During phase 1 (weeks 1-2), MZBC members were asked to complete the pre- project questionnaire, which evaluated the basic knowledge of Baptist history and
doctrinal distinctives. The questionnaires were returned, evaluated, and tabulated and the results provided a baseline of the congregation’s aggregate knowledge on the project’s topic, which in turn assisted in building an appropriate curriculum.
Congregational Questionnaire
First, there was a need to quantify where the congregation at-large stood regarding this perceived lack of knowledge, which quantification would guide in the creation of an appropriate teaching curriculum to address the need. Therefore, on Sunday, February 28, 2016, the adult members of MZBC were asked to complete a questionnaire, which helped to evaluate the congregation’s overall understanding of Baptist history and doctrinal distinctives.1 The questionnaire consisted of ten multiple- choice questions on basic Baptist history and doctrinal distinctives; five opinion statements about learning Baptist history and doctrine, which employed a Likert scale that measured six responses from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree;” and a section
1See appendix 1 for the congregational questionnaire.
that allowed the participants to add personal thoughts or further opinions of the subject matter. The survey was available in paper copy for two consecutive Sundays and also posted on the church website in order to try to maximize participation.
The established goal was to see the church-wide questionnaire completed by at least 65 percent of the Sunday morning adult attendees (about 150 people). The survey was anonymous, but it requested that the respondent provide a four-digit personal identification code (to be used only if needed to clarify certain data or give follow-up interviews, and provided the participant voluntarily self-identified their private code).
Most of those who completed the questionnaire provided the code, but the codes were never formally used in the progression of the project. The total number of questionnaires turned in represented about 48 percent of the adult members of the congregation, which was assessed to be sufficient to yield a generally clear understanding of the church’s collective knowledge on the subject. Furthermore, the congregation’s aggregate score of 53 percent indicated that the initial assessment of the congregation’s lack of understanding in this area was, in fact, reasonably accurate. That is, the congregation’s cumulative knowledge of why they identified as Baptists, or attended a Baptist church, was relatively weak. A total of 12 (about 19 percent) of the returned questionnaires indicated 3 or fewer correct answers, and only 3 indicated more than 8 correct answers (about 5 percent).
However, in the opinion section of the questionnaire (Likert scale ratings), almost all of the responses about the importance of learning about the Baptist heritage were in the
“agree” or “strongly agree” choices, with a few “agree somewhat” opinions. Of the 310 potential choices on the Likert scale ratings of the questionnaire, only 4 selections were on the disagreement side of the scale (1 percent).
Two respondents seem to have captured the prevailing mindset of the
congregation in this regard. Respondent A wrote, “After going through the questionnaire, I realized I still have a lot to learn about the Baptist history and its doctrine. I was raised Baptist and have never known another denomination. Thus, I feel it is important for me
to learn these even at my age now.”2 Respondent B wrote, “We need to know where we have been before we fully appreciate where we are going and why we are going [there].
Baptist[s] need to know what their roots are and what we believe to be true. Education in truth prevents deception.” These clearly articulated opinions are representative of the majority of comments submitted on the surveys.
Selection of Small Group Participants
As stated in chapter 1, one of the goals of the project was to teach the small group study to a select group of not less than 20 adults from within the MZBC
congregation or adults closely affiliated with the congregation. After much consideration about the most appropriate way to select the participants of the study, an “open” sign-up sheet was posted at the church’s Information Center as the most expeditious way to recruit the learners. The voluntary sign-up method reduced the need to “button-hole”
individuals who may not have had either the time or interest in committing to a twelve- week classroom-style study.
As it turned out, 35 adults signed on to participate in the study, with 30 finishing the instruction, and 20 completing both the pre- and post-study surveys with sufficient usable data for statistical purposes. Initially there was some concern that the voluntary sign-up approach to filling the class might skew a representative demographic cross-section of the congregation in one direction. However, that unease was overcome when, demographically, the study group was reasonably representative of the congregation as a whole, which generally tilts toward upper middle-age suburbanites and semi-rural residents. Of the 30 students who completed the study, 12 were male and 18 female; 19 had some college or were college graduates (including 3 with master’s degrees), 11 had a high school education; and about half were under age 55 (with age 50 being the
approximate median age of the congregation). Three individuals who eventually
completed the course of study were not members of MZBC, but were all nonetheless closely affiliated with the church.