By The Rev. Ken Howard, FaithX Founder and President
So what’s hot this summer, besides the country?
One thing that’s hot at FaithX is “Heat Maps,” and when I say “Heat Maps,” I’m not talking about a weather map with forecasts of temperatures.
What’s a Heat Map? Heat Maps are specific kinds of color-coded demographic “analytic” maps based on algorithms. Typically, the algorithm in a heat map searches for two or more factors that coincide. Sort of like saying, “Show me all census block groups (i.e., neighborhoods) in which a majority of the population has degrees and work in engineering.” Except that Heat Maps can also be fine-tuned to show the strengths of the factors present. Like, displaying color-coded forms for the varying percentages of the degrees and engineers in each neighborhood. Such maps may also be referred to as “indexes.”
Missional Opportunity Index
Let’s say a diocese, synod, conference, or other judicatory is looking for a neighborhood in which a new church might be successful. To do that, they would open up the MissionMaps for Faith Communities app (assuming they are a subscriber) and load the Missional Opportunity Index (MOI) map.
The MOI displays the mapped results of an algorithm based on three demographic variables that relate to the potential success of a new congregation (or redevelopment of an existing congregation).
The MOI map of San Jose (above) shows that the most fertile soil (highest MOI) for a new congregation is in the downtown area of the city.
Religiously Unaffiliated Index
Let’s say the Judicatory wants to take a second cut to find the area with the highest percentage of people who are currently unaffiliated with any congregation or denomination. To do that, they would load the Religiously Unaffiliated Index map (shown below), which measures these two factors.
From this map, they would be happy to see that it has the highest percentage of Religiously Unaffiliated households in the city, lessening the likelihood of being accused by other same-denomination congregations of “sheep stealing.”
Housing Instability Index
If the judicatory was concerned about the needs of the unhoused, they could load the Housing Instability Index, which employs an algorithm based on three predictive indicators of homelessness. This map of San Jose shows one of the highest likelihoods of homelessness in the same downtown area.
So in this situation, which is a hypothetical judicatory looking for a place to start a new congregation, they have learned that not only is downtown San Jose fertile ground for a new congregation, they have also found that there is a large pool of religiously unaffiliated household and that one potential outreach of the new congregation could be homeless ministry. Assuming they do plant a new congregation in the downtown area, the church property could be purchased, and the facilities onsite could be constructed with that in mind, which might also provide opportunity for partnering with city, state, or federal agencies around construction.
Food Insecurity Index
Not shown in these maps is the Food Insecurity Index, which includes two indicators that determine whether a neighborhood is a Food Desert, is Food Insecure, or is Not A Food Desert. The downtown San Jose area is not a food desert, but the surrounding areas are, which could present potential outreach opportunities for local congregations.
If you would like to know more about how to use Heat Maps, how to use the MOI for Congregational Redevelopment, how to submit ideas for an Index, or how to acquire a subscription to MissionMaps for Faith Communities, contact us at info@faithx.net.
