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

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

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

Survey Responses

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Significant Differences

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 18-44 are the least likely to “Strongly Disagree” (39%)

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 100-249 (17%) and 250+ (21%) Pastors age 18-44 (21%) and 45-54 (18%) are more likely to “Somewhat Disagree” than pastors age 55-64 (12%) and 65+ (6%) No significant differences found among regions of the country

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 50-99 (2%) and 100-249 (1%) No significant differences found among regions of the country or pastor ages

Before the foundation of the world, God predestined some people to salvation and some to damnation Pastors age 18-44 are the most likely to “Strongly Agree” (21%) and the least likely to “Strongly Disagree” (52%) Pastors age 45-54 (76%) and 65+ (77%) are more likely to “Strongly Disagree” than pastors age 18-44 (52%) and 45-54 (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

Christ died only for the elect, not for everyone in the world Pastors age 18-44 (17%) and 45-54 (12%) are more likely to “Strongly Agree” than pastors age 55-64 (4%) and 65+ (5%) Pastors age 45-54 (86%) and 65+ (89%) are more likely to “Strongly Disagree” than pastors age 18-44 (61%) and 45-54 (74%) No patterns of significant differences found among church size or regions of the country

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 18-44 (18%) and 45-54 (10%) are more likely to “Strongly Agree” than pastors age 55-64 (3%) and 65+ (1%) Pastors age 55-64 (77%) and 65+ (77%) are more likely to “Strongly Disagree” than pastors age 18-44 (60%) and 45-54 (66%) No significant differences found among regions of the country

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 18-44 (4%) are the least likely to select “Don’t Know” Pastors age 18-44 (26%) are the most likely to “Strongly Disagree” Pastors age 18-44 (20%) and 45-54 (17%) are more likely to “Somewhat Disagree” than pastors age 55-64 (10%) and 65+ (9%) Pastors age 65+ (50%) are the most likely to “Strongly Agree”

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 100-249 (34%) and 250+ (35%) Pastors age 18-44 (20%) are less likely to “Strongly Disagree” than pastors age 55-64 (37%) and 65+ (33%) Pastors age 55-64 (13%) are less likely to “Somewhat Agree” than pastors age 18-44 (23%) and 45-54 (22%) No patterns of significant differences found among regions of the country

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 18-44 (1%) and 55-64 (1%) Pastors age 18-44 (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

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