DISCOVERING FELT NEEDS OF A COMMUNITY

DISCOVERING FELT NEEDS DISCOVERING FELT NEEDS OF A COMMUNITY WILL OF A COMMUNITY WILL ACCOMPLISH AT LEAST ACCOMPLISH AT LEAST

FOUR THINGS:FOUR THINGS:• DISPEL IGNORANCEDISPEL IGNORANCE

• DEVELOP A VISION FOR THE UNCHURCHEDDEVELOP A VISION FOR THE UNCHURCHED

• PROVIDE MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES FOR LAY PROVIDE MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES FOR LAY LEADERS TO BE AT THE HUB OF MINISTRYLEADERS TO BE AT THE HUB OF MINISTRY

• BROADEN THE CHURCHBROADEN THE CHURCH’’S UNDERSTANDING OF S UNDERSTANDING OF MINISTRY.MINISTRY.

CHANGECHANGE IS ON EVERY IS ON EVERY FRONT!!FRONT!!

• Technological advances.Technological advances.

• Changing demographicsChanging demographics– Graying of AmericaGraying of America– Fragmentation of the familyFragmentation of the family– Changing ethnic mixChanging ethnic mix– The black urbaniteThe black urbanite– The rush to the SunbeltThe rush to the Sunbelt

CHANGING VALUESCHANGING VALUES

• SECULARISMSECULARISM

• PLURALISMPLURALISM

• PRIVATIZATIONPRIVATIZATION

DR. G. WILLIS BENNETTDR. G. WILLIS BENNETT’’S S BOOK BOOK EFFECTIVE URBAN EFFECTIVE URBAN CHURCH MINISTRYCHURCH MINISTRY SAID SAID

THERE ARE FOUR THERE ARE FOUR QUESTIONS HE WANTED A QUESTIONS HE WANTED A

CHURCH TO UNDERSTAND IN CHURCH TO UNDERSTAND IN ATTEMPTING TO DISCOVER ATTEMPTING TO DISCOVER

NEEDS AND PROVIDE A BASIS NEEDS AND PROVIDE A BASIS FOR EFFECTIVE CHURCH FOR EFFECTIVE CHURCH

MINISTRYMINISTRY

• WHO ARE WE AS A CONGREGATION?WHO ARE WE AS A CONGREGATION?• WHERE ARE WE AS A CONGREGATION?WHERE ARE WE AS A CONGREGATION?• WHERE ARE WE GOING AS A WHERE ARE WE GOING AS A

CONGREGATION, AND HOW WELL ARE CONGREGATION, AND HOW WELL ARE WE DOING IT?WE DOING IT?

• WHAT OUGHT WE TO BE DOING AS A WHAT OUGHT WE TO BE DOING AS A CONGREGATION AND HOW ARE WE TO CONGREGATION AND HOW ARE WE TO DO IT?DO IT?

HERE ARE FIVE RECOMMENDED HERE ARE FIVE RECOMMENDED STEPS TO HELP YOU TO STEPS TO HELP YOU TO

DISCOVER FELT OR REAL NEEDSDISCOVER FELT OR REAL NEEDS

• Locate and identify the churchLocate and identify the church’’s target s target community.community.

• Gather demographic census tracks and Gather demographic census tracks and other key documents.other key documents.

• Conduct a need survey of the community.Conduct a need survey of the community.

• Conduct a prayer walk of the Conduct a prayer walk of the community.community.