National Congregations Study (NCS)
NCS investigates the characteristics and practices of religious congregations in the United States of America (USA). Participating congregations are recruited from the General Social Survey (GSS), conducted nationwide. Since its inception, the study has expanded its participant base from 1,234 congregations in 1998 to over 5,300 in the latest wave to capture a broader and more diverse range of congregational experiences. The cohort is a nationally representative sample of congregations in the USA. Follow-up data collection occurs approximately every six years, with waves conducted in 1998, 2006-2007, 2012, and 2018-2019.
Study design
Community or village panel
Number of participants at first data collection
5,333 (congregations as of 2019)
Recruitment is ongoing
Age at first data collection
Varied (congregations)
Participant year of birth
Varied (congregations)
Participant sex
All
Representative sample at baseline?
Religious congregations in the United States of America.
Sample features
Country
Year of first data collection
1998
Primary Institutions
Duke University
University of Chicago
Profile paper DOI
Funders
Aspen Institute
Church Music Institute
Duke University
Henry Luce Foundation
Indiana University
Ongoing?
Yes
Data types collected
- Interview – face-to-face
- Interview – phone
- Qualitative survey
- None
- None
Engagement
Keywords
