Survey Report

New Hope Church: Attitudes and Opinionsof thePeople in the Pews

By Monte SahlinMay 2007

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IntroductionA survey of attenders at New Hope Church was conducted early in 2007 at the

request of the pastoral staff. The purpose of the study is to evaluate various ministriesand activities of the church as well as gather information useful for strategic planning.The standard Survey of the People in the Pews, developed by the Center for CreativeMinistry, was used with some modifications relevant to the unique activities andcharacter of this congregation. This instrument includes many items from nationalstudies of congregational life in order to provide tested questions and comparative data.It was distributed to worship attenders on two Sabbaths, January 20 and 27. A total of404 usable questionnaires were returned.

Headcounts of attendance were recorded for both Sabbaths, and the averageattendance over those Sabbaths was 525, so the response rate was 77 percent, whichis very good and indicates the reliability of the information contained in this report.

This report is based on a computer analysis of the 404 responses. All samplesurveys are subject to sampling error. At the 95th percentile of reliability, an allowance offour percentage points should be made in interpreting the results of this survey. (Seethe appendix for more precise information on sampling error.) Comparisons are madethroughout this report with the U.S. Congregational Life Study (USCL) conducted in2000 by a consortium of more than 40 denominations and faiths, including the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America.

Monte Sahlin, chairman of the board for the Center for Creative Ministry anddirector of research for the Ohio Conference, developed the questionnaire and wrotethe analysis for this study. Paul Richardson, executive director of the Center forCreative Ministry, managed the study with the assistance of Carmen Rusu and NormaSahlin. The graphics and printed report were prepared by staff at the Center forCreative Ministry.

Demographic Profile of the CongregationNew Hope Church has many more people attending from the Millennial

generation (13 through 30 years of age in 2007) than are present in the generalpopulation in the Washington metropolitan area, while it attracts significantly feweramong those over 42 years of age. (See Figure 1.) About 28 percent of the respondentsare in the Millennial generation as compared to only 4% of the general population.Another 32 percent are in Generation X—31 through 42 years of age in 2007—ascompared to 19 percent of the general population. The USCL shows a pattern of largerportions of older people attending worship across America, but New Hope Church isvery much outside the norm in attracting a significantly greater portion of youngerpeople.

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People from households with annual incomes under $50,000 are less likely toattend New Hope Church, while those from households with higher incomes are morelikely to do so. (See Figure 2.) The largest number in the congregation (44 percent)come from homes where the annual income is $75,000 per year or higher. Only sevenpercent of attenders come from homes with incomes of less than $25,000 a year.

Despite the fact that it is located in a highly educated metropolitan area, thepeople who attend New Hope Church are even more educated. (See Figure 3.) Fully 61percent of attenders have a college degree. New Hope Church is significantly bettereducated than the typical congregation in America according to the USCL.

The majority of New Hope Church is made up of married people (56 percent),although it has a larger portion of singles than in the general population of theWashington metro area. (See Figure 4.) A third have never been married, eight percentare divorced and still single, two percent widowed and another two percent currentlyseparated from their spouse. The number of widows is significantly less than thegeneral population. New Hope Church has somewhat fewer married people and moresingle adults than do most congregations across the U.S. The USCL found that 66percent of church attenders are married as compared to 52 percent of Americans.

New Hope Church is quite diverse in its ethnic profile. (See Figure 5.) Two in fiveattenders are non-Hispanic Whites. A quarter are Black, including 17 percent native-born African Americans and seven percent immigrants from the Caribbean; 12 percentare Asian; and 11 percent are Hispanic or Latinos. Five percent indicate they aremultiethnic and seven percent identify themselves with an ethnic background other thanthose listed.

This is significantly different than the general population of the Washingtonmetropolitan area. (See Figure 6.) New Hope Church has about two-thirds of theproportion of Whites in the general population, three times as many Asians, nearly twiceas many Hispanics and about ten times as many in the “other” ethnic category. NewHope Church has a slightly greater share of Blacks than the general population. In itsethnic diversity New Hope Church is unlike most religious congregations acrossAmerica, according to the findings of Faith Communities Today (FACT), the largeststudy of congregations ever conducted in American history. Diversity is one ofdistinguishing characteristics of New Hope Church which will be observed immediatelyby any newcomer unfamiliar with the congregation.

A third of those attending New Hope Church are immigrants. (See Figure 7.)Asked about their citizenship at birth, 62 percent report that they are native-born U.S.citizens. A total of 33 percent were born as a citizen of some other nation. Five percentof respondents did not answer this question and it is not clear why they refrained fromthis particular item, although it may indicate the sensitivity attached to this topic by somemembers of the congregation.

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New Hope Church has twice as many immigrants as the general population inthe Washington metropolitan area. (See Figure 8.) Adventist congregations in majormetropolitan areas over the last two decades have experienced both a significant influxof immigrants and a slowing of growth among native-born members, especially amongthe White ethnic majority group. Evangelism is very effective in certain immigrantcommunities, but it is less and less effective among native-born Americans, both Blacksand Whites. These realities create a situation in which New Hope Church could slowlybecome a congregation entirely made up of ethnic minorities. If it is the intention of theleaders of the congregation to maintain the present diversity and continue a significantoutreach to native-born and White residents, it will require careful planning andpersistent effort. This issue constitutes a major strategic challenge for the mission of theAdventist Church in this area and across North America.

Three in five of the people who attend New Hope Church are women. (SeeFigure 9.) Just 41 percent are men. Although this is significantly different than thegeneral population in the Washington metropolitan area, which is about half eachgender, it is typical of Protestant churches. The USCL found that 61 percent of thosewho attend worship among all faiths in America are women and only 39 percent aremen. In this regard, New Hope is a typical American Protestant congregation.

Attendance PatternsThe majority of participants at New Hope Church attend almost every Sabbath.

(See Figure 10.) A total of 55 percent attended three or four of the previous fourSabbaths. Another 22 percent attended only two of the previous four Sabbaths and yetanother 22 percent only one of the previous four Sabbaths.

Those with a volunteer ministry assignment and those who are members of NewHope Church are more likely to attend regularly. The same is true for those whoidentified themselves as Hispanic or Black. There is a strong correlation between ageand attendance. The older an individual is, the more often they are likely to attend NewHope Church, while the younger an individual is, the less often they are likely to attend.This is a typical pattern in Adventist and other Protestant churches in America. It maysuggest the need for alternative worship experiences for teens and young adults at NewHope Church, or at least stronger ministries with these young people outside of theSabbath worship services.

