Four levels of participation

The 2021 NCLS is a series of interlinked surveys.  With higher levels of participation comes greater breadth and depth of information and insight about the character of local churches, regions, denominations and the Church in Australia as a whole.  

Custom surveys available:

At all levels in all surveys it is possible to add custom survey questions to suit needs beyond the core questions.

 

Level 1: About congregations/parishes. (One survey per church)

At minimum we hope to ask one person per church to complete a single survey.

Research topics will include: estimated numbers of attenders, staffing, social services and advocacy activities, educational activities, community partnerships, governance and compliance and more.

Level 2: About leadership (at least one survey per church)

Our second goal is to ask local church leaders (ministers/pastors/priests) and lay leaders to participate in the Leader Survey.

Samples of research topics will include: leader spirituality and faith practices, leadership development and training, teams, character/style, leader wellbeing, resilience, innovativeness, and more.

Level 3: About church health (for all church attenders)

The Attender Survey gives each attender a voice to reflect on their experience of church life.

  • Surveys are translated to at least 10 languages.
  • A survey for children aged 8 to 14 is also available.
  • Surveys available in paper and/or online formats
  • Results available in paper and/or online formats

Levels 1 to 3 make up a full Church Life Survey, offering a comprehensive profile of each local church. Full participation offers valuable information for pastoral and strategic planning by key denominational leaders. Further, each local church receives their own Church Life Profile and Pack containing resources to help reflect, communicate and act on the results in a local context.

Samples of topics are: qualities of church vitality including attenders’ evaluation of private devotions, importance of God, growth in faith, nurturing worship, belonging, evangelisation, service, advocacy, leadership roles, involvement of children and more.

The Church Life Pack: Participating churches receive a Church Life Pack of results and resources to help them respond and take steps of action. The Pack contains a church's unique results in their Church Life Profile. The Summary Profile shows a brief selection of key insights. The Detailed Review presents more in-depth results about the people and core qualities of church life.

Alongside the Profile are practical resources to help a church to explore and respond to their results. The Church Life Workbook provides tools, ideas and group processes to evaluate, communicate and act. Other resources present research findings underpinning church vitality and national trends in church life.

Level 4: Local Community Survey (for members of the church community beyond regular attenders)

This new offering for the 2021 National Church Life Survey allows local churches to hear from those in their community who may not be regular churchgoers. It is designed to hear their views and practices. Churches may use a standard survey or add their own customised questions.

National benchmarks for Australian spirituality would be provided through the Australian Community Survey run annually by NCLS Research.

 

2021 National Church Life Survey Overview

Participation

Aim

Who completes survey

Survey Instrument

Outputs for
 

National leaders

Regional leaders

Local church leaders

Local churches

ABOUT LOCAL CHURCHES

Level 1: About Congregations/

Parishes

To describe local church resources: people, staff and activities

One person per church

Congregations Survey

✔

✔

-

-

Level 2: About Leadership: effective and sustainable

For leaders to reflect on leadership development and personal wellbeing

Local church leaders:

· Solo or senior leaders

· Other ministers/pastors/priests

· Plus lay leadership

Leaders Survey

✔

✔

✔

-

Level 3. About Church health and vitality

For all attenders to reflect on their experience of local church vitality

Adult attenders aged 15+.

Child attenders aged 8 to 14 years.

Adult Attender Survey

Available in ten languages: English, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tongan, Dinka, Karen, Chin

Childrens Survey.

✔

✔

✔

✔

Level 4. :Local Community

To learn about views and practices of people in the church (beyond regular attenders)

People in the wider community (beyond regular attenders)

Local Community Survey

-

-

✔

✔

About Church Schools (TBC)

School Spirituality (TBC)

For students to reflect on their spiritual life.

Students in the church school (Plus parents and teachers?)

School Spirituality Survey

? TBC