Study Guide: Why They Returned and Stayed
Chapter 5 of Surprising Insights from the Unchurched
1. What percentages of adults attended church services on a typical Sunday from 1991 to 1999?
2. What was the major factor in attraction and retention of the formerly unchurched?
3. What degree of church expectations makes the unchurched more likely to return?
4. What sort of topics were covered over half the time in new members classes by growing churches?
5. How does rate of retention relate to requiring, expecting, and offering a new members class?
6. Where did the formerly unchurched typically find relationships? What was the most important place?
7. How much more likely are churches to retain those involved in Sunday School as opposed to those who just attend worship services?
8. What percentage of adults are involved in any small group other than Sunday School?
9. What percentage of those involved in small groups are also involved in Sunday School?
10. What percentage of laypersons in evangelistic churches were able to name four out of five purposes of the church? What percentage in non-evangelistic churches?
11. What percentage of those interviewed saw their ministry involvement as the glue holding them to the church?
12. What is the major factor that keeps the formerly unchurched coming back each week?