Membership DynamicsOnly 44 percent of the people who attend New Hope Church are members here.

(See Figure 11.) Those over 42 years of age are more likely to be New Hope members,as are those who identify themselves as of Black ethnic background. The same is truefor those from households with annual incomes of $50,000 to $99,999, those with a

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graduate degree, those who have a volunteer responsibility at New Hope Church andthose who attend regularly.

Two in five of the people at New Hope Church are members of some otherAdventist church, either in the Washington area or elsewhere. Those from the MillennialGeneration (13 to 30 years of age in 2007) are more likely to give this response, as arethose with no volunteer responsibility at New Hope Church and those who attend lessoften.

One in eight of the attenders at New Hope Church (12 percent) say that they arenot members of any church. Respondents from low-income households are more likelyto give this response, as those who identify their ethnic background as Asian orHispanic.

Some four percent of those who attend indicate that they are members in adenomination other than the Adventist Church. No particular demographic segment ismore or less likely to be included among this small number.

New Hope has exceptional attendance from non-members. The USCL studyfound that the norm for Christian churches in America is that 10 percent of attenders arenot members of the congregation where they attend. Just the unchurched portion of thesample alone is larger than this. But the biggest share of the non-members attendingare young people who are members of another Adventist church somewhere. A total of59 percent of those who report that their membership is in some other Adventist churchare under 42 years of age. How many of these do not intend to settle in the Washingtonarea? How many need to be encouraged to transfer their membership and make a fullcommitment to New Hope Church? What factors would motivate that decision? Theseare important questions to be addressed by the leaders of the congregation.

Half of those who report that they have no church membership anywhere alsosay that they would like to join New Hope Church. (See Figure 12.) This segmentprobably includes more than 30 people each Sabbath. This indicates a very realopportunity for evangelism and some strategy should be in place to appeal to thesepeople to join a membership class or some similar group.

Impact on ParticipantsA number of questions were asked to try to measure the impact of the ministries

of New Hope Church on the people who participate. The first such item simply asked,“To what extent does worship at New Hope Church help you with everyday living?” (SeeFigure 13.) The majority (52 percent) say, “To a great extent.” Those who attend everySabbath and have a volunteer role at New Hope are more likely to give this response,as are those over 30 years of age, those who are immigrants and those who identifythemselves as Black, Hispanic or “other” in ethnic background.

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A third of the attenders (34 percent) say that worship at New Hope Church helpsthem only “to some extent” with everyday life. Respondents from lower-middle incomehouseholds are more likely to give this response, as are those with a graduate degreeand those who are native-born Americans.

Just 14 percent of worship attenders report that they are helped only “to a smallextent” or “not at all” by their participation in New Hope Church. Those with only asecondary diploma are more likely to give this response, as are those from low-incomehouseholds and those who attend less often.

Spiritual Growth in the Last YearThe majority of attenders at New Hope Church (55 percent) report “much growth”

in their faith over the last year. (See Figure 14.) Of these respondents, the largestsegment is made up of the 26 percent of the whole sample who say this was “mainlythrough New Hope Church.” Another 10 percent say it was “mainly through my ownprivate activities,” and nine percent say it was “mainly through other groups orcongregations.” Those who attend more often and have a volunteer responsibility inNew Hope Church are more likely to report much growth in their faith during the lastyear and attribute their growth to New Hope Church. The same is true for those who aremembers of New Hope Church and over 60 years of age, as well as those indicate theirethnic background is “other” or Black. Respondents from the poorest households aremore likely to report “much growth mainly through other groups or congregations,” whilethose not even a secondary diploma and from low-income households are more likely tosay they have had “much growth, mainly through my own private activities.”

Nearly half of the respondents (46 percent) indicate only “some growth” in theirfaith over the last year, while just eight percent say they had “no real growth.”Worshipers with a graduate degree are more likely to say “some growth,” as are thosewho are members of another Adventist church somewhere and those who have novolunteer ministry assignment at New Hope Church. Those with no church membershipanywhere are more likely to say “no real growth” or only “some growth.”

People attending New Hope Church are more likely to report just “some” spiritualgrowth in the last year than are attenders at Adventist churches across the U.S. in theUSCL study. They are also somewhat less likely to attribute their spiritual growth to NewHope Church, while they are more likely to attribute their growth to other groups orcongregations that they also attend. This is further evidence that New Hope Church hasmany attenders which are difficult to connect with and engage in a significant ministry.

A contemporary trend documented in many research studies is an emphasis onprivate spirituality over organized religious activities. This trend appears to be lessdeveloped among attenders at New Hope Church than the typical Adventist or otherProtestant church in America. These data indicate that New Hope Church is effective at

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bringing people into a strong sense of community and a shared spiritual experience.The risk for New Hope Church is catering to a large group that attends less often anddoes not transfer their membership from another Adventist church. These may be amanifestation of another well-documented contemporary trend—consumer religion.

Volunteer Ministry InvolvementOnly a third of the people in the pews (35 percent) currently have a ministry

assignment at New Hope Church. (See Figure 15.) Two-thirds do not. Those who attendevery Sabbath are more likely to have a volunteer role, as are those who are membersof New Hope Church, those over 30 years of age, those from middle-incomehouseholds and those with a graduate degree. Those who are not members of NewHope Church are significantly less likely to have a volunteer assignment, as are thosewho attend less often, those from lower-middle and low-income households, thoseunder 30 years of age, and those who report their ethnic background as Hispanic orAsian.

Among the third of respondents who do have a volunteer ministry role at NewHope Church, the largest number have contributed less than ten hours in the last monthor no more than two hours a week. (See Figure 16.) More than a quarter of those whohave a volunteer ministry role (27 percent) actually worked ten to 20 hours in the lastmonth, while one in eight put in more than 20 hours or at least five hours per week.These people make up the core working staff of New Hope Church. Respondents whoattend every Sabbath are more likely to be in this group than are those who attend lessoften.

The majority of the people in the pews at New Hope Church (54 percent) indicatethey have been asked personally during the last year to volunteer time in some ministrysponsored by the church. (See Figure 17.) Those who have a volunteer assignment aremore likely to say they have been asked, as are those who attend every Sabbath andthose who are members of New Hope Church. The same is true for those with agraduate degree and those from a middle-income household.

Perhaps it is more important to identify who is not being asked to volunteer. (SeeFigure 18.) Those who are not members of New Hope Church and those from low-income households are more likely to have been missed. The same is true for thosewho attend only once a month and those who have not completed at least a secondarydiploma.

