New Church Blueprints Component #3 Ministry Focus Group

Reaching out to a Ministry Focus Group involves the balancing act of being “in the world but not of it.” It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. -- Krishnamurti

Why Every NewStart, ReStart & ReFocusing Church Should Have A Clearly Defined Ministry Focus Group 5 Common Questions

Ministry Focus Group 1. Why should I have a ministry focus group? 2. Why can’t I just try to reach everyone? 3. That’s what Jesus did, didn’t He? He wasn’t selective!

Ministry Focus Group 4. If I announce a ministry focus group, won’t I be excluding people? 5. What do I do with the people I already have who aren’t in the ministry focus group?

What Jesus taught (Matt 10:5-6) Ministry Focus Group What Jesus taught (Matt 10:5-6) “Do not go among the Gentiles or any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.” (NIV)

What Paul taught (Gal 2:8) Ministry Focus Group What Paul taught (Gal 2:8) “For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry an apostle to the Gentiles.” (NIV)

TIMING. Ministry Focus Group Having a Ministry Focus Group is Biblical. The issue is not one of desire, it is one of TIMING.

Ministry Focus Group THEN expand your focus after a base for ministry has been built. Small focus at the beginning. . .

Ministry Focus Group “Most churches are effective, only when they focus their limited resources and attention on reaching a specific group of people, and they do so on purpose.”

Your Relationship To Your Ministry Focus Group View your MFG through varied lenses Numbers, Geography (location, neighborhood, distance to church, etc.) Demographics, Cultural (income, gender, age, etc.) (customs, expectations, views, etc.) Spiritual (religious views, upbringing, etc.)

Catholic LDS Baptist

Top 10 Consumer Values Held Worldwide Consider. . . Top 10 Consumer Values Held Worldwide Protecting family Honesty Health & Fitness Self-Esteem Self-Reliance Justice Freedom Friendship Knowledge Learning Roper Starch Worldwide survey of 35K consumers in 35 countries reported in Leadership, Summer 2001

Reasons Why Unchurched Chose A Church % Mentioned Factor Pastor / Preaching Doctrines Friendliness Evangelism Family God’s Presence Sunday School Children / Youth Worship / Music Location 90% 88% 49% 41% 38% 37% 25% 11% 7% Surprising Insights From the Unchurched & Proven Ways to Reach Them by Rainer

Hey, this isn’t First Church! Shut up and pass the popcorn. To reach a Ministry Focus Group we must Understand it. Them Hey, this isn’t First Church! Shut up and pass the popcorn.

Them To reach a Ministry Focus Group we must Understand it. Hey, I found out you can get demographics at Nazareneresearch.org Them I’m not Nazarene. Pass the popcorn.

Your Relationship To Your Ministry Focus Group You must connect with your MFG 8 Questions To Help You Using Attraction Events

Attraction Event - Definition “An event planned to expose the ministry of the church to the community, and at the same time reinforcing the value of ‘inviting’ …These events may be large (20-500) or small (4-10).”

Attraction Events Examples of attraction events Goals of attraction events a. Exposure to new people b. Relationship building c. Getting names, addresses, etc. To connect, you must listen!

How To Build A Prospect List By Listening How to “farm” a neighborhood Identify receptive people Offer to help even if they don’t attend Maintain periodic contact with them Keep notes on all your prospects!

The “Prospect Process” 3 Key Lists To Develop! The “Prospect Process” Keep adding to the “prospect list” Move people to the “guest list” Assimilate people onto the “church directory list”

The million dollar question Ministry Focus Group STOP ! You are in big trouble The million dollar question “What do I do if no one on my launch team matches my ministry focus group?”

Good Rule To Remember! Make sure at least 50% of your launch team matches the Ministry Focus Group you are trying to reach.

“Listening To The Unchurched” Survey

“Listening” Survey 1. How long have you lived here? 2. Are you an active member of a church here in the area, and if so, how often do you attend? A. Once a week B. Twice a month C. Once a month D. A few times a year

“Listening” Survey 3. Why do you think most people don't attend church today? (about 65% don’t) 4. If you found a church that was so alive and exciting it motivated you to attend, what are the kinds of things that church would have to have? 5. What advice would you give us?

Video Clip from “Sister Act” Lessons From Hollywood Video Clip from “Sister Act” Touchstone Pictures © 1992

Lessons From Hollywood 4. What does this say to us about our need for excellence? 5. How did the style and quality of music change? How did it affect people? 6. When change started taking place, how did older leadership feel? 7. What was the impact of the church moving outside of its own four walls? 8. How did the image of the church to the community change? Their support? 9. Do you remember the theme song here? "Just a touch of __________!" What was the attitude of the church toward its community? Because of this attitude, what was the church’s involvement? What is the relationship between bad performance and church attendance?

Let’s watch