QUESTION 12
Which of these descriptors characterize your most attended worship service on a typical weekend (recognizing that many of the following terms often have a variety of definitions)? Select all that apply.
The majority of churches describe their services as multi-generational and/or contemporary and/or blended potentially indicating a strong value of generational representation in worship services as well as a progressively (modern) leaning stylistic bent. Interestingly, a large minority described their service as physically expressive, a description likely rare several decades ago.
Though modern or blended services are in the majority, 15% (40 out of 267 reporting churches) describe their main service as traditional.
Most churches in the sample population do not self describe as seeker or demographically targeted.
It is notable that only 3.02% identify as neo-liturgical/historical and only 2.64% as convergent. This is a growing trend, but it is growing with younger leaders, so it will be seen more frequently in smaller churches, as those are more likely to be led by young pastors.
| Service Descriptions | n = 265 | Percent |
| Convergent | 7 | 2.6% |
| Neo-liturgical/Historical | 8 | 3.0% |
| Indie | 9 | 3.4% |
| Southern Gospel | 11 | 4.2% |
| Folk | 12 | 4.5% |
| Confessional | 13 | 4.9% |
| Other | 20 | 7.5% |
| Contemplative | 21 | 7.9% |
| Demographically Targeted | 21 | 7.9% |
| Seeker | 31 | 11.7% |
| Traditional | 40 | 15.1% |
| Physically Expressive | 87 | 32.8% |
| Modern | 120 | 45.3% |
| Blended | 148 | 55.8% |
| Contemporary | 169 | 63.8% |
| Multi-Generational | 180 | 67.9% |
| Total Responses | 265 |