Evaluation of SermonsThree out of four worship attenders say that the sermons at New Hope Church

do “very well” at encouraging spiritual growth. (See Figure 18.) Just one percent of therespondents said they find nothing at all helpful on this item. Baby Boomers and

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respondents under 30 years of age are more likely to rate this positively, as areimmigrants and those with only a secondary education. The negative responses are sofew that no demographic analysis is possible.

Almost three out of four worship attenders (73 percent) indicate that the sermonsat New Hope Church do “very well” in terms of relevance to everyday life. Only twopercent of respondents said “not at all.” Baby Boomers, White respondents andimmigrants are more likely to give a positive evaluation. Again, the negative response istoo small to yield a demographic analysis.

Three in five worship attenders report that the sermons at New Hope Church do“very well” at stimulating thought. Just four percent said “not at all” on this measure.Respondents over 42 years of age are more likely to be positive on this item, as areHispanics and those from households with incomes over $100,000 a year. At fourpercent the negative response is still too small for a demographic analysis.

A solid majority of worship attenders (58 percent) believe that the sermons atNew Hope Church do “very well” in terms of Bible content, although three percent claimthere is no Bible content at all. Respondents over 42 years of age are more likely to ratethis aspect positively, as are immigrants. The negative response is too small to providea demographic analysis.

Less than a majority of worship attenders think the sermons at New Hope Churchdo “very well” at encouraging witnessing or addressing social problems. Nearly half (48percent) give high marks to how sermons provide support for witnessing, while 44percent are positive about how sermons address social problems. The negativeresponses—seven percent say the sermons provide no encouragement for witnessingand eight percent say no sermons address social problems—are equally spread acrossall demographic segments. These two items constitute the weak spot in the preachingat New Hope Church, but the weakness is not nearly as pronounced as in the typicalAdventist church in the U.S. as well as many Protestant churches. This fact isunderscored by the fact that attenders who are members of another Adventist churchare more likely to rate both of these aspects positively. The same is true for thoserespondents over 60 years of age and those who identify themselves from an Asianethnic background.

Music PreferencesAttenders were asked which types of music they prefer in worship. Eight different

general types of music were listed along with “don’t know” and respondents were askedto indicate one or two choices.

Half the people who attend New Hope Church (51 percent) prefer traditionalhymns during worship along with other types of music. (See Figure 20.) Respondents

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over 42 years of age are about equally likely to express this preference, as areHispanics, those with graduate degrees and immigrants.

Almost as many (45 percent) prefer praise music or choruses in worship. Thoseover 60 years of age are more likely to prefer this kind of music, as are Whiterespondents.

Another 44 percent expressed a preference for contemporary Christian music.Respondents under 30 years of age are more likely to want this type of music, as arethose who attend every Sabbath, those who have a volunteer responsibility at NewHope Church and those who are members. Asian and Hispanic respondents are alsomore likely to prefer contemporary Christian music, as are those with a graduatedegree.

One in four worshipers (26 percent) prefer gospel music. Black respondents aremore likely to express this preference, as are those from Asian and “other” ethnicbackgrounds. The same is true for those who have a volunteer responsibility at NewHope Church.

One in six of the people in the pews (15 percent) selected “music or songs from avariety of cultures” as their preference. Respondents from a Black or “other” ethnicbackground are more likely to ask for this type of music, as are those from householdswith annual incomes below $50,000, those with little education and those who do nothave a church membership anywhere. This may represent a somewhat counter-culturalsegment of the congregation; a segment that the pastoral staff and lay leadership maynot even be aware of. This may be as many as 75 to 80 people each Sabbath.

Eight percent of the respondents would like to have Jesus Rock as part of themusic at New Hope Church. The only reliable demographic marker for this group is thatthose who are not members of any church are more likely to express this view. All of theother data is contradictory and the statistical cells are at times too small to be stable.

Only five percent of the worshipers at New Hope Church prefer classical music orchorales. This is a very small segment spread equally through all demographiccategories.

Just four percent of attenders would like to hear jazz in worship at New HopeChurch. This is too small a number to provide reliable demographic indicators andappears to be spread equally in almost all categories, although the majority of this groupare Black and Hispanic.

The preference for traditional hymns by those who attend New Hope Church isconsistent with Adventists across the U.S. and the interfaith USCL survey. Thepercentage of New Hope Church attenders who prefer praise music and contemporaryChristian music is significantly more than the response among Adventists and even a

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little higher than in other religions. The interest in gospel music, multicultural music,Jesus Rock and jazz are all significantly greater than the average for Adventists, as wellas most other denominations, while the percentage interested in classical music is wellbelow that of a number of denominations, including Adventists.

Feelings about WorshipTo explore in more depth the feelings of attenders about the worship experience,

a series of eight items were used with the question, “How often do you experience thefollowing during worship services at New Hope Church?” Each could be answered withone of four responses; always, usually, sometimes or rarely. (See Figure 21.) Similarresearch from Adventist churches across the U.S. and a large interfaith study havebeen published in Adventist Congregations Today (pages 7-9) and Beyond theOrdinary: Ten Strengths of U.S. Congregations (pages 28-30).

More than four out of five worshipers (82 percent) always or usually feel joyduring worship at New Hope Church. Only two percent report that they rarely do so.Hispanics, those over 60 years of age and those who have no church membershipanywhere are even more likely to feel joy. The two percent is too small for reliabledemographic analysis.

Almost an equal number (81 percent) always or usually experience inspirationduring the services at New Hope Church. Again, only two percent say they rarely do so.Hispanic respondents are more likely do so, as are those from middle-incomehouseholds, those with only a secondary education and those who are immigrants. Thetwo percent is too small for reliable demographic analysis.

Four out of five worshipers always or usually have a definite sense of God’spresence. Just one percent say they rarely do. Hispanic and Black respondents aremore likely to feel a divine presence, as are those from middle-income households. Onepercent is too small a fragment to yield demographic segmentation.

Two-thirds of the worshipers (66 percent) usually do not have “a sense offulfilling my obligation” when they attend New Hope Church. One in five (19 percent)rarely have such feelings, and 47 percent only “sometimes” do. Those over 60 years ofage are more likely to feel that they are fulfilling an obligation, as are those with littleeducation and those who report their ethnic background as Hispanic, Black or “other.”Those with a college degree and White respondents rarely feel a sense of fulfilledobligation.

