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Gallup and the Nature of Engaged Congregations
New management research from the Gallup Organisation suggests that creating an engaged congregation is much like inspiring a workforce. So says Albert L. Winseman in his paper on the behaviour of recent American church leaders and their congregations.
Winseman describes how leaders have traditionally accepted the notion that the key to growing a spiritually healthy congregation has been through helping congregation members grow in their spiritual commitment. If pastors just spent their energy helping church members develop a deeper sense of spiritual commitment, the theory goes, then members would become actively engaged in their congregations. And because they were spiritually committed, they would spend more time serving others, be more satisfied with their lives, invite more people to participate in their congregation, and give more generously of their financial resources.
However, Winseman now suggests that this theory is only partially correct.
Just as actively engaged employees are critical to a company's financial well-being, spiritually committed individuals are vitally important to a congregation's spiritual health. But if religious leaders want spiritually committed individuals to be actively engaged in their congregations, they must focus on the things that lead to engagement. The same, of course, applies to managers: They, too, must focus on what drives employee engagement, the feeling of being fully involved in one's job.
Regardless of the type of organisation, Winseman proposes that engagement is vital for employees, congregation members, volunteers, and customers. But the factors that build engagement for church members are not the things that foster spiritual commitment. What's more, spiritual commitment doesn't lead to engagement. In fact, most of the time it works the other way around.
In addition Winseman's research with Gallup has revealed that congregations that seek to measure their effectiveness can do this in several ways. Four of the most common measures are serving and helping others, inviting others to participate, financial support, and life satisfaction. Together, these measures offer a good indication of the level of spiritual health in a congregation. The differences between highly engaged and disengaged members on these measures is staggering, i.e:
- Highly engaged members are two and one-half times as likely to spend two or more hours per week serving and helping others in their community.
- Highly engaged members are three and one-half times as likely to invite friends to participate in their congregation.
- Highly engaged members give nearly 1% more of their income to their congregation annually.
More of Winseman's research and thinking as Global Practice Leader for Faith Based Organisations with The Gallup Organisation can be read at www.gallup.com
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