We asked you to be honest with us.
Here’s how we’re doing.
On December 15, we asked you to openly and honestly assess your spiritual health, using a survey that you completed during the worship services that morning. Nearly 1,200 people completed the assessment, giving us an unprecedented look at the habits, attitudes, and behaviors of the church body. Because of your transparency, we have a clear picture of Christ Fellowship’s strengths and weaknesses. Based on the study, this is a snapshot of our strengths, our weaknesses, and a preview of what we must do next.
About the Survey
In case you don’t remember taking the survey (a few things have happened since then), we asked you to anonymously answer 8-9 questions about your habits surrounding each of Christ Fellowship’s four spiritual practices. We also asked that you be ruthlessly honest with yourself and answer in a way that accurately reflects your own life. We wanted to know how well you’re engaging God individually, connecting in groups, worshiping in gatherings, and impacting others.
As part of the assessment, we also asked you a series of demographic questions, offering a clear picture of spiritual trends among various age groups, life stages, and spiritual history. Putting this information together allows us to understand what the church is doing well, where we need to grow, how the leadership can better serve you, and how to move forward.
Design & Integrity
This survey was carefully and painstakingly crafted by our leadership at Christ Fellowship, customized to our context and culture in Collin County. We worked closely with Auxano, one of the best church consulting firms out there. After you completed the survey, the results were tallied, organized, and analyzed by LifeWay Christian Research, one of the leading polling and research organizations in the ministry world. In other words, this was conducted using the very best tools, standards, and experts available.
About the Results
Some of the information in this report is encouraging. Other parts are, well… not. It’s easy to read information like this and feel judged or defeated. This report is not meant to cast judgement or condemnation on our church family. It is merely a look in the mirror. It’s a starting point designed to show us what we should celebrate and where we have work to do. We’re in this together, so it’s good to be honest with each other. You’ll find an overview of the top strengths and weaknesses under each spiritual practice.
How it’s EVALUATED
On the survey, you responded to a series of statements, measuring how true each one was to your own life. You were asked to rate them as Always, Often, Sometimes, Rarely, or Never. A response of Always or Often was considered favorable. A response of Sometimes, Rarely, or Never, was considered unfavorable.
Engaging God Individually
%
Say they are certain God loves them with an unconditional, unfailing love.
%
Say they depend on the Holy Spirit for wisdom in daily decisions and strength for acting like Jesus.
%
Say they live a godly life to the extent that others see them as people free from major sin.
%
Say they follow a plan to read the Bible each day and apply it to their lives.
The Key Takeaway
Many of us are avoiding “major” sins, but we’re still not pursuing closer relationship with Jesus through daily Bible-reading and application.
What You Can Do
- We suggest using the Engage God Daily as your guide for staying connected in Scripture.
- Start reading the Bible daily, using a preset plan to guide you. We also suggest using the YouVersion app to maintain a daily plan for Bible reading.
Fun FactS
Groups more likely to say they are always or often certain of God’s unfailing love include those in the Spanish service (96%) and those in a Care Group or Bible study (96%).
Connecting in a Group
%
Say they have someone in their lives with whom they are open about sin struggles and areas of personal growth.
%
Say they actively support those in their life groups by meeting needs through prayer, care, and encouragement.
%
Say others would characterize them as gentle, kind, and gracious in their relationships.
%
Say the friends closest to them would describe them as patient toward others when people frustrate, annoy, or offend them.
The Key Takeaway
Only about half of us say we have open, transparent, and meaningful relationships. Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds describe ourselves as gracious in our relationships.
What You Can Do
- Not in a life group? It’s time to get in one. Groups are meeting online and in-person (while socially distanced).
- Be open and honest with others about your struggles and insecurities. Be authentic and encourage others to do the same. We’re all in this together and we’re not meant to pursue Christ alone.
Fun Facts
60% of those age 70+ say they are always or often patient amidst frustration, while only 31% of parents with a baby and 25% with a preschooler say likewise. (Go figure, right?)
