Executive Summary

Summary

Introduction

11. This survey has two objectives. It seeks to understand the economic, social and cultural profiles of Protestant church-goers in Singapore. It also seeks to understand their attitudes toward certain public and social issues such as money and finance, politics, sex and sexuality, and perceptions of compatibility with other faith and ethnic communities.

12. This survey was conducted between December 2009 and January 2011 among 24 churches. A total of 2,663 questionnaires were analysed. The denominations included in the survey were the Anglicans, Methodists, Bible-Presbyterians, independent churches and megachurches.

Socio-economic and cultural Background

13. The incomes of megachurch respondents tend to cluster around the middle level of $ 2,000 to $4,999, while mainline and independent church respondents are better represented at the extremes of the income spectrum, that is, those without income and those with income of $10,000 and above.

14. Megachurch respondents tend to come from a working class or lower middle class background, while mainline and independent church respondents tend to come from a middle class background.

15. In terms of housing type before the age of 18 for those aged 29 and below, megachurch respondents, at 19.0 per cent, were least likely to have lived in private housing. They were followed by Anglicans at 33.7 per cent, Independents at 39.3 per cent, and Methodists at 43.4 per cent.

16. For those aged 29 and below, megachurch respondents were least likely to have fathers with tertiary education, at 22.5 per cent, followed by Anglicans at 35.2 per cent, Independents at 39.8 per cent, and Methodists at 48.4 per cent.

17. For those aged 29 and below, megachurch respondents were least likely to have mothers with tertiary education, at 11.0 per cent, followed by Anglicans at 16.9 per cent, Independents at 25.3 per cent, and Methodists at 30.1 per cent.

18. In terms of the use of English at home before the age of 18 for those aged 29 and below, megachurch respondents have the lowest proportion at 71.7 per cent, followed by Independents at 71.9 per cent, Anglicans at 78.9 per cent, and Methodists at 88.6 per cent.