1. Reality Check The Asset-Building Strengths
and Challenges of Diverse Congregations
Gene Roehlkepartain
Director, Congregation Initiatives
Search Institute

2. Session Overview What’s Your Experience?
Connecting Assets, Faith, and Congregations
Overview of Field Test Findings
Opportunities and Challenges
Using the Survey in Your Congregation or Community

3. 40 Developmental Assets EXTERNAL ASSETS Support Empowerment
Boundaries and Expectations
Constructive Use of Time
INTERNAL ASSETS
Commitment to Learning
Positive Values
Social Competencies
Positive Identity

4. Asset-Building Capacity of Congregations (1)
Provide constructive, asset-rich activities
Shape identity, values, commitments
Offer positive peer group
Engage youth as contributors

5. Asset-Building Capacity of Congregations (2)
Potential for sustained relationships
Resource and partner for families
Nurture intergenerational relationships
Educate and influence many adults
Community presence as resource and leader

6. Eight Marks of Faith Maturity
Trusting & believing
Experiencing the fruits of faith
Integrating faith and life
Seeking spiritual growth
Holding life-affirming values
Nurturing faith in community
Acting and serving
Advocating social change

7. Two Dimensions of Faith
Vertical
Integrated
Relationship with God
Relationships with Others
Undeveloped
Horizontal

8. Sources of Faith Maturity
Involvement in effective religious education
Family faith practices
Parent education
Warmth
Thinking
Care
Worship
Service

9. A Congregation-Wide Commitment
Youth in the Community
Intergenerational Faith Community
Families
Children, Youth Programs

10. Nurturing Faith AND Building Assets
Relationships
Environment/Climate
Rituals and Practices
Activities and Programs
Policies and Priorities

11. Conceptual Model for Building Assets, Strengthening Faith
The Congregation as System
Context
Individuals
Age, Gender, Ethnicity, Education
Congregational Involvement Level
Families
Composition
Spiritual Practices
Congregation
Faith Tradition
Location
Size
Age
Character
Community
Urbanicity
Cohesion
Culture
Socioeconomics
Scope
Potential Impact
Individuals
Faith Practices and Commitments
Loyalty and Bonding
Families
Spiritual Practices
Family Strengths
Congregation
Organizational Health/Vitality
Mission
Growth Patterns
Community
Social Capital
Service and Justice
Spirituality
Community
Policies and Priorities
Congregation
Relationships
Families
Children & Youth
Environment and Climate
Programs and Activities
Rituals and Practices
Inputs
Faith & Spiritual Development
Asset Building
Key
Settings
Dynamics

12. New Survey for Congregations

13. The Spring 2003 Field Test 15 congregations Aggregate Sample: 1,557
Christian: Lutheran (7), Roman Catholic (3), United Methodist (2), and independent (1).
Unitarian Universalist (1)
Muslim (1)
Aggregate Sample: 1,557
Age
18 to
40 to
60 and older 343
Most of the people surveyed are quite active in their congregation.
Half are leaders or volunteers

14. Child and Youth Opportunities
Very or extremely well

15. Family Opportunities
Very or extremely well

16. Intergenerational Opportunities
Very or extremely well

17. Community Opportunities
Very or extremely well

18. Comparison Across Areas
3 = pretty well 2 = okay

19. Congregational Impact: Personal (1)
Often or almost always true

20. Congregational Impact: Personal (2)
Often or almost always true

21. Asset-Building Priorities for the Future
One of three top priorities

22. Faith-Nurturing Priorities for the Future
Helping Children and Youth . . .
GENERAL
VERTICAL
HORIZONTAL
One of three top priorities

23. Why Use the Survey? Stimulate interest in asset building
As part of strategic planning
In times of transition in the congregation
In preparation for training
Gain a portrait of asset-building capacity of congregations in community/network

24. Who to Survey? Designed for all youth and adults in the congregation
Best: A census of everyone
Large congregations: Random sample

25. What’s in the Survey? Perceptions of quality in . . .
Child and youth opportunities
Family opportunities
Intergenerational opportunities
Community engagement
Priorities: Faith Maturity, Assets, Contexts
Perceptions of Impact
Personal Faith and Family Faith Practices
Demographics
Overall Sense of Young People’s Assets (category)

26. What Search Institute Provides
An online guide for survey planning, administration, and interpretation
Surveys
Available online and on paper
Reproduce as many as needed
Complete report of survey findings
COST—$295 per congregation

27. Also Available (Additional Cost)
Training and consulting services
Resource kit
Aggregate reports for groups of congregations

28. Survey Process Decide to do it. Order from Search Institute
Build team to plan and publicize
Engage the congregation
Conduct the survey
Enter the data
Interpret and apply the findings
Guidelines, Ideas, and tools provided on Web