You spend all day organizing events, managing finances, recording membership data… and all for what? For your church’s success, of course. For growth, for better community outreach, for better organization. What you do each day is important to so many people, and the way to stay relevant with those people is to keep them involved and to keep the church growing.
The question that needs to be asked is, “What reaction is my church looking for?” Goals and visions for the future are necessary, but if your church isn’t sure of its perception or what kind of mark to make on the community, then the goals and visions are incomplete.
Take a more contemporary and laid back church, for example. The reaction might be that this church is more comfortable and inviting than the average church. Being more conservative and formal might make people feel like they are getting a more serious, hard-hitting sermon on Sunday mornings. Both churches have their pros and cons, but it can be rather difficult, if not impossible, to be both. The idea of being the cool and relaxed church can fall to pieces if there are strict rules on dress or social activities. The look and feel of one part of the church needs to flow with the rest of the church, all while keeping Christ at the center.
So ask your staff and volunteers, “What reaction are we looking for?” and use those answers to form a new vision that can make that happen. You’ll never be the “respected, straight-shooting” church if you don’t stick to your guns, right?
How does your church work to build its reputation?