Nearly two out of three people in worship at New Hope Church (64 percent)rarely or only sometimes experience spontaneity. Only 36 percent say they always oroften do. Hispanic respondents are more likely to say they often experiencespontaneity, as are those from lower-middle income households, immigrants and those

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who attend every Sabbath. Respondents in their 30s rarely feel spontaneity and thesame is true for those from the poorest households, those with graduate degrees andthose who are not members of any church.

Two-thirds of worship attenders (67 percent) rarely or only sometimes feel awe ormystery, while a third indicate they always or usually do. Respondents with graduatedegrees are more likely to say they rarely feel awe or mystery, while those over 60years of age and those who have little education are more likely to say they oftenexperience a sense of awe or mystery.

Nearly seven in ten worshipers (69 percent) rarely experience boredom duringworship at New Hope Church. Just four percent say they are always or often bored.Respondents in their 30s are more likely to say they are rarely bored, as are those frommiddle income and upper-middle income households, those who are immigrants andthose who report their ethnic background is Asian. Four percent is too small a sample toprovide reliable demographic analysis of that segment.

Seven in ten worship attenders (71 percent) rarely feel frustration with theworship services at New Hope Church. Only four percent are always or often frustrated.Respondents from middle income and upper-middle income are more likely to say theyare rarely frustrated, as are those who have a college degree, those who do not have avolunteer ministry assignment at New Hope Church and those who report their ethnicbackground as Black.

There is clear evidence in these data that New Hope Church provides a morevital worship experience than the typical Adventist congregation across America.Attenders are more likely to say they always or usually experience feelings of joy,inspiration and spontaneity, as well as a sense of awe or mystery. They are less likely tofeel that they are fulfilling a sense of obligation on Sabbath or to be bored or frustrated.(See Figure 22.)

The worship at New Hope Church also exceeds a number of the norms in theUSCL interfaith sample. Some 82 percent of New Hope Church worshipers always orusually experience joy as compared to 79 percent of congregations of all faiths, and 81percent of New Hope Church worshipers are inspired as compared to 78 percent of allreligious groups. And 33 percent of New Hope Church worshipers always or usuallyexperience awe or mystery as compared to 25 percent of all religious communities.

Evaluation of WorshipAttenders at New Hope Church were asked to evaluate various aspects of the

worship service on a five-point scale from excellent to poor. The percentages reportedhere are based on the number of respondents who selected a five or four, which aredescribed as an “excellent” evaluation; the number of respondents who selected a

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three, which are described as neutral or ambivalent; and the number of respondentswho selected a one or two, which are described as an evaluation as “poor.”

Nine out of ten people attending New Hope Church (89 percent) rate thesermons as excellent. (See Figure 23.) Only two percent rate the sermons as poor.Hispanics are even more likely to rate the sermons as excellent. The negative responseis too small for demographic analysis.

Nearly nine out of ten worship attenders (87 percent) evaluate the music andpraise team at New Hope Church as excellent and just two percent indicate that thisaspect of worship is poor. Those in their 30s and those who are from an Asian ethnicbackground are more likely to rate the music and praise team as excellent. Again, thenegative response is too small for demographic analysis.

Five out of six (85 percent) rate both the order of service and the visual aids(PowerPoint slides, projectors, sermon illustration devices, etc.) used in worship at NewHope Church as excellent. Only one or two percent rate them as poor. Those whoattend regularly are more likely to rate these items as excellent, as are respondentsunder 30 years of age and those who identify their ethnic background as Hispanic. Thenegative segment is too small to produce reliable demographic profiles.

More than four out of five of the people in the pews (83 percent) rate the warmthof the people at New Hope Church as excellent. Just three percent feel that this aspectof worship is poor. Hispanics are more likely to give this response, as are those under30 years of age and those who have not yet completed a secondary diploma. The threepercent negative response is too small for demographic analysis.

Four out of five respondents rate “the songs we sing” as excellent, with only fourpercent evaluating them as poor. Asian respondents are more likely to give thisresponse as are Hispanics and those who say their ethnic background is “other.” Thefour percent who responded negatively is too small for demographic analysis.

Three out of four people (74 percent) rate the number in attendance at NewHope Church as excellent. Just three percent rate it as poor, but nearly a quarter (23percent) are ambivalent about the average attendance. Those in their 30s are morelikely to feel that attendance is excellent, as do Asian and Hispanic respondents, thosewho attend regularly and those who do not have church membership anywhere. Thenegative three percent is too small for demographic analysis.

Nearly two-thirds of the respondents rate Resources for Families as excellentand only four percent give it a negative rating, but a significant number of worshipattenders indicated that they were not aware of this element of the program and had nobasis to give an evaluation. Those under 30 years of age are more likely to rate thisfeature as excellent, as are immigrants and those who indicate that their ethnic

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background is Asian, Hispanic or “other.” The negative response is too small fordemographic analysis.

Kids Church is the aspect of worship at New Hope Church which received thelowest rating by attenders. Still, a strong majority (61 percent) rated it as excellent andonly two percent rated it as poor. This item had an exceptionally high number of non-responses, so it may be that many people who are not parents of small children feelthey have little contact with this program and no information upon which to form anopinion. Respondents in their 30s—those most likely to have small children—are morelikely to give Kids Church an excellent rating. So are those who attend every Sabbath,those who have a volunteer ministry role in the church and those who are members ofNew Hope Church. The same is true of Hispanics, Blacks and those who identify theirethnic background as “other.” Again, the two percent negative who gave a negativeevaluation is too small to provide a reliable demographic profile.

Perceptions of New Hope ChurchIn order to get a more specific idea of the perceptions of the fellowship and

ministry at New Hope Church, five statements were included in the questionnaire andrespondents were asked to indicate how well each statement describes thecongregation on a five-point scale, from “very well” to “not at all.”

The members are excited about the future of New Hope Church agree nearlynine out ten respondents. (See Figure 24.) Baby Boomers are more likely to agree, asare those from middle and upper-middle income households, those who are membersof other Adventist churches, and those who identify their ethnic background as Hispanicor Asian.

New Hope Church programs are well organized agree 83 percent of worshipattenders. Those from lower-middle and low-income households are more likely toagree, as are immigrants and those who identify their ethnic background as Hispanic.

More than four out of five (82 percent) agree that New Hope Church has a clearsense of mission and purpose. Respondents under 30 years of age are more likely toagree, as are those who attend regularly, those from middle-income households andthose who report an Hispanic or Black ethnic background.

