1. SBC Pastor Views on Calvinism
Survey of 1,066 SBC Pastors

2. Methodology
The mail and on-line survey of SBC pastors was conducted from April 1 - May 11, 2012
The mailing list was randomly drawn from a stratified list of all SBC congregations.
Surveys were mailed to the senior pastor with the option of completing on-line
Responses were weighted to reflect the geographic distribution and worship attendance of SBC congregations

3. Methodology Continued
The completed sample is 1,066 surveys
The sample provides 95% confidence that the sampling error does not exceed +3.0%
Margins of error are higher in sub-groups

4. Survey Responses

5. The majority strongly disagree their church is theologically reformed or Calvinist.
Among SBC Pastors
4% Don’t Know
Q: “My church is theologically reformed or Calvinist.” n=993

6. Nearly half strongly disagree their church is theologically Arminian or Wesleyan.
Among SBC Pastors
6% Don’t Know
Q: “My church is theologically Arminian or Wesleyan.” n=967

7. Almost 90% strongly disagree a person can reject Christ and lose their salvation after becoming a Christian.
Among SBC Pastors
1% Don’t Know
Q: “A person can, after becoming a Christian, reject Christ and lose their salvation.” n=1010

8. Two-thirds strongly disagree with double predestination.
Among SBC Pastors
2% Don’t Know
Q: “Before the foundation of the world, God predestined some people to salvation and some to damnation.” n=1017

9. More than three in four strongly disagree that Christ died only for the elect.
Among SBC Pastors
1% Don’t Know
Q: “Christ died only for the elect, not for everyone in the world.” n=1020

10. 70% disagree they are a five-point Calvinist.
Among SBC Pastors
7% Don’t Know
Q: “I am a five-point Calvinist.” n=1002

11. Over 60% agree they are concerned about the impact of Calvinism in our convention.
Among SBC Pastors
9% Don’t Know
Q: “I am concerned about the impact of Calvinism in our convention.” n=1005

12. About half agree that God is the true evangelist and His grace is irresistible.
Among SBC Pastors
2% Don’t Know
Q: “It diminishes God’s sovereignty to invite all persons to repent and believe.” n=1011

13. Over 90% strongly disagree it diminishes God’s sovereignty to invite all persons to repent and believe.
Among SBC Pastors
1% Don’t Know
Q: “It diminishes God’s sovereignty to invite all persons to repent and believe.” n=1023

14. Significant Differences

15. My church is theologically reformed or Calvinist
Pastors of Churches 0-49 (8%) are the most likely to select “Don’t Know”
Pastors of Churches in the West (16%) are more likely to “Strongly Agree” than pastors of churches in the South (7%)
Pastors of Churches in the West (37%) are less likely to “Strongly Disagree” than pastors of churches in the South (55%)
Pastors age are the least likely to “Strongly Disagree” (39%)

16. My church is theologically Arminian or Wesleyan
Pastors of Churches 0-49 (11%) are the most likely to select “Don’t Know”
Pastors of Churches 0-49 (11%) are less likely to “Somewhat Disagree” than churches (17%) and 250+ (21%)
Pastors age (21%) and (18%) are more likely to “Somewhat Disagree” than pastors age (12%) and 65+ (6%)
No significant differences found among regions of the country

17. A person can, after becoming a Christian, reject Christ and lose their salvation
Pastors of Churches 0-49 (84%) are the least likely to “Strongly Disagree”
Pastors of Churches 0-49 (6%) are more likely to “Strongly Agree” than churches (2%) and (1%)
No significant differences found among regions of the country or pastor ages

18. Before the foundation of the world, God predestined some people to salvation and some to damnation
Pastors age are the most likely to “Strongly Agree” (21%) and the least likely to “Strongly Disagree” (52%)
Pastors age (76%) and 65+ (77%) are more likely to “Strongly Disagree” than pastors age (52%) and (64%)
Pastors age 65+ (3%) are the least likely to “Somewhat Agree”
No patterns of significant differences found among church size or regions of the country

19. Christ died only for the elect, not for everyone in the world
Pastors age (17%) and (12%) are more likely to “Strongly Agree” than pastors age (4%) and 65+ (5%)
Pastors age (86%) and 65+ (89%) are more likely to “Strongly Disagree” than pastors age (61%) and (74%)
No patterns of significant differences found among church size or regions of the country

20. I am a five-point Calvinist
Pastors of Churches 0-49 are the most likely to select “Don’t Know” (14%) and the least likely to “Strongly Disagree” (62%)
Pastors age (18%) and (10%) are more likely to “Strongly Agree” than pastors age (3%) and 65+ (1%)
Pastors age (77%) and 65+ (77%) are more likely to “Strongly Disagree” than pastors age (60%) and (66%)
No significant differences found among regions of the country

21. I am concerned about the impact of Calvinism in our convention
Pastors of Churches 0-49 are the most likely to select “Don’t Know” (16%)
Pastors of Churches in the Midwest (20%) are more likely to “Somewhat Disagree” than pastors of churches in the South (13%)
Pastors of Churches in the Midwest (27%) are less likely to “Strongly Agree” than pastors of churches in the South (37%)
Pastors age (4%) are the least likely to select “Don’t Know”
Pastors age (26%) are the most likely to “Strongly Disagree”
Pastors age (20%) and (17%) are more likely to “Somewhat Disagree” than pastors age (10%) and 65+ (9%)
Pastors age 65+ (50%) are the most likely to “Strongly Agree”

22. God is the true evangelist and when he calls someone to himself, his grace is irresistible
Pastors of Churches 0-49 are the most likely to “Strongly Agree” (40%)
Pastors of Churches 0-49 (25%) are less likely to “Strongly Disagree” than pastors of churches (34%) and 250+ (35%)
Pastors age (20%) are less likely to “Strongly Disagree” than pastors age (37%) and 65+ (33%)
Pastors age (13%) are less likely to “Somewhat Agree” than pastors age (23%) and (22%)
No patterns of significant differences found among regions of the country

23. It diminishes God’s sovereignty to invite all persons to repent and believe
Pastors age 65+ (5%) are more likely to “Strongly Agree” than pastors age (1%) and (1%)
Pastors age (6%) are more likely to “Somewhat Disagree” than pastors age 65+ (2%)
No patterns of significant differences found among church sizes, regions of the country

24. SBC Pastor Views on Calvinism
Survey of 1,066 SBC Pastors