Demographics and Evangelism
In my most recent two columns (see below), I have been sharing how you can retrieve demographic data on your community and how I used data on Kingsland to assist in found King of Peace Episcopal Church.
When I was taught about demographics for churches, it was from a church planting perspective. In that end of the work of the church, demographics can help a diocese determine where best to concentrate efforts at starting a new congregation. But demographics are also helpful to existing churches.
Demographics can give us a true picture of the fields that are ripe for the harvest. Then we look at who God has given us and consider how to approach them where they are. Jesus often started with someone’s presenting need in order to bring them into relationship with him. We start by seeing where the strengths of a congregation coincide with a need in our community in order to learn how to serve our neighbors. While in evangelism, we want to share how to fill a need someone might not even know they have, a need for a relationship with God as revealed in Jesus Christ. But this best starts not where we wish someone is, but where they truly are.
From that starting point, we share the Gospel in relational evangelism. That is very different from handing out tracks or beating folks over the head with the Gospel. It means getting to know folks, really know them. Then being available to share the incredible Good News of Jesus Christ with them. But the Good News matters more once we have connected through authentic outreach. The outreach cannot be solely for the purpose of evangelism. This is not bait and switch. Outreach such as after school tutoring or a Scout Troop or Food bank, is done to share God’s love and trust God with the results. But we do know from experience that God ofte uses these means to begin real relationships with people we wouldn’t otherwise know and from that some folks will get connected to Christ (and not just a church).
The demographics give you a way to see your community anew. Then you turn to the congregation and begin to see how the people God has given you can have a positive impact on the community around. While this pattern resulted in a preschool in Kingsland, it could result in Latino ministry, a clothing ministry, and much more. But you don’t start with who your congregation is and what you want to do. You start by getting to know the community and its needs and that is where demographics come in. Then seeing your community more clearly through the lens of demographic data, you are in a better position to look to the gifts of those in your church to start a ministry to better serve those around you.
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You don’t have a new ministry for your congregation by finding a need in the community alone. That ministry may be for the church down the street if you don’t already have in place people with the gifts and the vision to start and sustain the new ministry. Where God is leading you in new ministries is found at the intersection of the needs already present and the gifts already at hand.
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue
Canon to the Ordinary
Note: The photos above are from King of Peace Episcopal Day School.
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