An Insider's View (Part 1)
Use Community Demographics to Increase Outreach Results
Last Christmas, how did you decide what presents to give your family?
Answer: You thought about whether your gift would be a good match for your loved one. For instance, snow skis may have been a good choice for your brother to buy for his wife, but not for your wife. Why? Because you understand her personality and you know her likes and dislikes (she’d rather enjoy the snow from inside the lodge, thank you).
In the same way, when we go to the doctor, we expect him to run tests before he gives a diagnosis and treatment. We’d be a little worried if he based his diagnosis on a hunch or an educated guess. Compare this to knowing how best to reach out to your community. Like shopping for presents or making a diagnosis, you have to conduct research in order to have the greatest impact. Before you can effectively minister to your community, you’ve got to know your community.
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
Before building their church, Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Community Church and his core team spent time taking the spiritual temperature of their area. They knocked on thousands of doors—with the simple goal of getting to know the community.
“The value of accurate information is that you can do ministry more effectively,” says George Barna, a respected researcher. He explains that you may have only one opportunity to share the Gospel or invite someone to your church, so it’s imperative to not waste time, money or efforts. When equipped with relevant and accurate data, your church can be a powerful conduit for spreading God’s Truth.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
So what type of information do you need? Although it may vary from church to church, you get to know the community inside and out by researching the demographics, psychographics and geographics of the area. The better you understand these factors in your community, the more effective you will be in developing an effective and appropriate context to share the Gospel.
• Demographics. The characteristics of a group of people as classified by sex, age, race, income, marital status and so on are its demographics. Your outreach approach would be very different, for example, if your town had a high percentage of single moms, as compared to mostly elderly adults.
• Psychographics. This type of data describes the values, attitudes and shared cultural experiences of the community members. Understanding these factors gives a broader feel for your community’s mindset. What are their everyday issues and concerns? What do people care about? Each group has distinct needs, hopes and fears. Consider them when developing your outreach strategy.
• Geographics. Another valuable type of information is geographics. This data refers to the physical proximity of individual households in relation to your church’s location. Do you live in a densely populated area? Is there a major landmark nearby that draws people, such as a college? Are there any natural boundaries that separate sections of your community? It’s important to understand drive time and mileage in relation to your church. The lack of freeway access or a major boulevard might be a psychological barrier that would dissuade visitors from attending.
Before you begin your research, determine why you need this information. How will it be helpful to your ministry? How do you plan to use the data? For example, are you thinking of launching a second service and trying to target a new segment of the community? Or, are you expanding your children’s ministry and considering launching a Christian grammar school and day care? Without a plan for using the information, you may find yourself lost in a sea of interesting but useless facts.
Research and analysis does not contradict faith in God or the Holy Spirit’s direction for your church. 1 Corinthians 2:5 says, “. . . your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” Research, like any good education, is a valuable tool to help you build on your foundation of faith. Learn all you can about your community and rely on God to lead in how He wants you to proceed in the area of outreach.
GOING TO THE SOURCE
How you plan to use your data will not only dictate the type of information needed, but how that information is collected. There are two basic types of research data: primary and secondary. Your church may decide to use one or the other, or even a blend of both types:
• Secondary research. Data that has already been collected by someone else, but is available for your use is called secondary research. Sources include government data (such as U.S. census information and public records), Chamber of Commerce statistics, professional associations, research organizations and polls. This information is usually free or available for a nominal fee.
• Primary research. Original information that you collect yourself and usually involves surveys and focus groups is known as primary research. Original research can be the best way to gather tangible data because it’s specific to your community, and you can tailor the research method to your church’s specific needs. You may choose to walk through neighborhoods and informally poll people, or you might decide to set up a table at a local mall or grocery store. Barna makes suggestions and templates on how to create surveys, set up focus groups and gather primary data in his book Church Marketing: Breaking Ground for the Harvest.
To conduct more extensive research, a company or consultant like the Barna Research Group or the Gallup Organization can be commissioned to conduct a research poll for your church. This type of formal primary research, however, can cost several thousand dollars. Your church will need to determine what type of information is required for your specific needs.
Hunches and intuition are good, but really getting to know your community is even better. Seek God regarding the information you need to make your next outreach more targeted, more meaningful and more effective.
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2002 edition of Outreach Magazine. Reprinted with permission.