Two-thirds of the respondents (65 percent) agree that New Hope’s activitiesstrengthen personal relationships among the congregation. Only five percentdisagree. Individuals from low-income households and those with little education aremore likely to agree with this statement, as are those under 30 years of age, those whoare do not have church membership anywhere and those who identify their ethnicbackground as Hispanic or Asian.

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About two-thirds of attenders (64 percent) agree that new people are easilyassimilated into New Hope Church. Individuals from low-income households are morelikely to agree and the same is true for those who have little education. Both thoseunder 30 years of age and those over 60 years of age are more likely to agree, as arethose who report an Asian or Black ethnic background and those who have no churchmembership anywhere. There is more disagreement on this item than any other in thisseries of questions. A total of eight percent disagree, nearly double the level ofdisagreement on any other item in this series. Respondents most likely to disagree arethose from households with incomes of $75,000 to $99,999 per year. Taken as a whole,the data in this paragraph may reveal a feeling among some upper-middle classmembers that the assimilation process is uncomfortable to them because it is tooinclusive and open to a very diverse group of people.

Sense of BelongingMore than two-thirds of the people who attend (69 percent) say they have a

strong sense of belonging at New Hope Church. (See Figure 25.) The largest portion ofthese (40 percent of the whole sample) say that their sense of belong is not only strong,but growing. Another 16 percent say it is strong and about the same as last year.Another 13 percent indicate that although their sense of belonging is strong, it is “not asstrong as in the past.”

Respondents who attend regularly and have a volunteer assignment at NewHope Church are more likely to indicate a strong sense of belonging and to say that it isgrowing. The same is true for those an Hispanic, Black or “other” ethnic background andthose who are immigrants. White respondents and those from middle-incomehouseholds are more likely to say their sense of belonging is strong and about the sameas last year. Those over 60 years of age are more likely to say their sense of belong,while strong, is not as strong as in the past.

One in four worshipers indicate that their sense of belonging at New HopeChurch is not strong. The largest number of these (11 percent) say “but I am new here.”Almost an equal number (ten percent) say “I wish I did,” while only four percent say “butI am happy as I am.” Those who attend less often are more likely to report that they are“new here,” as are those who have no church membership anywhere or are members ofanother Adventist church, and those who report their ethnic background as Asian orHispanic. Those who attend more regularly are more likely to say, “but I am new here.”

New Hope Church has a significantly greater percentage of people who say thatthey do not have a strong sense of belonging than do most Adventist churches acrossthe U.S. It also has a significantly smaller percentage of people who report that theyhave a strong sense of belonging. In both cases the percentages are also differ from theUSCL interfaith sample. These are all indicators of the fact that New Hope Church isattracting many newcomers and people perhaps, at least initially, more interested in the

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entertaining aspects of worship than in making a real commitment to the congregationand its mission.

It may be that the higher percentage of people with little or now sense ofbelonging at New Hope Church are simply a function of the high numbers of non-members who attend and the flow of newcomers each Sabbath. There are so fewcongregations today, in any Christian denomination, that are attracting such largepercentages of “visitors” that this reality is unusual, but that does not necessarily make itunnatural or a problem. It does mean that one of the important functions that mustoperate each week at New Hope Church is that of seeking to build the sense ofbelonging among the non-members who attend, especially those who are there for thesecond or subsequent time.

Involvement in Making DecisionsThe majority of attenders (57 percent) report that they have been given the

opportunity to be involved in the making of important decisions at New Hope Church.(See Figure 26.) The largest number of these respondents also indicate that they almostnever (26 percent of the total sample) or only occasionally (19 percent) get involved.This means that only about one in eight of the people who participate in New HopeChurch (12 percent) participate in important decisions.

Those who have a volunteer assignment at New Hope Church are more likely tobe among this 12 percent who usually get involved in decision-making, as are membersof New Hope Church, those who attend every Sabbath, those over 60 years of age andthose with a graduate degree. Baby Boomers and those from high-income householdsare more likely to be among those who say they only occasionally get involved, whilethose who are immigrants or from middle-income homes are more likely to say theyrarely get involved.

More than two out of five attenders (43 percent) say that they have not beengiven the opportunity to get involved in making important decisions for New HopeChurch. Most of these respondents (37 percent of the whole sample) also indicate “thatis fine.” They have no negative feelings about being left out. Just six percent of NewHope worshipers say they feel excluded from the decision-making process and are nothappy about it. Those who are not members of New Hope Church and those have novolunteer assignment are more likely to say they are left out of important decisions, asare those who attend less often, those over 60 years of age and those under 30 yearsof age.

Compared to Adventist churches across the U.S., New Hope Church hassignificantly more members who feel left out of decision-making, although notsignificantly more who are unhappy about it. It has fewer than average who feelincluded in decision-making and participate “often” or “occasionally.” This is a significant

16

difference from congregations of other faiths in which a much larger percentage ofworshipers feel they can get involved in major decisions, according to the findings of theUSCL survey.

Overall Evaluation of New Hope ChurchWorship attenders were asked to evaluate ten aspects of New Hope Church on a

five-point scale from “poor” to “excellent.” Most of these can be considered strengths ofNew Hope Church because the majority of respondents rated these items with a 4 or 5on the scale. (See Figure 27.) Only one item was rated a 1, 2 or 3 on the scale by amajority of the respondents.

The highest rating was given to the parking at New Hope Church. Nine out often respondents rate it as “excellent,” while only one percent evaluate it as poor. Thoseover 60 years of age are more likely to rate the parking as excellent, as are those whoattend every Sabbath. The negative response is too small to provide a reliable basis fordemographic analysis.

The worship services each Sabbath were also rated as excellent by nine out often (89 percent) of attenders, with only one percent saying they are poor. Those whoare in their 30s, those who attend regularly and those from high-income households aremore likely to rate the worship services as excellent. Again, the negative response is toosmall to provide a reliable basis for demographic analysis.

Almost as many (88 percent) rate the pastor’s leadership as excellent. Onlytwo percent rate it “poor.” Attenders who are members of another Adventist church,Hispanics and those from lower-middle income households more likely to rate thepastor’s leadership at excellent. Two percent of this sample is too small a segment toprovide a basis for demographic analysis.

Three out of four of the people who attend worship (74 percent) evaluate thechildren’s ministries at New Hope Church as excellent. Just one percent rate theseministries as poor. People in their 30s are more likely to say that children’s ministriesare excellent, as are Hispanics and Asians, those from high-income households, thosewho attend every Sabbath, those who have a volunteer ministry assignment at thechurch, and those who are members of New Hope Church. The negative response istoo small to be analyzed.

