By Mary C. Frances, Executive Director and Senior Consultant
In the last week I had two opportunities to attend events where elected officials were speaking about what is going on in Congress and in Washington. As someone who pays quite close attention to the news, I still felt it was important to hear directly from someone who is there on a regular basis what the details are on the ground. Some of what was shared was reassuring, some was inspiriting, and some of it was concerning. But both times I came away feeling like I had a better understanding of the facts, not just stories I had heard.
The reality is that we all live in a story of our own creating. We put together the pictures based on what we see, whom we encounter, and our experiences. And those stories we live into are important. They contain our history, our relationships, our hopes and dreams. But sometimes we need a story that is a bit more objective. Congregations need to be able to identify who they think they are, what their strengths are and where they could use some help. They need to take a good look at themselves and understand gifts and liabilities. Stories are helpful and are only part of the picture.
When we rely too heavily on story or even self-assessment, we only see a picture of the world as the congregation views it from within the church. We all tend to live in our own bubbles often remaining disconnected from other parts of the community that are not relevant to us. Retirees may not have a great grasp of the need for playgrounds or soccer fields. Parents of young children may not appreciate the need for safe walking paths for seniors, and on it goes. We tend to drive down the same streets, shop at the same stores, buy the same groceries, live in the same story.
Objective data helps round out the picture, finding the facts about who we are and who is in our community. What do we mean when we talk about objective data? We are talking about demographic reports that help to show who is in the community, key generational groups, the presence or lack of diversity, economic factors, housing, education, poverty and more. When looking at data with members of a congregation, I always like to compare their congregation’s demographics with community demographics. How are they similar? How are they different? Often congregational leaders say they want more families with young children. Demographics help us to see if those families are in the neighborhood or not.
While both stories and objective data are important, you still need the third leg of the stool to make it all work. The third leg is relationship. Both story and data need to be tested out in the community to verify its accuracy. Do our hunches play out once we start talking with neighbors, community leaders and business owners? A good consultant can help you pull all the information together to create a plan that makes sense for your congregation. Are you interested in gathering data for your congregation? We have tools to help that range from $35 to thousands of dollars. We can fit your budget and help you find the facts about your congregation and your community. Email us info@faithx.net
