FAQs
How is this different from other tools out there?
The Discipleship Indicator instrument is unique. It reveals key indicators of an individual’s level of discipleship in just 20 brief, easy-to-answer questions. The questions are the result of prayerful review and guidance by a national group of Catholic parish and diocesan leaders, church and denominational leaders, and survey experts.
How many questions are on the Discipleship Indicator?
The Discipleship Indicator consists of 20 standard questions, with the option of up to 5 additional questions customized to the parish.
How long does the Discipleship Indicator take to complete?
While everyone is different, the average time to complete the Discipleship Indicator is approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
Who should take the Discipleship Indicator?
We encourage you to invite all parishioners to take the Discipleship Indicator survey. The goal is to have a good sample size to provide the most clear data. You should invite parishioners, staff members, volunteers, young adults, and visitors.
Can I make changes to the questions in the Discipleship Indicator?
The core questions are not editable to ensure consistent data reporting. However, you can add up to 5 custom questions for your parish.
How do I get people to take the Discipleship Indicator?
We will help you promote the Discipleship Indicator by providing content you can use for parish-wide publicity and communication and recommendations for how to encourage parishioners to participate.
How will ACST Catholic support us?
ACST Catholic will assign a dedicated consultant to work with your parish. This representative will check in with you weekly to offer support, answer questions, and provide tips and observations. Additionally, the consultant will review your results, offer insights, and customize your consultation.
Is the Discipleship Indicator only offered online?
The Discipleship Indicator is an online tool. We can offer best practices to accommodate those who may not have access to the Internet or feel comfortable using the online tool.
How much data have you collected so far?
ACST Catholic has gathered test data from multiple parishes and will further expand the dataset to provide comparative insights and share best practices.
What does ACST do with the data that’s collected?
ACST Catholic utilizes the data to better understand the state of discipleship in the Catholic church across the U.S. and provide benchmark comparisons for parishes.