Two-thirds of worshipers rate community service activities sponsored by NewHope Church as excellent, but four percent say that community service is poor. Thoseunder 42 years of age and ethnic minorities are more likely to rate community service asexcellent and the same is true for those who are immigrants, those who have littleeducation, those who are members of other Adventist churches and those from middle-income households. The negative response is spread across all demographic segments

17

and may be related to some factor that was not included in the questions asked in thissurvey such as professional education and background.

The majority of the people in the pews (58 percent) rate the church board atNew Hope Church as excellent, while just three percent evaluate it as poor. Those whoattend every Sabbath are more likely to rate the church board as excellent, as are thosein their 30s and those who report their ethnic background as Hispanic or Asian. Thenegative response is too small to provide a reliable demographic profile.

The majority of the respondents (56 percent) also rate evangelism at New HopeChurch as excellent, but more than one in ten (11 percent) rate it as poor. Those under42 years of age are more likely to rate evangelism as excellent, as are those attenderswho are unchurched, those with little education, immigrants and those who identify theirethnic background as Asian. People over 60 years of age are more likely to rateevangelism as poor, and the same is true for those who are members of New HopeChurch, those who attend every Sabbath and those who have a volunteer ministry roleat the church. These data present the interesting possibility of a misunderstandingabout what “evangelism” is. Perhaps some dialog and education is in order.

A majority of attenders (53 percent) also rate the youth group at New HopeChurch as excellent. Another seven percent rate it as poor. Those under 42 years ofage are more likely to think the youth group is excellent, as are those who attend everySabbath, those from middle-income households and those who identify their ethnicity asHispanic or Black. Members of New Hope Church are more likely to rate the youthgroup as poor.

A bare majority (51 percent) rate the help provided to individuals in need atNew Hope Church as excellent, while six percent say it is poor. Those who are under 30years of age are more likely to rate this aspect excellent, as are those from the pooresthouseholds, those with little education and those from an ethnic minority background.People with no church membership anywhere are more likely to rate it as poor.

The one area that failed to get an excellent rating from a majority of therespondents is small group ministries. Only six percent rated this area as poor, butonly 49 percent rated it as excellent. It appears that a significant number of worshipattenders do not know much about small group ministries at New Hope Church andwere reluctant to answer this item or gave it a neutral rating. Those under 42 years ofage are more likely to rate small group ministries as excellent, as are those from middleto lower-income households and those who identified their ethnic background asHispanic or Black. Those who rated small group ministries as negative are spreadequally across all demographic segments.

18

Values at New Hope ChurchIn order to ascertain the values of the congregation as they relate to church

activities, worship attenders were given a list of ten items and asked, “Which of thefollowing aspects of New Hope Church do you personally most value?” They couldselect up to three items from the list.

Less than half the respondents answered this question. The high number of non-responses indicates that many of the people who attend New Hope Church do not havehighly-defined personal or spiritual values. To some degree this is characteristic of theyounger age profile of this congregation. Many teens and young adults are at a stage inlife where they are only beginning to define themselves and their values as adults. Itmay also be due to the large numbers of people who are newcomers or visitors at NewHope Church, who may see themselves as more rooted in some other congregation.The data below and displayed in Figure 28 is based only on the half of the respondentswho answered this question.

Contemporary worship style—Nearly half of those who responded to thisquestion selected “contemporary style of worship or music” as something they valuemost about New Hope Church. Those over 42 years of age are more likely to value thisaspect of the church, as are those from high-income households and immigrants.Clearly this is an important aspect of the ministry of this congregation.

Community service—Almost as many respondents indicated that communityservice is an important value to them. Those in their 30s are even stronger on thisvalue, as are those with a college degree and those who are immigrants. The highranking given to this value points to the need for New Hope Church to do more tostrengthen its involvement in serving the local community and the Washingtonmetropolitan area.

Diversity—The same number reported that the diversity among the congregationis something they highly value. Respondents over 60 years of age are more likely tovalue diversity as are those in their 30s. The same is true for both those with a graduatedegree and those with only a secondary diploma, as well as those from householdswhere the annual income is below $50,000, those who are unchurched and those whohave a volunteer assignment at New Hope Church.

The Preaching—The sermons presented at New Hope Church are an importantvalue for more than two in five respondents. Those over 42 years of age are more likelyto value the preaching, as are those from high-income households, those with graduatedegrees, and those who are immigrants.

Social Activities—One in four respondents say that one of the things they valuemost about New Hope Church is the social activities and meeting new people. Those

19

under 30 years of age are more likely to value this aspect of church life, as are thosewho attend every Sabbath and those who identify their ethnic background as Hispanicor “other.”

Reaching the Unchurched—One in five respondents selected “reaching thosewho do not attend church” as something they value most about New Hope Church.Those under 30 years of age are more likely to value outreach to the unchurched, asare those who attend less often.

Relatively small numbers of people selected the other values included in thisquestion. Clearly the New Hope congregation places little value on praying for oneanother, caring for one another, small group ministries and the friends they havedeveloped at the church. It is unclear which of two explanations for these data comecloser to reality. One possibility is that New Hope has attracted a group of people whosepersonal values are more instrumental than relational—people who want to develop ashared vision for a certain kind of church instead of meet their personal needs foremotional and spiritual support and companionship. Another possibility is that becausethere are so many newcomers in the congregation and due to the recent move to a newfacility, the personal relationships within the group are largely unsettled or superficial.This condition is sometimes present in congregations that experience rapid growth; theexpansion of the congregation outpaces the development of strong personalfriendships. Either scenario begs attention from the pastoral staff and lay leadership. Inthe long run it is the fabric of friendships that gives a congregation staying power.

What New Hope Values More than the NormWorship attenders at New Hope Church are nearly five times as likely to

personally value a contemporary worship style, community service and diversity thanare the people attending most Adventist congregations across America. (See Figure29.) New Hope worshipers are about three times as likely to value social activities andmeeting new people as are most Adventist worshipers in the U.S. They also value thepreaching at New Hope Church more than most Adventists do the preaching in theirlocal church. These are significant contrasts that profile the ways New Hope Church isdifferent from the typical Adventist church and describe its unique character. All of thesevalues are also appropriate to the mission of New Hope Church as a progressiveAdventist congregation in a major metropolitan area.

