1. How will you listen?

3. Listening to your Community

4. Community Observation Ask God to allow you to see with his eyes of love and discernment. What positive qualities, opportunities and benefits does the community have to offer? What needs and concerns are in evidence? What might be community residents view of the church? Take note of your own response to what you see. Do you sense any barriers to "fitting in" between yourself and the community? How is the Good News of Jesus Christ relevant here? Did your prayerful observations spark any ideas for ongoing ministry in this community?

5. Community Observation – what to look for? People groups Places of activity Structures Services Signs of change Signs of hope Signs of need

6. Listening to your Community

7. High Level Listening to Your Community

8. Newspaper Listening Highlight every need that you run across in the paper. Once you highlight every need, simply allow that to drive a conversation. Ask these questions: Which of these needs can we meet? In which of these needs are we particularly interested, or about which needs are we especially passionate?