We’ve all been there. You’ve spent hours upon hours planning an outreach opportunity. You’ve organized the where, what, how, and who. You’ve recruited volunteers, organized transportation, meals, and all the small details that go into a day of outreach. And even though you had a few show up and learn more about your church and, more importantly, Christ, the turnout was slightly underwhelming.
While reaching even just one soul for Christ is worth celebrating, your goal is to bring more to the Kingdom and into the fellowship of your church. But how can you better engage your community to ensure your efforts aren’t falling short?
Here’s your answer: DATA!
Although it doesn’t sound as exciting as planning awesome outreach events and announcements, data has to be the foundation of your outreach planning. Here’s how to make that happen.
Who makes up your community?
While we like to think we know who’s around us, the truth is that we only have a general idea of those we actually see out and about. But what about those who are new to the area? Or those who aren’t as outgoing and involved in the community? Realistically, those are the ones we’re trying to reach, so shouldn’t we know them a little better?
This is where demographical data comes in.
Before planning the details, decide who you want to reach. A good place to start is the QuickInsite Report, which allows you to see what truly makes your community unique. You’ll see 5-year projections of change within family data, growth, and behaviors, as well as demographic indicators, including population, median income, age, family size, poverty, and more. This demographic breakdown and analysis will show you the bigger story behind your community so you can plan targeted outreach efforts that will make a difference.
How does your community compare to your congregation?
A big difference between thriving churches with successful outreach programs and those who may struggle to reach new people is their ability to mirror the demographic and lifestyle diversity of their community. But how do you know what to mirror? A community analytics tool, like MissionInsite by ACS Technologies, is the answer.
Once you have a demographic report of your community, you’ll want to dive deeper into a comparison with your current membership. Start by uploading your current membership into MissionInsite’s People Plot. Then, use the ComparativeInsite Report to compare your membership today to the mission field you want to reach around you.
You’ll see which groups are under and over-represented in the church to plan changes you’ll need to make within your ministry to make it more welcoming and reflect the needs and preferences of your community.
What does your community believe and prefer?
Last, consider what your community believes about God, Jesus, and social and moral values. We may assume that they simply don’t believe in God or they don’t see religion as an important part of their lives, but do we know for sure what they truly feel about religion and God as a whole?
Understanding where they are today allows you to meet them where they are and plan outreach opportunities to address the spiritual questions your community is asking.
The ReligiousInsite and Priorities Report will provide a detailed breakdown of your community’s religious life and how that compares to the overall national data. You’ll gain a better understanding of your community’s denominational preferences and religious involvement, which will help you tailor your efforts and see how their beliefs are changing over time.
Start planning today!
With data to tell the full picture of your community, you can not only plan more effective outreach opportunities but also tailor your ministry to reflect what matters to those around you. Are you seeing an increase in Hispanic and Latino populations in your community? Consider adding a Spanish ministry to your offerings. Is there a large population of single parents in your neighborhood? Think about how your childcare options look today and how they could improve to allow those single parents to participate more in the life of your church.
MissionInsite gives you the tools and reports you need to plan and tell the story of your community to your current leadership and membership so they rally behind your new outreach efforts.
Leigh Ann Ortega
Leigh Ann joined the ACST team in 2019 as a Product Marketing Manager. She oversees the launch and overall communication of key solutions to support the church’s needs. Prior to joining ACST, she spent several years in communications and graphic design roles, most notably as a Communications Director for a large church in Florence, SC, where she leveraged Realm to help solve key ministry challenges.