What New Hope Values Less than the NormThe people who attend New Hope Church are significantly less likely than most

Adventist churches to value practical care for individuals in the congregation in times ofneed and small group ministries. It values friendships at church and praying for oneanother at the same level as the average Adventist church. (See Figure 30.) This maybe surprising in view of the pronounced relational nature of the ministry, but it certainly

20

underlines the nontraditional nature of this congregation. Pastoral care for individuals inneed, praying for others, fellowship activities and friendships are generally veryimportant to the nurture of congregations. Is New Hope Church intentionally developinga different approach? Or, does this indicate a dimension of congregational life thatneeds attention from the leadership?

The Goals of New Hope ChurchRespondents were provided with a list of twelve possible goal statements and

asked, “Which ... do you consider to be the three most important goals for New HopeChurch?” The majority of the respondents answered this question, but a substantialnumber did not. Again, this is probably due to the large number of newcomers and non-members in attendance who may have felt this question was not for them.

The majority of the people at New Hope Church definitely support only two of thegoals. Nearly three in five (59 percent) selected “To worship God,” and nearly as many(57 percent) selected “To deepen prayer life.” Members of New Hope Church weremore likely to select “worship God,” as were those with graduate degrees, native-bornrespondents and those who identified their ethnic background as White or “other.”People over 30 years of age were more likely to select “deepen prayer life,” as wereimmigrants, those who attend regularly and those who identified their ethnic backgroundas Black or Asian.

Nearly half of those who did respond to this question (48 percent) said that oneof the goals of New Hope Church must be simply “to encourage the spiritual growth ofindividuals.” Those who are members of another Adventist church were more likely toselect this response, as were those who attend less often and those who identify theirethnic background Hispanic, Asian or White.

A third of the respondents (32 percent in each case) indicated that the goals ofNew Hope Church must include increasing knowledge of the Bible and encouragingparticipants to make a stronger commitment to Christ. Those in their 30s are more likelyto support increasing Bible knowledge, as are those who have no church membershipanywhere, those who attend regularly, immigrants and those who identify their ethnicbackground as Asian or Black. Encouraging a stronger commitment to Christ was morelikely to be selected by respondents over 42 years of age and those with a graduatedegree.

Smaller numbers indicated support for the other possible goals. In contrast to thegoals related to individual spirituality which are discussed above, the goals that aresupported by no more than one in six New Hope attenders are those that relate toservice and ministry—understanding community needs, getting more people involved,working for church growth, equipping members for ministry, transforming thecommunity, increasing unity in diversity and increasing giving.

21

Respondents over 60 years of age are more likely to support understandingcommunity needs as a goal. So are those who are unchurched, those who attend lessoften and those who identify their ethnic background as Hispanic. Those who alreadyhave a volunteer ministry role in the church are more likely to support getting morepeople involved. Support for church growth is more likely to come from those under 30years of age, those who attend regularly and those from middle-income households.Equipping members for ministry is a goal supported by Baby Boomers, Hispanics, thosewho already have a volunteer role in the church, those with graduate degrees andimmigrants. “To transform the local community” is more likely to be supported by thosewho have a volunteer role in the congregation. The segments supporting “to increaseunity in diversity” and “to raise the level of financial giving” are too small to yield reliabledemographic analysis.

The values expressed here reflect the contemporary ministry of New HopeChurch and the major religious trends of our times. The people who are attend NewHope largely represent the “postmodern” mind set which is looking for a focus onindividual spiritual growth and has little interest in organization around larger, missionalgoals. This raises serious questions about the future of congregations like New HopeChurch. Can it maintain the level of growth that it has enjoyed for several years? Can itsustain itself as a local institution over a significant period of time? Can it make a realimpact in the community, the metropolitan area and the denomination? The answer toeach of these questions is dependent upon its ability to transform self-focused seekersafter personal spirituality and consumer religion into followers of Christ willing to makethe sacrifices necessary to build team-based ministries and act out their faith on thelarge stage of society.

22

Figure 1

Age groups by generation

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Before Boomers Baby Boom GenX Millennial

New Hope Church Washington metro area

Figure 2

Annual household income

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Under$25,000

$25,000 to$49,999

$50,000 to$74,999

$75,000 to$99,999

$100,000and over

New Hope Church Washington metro area

23

Figure 3

Level of education

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

No secondarydiploma

Secondarydiploma

College degree Graduatedegree

New Hope Church Washington metro area

Figure 4

Marital status

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Married Nevermarried

Divorced Separated Widowed

New Hope Church Washington metro area

24

Figure 5

Primary ethnic background

African American

17%

Other7%

Multi-ethnic

5%

Hispanic11%

Asian12%

Caribbean7%

White/Non-Hispanic

41%

Figure 6

Comparative ethnic profile

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Asian Black Hispanic White Others

New Hope Church Washington metro area

25

Figure 7

Citizenship at birth

Other33%

United States62%

Figure 8

Citizenship at birth

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

USA OthersNew Hope Church Washington metro area

26

Figure 9

Gender

Men41%

Women59%

Figure 10

Attendance

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

One out of last fourweeks or less

Two out of last fourweeks

Three or four out of lastfour weeks

New Hope Church U.S. Adventist Churches

27

Figure 11

Church Membership

None*12%

OtherAdventist

church40%

Otherfaith4%

New Hope member

44%

Figure 12

Not a member anywhere

Not important

to me6%

I would like to join New

Hope Church6%

28

Figure 13

How much does worship at New Hope help you with everyday life?

Some34%

Not much14%

Greatly52%

Figure 14

How much have you grown in your faith in the last year?

---------Much growth---------

0%5%

10%15%20%25%

30%35%40%45%50%

Throughthis

church

Throughanothergroup

Throughprivate

activities

Somegrowth

No realgrowth

New Hope ChurchU.S. Adventists

29

Figure 15

Currently have a ministry role

No64%

Yes35%

The third of respondents who have a volunteer role

Figure 16

Volunteers: Hours per Month

62%

27%

5%

7%

Less than ten

10 to 20 hours

21 to 30 hours

More than 30hours

30

Figure 17

Has anyone asked you personally to volunteer time in the last year?

No45% Yes

54%

Figure 18

Who is not being asked to volunteer?

