean members. After several reminders the response rates were: African Americans, 60% (n=653); Hispanics, 58% (n=289); and Koreans, 55% (n=369).

Finding The Congregation

• When asked, "How did you first find out about your congregation, prior to visiting it for the first time?" the largest percentage of respondents in each sample (39%-40%) checked the response "someone I already knew mentioned it or asked me to visit." There was little agreement among the samples on other factors that led them to visit the congregation for the first time. Table 1 shows reasons for visiting for the first time that were chosen by at least 10% of one sample.

Table 1: How Did You First Find out about Your Congregation, Prior to Visiting it for the First Time?

• Panelists were presented with a list of nine items and asked, "How important was each of these factors in your decision to visit the congregation the first time?" Table 2 shows the factors that were "very important" to at least 30% of one of the samples. Many were intentionally searching for a new church home or first visited because family or relatives attended there. Among African-American and Hispanic members, physical proximity was also important. Among Korean members, the language used in worship was important.

Table 2: How Important Was Each of These Factors in Your Decision to Visit the Congregation for the First Time?*

* Figures show the percent responding "very important" to each item.

Doing Evangelism

• Fully 80% of African-American members, 76% of Hispanic members, and 62% of Korean members invited at least one person to attend activities at their congregation in the last year. A little over one-half of African-American members, almost half of Hispanic members, and about one-third of Korean members reported they invited four or more people to a church activity in the last year.

• Two in ten African-American members (20%), 24% of Hispanic members, and 38% of Korean members responded that they had not invited anyone to their church in the last year.

• Those who invited at least one person to church were asked to describe the last person they invited. The largest percentages of respondents in each sample described that person as a friend (59% of African Americans, 50% of Hispanics, and 49% of Koreans). Many African Americans (42%) and Hispanics (45%), but few Koreans (17%), said the last person they invited was a family member.

• Fifty-eight percent of African-American members, 66% of Hispanic members, and 35% of Korean members reported that they would "very likely" or "likely" be willing to allocate more time and effort to reach out to individuals in their community who are not members of any church. Those who were likely to devote more time to outreach activities were also asked to indicate their willingness to take part in nine specific activities. Many such persons indicated that they would "definitely" be willing to take part in the activities shown in Table 3.

Table 3: How Willing Would You Be to Do Each of the Following Activities?* (asked only of respondents who reported they were willing to allocate more time to outreach activities)

* Figures show the percent responding "definitely" willing.

Responsibility for Church Growth and Decline

• Panelists were asked to indicate to what extent members, the session, the pastor, and the make-up of the population and physical condition of the surrounding neighborhood and community are responsible for the growth and decline of a congregation. Figure 1 shows the results. Majorities in all three samples believe members and pastors are responsible for church growth and decline. Only among Korean members do a majority believe the session shares in this responsibility.

Priorities for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

• Panelists were given a list of eight ways for churches to evangelize and to prepare people for evangelism and asked to indicate how interested they are in having the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) put resources and effort into each. Respondents are most interested in having the denomination "prepare Presbyterians to be better able to communicate their faith to others (personal evangelism)." Four in ten African-American and Korean members (41% and 44%, respectively) and 58% of Hispanic members are "extremely interested" in efforts related to personal evangelism. Table 4 shows items for which 75% or more in at least one sample responded either "extremely" or "moderately" interested.

Table 4: How Interested Are You in Having the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Put Resources/Effort Into These Areas?*

* Figures show the percent responding "extremely" or "moderately" interested.

• Figure 2 shows the percentages that responded "great urgency" when asked with what urgency the Presbyterian Church needs to take action in each of nine evangelism-related areas. African-American members see the most urgency in increasing membership. Hispanic members think the denomination should help train members in faith sharing. Korean members, on the other hand, believe helping their own congregation develop a warm fellowship has the most urgency.

The Worship Service

• Large majorities of African-American members (92%) and about 70% of Hispanic and Korean members report that speaking in tongues never takes place in the worship services of their congregation.
• Testimonies are fairly common in the congregations of Hispanic members and rare among Korean and African-American members. More than half of Hispanic members (54%), 10% of Korean members, and 23% of African-American members report hearing testimonies in their congregations at least once a month.
• Spontaneous response to the preacher's sermon is most common among African-American members (42% say it occurs every week), and less common among Korean members (27%) and Hispanic members (19%).
• About 35% of African-American and Hispanic members said they never have popular music during worship services. This compares to 11% among Korean members. In fact, 46% of Korean members report that popular music is included in their worship services every week.
• Traditional music is the norm: 71% of African-American members, 62% of Hispanic members, and 81% of Korean members report that traditional music is included during worship services every week. In contrast, only 17% of African-American members, 35% of Hispanic members, and 43% of Korean members report that worship includes contemporary music every week.

Neighborhood/Church Connections

• Thirty-seven percent of African-American members and 28% of Hispanic members, but only 3% of Korean members, have lived in the particular home (house, apartment, condo, etc.) in which they now live since at least 1974. In fact, 53% of Korean members (but only 29% of African-American and 36% of Hispanic members) moved to their current home in the 1990s.
• Even more in each sample have lived in their current community since 1974 (African Americans, 49%; Hispanics, 37%; and Koreans, 10%). Nonetheless, a majority of Korean members (53%), but less than one-quarter of other racial-ethnic members, report moving to the community where they know live since 1990.
• Despite this, a minority of racial-ethnic members report that they know most of their neighbors. In fact 67% of Korean members, 44% of Hispanic members, and 40% of African-American members know few or none of their neighbors. Thus, it is not surprising that only 9% of Korean members, 30% of Hispanic members, and 16% of African-American members report that they socialize with their neighbors "often."
• About half of Korean members (52%), 44% of Hispanic members, and 36% of African-American members report that they "often" socialize with other members of their congregation. Nonetheless, no more than 3% in any sample report that they "never" socialize with others from their congregation.