LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

17
Calvinism and SBC Church Leadership: Key Findings and Evangelistic Implications Findings from research conducted by the North American Mission Board – 2007 NAMB New Millennium Ministers Study –

Transcript of LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

Page 1: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

Calvinism and SBC Church Leadership: Key Findings and Evangelistic Implications

Findings from research conducted by the North American Mission Board – 2007 NAMB New Millennium Ministers Study –

Page 2: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

2

Part I: Calvinism and SBC Church Leadership

Part II: Calvinism Trends in SBC Church Leadership

Part III: Evangelistic Implications

Calvinism and SBC Church Leadership

Page 3: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

3

2007 NAMB New Millennium Ministers Study• All 1998-2004 Masters level seminary graduates from Golden Gate, New Orleans, Midwestern, Southeastern, Southwestern and the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary were invited to complete the survey late 2006. A limited subset of Southern graduates was available for the study.

•The total number of survey respondents was 2149, of those 2134 were usable.

By seminary: Golden Gate (N=270), New Orleans (N=287), Midwestern (N=148), Southeastern (N=403), Southwestern (N=978), Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary (N=11), Southern Seminary (N=52).

•1,234 respondents serving as pastors or staff members at a Southern Baptist church. Within this group, 527 serve as senior or solo pastor of congregation.

Page 4: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

4

2007 NAMB New Millennium Ministers Study Questions

Strongly agree, Somewhat agree, Somewhat disagree, Strongly disagree, Don’t know

• I am a five-point Calvinist.

• God is the true evangelist and when He calls someone to himself, his grace is irresistible.

• People do not choose to become Christians; God chooses and calls people who then respond to him.

• I give a verbal presentation of the gospel (outside of church) at least once a week.

Page 5: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

5

Calvinism and SBC Church Leadership

Percent Strongly Agree or Somewhat Agree Among SBC Seminary Graduates (1998-2004) in SBC

Church Leadership

27%

67%58%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%

I am a five-pointCalvinist

God's grace isirresistible

God chooses andcalls people

Page 6: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

6

Calvinism and SBC Church Leadership

Percent Five-Point Calvinist Among SBC Seminary Graduates (1998-2004) who are SBC Pastors

29%

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%

SBC Pastors

Page 7: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

7

Calvinism Trends in SBC Church Leadership

Percent Strongly Agree or Somewhat Agree by Graduation Year

Among SBC Seminary Graduates (1998-2004) in SBC Church Leadership

Page 8: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

8

Calvinism Trends in SBC Church Leadership

Percent Strongly Agree or Somewhat Agree ‘I am a five-point Calvinist’ by Graduation Year

Among SBC Seminary Graduates (1998-2004) in SBC Church Leadership

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Page 9: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

9

Calvinism Trends in SBC Church Leadership

SBC Seminaries and their proportion of graduates who are Calvinist in descending order

SBC Seminary Graduates (1998-2004) Who are Calvinist

Southern*

Midwestern

Golden Gate

Southwestern

New Orleans

Southeastern

* Only a limited subset of Southern graduates were surveyed; A list of all Southern graduates was not made available

Page 10: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

10

Evangelistic Implications

Percent Share the Gospel Once a Week Among SBC Seminary Graduates (1998-2004) in SBC Church Leadership

50% 48% 50%46% 49% 45%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%

I am a five-pointCalvinist

God's grace isirresistible

God chooses and callspeople

Agree Disagree

Page 11: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

11

Evangelistic Implications

• In the 2007 NAMB New Millennium Ministers Survey, an equally high proportion (approximately 95%) of SBC pastors who claim to be and claim not to be five-point Calvinists believe churches should be involved in sponsoring missions and new church plants.

Page 12: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

12

Evangelistic Implications

Mean Weekly Worship AttendanceAmong SBC Seminary Graduates (1998-2004) who are SBC Pastors

142.2

182.7

0.020.040.060.080.0

100.0120.0140.0160.0180.0200.0

Calvinist Pastors Non-Calvinist Pastors

Page 13: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

13

Evangelistic Implications

Mean Annual Baptisms Among SBC Seminary Graduates (1998-2004) who are SBC Pastors

11.3

14.6

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.08.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

Calvinist Pastors Non-Calvinist Pastors

Page 14: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

14

Evangelistic Implications

Mean Baptism Rates Baptism Rates = (Baptisms/Attendance)*100

8.89.4

0.01.02.03.04.05.06.07.08.09.0

10.0

Calvinist Pastors Non-Calvinist PastorsAmong SBC Seminary Graduates (1998-2004) who are SBC Pastors

Page 15: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

15

There are several important items this report has found related to Calvinism among SBC church leadership.

• First, Calvinist led churches are in the minority—though the number is increasing.

• Second, Calvinism is on the rise among most recent seminary graduates. If present trends continue, Calvinism will continue to grow as an influence in our convention; however, these trends will take years to create a critical point of equality with non-Calvinist led congregations.

Conclusions

Page 16: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

16

• Third, Calvinist led churches, pastored by recent seminary graduates, are generally smaller in worship attendance and annual baptisms than non-Calvinist churches led by recent seminary graduates.

• Fourth, church growth statistics in terms of annual baptism rates indicates that there is little difference between Calvinist and non-Calvinist led churches.

Conclusions

Page 17: LwcF LifeWay Research Calvinism and SBC Recent Seminary Graduates Ppt

Calvinism and SBC Church Leadership: Key Findings and

Evangelistic Implications

Findings from research conducted by the North American Mission Board – 2007 NAMB New Millennium Ministers Study –