Worshiping in a Gathering
%
Say they actively engage in the worship elements (prayer, music, and Lord's Supper), considering along the way what they communicate.
%
Say prioritize the worship service each week and eagerly prepare their hearts beforehand.
%
Say they live in awe of God and have a deep reverence for him.
%
Say they don't allow competing priorities in their lives to distract them from following Jesus wholeheartedly.
The Key Takeaway
While 4 in 5 attendees say they are typically active in the worship service, only half of us look forward to it each week with eager hearts. Meanwhile, most of us say we have a high view of God, but allow competing priorities (idols) to divert our attention.
What You Can Do
- In this season of online church services, be extra intentional about preparing your heart for the worship gathering. Ask God to reveal himself to you through the service and speak to your heart.
- Consider what competing priorities (or idols) may be in your life right now and make a plan to root them out.
Fun FactS
53% of Anna campus attendees and 57% who have been Christians less than 5 years say they always or often have a deep reverence for God.
Impacting Others
%
Say they are aware of what God is doing among Christians around the world and actively seek to help them through prayer, financial support, and/or mission trips.
%
Say they serve the marginalized and materially poor in the community.
%
Parents say they consistently plan and engage in spiritual conversations with their children.
%
Say they consistently share their faith in Jesus with non-Christian family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.
The Key Takeaway
Nearly half of us admit we aren’t consistently taking any defined steps to impact others through service. The most startling statistic is that only 30% of us say we can identify someone who we are helping grow in their relationship with Jesus.
What You Can Do
- Right now, more than ever, it is critical that we serve others in our lives. Be particularly diligent about forming authentic relationships and engaging in meaningful conversations where you can truly address the needs of others’.
- Start to look at the world around you (school, work, and especially home) as a mission field. The people in your life need Jesus and you can both demonstrate his love and share about it. Again, it’s all about meaningful conversations that lead to authentic relationships.
Fun FactS
The people most likely to share Jesus with others around them (40%) are those who have recently attended the First Step Class.
Overall Scores
- Engaging God Daily 57%
- Connecting in a Group 51%
- Worshiping in a Gathering 61%
- Impacting Others 29%
What have we learned?
It’s noteworthy that this survey was taken long before COVID-19 came into the picture. It’s likely that many of the spiritual trends revealed in this study have accelerated since the pandemic began. In short, we’re doing a reasonably decent job of engaging in personal relationships with God and participating in the worship services. Deeper down, there is some work to do in our lives about keeping Christ at the center of our priorities and seeking him consistently.
Meanwhile, we must do a better job of connecting with each other through meaningful conversations and authentic relationships. This means getting consistently involved in life groups and making the most of those interactions.
We know the most obvious area of growth surrounds having a personal, vested interest in another person’s spiritual development. Honestly, it’s discouraging. We need to better serve those in need and more effectively view our jobs and homes as mission fields. There’s no hiding it – we must get outside our comfort zones – and fast.
How is the leadership responding?
On August 16, we’re revealing a significant shift in direction at the church. This new vision, months in the making, puts a sharp new focus on better equipping and empowering you to impact others through the relationships you already have in your life. Over the coming years, we will band together to deepen our relationships, be courageously authentic, and impact others through them.
More tactically, we want to help you easily connect with the mission work Christ Fellowship is engaged in at home and abroad. In October, stay tuned for missions focus month. We hope you’ll be inspired by how easy it is to engage with our partners and truly impact others.
How can I respond?
You may not remember your initial responses to this survey, but you likely know where you stand. Download the survey and take it at home. Discuss it with your spouse. Don’t feel discouraged or defeated. Don’t point fingers at others. For each spiritual practice, identify one next step you can take and of those four, pick one and begin moving forward on it now. As you do, make sure you stay connected with the church in this crazy season.
Contact Us
2801 Orchid Dr.
McKinney, TX | 75072
972.547.7000
Copyright 2024 Christ Fellowship