Perception of Church's Influence

This gives an indication of the role that faith and more specifically the local church is having on the wider community based on the percentage of random participants who report that the church is having a positive influence. It explores whether Christians are living out their faith, both as individuals and also as a broader church.

Collect the following data by conducting individual/household interviews with a representative sample of the target group members: For best practice, a wide variety of respondents should be randomly selected from the wider community and not just church members. 

This indicator was developed as part of the Light Wheel household survey. Questions 72-86 of the survey asks questions around the Living faith area of holisitc wellbeing. 

The household survey can be used to provide a more objective perspective on the situation within a community and, if used in conjunction with a group discussion, can help provide a reference point for the discussion. Using the survey at the start of any engagement with a community will therefore provide a baseline measurement of the indicators; repeating the survey will then provide updates to the indicator status. This can be triangulated alongside direct observation, transect walks and gathering of secondary data. 

It is recommended that this indicator is measured alongside other qualiative outcome indicators found in the Light Wheel under 'Living faith' as well as indicators for the other eight spkes of spokes of the Light Wheel. The Light Wheel was designed specifically to demonstrate the whole-life transformation, by considering each spoke, a holistic view can be taken that brings together physical, social, economic and spiritual well-being the lives of people.

The Living Faith indicators give a wider understanding of: the attitudes towards faith in general within the community, the extent to which Christians are growing in their faith, the extent to which Christians are balancing their inward spiritual development with the external outworking of their faith and how this is influencing the environment in which they are living.

More specifically this indicator can be monitored using the following questions:

1. Different Christian churches within my community act with love towards each other

• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neither agree nor disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
• Prefer not to answer

2. The different faith groups in this community improve the life of the community 

• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree
• Prefer Not To Answer

3. Christian churches in this community improve the life of the community 

• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neither agree nor disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
• Prefer not to answer 

Gender, age group and location as standard but depending on the context other social identity markers such as faith group, denomination, level of education etc. can also be added.

For more guidance see the Light Wheel