52%

56%

59%

65%

Have not completedhigh school

Attends once amonth

Annual incomeunder $25,000

Not a member ofNew Hope

31

Figure 19

Evaluation of Sermons

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Addressing social problems

Encouraging witnessing

Bible content

Stimulating thought

Relevance to everyday life

Encouraging spiritual growth

Do very well Fairly well Not at all

Figure 20

Music Preferences

4%

5%

8%

15%

26%

44%

51%

45%

Jazz

Classical music or chorales

Jesus Rock

Music from many cultures

Gospel

Contemporary Christian music

Praise music or choruses

Traditional hymns

32

Figure 21

Feelings about Worship

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Joy

Inspiration

God's presence

Obligation

Spontaneity

Awe/mystery

Boredom

Frustration

Always or usually Some times Rarely

Figure 22

Feelings about WorshipNew Hope & US Adventists compared

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

God's presence

Inspiration

Joy

Obligation

Spontaneity

Awe/mystery

Boredom

Frustration

U.S. Adventists New Hope Church

33

Figure 23

Evaluation of Worship

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Kids church

Resources for families

Attendance

Songs we sing

Warmth of people

Visual aids

Order of service

Music

Sermons

Excellent Uncertain Poor

Figure 24

Perceptions of New Hope Church

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

New people are easily assimilated

Activities strengthen personalrelationships

Has a clear sense of mission

Programs are well organized

People are excited about the future

Describe well Not sure Describe poorly or not at all

34

Figure 25

Strong sense of belongingto New Hope Church

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Yes andgrowing

Yes, butthe same

Yes, butless so

No, but Iam new

No, wishI did

No, thatis OK

New Hope Church U.S. Adventists

Figure 26

Involvement in making important decisions

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Givenopportunity &

oftenparticipate

Givenopportunity &occasionallyparticipate

Givenopportunity, but did notparticipate

Not givenopportunity,

but that is OK

Not givenopportunity &

unhappy

New Hope Church U.S. Adventists

35

Figure 27

Overall Evaluation

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Small groups

Help for individuals

Youth group

Evangelism

Church board

Community service

Children's ministries

Pastor's leadership

Worship

Parking

Excellent Uncertain Poor

Figure 28

What do you personally value most about New Hope Church?

10%

12%

14%

15%

21%

26%

44%

47%

47%

48%

Caring for one another

Small groups

My friends at New Hope

Praying for one another

Reaching the unchurched

Social activities

The preaching

Diversity

Community service

Contemporary worship

36

Figure 29

What is valued more at New Hope than US Adventists

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

Social activities

The preaching

Diversity ofmembers

Communityservice

Contemporaryworship style

U.S. Adventists New Hope Church

Figure 30

What is valued less at New Hope than US Adventists

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

Reaching theunchurched

Praying for oneanother

My friends atchurch

Small groups

Care for oneanother

U.S. Adventists New Hope Church

37

Figure 31

Most important goalsfor New Hope Church

2%

3%

11%

11%

12%

15%

16%

32%

32%

57%

59%

48%

Increase giving

Increase unity in diversity

Transform the community

Equip members for ministry

Work for church growth

Get more people involved

Understand community needs

Stronger commitment to Christ

Increase Bible knowledge

Encourage spiritual growth

Deepen prayer life

Worship God

Technical AppendixIn interpreting survey results, it should be borne in mind that all sample surveys are

subject to sampling error. That is the extent to which the results may differ from what would beobtained if the whole population had been interviewed or completed a questionnaire. The size ofsuch sampling errors depends on the actual number of interviews or questionnaires, not thenumber of responses as a percentage of the population.

The following tables may be used in estimating the sampling error of any percentage inthis report. The computed allowances have taken into account the effect of the sample designupon sampling error. They may be interpreted as indicating the range (plus or minus the figureshown) within which the results of repeated samplings in the same time period could be expectedto vary, 95 percent of the time, assuming the same sampling procedures, the same interviewersand/or the same questionnaire.

Table A shows how much allowance should be made for the sampling error of anypercentage reported. This table would be used in the following manner: If a reported percentageis 33 for a group that includes 1,250 respondents ... then, go to the row that says "percentagesnear 30" in the table and go across to the column headed "1,250." The number at this point is 3,which means that the 33 percent obtained in the sample is subject to a sampling error of plus orminus 3 points. This means that very probably (95 chances out of 100) the actual figure would besomewhere between 30 percent and 36 percent, with the most likely figure the 33 percentobtained in the survey.

In comparing survey results in two sub-samples, for example, men and women, thequestion arises as to how large a difference between them must be before one can be reasonablysure that it reflects a real difference. Table B and Table C indicate the number of points whichmust be allowed for in such comparisons to make them "statistically significant." Table C is forpercentages near 20 or 80. Table B is for percentages near 50. For percentages in between, thefactor to be allowed for is between those shown on the two tables.

Here is how these tables are used: If 50% of men respond a certain way and 40% ofwomen respond that way also, for a difference of 10 percentage points between them, can we saythat the 10 point difference reflects a real difference between the two groups on that question?Let's say the sample contains about 750 of each gender.

Since the percentages are near 50, consult Table B. Since the total sample is 1,500, lookfor the number in the column headed "1,500." Since the two sub-samples are 750 persons each,look for the row designated "750." Where the row and column intersect, you will find thenumber 6. This means that the difference between the two groups must be greater than 6percentage points to be "statistically significant." In other words, we can conclude withconsiderable confidence that a real difference exists in the answers of men and women to thisquestion.

Table ARecommended Allowance for Sampling Error

Size of Sample .... 1,500 1,250 1,000 750 500 250 100

Percentages near 10 2 2 2 3 3 5 7 Percentages near 20 3 3 3 4 4 6 10 Percentages near 30 3 3 4 4 5 7 11 Percentages near 40 3 3 4 4 5 8 12 Percentages near 50 3 3 4 4 5 8 12 Percentages near 60 3 3 4 4 5 8 12 Percentages near 70 3 3 4 4 5 7 11 Percentages near 80 3 3 3 4 4 6 10 Percentages near 90 2 2 2 3 3 5 7

Table BRecommended Allowance for Sampling Error of the Difference

In Percentage Points for Percentages near 50

Size of Sample .... 1,500 1,250 1,000 750 500 250 100

1,500 41,250 5 51,000 5 5 5 750 6 6 6 6 500 6 6 7 7 8 250 8 8 9 9 9 11 100 13 13 13 13 13 14 17

Table CRecommended Allowance for Sampling Error of the Difference

In Percentage PointsFor Percentages near 20 or Percentages near 80

Size of Sample .... 1,500 1,250 1,000 750 500 250 100

1,500 41,250 4 41,000 4 4 4 750 4 4 5 5 500 5 5 5 6 6 250 7 7 7 7 8 9 100 10 10 10 10 11 12 14