Listening within the congregation is essential for leaders in the church. It is however as my college logic professor told me: necessary but not sufficient. For congregations to truly live out their God given purpose they must also be connected to the community in which they are found. Many established congregations, like my own, have found themselves after decades long numerical decline focused on internal concerns and away from the concerns of the community. Indeed, the biggest temptation for struggling churches is to turn inward with their energy and resources, focusing on survival rather than reaching beyond it.

Beyond Survival

The survival instinct of struggling churches to turn inward actually accelerates their decline. As dwindling congregational resources are utilized for maintenance of the building and to support existing staff, the disconnect to the community often increases. Without a missional connection, demonstrated by financial support and ministry resources to the outside community, congregations lose their larger reason for existence. A congregation finds its purpose when it balances the need to serve its members and giving itself away in acts of mission and service. Congregations do not turn inward overnight and cannot be turned outward quickly either, but through a process of intentional listening they can be reformed as a community church.
A strategic listening campaign undergone by a congregation in the community can be instrumental in reconnecting to the community and creating pathways for future viability. The community listening process utilizes 1-1 interviews as the foundation. A key to this process is the pastor does not do the work alone but employs a team to participate in community listening as a group. This allows the learning to be shared among the group and positions lay leaders to have a better grasp of needs and opportunities in the community, rather than having the pastor alone be the sole expert. The goal of community listening is two-fold: learn from community members the needs and opportunities that exist and form congregational lay leaders into individuals with a heart for the community.
Lay leaders and pastors also must have clarity about what a community listening campaign is not. It cannot be an evangelism campaign or a ploy to attract new members. Not only will people be suspicious of any church doing community work as a ruse for future members, it is also not effective. The focus of community listening should be on learning from residents their concerns and hopes, and to begin to ask how the church can accompany residents in their hopes and dreams. This may indirectly draw interest to the congregation, but if that is the goal it will surely fail.
Are you ready to listen to your community? Not Dead Yet can help! We offer a everything from clergy coaching to comprehensive community engagement packages customized for any context.

May God continue to bless the journey,

Pastor Ben Sandin