Determinants of Commitment and Participation in Suburban Protestant Churches

Using questionnaire data from members of eight suburban Protestant churches, deprivation, child rearing, doctrinal beliefs, and status group theories of church commitment and participation were tested. Dependent variables included church attendance, organizational participation, dollars contributed, and percent of income contributed. The deprivation theory was not supported. The child rearing theory, saying that parents with school-age children participate more, found some support. Doctrinal beliefs had a definite impact, but was only moderately strong when other variables were controlled. The status group theory was supported. Future theorizing about participation in mainline Protestant churches should begin with an analysis of motivations generated by church life itself. The status group and localism theories seem hopeful starting points.