Christian Faith Practices Scale (CFPS)

Abstract

The Christian Faith Practices Scale (CFPS) is a psychometric instrument developed by Sherr, Stamey, and Garland in 2009. Its primary function is to quantify the frequency and extent of observable behavioral practices associated with active Christianity, moving beyond measures of mere belief or attitude. The scale consists of 13 items designed to assess an individual’s engagement across three distinct dimensions of faith practice: Devotional Practices, Relating, and Serving. It is typically utilized in research settings involving church populations to understand the lived experience and practical application of faith commitments.

Keywords

Christian faith, religious behavior, spiritual practices, psychometric scale, church involvement, devotional practices, serving, Sherr, religious commitment, faith measurement.

Authors

Sherr, M. E., Stamey, J., Garland, D. R.

Purpose

The fundamental purpose of the CFPS is to provide researchers and practitioners with an empirically sound and reliable tool for measuring the behavioral output of Christian faith. Prior instruments often focused heavily on cognitive beliefs or emotional experiences. The CFPS addresses this gap by focusing specifically on observable actions and habits, such as attendance, study, evangelism, interpersonal forgiveness, and involvement in social justice initiatives. This focus allows for a more comprehensive assessment of active discipleship within church and community contexts.

Construct

The scale measures the construct of Christian faith practices, defined as the tangible, behavioral expressions of an individual’s spiritual commitment. This construct is recognized as being multidimensional, encompassing both private spiritual disciplines and public ethical engagements. The CFPS operationalizes this construct through three primary subscales:

• Devotional Practices: Measures activities related to personal spiritual growth and formal worship, such as attending services, Bible study, and evangelism.
• Relating: Focuses on interpersonal ethical behavior, including confession, forgiveness, and encouragement within relationships.
• Serving: Assesses active engagement in outreach, hospitality, philanthropy, and advocacy for social justice.

Validity

The validity of the CFPS was established through rigorous development processes, including input from theological experts and empirical testing on diverse church samples. Content validity was ensured by basing the items on widely recognized biblical and theological mandates for Christian living. Construct validity has been supported by the scale’s robust underlying factor structure, which successfully differentiates between the Devotional, Relating, and Serving dimensions, confirming that the instrument measures the intended, distinct facets of faith practice. Furthermore, the CFPS has demonstrated expected correlations with other measures of religious commitment and spiritual well-being.

Reliability

The CFPS exhibits high levels of internal consistency, indicating strong reliability. Studies conducted upon its development demonstrated that the items within the total scale, as well as those comprising the individual subscales, cohere effectively. High Cronbach’s alpha coefficients are typically reported, confirming that the scale provides a stable and consistent measurement of the frequency of faith practices among the target population. This strong reliability is crucial for utilizing the scale in longitudinal studies and clinical assessments.

Factor Analysis

The scale’s structure was confirmed using Factor analysis, which identified a three-factor solution underpinning the 13 items. This structure provides empirical support for the theoretical division of faith practices into the three core domains: Serving, Devotional Practices, and Relating. While all items contribute to the overall measure of faith practice, the factor analysis ensures that each subscale is measuring a distinct, yet related, facet of the construct. The strong factor loadings confirm that the 13 items effectively map onto these theoretically proposed dimensions.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire.

Format: The scale comprises 13 items rated on a 7-point Likert scale, where responses range from 1 (Never) to 7 (Always).

Language Available: English (Original).

Population Group: Church members and individuals identifying as active Christians.

Age Group: Adults (typically 18 years and older).

Population Details: Developed and validated primarily on samples drawn from mainline Protestant and evangelical church congregations in the United States.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate the frequency with which they engage in the specified faith practices. The scores are summed or averaged, often separately for the three subscales, to derive a quantitative measure of behavioral religious engagement.

Keywords

Religious behavior, faith practices, psychological scales, spiritual assessment, church ministry, social justice, evangelism, Sherr, Stamey, Garland.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Information not provided in the original source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Information not provided in the original source.

Correspondence Address: Information not provided in the original source.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The CFPS was published in 2009. Researchers interested in utilizing the instrument should consult the primary publication or contact the corresponding author for permission and details regarding usage fees, although instruments published in academic journals are often available for non-commercial research use.

Reference’s

Sherr, M. E., Stamey, J., & Garland, D. R. (2009). A faith practices scale for the church. Family and Community Ministries, 23(1), 27-36.

The original PDF of the instrument can be downloaded here: http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/145852.pdf

Items of the Christian Faith Practices Scale (CFPS)

Response Format: 1- Never, 2-Rarely, 3-Once in a while, 4-Sometimes, 5-Often, 6-Almost Always, 7-Always

Subscale Assignments (as provided in source):

• Devotional Practices (items 1, 2, 3, 4)
• Relating (items 6, 7, 8)
• Serving (items 10, 11 and 12)

1. I attend weekly worship services
2. I participate in Bible study activity.
3. I share the Christian story with others (evangelism).
4. I study the teachings and history of the Christian church.
5. I pray.
6. I confess my faults to others.
7. I forgive and work toward healing relationships with others
8. I encourage others, especially when they fail.
9. I give financial support to my church.
10. I provide hospitality and care to strangers.
11. I volunteer time to help those less fortunate
12. I participate in activities that promote social justice in society.
13. I discuss Christian response to contemporary issues with other Christians.