How to Determine the Needs Of the Community
http://churchleadership.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=4543&view=post&articleid=41937&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
By Dr. Richard J. Krejcir
What do you think God placed your church in this neighborhood to do? Now, brainstorm what needs are evident and how you can meet them! Determine the type of programs that can meet those needs.
How to Determine the Needs Of the Community Around the Church
1.Determine the demographic makeup of your neighborhood (age, education, social and cultural makeup), and what you need to do to reach them. Are you in a city, countryside…?
2.What do you think God placed your church in this neighborhood to do? (Most church growth people say to move your church to your people, but this is not Biblical, unless there are compelling reasons. The church is to be where God called it to be, to reach the people in its vicinity. If the neighborhood has changed and people are commuting, then plant another church to reach them before you move out. Ideally, it is better to stay and minister. Most church moves have been a disaster to the neighborhood from which they moved, because rarely does another successful church move in!)
3.Why would people in your neighborhood seek to be involved in your church?
4.When you came to the church, how did you feel? What needs where met for you? Would you come as a visitor, and become involved if you were not already a part of this church? Why, or why not?
5.What are the needs in your community? Try to list 20, including daycare, loneliness, etc.
6.Rate the importance of each of those needs, keeping in mind Biblical priorities over personal ones!
7.If these ideas were implemented, how would the church look, and how would it be benefited?
8.What would happen if these ideas were not implemented?
9.Brainstorm what needs are evident and how you can meet them! Determine the type of programs that can meet those needs.
10. How can your leadership and church direct others in order to bring them deeper in the heart of God to worship and glorify Him?
How much time was spent in prayer?
© 1986, 1988, 1998, Richard J. Krejcir, Ph.D. Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership, www.churchleadership.org
http://churchleadership.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=4543&url=10&view=post&articleid=Becoming-a-Loving-Church-Part-II&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
What a Loving Vibrant Church is Like
To be a loving church, we need to grasp the incompressible idea that each of us is deeply loved. Yes, this means you and me, he and she, that guy and that lady. Yes, even those whom you find it impossible to love. All loved by God. We are made by love, and we are made to love! So, this should be easy, right?
http://churchleadership.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=4543&url=10&view=post&articleid=Becoming-a-Loving-Church-Part-I&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
Love is the model we are to use to show God's love to the world!
The plan to build a loving church is simple. Build up your faith by the Word and spiritual disciplines; then, commit ourselves to building each other up, also. Look at the example given us by the Early Church in Acts 2: 44-45. "All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need." That is the formula! We are to be together, helping one another.
http://churchleadership.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=4543&url=10&view=post&articleid=42814&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
Growing in Christ is the key to growing a church. This is all about being a good and effective witness of who Christ is and what He has called your church to be and do.
