National Congregations Study, Cumulative Dataset (1998, 2006-2007, 2012, and 2018-2019)

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WHYCHG Why was the number of services [increased/decreased]? [ARDA Note: Please see WHYCHG in the survey instrument for full remarks.]   1) Change in congregation attendance   2) Add scheduling options   3) Provide alternative worship style   4) Staffing issues   5) Seasonal change   6) Needed a bilingual service   10) Some other reason

Pie Chart Bar Chart Cumulative Bar Chart

Category	Frequency	Percentage	Cumulative Percentage	Z-Score
Change in congregation attendance	72	29.4%	29.4%	-0.97
Add scheduling options	27	11.0%	40.4%	-0.68
Provide alternative worship style	32	13.1%	53.5%	-0.38
Staffing issues	21	8.6%	62.0%	-0.09
Seasonal change	29	11.8%	73.9%	0.21
Needed a bilingual service	10	4.1%	78.0%	0.51
Some other reason	54	22.0%	100.0%	1.69

Variable Comparisons

Year Region Theology Political ideology Religion

Year (I-YEAR)

	1998	2006	2012	2018	TOTAL
Change in congregation attendance	0.00% 0	29.4% 72	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	29.4% 72
Add scheduling options	0.00% 0	11.0% 27	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	11.0% 27
Provide alternative worship style	0.00% 0	13.1% 32	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	13.1% 32
Staffing issues	0.00% 0	8.6% 21	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	8.6% 21
Seasonal change	0.00% 0	11.8% 29	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	11.8% 29
Needed a bilingual service	0.00% 0	4.1% 10	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	4.1% 10
Some other reason	0.00% 0	22.0% 54	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	22.0% 54
TOTAL	100.0% 0	100.0% 245	100.0% 0	100.0% 0	245

Region (I-REGION)

	New England or Mid-Atlantic	East North Central or West North Central	South Atlantic, East South Central, or West South Central	Mountain or Pacific	TOTAL
Change in congregation attendance	26.7% 8	20.8% 11	32.1% 35	34.0% 18	29.4% 72
Add scheduling options	3.3% 1	18.9% 10	8.3% 9	13.2% 7	11.0% 27
Provide alternative worship style	0.0% 0	18.9% 10	15.6% 17	9.4% 5	13.1% 32
Staffing issues	10.0% 3	13.2% 7	5.5% 6	9.4% 5	8.6% 21
Seasonal change	13.3% 4	13.2% 7	11.0% 12	11.3% 6	11.8% 29
Needed a bilingual service	6.7% 2	3.8% 2	3.7% 4	3.8% 2	4.1% 10
Some other reason	40.0% 12	11.3% 6	23.9% 26	18.9% 10	22.0% 54
TOTAL	100.0% 30	100.0% 53	100.0% 109	100.0% 53	245

Theology (I-THEOLOGY)

	More conservative	Right in the middle	More liberal	TOTAL
Change in congregation attendance	29.6% 37	32.2% 29	26.3% 5	30.3% 71
Add scheduling options	8.8% 11	7.8% 7	21.1% 4	9.4% 22
Provide alternative worship style	16.0% 20	12.2% 11	0.0% 0	13.2% 31
Staffing issues	7.2% 9	11.1% 10	10.5% 2	9.0% 21
Seasonal change	12.0% 15	11.1% 10	10.5% 2	11.5% 27
Needed a bilingual service	3.2% 4	3.3% 3	15.8% 3	4.3% 10
Some other reason	23.2% 29	22.2% 20	15.8% 3	22.2% 52
TOTAL	100.0% 125	100.0% 90	100.0% 19	234

Political ideology (I-POLITICS)

	More conservative	Right in the middle	More liberal	TOTAL
Change in congregation attendance	28.7% 29	34.3% 37	15.4% 2	30.6% 68
Add scheduling options	9.9% 10	8.3% 9	23.1% 3	9.9% 22
Provide alternative worship style	15.8% 16	10.2% 11	7.7% 1	12.6% 28
Staffing issues	6.9% 7	11.1% 12	7.7% 1	9.0% 20
Seasonal change	15.8% 16	9.3% 10	15.4% 2	12.6% 28
Needed a bilingual service	3.0% 3	4.6% 5	7.7% 1	4.1% 9
Some other reason	19.8% 20	22.2% 24	23.1% 3	21.2% 47
TOTAL	100.0% 101	100.0% 108	100.0% 13	222

Religion (I-RELIGION)

	Roman Catholic	White conservative, evangelical, or fundamentalist	Black Protestant	White liberal or moderate	Non-Christian	TOTAL
Change in congregation attendance	28.3% 15	28.1% 25	31.7% 13	28.0% 14	41.7% 5	29.4% 72
Add scheduling options	5.7% 3	11.2% 10	7.3% 3	20.0% 10	8.3% 1	11.0% 27
Provide alternative worship style	3.8% 2	21.3% 19	12.2% 5	10.0% 5	8.3% 1	13.1% 32
Staffing issues	20.8% 11	5.6% 5	4.9% 2	4.0% 2	8.3% 1	8.6% 21
Seasonal change	11.3% 6	14.6% 13	9.8% 4	8.0% 4	16.7% 2	11.8% 29
Needed a bilingual service	5.7% 3	2.2% 2	0.0% 0	10.0% 5	0.0% 0	4.1% 10
Some other reason	24.5% 13	16.9% 15	34.1% 14	20.0% 10	16.7% 2	22.0% 54
TOTAL	100.0% 53	100.0% 89	100.0% 41	100.0% 50	100.0% 12	245