Protestant Pastors’ Views on Seminary Education Survey of 1,004 Protestant Pastors

2 Methodology  The telephone survey of Protestant pastors was conducted December 1-6, 2008  The calling list was randomly drawn from a list of all Protestant churches. Up to six calls were made to reach a sampled phone number  Each interview was conducted with the senior pastor, minister or priest of the church called  Responses were weighted to reflect the geographic distribution of Protestant churches

3 Methodology continued  The completed sample is 1,004 phone interviews  The sample provides 95% confidence that the sampling error does not exceed +3.2%  Margins of error are higher in sub-groups.

4 Eighty-five percent of pastors have taken seminary classes Have you taken seminary classes? Pastors of small churches were less likely to have been to seminary. Only 74% of those at churches with an average worship attendance under 50 had attended seminary classes.

5 If they had it to do over, 96% of Protestant pastors who have taken seminary classes would take those seminary classes again Among Protestant pastors who have taken seminary classes If you had it to do over again, would you have taken those seminary classes? 1% Don’t Know

6 Seventy-one percent of Protestant pastors strongly agree they regularly use things they learned in seminary classes I regularly use things that I learned in my seminary classes. Pastors that have a Doctoral level education were more likely to agree that they regularly use the things they learned in their seminary classes. Eighty-two percent of those pastors strongly agreed with this statement. 0% Don’t Know Among Protestant pastors who have taken seminary classes

7 Eighty-three percent of Protestant pastors strongly agree that attending seminary was worth the time and money Attending seminary was worth the time and money. Pastors with a Doctoral level education were also more likely to agree that attending seminary was worth the time and money. Ninety- four percent of those pastors strongly agreed it was worth their investment. 0% Don’t Know Among Protestant pastors who have taken seminary classes

8 Eighty-seven percent of Protestant pastors indicate they would require a candidate for hire to agree with their church’s beliefs or statement of faith Percentage of Protestant Pastors If you were to hire someone to lead an age group ministry at your church, which of the following qualifications would you require? The candidate must … 2% Don’t Know

9 Differences in perceptions of qualifications by sub-groups  Pastors in churches with average worship attendance of 50 or less are less likely to say the candidate must have a minimum amount of practical, ministry experience– 50%.  Pastors in churches in the Northeast are less likely to say the candidate must be a member of their church’s denomination – 47%.  Pastors under the age of 40 are much less likely to say the candidate must have a minimum amount of experience serving within their church – 35%.  Pastors in churches with an average worship attendance of 250 or more are more likely to say the candidate must have a minimum amount of experience leading the age group – 70%.

10 Two-thirds of Protestant pastors have at least a Master’s Degree Which of the following best describes your highest level of education?

Survey of 1,004 Protestant Pastors Protestant Pastors’ Views on Seminary Education