Survey

Finding 1Praise is our common ground

In both gatherings, praise led by Saddleback Church's worship team was the highest-rated element of worship: 4.52 at Convocation and 4.28 at Pro Worship. At Convocation, the closing praise shared the top place. When people described what they valued in their own words, "praise," "together," and "love" surfaced again and again.

Music seems to carry people across language lines in a way few other elements can. A song can be sung in three languages at once and still sound like one voice. This confirms an early conviction of the Worship Center: multicultural praise is not decoration for a multilingual service. It is where unity is most readily felt.

Finding 2The spoken word needs more help than the song

The lowest-rated moments tell a different story. At Convocation, the pastoral prayer ranked last (3.86) and drew the widest range of opinion. At Pro Worship, candle-lighting (3.72), the sermon (3.75), and the altar call (3.81) were lowest, and the sermon and candle-lighting each received the largest share of low ratings (18.8%).

These are moments built on extended speech, or on participation that depends on understanding exactly what is being asked. A melody can be followed; a long prayer or sermon in another language must be translated well, timed well, and heard clearly before it can be received. None of these elements was rated poorly overall, and all stayed above the midpoint of the scale. But they show us where language access matters most, and where preparation should begin.

Finding 3More of our worship now happens on a screen

Between the two gatherings, the share of respondents who joined through Zoom Live rose from 59% to 91%. For many of our students, especially graduate students who are working or serving in ministry, online worship is not a backup option. It is how they worship.

That makes the online experience a matter of worship, not only of technology. At Convocation, Zoom Live participants were the least satisfied group (4.14, compared with 4.39 on campus and 4.63 for those who watched the recording). In a sample this size the gap is a signal rather than proof, but it points the same way as the comments. At Pro Worship, Zoom participants gave their lowest ratings to subtitles (3.69) and sound (3.76), and only 58.6% rated the subtitles favorably.

Finding 4From "Can I understand?" to "Do I belong?"

What people chose to write about shifted between the two gatherings. After Convocation, the most common concern was translation and subtitles, raised by 43% of those who left comments. After Pro Worship, a new theme came forward: whether online participants were truly included, raised by 28% of commenters. Some asked to be addressed at the opening and closing, to keep the stream open to the very end, and to be able to join the singing.

The question is widening. Language access remains essential, but it is no longer the whole picture. Worshipers are telling us that understanding the words is the first step toward something larger: knowing that they are part of the gathered body, wherever they are.

Finding 5Voices we have yet to hear

In both surveys, about nine in ten respondents worshiped primarily in Korean. Three English-speaking participants responded after Convocation and none after Pro Worship; Chinese-speaking responses grew from one to three.

This mirrors what our worship team has observed: Korean-speaking students have carried much of the early movement across language lines, joining English- and Chinese-language worship beyond their own. That is a gift. But a multilingual community will only be fully reflected in our research when English- and Chinese-speaking worshipers are fully present in it: in the room, on the screen, in leadership, and in the survey.

Where we go from here

Taken together, the surveys point less to what we worship with than to how well every person can enter in. Content was strongly affirmed; most constructive feedback concerned delivery, language, and inclusion. These are the commitments we are carrying into the next season of worship.

1. Welcome online worshipers as part of the congregation

   Greet and address Zoom participants at the opening and the close, keep the stream open through every planned segment, and invite them into congregational singing whenever possible.

2. Prepare the spoken word as carefully as the music

   Load translated Scripture, prayers, and sermon outlines in advance, review theological terms with people who know both the languages and the faith, and monitor caption timing throughout the service.

3. Rehearse the whole service, start to finish

   Test microphones, Zoom audio, video, transitions, and subtitle cues in one complete run-through, with a single production lead coordinating the flow.

4. Keep a predictable language rhythm

   Use one primary language for each major segment, especially the sermon, supported by subtitles or interpretation, rather than switching languages unexpectedly. A rotating lead-language pattern can be tested and evaluated.

5. Make room for every community to lead

   Invite English- and Chinese-speaking students into planning and leadership, and set participation and response goals for each language community.

6. Ask the same core questions every time

   Use a shared set of survey items across gatherings, including a single overall-satisfaction question, so that growth can be traced honestly from one season to the next.