Things churches can do to build greater interest in religion, according to a Gallup survey:

1. Improve communication with members (21% of respondents)
2. Concentrate more on personal spiritual matters (19%)
3. Become more involved in community matters (18%)
4. Focus more efforts on young people (14%)
5. More social activities for church members
6. More personal contacts between clergy and families, including pastoral visits
7. Less emphasis on money
8. Advertise more
9. Strive for unity
10. Stay out of politics

This survey is found in the book, The People's Religion: American Faith. It's a Gallup compilation of more than 50 years of public opinion polls. Figures in the book show a consistency over the years: about 94 percent believe in God, 90 percent pray, 88 percent believe God loves them, and more than 75 percent say their religious involvement has been a positive experience. Co-author Jim Castelli says he was surprised at the steadiness of the figures. "The percentage who went to church in the last week is the same today (42%) as it was in the '30s," he said.