Question 1

How does the NCD Survey help you?

Accepted Answer

• The survey results pinpoint, in everyday terms, areas where your church needs to growth
 
• The team-based suite of result guides harness the energy for change, utilizing different kinds of people in your church
 
• Starting after the very first result meeting, the process allows you to make important adjustments while church life continues on
 
• NCD focuses on progress and not position, thereby making your church’s starting place unimportant
 
• Progress on the health of your church does not necessarily require everyone to be on board from the start
 
• The NCD process is directed at helping your church to experience God more fully
 
• For more than a decade, thousands of churches in over 70 countries have experienced transformation through NCD. This should give you confidence that the NCD process is not merely a gimmick, but genuinely works!

Question 2

Who completes the survey?

Accepted Answer

The recommended number of surveys to collect is 30, but more may be submitted, if you like
Survey respondents should:
• Have some form of regular task in the church• Be involved in some form of small group within the church• Regularly attend church worship services• Collectively represent the demographics in your church (e.g. age, gender, race, etc.)

Question 3

What if we have multiple congregations?

Accepted Answer

• If your congregations have the same demographic, same leadership, and same worship style, you can select your sample across the congregations• If your congregations are different, you should order a separate survey for each so that the results and subsequent affirmation and responsibility does not  become “blurred"• If finances are a challenge, select the congregation that is most ready to move forward and survey it as a pilot of the process. Once the benefits of the  process can be seen, it will become much easier to justify the cost of surveying additional congregations. (Note: The annual survey costs the same or  less than the average church's coffee budget with little health improvement required to recoup the costs through improved giving.)

Question 4

Why should you hire an NCD coach?

Accepted Answer

• A coach helps you interpret your NCD results accurately, turning data into clear,
practical next steps
• A coach brings an outside perspective that reveals blind spots and identifies the true
root issues behind your challenges
• A coach accelerates healthy change by helping you focus on the one growth area that
will make the greatest impact
• A coach provides clarity, encouragement, and accountability so your team follows
through and maintains momentum
• A coach supports you through the emotional, relational, and organizational dynamics
that naturally arise during change
• A coach customizes the NCD process to your church’s unique culture, strengths, and
context
• A coach significantly increases your likelihood of long-term transformation, helping your
church experience God more fully as health grows

Question 5

What happens once I order the survey?

Accepted Answer

• Shortly after ordering your survey, you will be contacted by an NCD team member who will set up your survey account, help you get started, and answer any initial questions you may have. Then, you can initiate your survey right away. Results can be generated as soon as all of your participants have responded. If this is your first survey, you will be sent your free copy of the Color Your World with NCD book as soon as your results have been processed.

Question 6

Do leaders and members take the same survey?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the current version of NCD survey (revised in 2007) includes the same survey for
everyone. There is also a facilitator’s form, which is filled out by the pastor; this form is
mainly for gathering demographic information.

Question 7

Why 30 surveys? What if my church is smaller?

Accepted Answer

Based on extensive scientific testing, 30 surveys have been determined to be the optimal number for a church of any size to complete. If your church is smaller than 30 people, all the people in your church should fill out the survey.

Question 8

What if I want more than 30 people in my congregation to take the survey?

Accepted Answer

This survey has been scientifically tested; if the specified criteria are followed, 30 surveys are enough to generate an accurate report. If churches want more than 30 surveys, they can choose the electronic version or a mixed version of printed and electronic surveys, which they can collect and enter online.However, when the printed version is ordered, only 30 surveys will be sent to the church to be filled out, and only 30 filled out surveys entered into the system by the NCD team to produce the church’s profile.

Question 9

What are the different stages in the develpment of the surveys?

Accepted Answer

Before the first international study, there were a number of explorative studies starting with (1) gathering the existing information provided by other research, continuing with (2) several versions of provisional, non-scientific tests, and leading to (3) a scientific evaluation of the existing assessment tool, including suggestions for its further development.
 
After it had been field tested with churches in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the newly developed survey was used for studying the first sample of 1118 churches with 34,414 respondents in 32 countries. This is the research phase that is represented in the book, Natural Church Development.
 
The huge amount of data collected worldwide has made the NCD files an extremely promising base for conducting secondary studies, without the necessity of collecting new data by means of newly designed questionnaires. The secondary studies use the original raw data, including the possibility of measuring development over time.

Question 10

How should I select people in my congregation to take the survey?

Accepted Answer

Pastors/facilitators of the survey sometimes underestimate the proper selection of participants and then wonder about the results. The participants should not be selected as those who are pastor’s favored members. There are three criteria that each participant should meet:
 
Each individual participant must regularly attend the worship service, AND
 
Must have some form of regular task in the church (no matter what it is), AND
 
Must be part of some form of small group in the church (any subgroup of the worshiping community).
In addition to fulfilling the above three criteria, the collective survey group should be representative of the church as a whole; that is, it should include non-leaders as well as leaders, a proportionate number of people from different age groups, ethnicities, genders, etc.

Question 11

What type of follow up support is available in the evaluation of results and implementation of action plans?

Accepted Answer

We have books addressing the areas that you may need to strengthen based on your
survey results, as well as online resources (NCD Cycle Starters) to help you begin the
process of improvement.

In addition, many churches find it helpful to work with a certified NCD coach. A coach
can walk with you through interpreting your results, identifying your most strategic next
steps, and supporting your team as you implement your action plan.

We also provide 2day NCD training for pastors, leaders, and coaches:
https://www.naturalchurchdevelopment.org/signupinfo

Question 12

How long does it take to get results on the 30 church member survey?

Accepted Answer

While it is impossible to determine an exact time, the process goes like so:
When you do the paper survey, you will be sent the paper surveys. You will then arrange for the selected participants to fill them out. Once you have collected all of the paper surveys, you will send them back to our office. We enter the data and send you the results by email (in PDF format).
 
When you choose the electronic version, we will set up an account for you; you will then be free to start your church project. You will enter the names and email addresses of participants on the website, and they will receive an automated email invitation with a survey link. This link can open on their smartphones, iPads or computers – it should be relatively simple for them to fill out the survey online. You are always able to log into your account and reopen your church project, seeing who has filled out the survey and who has not, adding more names and email addresses if needed, etc. until you have the 30 surveys returned. After filling out the facilitator’s form, you hit “Produce Profile” button, then “proceed” and in half a minute, you have the results popped on the screen in from of you. You can immediately download them in PDF format.

Frequently asked questions