“The number-one activity that draws congregations into partnership with other community organizations is direct service to people in immediate need.”

• "59% of the individual church members surveyed claim that they participated in community service organizations at least a few times a year."
• “79% of the individual church members claim that they at least ‘occasionally’ provide  informal service to people in need.”

For research information, see Report: Doing Good in American Communities

• Doing Good in American Communities:Congregations & Service Organizations Working Together (A Research Report from the Organizaing Religious Work Project) Hartford Institute for Religion Research, Hartford Seminary, Professor Nancy T. Ammerman, Project Director
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"A lot of people see the need, the difference is Karen cared enough to do something. People come here to the House to get assistance and medicine, but they come away with something eternal."

(Ventura, CA) - A survey from the Barna Research Group explores what teens say they received from their church when they were younger.

• An additional 6% said they attended an average of once a month.
• One out of every seven young people (15%) said they learned important lifestyle principles, generally in relation to obedience to God’s laws or moral direction for their life.
• 87 percent said they felt they had developed meaningful friendships at church.

The single outcome that was much less commonly cited was “understanding enough of the Bible so that every decision you make is based on biblical principles.” Only half of the churched young people – 53% – said this was a result of their church experience.

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