• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Lifeway Research

Lifeway Research

Enlightening today’s church with relevant research and insights

  • Research
  • Insights
  • Resource Library
  • Fast Facts
  • Search

5 Steps to Assess Your Community’s Needs

Uncategorized | Jul 31, 2016

Previously, Kate Riney shared ways your church can meet the needs of your community, but to actually meet those needs, you first have to know them.

Here are five steps to help your congregation assess your community’s needs.

Draw a map

Draw a map of the community surrounding your church or future site. Include major streets, parks, and attractions. Label assets as you identify them. You can color-code or use a symbol key to help keep things simple.

Learn the history of the community

Make a list of why and when the community was founded and how it has evolved. Include key historical events such as battles, land destruction, political movements, landmarks, natural disasters, changing demographics, etc.

Understand the culture and demographics

List key demographics. Include ethnicities, generations, languages, customs, religions, family structures, political leanings, economics, food, art, clothing, and other self-expressions.

Identify nonreligious assets

List all public or private organizations and services such as banks, medical facilities, schools, libraries, day cares, shopping, gyms, museums, parks, etc.

Note religious assets

List all area churches, cathedrals, mosques, temples, home groups, etc., and include what they offer, such as day care, Vacation Bible school, free meals, clothes closet, prayer meetings, sign language classes, addiction recovery groups, etc.

What conclusions can you draw about your immediate community based on these demographics and assets? Where do you see needs?


KATE RINEY (@KateMRiney) serves on the Candidate Relations Team at Vanderbloemen Search Group, a pastor search firm that helps churches and ministries find their key staff.

Related posts:

2021 Continued to Drive More Readers to Scripture Loving Your Neighbor and Neighborhood More Vital Than Ever How to Welcome People with Disabilities in Your Church

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us On…

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Popular

  • Most Popular Sermon Passages, Topics in 2021
  • 13 Things a Pastor Should Never Say to a Congregation
    pulpit sermon
  • 7 Reasons to Praise the Lord
    praise
  • Why Christians Must Do More Than Just “Be the Church”

Join the Lifeway Research Newsletter

Lifeway Research: Enlightening Today’s Church with Relevant Insights.

Signup for email updates on our church and culture research.

Sign Up

Leader Resources

Bible
Clip Art
Classics
Clip Art
Current Events
Clip Art
Discipleship
Clip Art
Pastoral Ministy
Clip Art
Theology
Clip Art
VIEW ALL RESOURCES
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Custom Research
  • Resource Library
  • Search

Copyright © 2022 · Lifeway Research, a ministry of Lifeway Christian Resources