Pastoral Search Inventory

The call of a new pastor is a critical event in the life of a congregation. It is a time of making a choice about your future. This moment provides an important opportunity for a congregation to share together in assessing who they are and where they see themselves going. To assist in this task, the survey not only asks several sets of direct questions about the kind of pastoral leader you would like to see chosen, but it also includes sets of broader questions regarding your congregation's current ministry and your own involvement. Simply check the appropriate box or supply the required information as indicated. When answering questions with a limited number of choices, please choose the answer that comes closest to the right answer for you, even if it does not fit perfectly. Unanswered items reduce the usefulness of the inventory. Please do not sign your name on the questionnaire. We want to guarantee that your individual answers will be held in the strictest confidence. In some cases, more than one person in a household will receive an inventory. That is the way it is supposed to be. Please work independently and complete separate questionnaires. It is important that everyone participate in this survey! You will receive instructions from your congregation on how to return your inventory. If you misplace these instructions, you may use the address on the back cover. Feel free to share any comments or concerns you have about the inventory. Space is provided on the back for that purpose, and for sharing any additional information about your church that you think would be helpful. Thank you for your cooperation. We hope you enjoy filling out the questionnaire, and that in addition to assisting your church, you may find it a helpful means of reflecting on your faith and the meaning of your church experience.

Congregation Name:

Your Church Participation

1. How long have you been a member of this local church?
[ ] Not a member [ ] 2 - 4 years [ ] 10 - 19 years
[ ] One year or less [ ] 5 - 9 years [ ] 20 or more years

2. How long does it usually take you to travel from home to church?
[ ] 5 minutes or less [ ] 11 - 15 minutes [ ] 31 - 44 minutes
[ ] 6 - 10 minutes [ ] 16 - 30 minutes [ ] 45 or more minutes

3. On the average, about how many times have you attended church worship services during the past year?
[ ] None [ ] About once a month
[ ] About once or twice a year [ ] About two or three times a month
[ ] Once or twice every three months [ ] Four times a month or more

4. In how many church organizations, committees, and groups do you hold membership (not counting congregational membership itself)?
[ ] None [ ] One [ ] Two [ ] Three [ ] Four or more

5. Has your involvement in the congregation increased, decreased or remained about the same in the last few years?
[ ] Increased [ ] Remained the same [ ] Decreased

If your participation has increased, which of the following are reasons for that? (check all that apply):
[ ] More time available [ ] Better health
[ ] Because of children [ ] Stronger faith
[ ] Accepted office or other [ ] More positive attitude toward the church new responsibility in the church

If your participation has decreased, which of the following are reasons for that? (check all that apply) :
[ ] Less time available [ ] Health problems
[ ] Because of children [ ] Decreased faith
[ ] Given up office or other [ ] More negative attitude responsibility in the church towards the church

6. Approximately how much does your family household contribute to your church per year? (If single or widowed, you as an individual?)
[ ] Under $200 [ ] $1,000 - 1,499 [ ] $3,500 - 4,999
[ ] $200 - 599 [ ] $1,500 - 2,499 [ ] $5,000 - 7,499
[ ] $600 - 999 [ ] $2,500 - 3,499 [ ] Over $7,500

7. How many persons or families have you invited to visit or join your church in the past year?
[ ] None [ ] One [ ] Two [ ] Three [ ] Four or more

8. How many of your closest friends attend this church?
[ ] None [ ] One [ ] Two [ ] Three [ ] Four or more

Tasks of the Church

Listed below are a number of tasks that a local church is likely to perform. Please respond to each item by indicating whether you feel your congregation needs to give it more emphasis; whether you are very or generally satisfied with your congregation's current performance of the task; or whether you feel the task currently receives too much emphasis.

Please read over the preceding list of 16 church tasks, and answer the following two questions by writing in the number of the appropriate task.

1. Overall, which one task does your congregation do best? _____________________________________________________________

2. For the sake of your own personal involvement in your congregation, which one task would you most like to see strengthened?
_____________________________________________________________

Organizational Characteristics

In order to carry out its tasks, every church must deal with certain organizational issues, such as making decisions, sharing information, and developing resources. Listed below are a number of statements describing such issues. To what extent do you agree or disagree that each statement describes your congregation? A “Don't Know” (DK) response is provided, but please use it only when absolutely necessary.

Congregational Identity

Listed below are several alternatives touching upon important dimensions of a church's identity. Using the seven point scale between each set of alternatives, please circle the number which best describes where your congregation falls, “1” meaning most like the characteristic on the left, “7” meaning most like the characteristic on the right, “4” meaning an equal mix of both.

All congregations have an identity, or sense of who they are, that all members share in and yet any individual member stands somewhat apart from. Please rate your agreement or disagreement with the following statements from your perspective as an individual looking at your congregation's overall identity and vision.

Tasks of Pastors

In your judgment how high or low a priority would you like each of the following to be for the (senior) pastor of this church? It is worth remembering that not every task can be highest priority, and that in reality, only 3 or 4 probably can be. You may want to read the entire list, then go back and make your priority rankings.

Style of Ministry

Listed below are 10 pairs of characteristics of a good pastor. You will probably agree that both traits in each pair are desirable. But if you had to choose, which characteristic of the two in each pair would you prefer in your pastor. Would you prefer the trait on the left, or would you prefer the trait on the right? Check one answer for each pair.

Size and condition and Condition of Facilities

Please assess each of the following in terms of size.

Please assess each of the following in terms of general condition and aesthetic appeal.

Worship

How satisfied are you with each of the following aspects of your congregation's Sunday worship? Please respond to each item by indicating whether you are very satisfied or generally satisfied or whether you feel your congregation needs to have more emphasis given to it; or whether you feel the task currently receives too much emphasis.

