Springfield Area Congregations Study Profile and Community Engagement 2016 Catherine Hoegeman, PhD Dan Prater, MA Christina Ryder, MA, CSP Matthew Gallion, MA, MPA Copyright (c) 2016. The Dury University Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Missouri State University. All Rights Reserved. Except for short quotes, no parts of this report may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocpopying, recording, or by information storage or retrieval systems, without permission from the authors. Springfield Area Congregations Study: Profile and CommunityTable of Contents Engagement Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary 2 2. Acknowledgements 4 3. Context and Purpose 5 4. Study Design 7 5. Profile of Congregations 10 6. Profile of Congregational Leaders 20 7. Group Gatherings for Congregation Members 28 8. Support Services for Congregation Members 32 9. Volunteering 34 10. Service Programs for the Broader Community 38 11. Collaboration with Community Groups 42 12. Conclusion 48 13. Appendix: Congregation Directory 50 Executive Summary Springfield Area Congregations Study Key findings about Springfield 1. Executive Summary area congregations: • Greene County has a higher density of congregations compared to other similarly sized counties nationwide. outhwest Missouri and Study (SACS) is a first-of-its-kind • About 80% of Springfield area Springfield are part of the report providing an in-depth look at congregations are Evangelical “Bible Belt,” and even referred important traits and contributions of Christian. Sto as the “buckle of the Bible Belt,” these groups in the Springfield area. • The average Springfield area emphasizing the prominence of This study serves as a companion congregation is larger than religion in the Springfield region. report to Drury University’s 2014 congregations nationwide. 1 The title may derive from several Nonprofit Impact Study and focuses • 16% of congregational leaders are factors, such as the presence of the on congregations as part of the women and 7% are members of a headquarters for the Assemblies of nonprofit sector and their engagement racial minority. God and the Baptist Bible Fellowship in social services, volunteer activity, • 91% have at least one organized International, multiple Bible colleges and other forms of civic activity. It group for members such as Bible and a seminary, as well as hundreds also complements the Missouri State studies and social groups. of congregations scattered throughout University studies on social capital nearby cities and in rural areas. and civic engagement2 by exploring • 72% have three or more member Although congregations have how congregations foster member groups. a long and important history here, interaction (bonding social capital) • 91% provide support services for few studies have explored their and member engagement with the congregation members. dimensions and community impact. community (bridging social capital). • 88% sponsor social service The Springfield Area Congregations programs that serve the broader community. • 82% provide volunteers for schools, social service and other community agencies. • 77% of congregations have leaders who are involved in community activities. • 90% collaborate with other congregations or community groups. • Congregation size has the most notable effect on community engagement. Larger congregations are more likely to be involved. 1. Dan Prater, Sarah Smith, Sun-Young Park, and Curt Gilstrap. Nonprofit Anthropology and Criminology, Missouri State University. Springfield, Impact Study 2014 (2014). The Center for Nonprofit Communication, MO. Mike Stout, John Harms, and Tim Knapp. Social Capital and Civic Drury University. Springfield, MO. Participation in the Ozarks: Summary of Findings from the Ozarks 2. Mike Stout, Tim Knapp, and John Harms, Springfield/Greene County Regional Social Capital Survey (2012). Missouri State University Social Capital Survey Report (2010). Department of Sociology, Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Springfield, MO. 2 CCOzarks.org 3 Acknowledgements Springfield Area Congregations Study 2. Acknowledgements Sponsors Researchers & Authors Research Assistants The Council of Catherine Hoegeman, PhD Drury University Churches of the Ozarks Assistant Professor of Sociology Center for Nonprofit Leadership ccozarks.org Missouri State University Elliott, Robinson & Company [email protected] Irene Kanthan ercpa.com Dan Prater, MA Executive Director, Center Kunti Bentley National Avenue Christian Church for Nonprofit Leadership nationalavenuecc.com Drury University Missouri State University Central Bank of the Ozarks [email protected] Sociology & Anthropology Department centralbankozarks.net Christina Ryder, MA, CSP Kristy T. Coffin The Center for Sociology Instructor; Community Engagement Assistant Director, Center for Social Ernest J. Crunkelton missouristate.edu/cce Science and Public Policy Research Moises Giron The Grantwell, LLC Missouri State University thegrantwell.com [email protected] Tyler Golden Matthew Gallion, MA, MPA Adam Wutke Research Partners Client Support Specialist CaseWorthy, Inc. Editing Assistant Center for Nonprofit Leadership, [email protected] Drury University Tom Young drury.edu/nonprofit Contributing Researcher Awaken! Ministries Center for Social Science and Sarah Smith, PhD [email protected] Content Marketing Specialist Public Policy Research, Missouri State University Campaignium [email protected] Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Missouri State University soc-ant.missouristate.edu 4 Springfield Area Congregations Study Context and Purpose worship and religious education are the primary functions, congregations also sponsor social services programs 3. Context and Purpose for the broader community.7 Religious congregations can be a valuable community resource as places where bonding capital can potentially lead to Research Assistants hree prior research projects congregations bring many benefits to bridging capital. This report describes provided the foundation and communities. They provide economic the extent to which congregations in the Springfield area participate in Drury University direction for the Springfield value through job creation and relief TArea Congregations Study (SACS): to government-funded programs. activities that foster both bonding and Center for Nonprofit Leadership (1) Drury University’s study of Congregations sponsor vital bridging capital. 3 The National Congregations Study Irene Kanthan Springfield nonprofits; (2) Missouri social projects, increase a sense of State University’s reports on social belonging, and give direct assistance (NCS) is a series of surveys conducted Kunti Bentley capital and civic engagement;4 and to their membership as well as to in 1998, 2006, and 2012, each one (3) the National Congregations Study the broader community. The SACS using nationally representative sample Missouri State University (NCS).5 helps complete the description of of U.S. religious congregations. The Sociology & Anthropology Department The Nonprofit Impact Report nonprofit organizations in the region NCS provides a national profile of 2014 is a comprehensive profile of by providing a profile of religious congregations in America, including Kristy T. Coffin nonprofit organizations in Springfield. congregations and exploring how information about religious tradition The study provides information congregations participate in social or denomination, size, leadership, Ernest J. Crunkelton on several key areas: a profile of service provision and civic activity. worship style, types of groups, Moises Giron the nonprofit sector; the impact of The Missouri State University member demographics, resources, and nonprofits in terms of employment studies on civic engagement congregational relations to broader Tyler Golden and provision of goods and services; and social capital found that the society (social services, political involvement, ecumenical activity, Adam Wutke a focus on organizations addressing Springfield community exhibits high Red Flag issues (from the Springfield levels of bonding capital (where etc.). The SACS used the NCS as a Community Focus 2013 report); people foster relationships with others baseline for creating survey questions Editing Assistant and a description of the density of like themselves in terms of race, social which allows for comparisons between nonprofits in Springfield. IRS 990 class, religion, education, etc.), but congregations in the Springfield area Tom Young forms, which nonprofit organizations has lower levels of bridging capital and nationwide. Awaken! Ministries must file to maintain their tax- (relationships with people who are [email protected] exempt status, comprise the primary different).6 The analysis suggests that data source. Because religious higher bonding and lower bridging congregations are not required to file social capital results in lower levels 990 forms to maintain tax-exempt of civic engagement and political status (although some choose to), participation, which impacts overall most congregations are not reflected civic health. in the nonprofit report. Religious congregations Religion is an important part of foster bonding capital, providing the culture in Springfield, Missouri, opportunities for members to come and an important component of the together for worship as well as social nonprofit sector in general. In addition and educational activities. They also to the primary focus as places of typically