Welcome to a Survey from the Committee on Denominational Research.

You are invited to participate in a research study that explores the effects of COVID-19 on our Free Will Baptist churches. You were selected as a possible participant because you are currently the Pastor or other leader of a church in the National Association of Free Will Baptists. Please read this form and ask any questions you may have before acting on this invitation to participate in the study. This study is being conducted by the Committee for Denominational Research. Committee members include Danny Baer (chair), Sarah Bracey, Timothy Eaton, Ron Hunter, Mark McPeak, Eddie Moody, and Eric Thomsen. 
Background Information:
The Committee for Denominational Research was formed in the summer of 2018 at the National Association held in Little Rock, Arkansas, for the purpose of conducting research to provide information about the pastors, churches, and denominational entities of the National Association of Free Will Baptists. It is the committee’s intention that the results of this survey be reported to our denomination through various leadership conferences, association meetings, and denomination publications. 
This study will explore various facets of the effects of COVID-19 in the following areas:  Attendance, Finances, Meetings, Culture, and Media Use.
Procedures: 
If you agree to participate in this study, you will complete the electronic questionnaire available through Survey Monkey. The questionnaire should take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Only one survey should be completed per church.
Voluntary Nature of the Study: 
Your participation in this study is strictly voluntary. Your decision on whether or not to participate will not affect your current or future relations with the committee or the National Association. If you initially decide to participate, you are still free to quit at any time without affecting those relationships. 
Risks and Benefits of Being in the Study:
There are no known risks associated with participating in this study and there are no known short or long-term benefits to participating in this study. You may refuse to answer any questions that are unknown or that you consider invasive. 
Compensation:
To thank you for your help, we will have a random drawing for 10 willing participants to receive a book of your choice from Randall House Publications. At the end of the survey, you will be asked if you would like to be eligible for the drawing and given the opportunity to do so voluntarily. The results of that drawing will be included on our website. Those selected will be notified by email.
Confidentiality:
The records of this study will be kept private. The information you may give for the prize drawing will be in a separate survey that will not be linked with your answers to this survey. In any report of this study that might be published, the researcher will not include any information that will make it possible to identify you. There is no hidden agenda behind the research; only an attempt to find out more about our denomination so that we may be able to serve each other better. 
Contacts and Questions:
If you have any questions, or if you have questions later, you may contact the committee’s chairman, Dr. Danny Baer at drdannybaer@gmail.com. Results of this and other research of the Committee for Denominational Research will be available at www.nafwb.com/research.

Please complete this survey by May 31, 2023.

Please: Only one survey should be completed per church.

Thank you for participating.
Statement of Consent:
As a participant in this study, I am aware that all records will be held confidential and that my name will not be associated with the results in any way.
ATTENDANCE

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* 1. What is your Sunday Morning Worship attendance compared to pre-COVID? (Please choose the closest that you believe reflects the answer.)

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* 2. What is your Sunday Evening Worship attendance compared to pre-COVID? (Please choose the closest that you believe reflects the answer.)

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* 3. What is your Mid-Week Service attendance compared to pre-COVID? (Please choose the closest that you believe reflects the answer.)

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* 4. What is your Sunday School / Life Groups (even if they meet other than Sunday Morning) attendance compared to pre-COVID? (Please choose the closest that you believe reflects the answer.)

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* 5. Choose the following that best describes the numbers attending your church now compared to pre-COVID for each age group.

  Much Less Some Less Basically the Same Some More Much More
Children (pre-teens)
Teens
20-29 year olds
30-39 year olds
40-49 year olds
50-59 year olds
60-69 year olds
70 or older

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* 6. Indicate which of these you had pre-COVID and which you now have or plan to start.

  We had this Pre-COVID and have never stopped it We had this Pre-COVID, stopped it, and have started it back We had this Pre-COVID, stopped it, but do not plan to start it back We did not have this Pre-COVID, but we have started it back We did not have this Pre-COVID, and we do not plan to start it
Sunday Morning Worship
Sunday Evening Worship
Mid-Week Service
Sunday School
Life Group (other than Sunday School)
Sunday Morning Children's Church
Teen Service (any time)
FINANCES

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* 7. How would you judge the initial effect of the COVID pandemic on your church offerings (Please use the offerings during the Fall of 2020 as a guide)?

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* 8. How would you judge the effect of the COVID pandemic on your church offerings after about 1 year (Please use the offerings during the Fall of 2021 as a guide)?

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* 9. How would you judge the effect of the COVID pandemic on your church offerings as of today?

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* 10. How did you receive offerings before the COVID-19 pandemic? (Check all that apply)

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* 11. How did you receive offerings during the COVID-19 pandemic when you conducted services at your church? (Check all that apply)

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* 12. How did you receive offerings now? (Check all that apply)

CONTROVERSY

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* 13. Rate the following to indicate the severity of controversy these issues brought to your congregation.

  One of the worst controversies I have faced as a pastor A serious controversy Some controversy Little or no controversy
COVID in general
Wearing of Masks
COVID Vaccines
MEDIA USE
The following three questions have to do with broadcasting your services by any means. This is often done through a live stream using Facebook or YouTube. In some churches, services (whether live streamed or not) are recorded and placed on a service such as a website or YouTube for viewing later.

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* 14. Which of the following did you live stream and/or record for later viewing before COVID? (Check all that apply)

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* 15. Which of the following did you live stream and/or record for later viewing during COVID when those services were canceled?

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* 16. Which of the following do you live stream and/or record for later viewing now?

The following four questions have to do with you or your church's use of social media to connect with others for the purpose of ministry. This could include the use of social media to provide devotional messages, announce church events, post inspiring thoughts, share prayer requests, etc. This should not include the use of social media for live streaming or the viewing of recorded services as those were covered above. The first two questions have to do with connecting with the folks who attend your church. The last two questions have to do with outreach - connecting with those who do not attend your church.

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* 17. Other than live streaming your services, how would you describe your use of social media for connecting with those who attend your church during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic?

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* 18. Other than live streaming your services, how would you describe your use of social media for connecting with those who attend your church after the pandemic compared to before the pandemic?

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* 19. Other than live streaming your services, how would you describe your use of social media for the purpose of outreach (connecting with those outside your church) during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic?

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* 20. Other than live streaming your services, how would you describe your use of social media for the purpose of outreach (connecting with those outside your church) now compared to before the pandemic?

SHORT ANSWER

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* 21. What would you say is the most negative result of the COVID-19 pandemic on your ministry?

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* 22. What would you say is the most positive result of the COVID-19 pandemic on your ministry?

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* 23. What do you wish you would have done differently during the COVID-19 pandemic?

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* 24. Other than the COVID-19 pandemic, what event or events happened during 2020-2021 that would account for the changes reflected in this survey? If none come to mind, simply leave this blank.

DEMOGRAPHICS

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* 25. Which of the following best describes you (or your pastor)?

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* 26. In what state/country is your church located?

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* 27. Please indicate which of the following would best describe the location of your church.

T