For you, personally, how important are each of the following in the mix of qualities that make a good sermon?

Evangelism

In thinking about what originally brought you to this congregation and what keeps you here, select from the list below those reasons that best match your reasons for coming and staying at this church. You may select more than one.

Religious Beliefs and Personal Practices

Which one of the following best expresses your view of the Bible?

[ ] The Bible is an ancient book of history, legends and cultural stories recorded by man.

[ ] It has little value today except as classic literature.

[ ] The Bible is a valuable book because it was written by wise and good people.

[ ] I do not believe it is really God's word but it can teach us many moral precepts.

[ ] The Bible is the record of many different people's response to God and because of this, people and churches today must interpret the Bible's basic moral and religious teachings for themselves.

[ ] The Bible is the inspired Word of God and its basic moral and religious teachings are clear and true, even if it reflects some human error.

[ ] The Bible is the actual Word of God and is to be taken literally.

Please rate your agreement or disagreement with the following belief statements.

Please indicate how often you engage in the following practices.

Background Information About Yourself

1. Gender?
[ ] Male [ ] Female

2. Age?
[ ] Under 20 [ ] 25 - 34 [ ] 45 - 54 [ ] 65 - 74
[ ] 20 - 24 [ ] 35 - 44 [ ] 55 - 64 [ ] 75 or over

3. Racial/Ethnic Background?
[ ] White [ ] Black [ ] Hispanic [ ] Asian
[ ] Native American [ ] Pacific Islander [ ] Mixed

4. Marital Status?
[ ] Single, never married [ ] Widowed
[ ] Living in a committed relationship [ ] Separated or divorced
[ ] Married

5. Number of children living at home?
________ Age 0 - 5 _________ Age 19 and over
________ Age 6 - 12 _________ No children living at home
________ Age 13 - 18 _________ Do not have children

6. Which best describes your current household?
[ ] One person living alone [ ] Two or more adults with child/children
[ ] A couple without children [ ] Several adults living in the same household
[ ] One adult with child/children

7. What is your highest level of formal education?
[ ] Less than high school graduate [ ] College degree
[ ] High school graduate [ ] Post graduate work or degree
[ ] Some college, trade or vocational school

8. Are you (check one)?
[ ] Retired [ ] Employed part time
[ ] Employed full time [ ] Full time “houseperson” or student
[ ] Not currently employed

If currently employed, presently job-hunting or retired, what is/was your occupation?
      (1) [ ] Service worker: policeperson, barbers, janitors, beauticians, waiters, ushers, etc.
      (2) [ ] Clerical worker: bookkeepers, secretaries, mail carriers, telephone operators, etc.
      (3) [ ] Farmer/Rancher
      (4) [ ] Operative or Laborer: semi-skilled and unskilled workers in construction and manufacturing, etc.
      (5) [ ] Tradesperson: carpenters, masons, plumbers, electricians, machinists, etc.
      (6) [ ] Sales worker: insurance and real estate agents, brokers, salespersons, etc.
      (7) [ ] Proprietor, manager or public official: city manager, credit officers, buyers, floor managers, etc.
      (8) [ ] Professional, technical: teachers, doctors, computer programmer, architects, accountants, artists, etc.
      (9) [ ] Other:________________________________________________

Are you self-employed or an independent business person?
[ ] Yes [ ] No

If married, is your spouse employed?
[ ] Yes, full time [ ] Yes, part time [ ] No

9. What is your household (family or single living alone) income range?
[ ] Under $25,000 [ ] $50,000 - 74,999 [ ] $100,000 - $149,999
[ ] $25,000 - 49,999 [ ] $75,000 - $99,999 [ ] $150,000 or more

10. How many years have you lived in this general area?
[ ] One year or less [ ] 5 - 9 years [ ] 20 or more
[ ] 2 - 4 years [ ] 10 - 19 years

11. How likely is it that you might move out of this general area within the next few years?
[ ] Definitely will move [ ] Might move (50/50 chance) [ ] Very unlikely to move
[ ] Probably will move [ ] Probably will not move

12. In what denomination were your raised? If you were involved with more than one denomination when you were growing up, with which did you have the greatest identification?
(1) [ ] Baptist
(2) [ ] Disciples of Christ
(3) [ ] Episcopal
(4) [ ] Lutheran
(5) [ ] Methodist
(6) [ ] Presbyterian
(7) [ ] United Church of Christ
(8) [ ] Unitarian/Universalistic
(9) [ ] Other Protestant:______________________________________
(10) [ ] Roman Catholic
(11) [ ] Other:________________________________________________
(12) [ ] None

Now the Choice is Yours

Now that you have had the opportunity to reflect on your church, your beliefs, and the qualities you value in a pastor, we return to one final way of sharing with the search committee and congregation the kind of pastor you would like to see called. Listed below are ten images or dominant roles in terms of which clergy variously orient their ministry. To what extent would you like to see the pastor of your congregation emphasize or embody each of the roles? Would you say it is essential, very important, moderately important, not very important, or would you prefer the pastor to not emphasize the role at all?

Which of these ten roles do you feel it is most important for the pastor of your congregation to fulfill?
____________________________________________

Which of the ten roles do you feel is least important?
____________________________________________

The Future Church

Now that you have spent this time reflecting on the congregation's present situation, think for a bit about your vision for the future of this church. Please take a few final minutes and discuss your hope for the church's future. What are your dreams, desires, and wishes for the church over the next five years?

Further Comments – feel free to share with us any additional comments you might have about the survey.

77 Sherman St.
Hartford, CT 06105
860.509.9543
hirr.hartsem.edu

Prepared by:
Hartford Institute for Religion Research
Hartford Seminary
©2003 Hartford Institute for Religion Research