20 religion survey questions to ask your church community

In business, serving your customers well means getting to know their requirements, challenges, values, and goals. This is also true for religious institutions: The more a church knows its parishioners, the more it will be able to meet their needs.

One easy way to connect with your church community is to use religion survey questions and ask your parishioners about how the church can support them in their spiritual journey. In this article, we explore why religion surveys are valuable, provide examples of religion survey questions, and offer an easy way to create surveys using Jotform.

The value of asking religion survey questions

Churches and clergy can develop a deeper understanding of their communities by asking them the right questions. Surveys enable churches to poll a large number of people in an efficient way.

While personally speaking with parishioners about their needs and ideas is also valuable, church leaders can find it difficult to connect with hundreds or thousands of people at a time. Online religion surveys that ask parishioners about their experience with the church and gather community feedback give church leaders an effective way to gather important information that can help them make better decisions for the church.

Some people may find religion survey questions difficult to answer, so it’s important to offer a way for parishioners to opt out of the survey or opt out of particular questions if they so choose. When you send the survey, be transparent about its purpose (for example, to gather feedback to develop new programs at the church). When people know why you’re asking them personal questions, they’re more likely to respond than if you don’t give them enough information.

Examples of religion survey questions

Religion survey questions about attendance logistics

It’s important for church leaders and administrators to know whether their communities face any logistical challenges in accessing the programs at the church. Changing even small factors might help make the sermons, classes, and events more accessible to a larger number of people. Here are a few examples of logistical questions you could ask:

• How far do you live from the church?
• What mode of transportation do you use to attend the church?
• How many times a month do you attend church for religious services or ceremonies?
• How long have you been attending this church?
• Do you have a way to access online sermons and classes?

Religion survey questions about programming

In addition to sermons, many churches offer educational classes on different subjects for a variety of age groups, as well as social events where community members can gather and connect. Learning about the program preferences of their communities can help churches increase attendance. Here are some example programming questions to consider:

• Are you interested in meeting new members of our church community?
• Have you ever attended a class at the church?
• What is the best day and time for you to attend a class at the church?
• Are you interested in attending a virtual class next weekend?
• Would you be interested in childcare services offered at the church during certain classes or programs?

Religion survey questions about faith

No two individuals practice their faith in the exact same way. Church leaders who understand how their community practices their faith can help pastors better prepare sermons or programs to guide people along their spiritual journeys. Here are example questions about faith:

• How many times a week do you pray?
• Do you consider yourself a religious person?
• In your opinion, are religion and spirituality the same?
• Is there any aspect of your faith you would like to discuss with a church leader?
• Do you feel like you are a good representative for your religion?

Religion survey questions about donations

Many churches rely on donations to operate. Understanding the reasons people donate and whether they have any challenges with donating can help churches optimize their donor programs. Here are some example questions about donations to consider for your survey:

• How many times a year do you donate to the church?
• Do you have a solid understanding of how your donation impacts the church?
• Would you prefer to donate online or in person?
• Are you interested in donating your time to church volunteer activities?
• What motivates you to donate to the church?

Jotform: A powerful tool for religion surveys

Ready to learn more about your community so you can make informed decisions about church management and operations? Jotform can help. With Jotform, you can create online surveys to gather feedback on logistics, programming, faith, donations, and other areas. Each survey is fully customizable, from the content to the layout and visuals, so you can ensure your church is gathering data that best supports its parishioners.