The National Church Life Survey uses three types of surveys to build a comprehensive profile of the life of the whole church: the people, the leaders, the assets and activities and an evaluation of health and vitality.
The 2026 NCLS is a series of interlinked surveys. Participation in the 2026 NCLS is voluntary and options include:
1. Church Life Survey
For all church attenders to reflect on their experience of local church health (adult attender and child surveys are available)
The Church Life Survey listens to churchgoers, in order to help a church to better understand the experiences, hopes, strengths and faith practices of their attenders. It helps a church to review their health and plan for the future.
The Attender Survey is designed to be completed by all church attenders aged 15 years and over. Parents can decline their 15 year old child's participation.
It is available online or via a paper survey form.
Churches normally conduct the Attender Survey during a worship service, mass or activity of spiritual nurture.
20 minutes: It should take attenders about 20 minutes to complete.
Languages: Attender Surveys are available in English, Arabic, Burmese (Chin and Karen), Chinese, Korean, Sudanese (Dinka), Tongan and Vietnamese.
The Child Survey is an optional survey, for regular church attenders aged 8-14.
Goal: The survey is designed to ask children about their experience of the church and their involvement in it.
The Child Survey is an optional survey to be completed by child attenders aged 8 to 14 at any activity at church. Parents can decline their child's participation.
It is available as a paper survey or online.
Optional order: Child surveys are optional to order. If your church ordered Child Surveys they will be included in your Survey Kit.
The Leader Survey is for completion by church leaders: ordained, lay, paid and volunteer, e.g. minister, pastor, priest, ministry team leader, elder or pastoral associate.
It is for anyone involved in significant leadership within a church/parish including:
• the most senior leader (at minimum),
• leaders who contribute significant time to leadership (e.g. 1 day a week),
• leaders who contribute significantly to setting directions.
Goal: The goal of the Leader Survey is to support the development of effective and sustainable leadership in churches.
Confidentiality: The Leader Survey is a confidential survey. No individual leader’s results are identified.
The Local Church Audit is an audit of church activities and programs, to be completed by a church administrator or senior leader.
Goal: It is designed to capture an overview of church ministries and activities around Australia. It aims to investigate different contexts and characteristics of churches, against vitality measures and growth patterns.