(2019 Congregational Survey) One reason for doing the survey was to see if Pastor Rick properly understood our congregation’s priorities after listening intently for the past few years. Another goal was to see other values the congregation has, based on age, level of connectedness, etc. We’ve talked quite a bit about the top picks, but not nearly as much about the least-popular choices. That doesn’t mean they’re not important! Let’s break it down a bit.
Eliminating the Debt. While this was picked last in the survey, we know for many this is a very big priority – and the majority of our last capital campaign went toward paying off our debt. Once the capital campaign is done, Council and leadership teams may choose to change the ratio of prepaying principal compared to other priorities, but it is definitely still a priority over the coming years.
Studying the Bible. When asked why people value connection to church, this was last (or nearly so) for most age groups. We try to offer a variety of options in length (ranging from just one-time to multi-year), times, and styles (pastor-led, small group, online, etc.). I believe there are many reasons why people value connection to church, and some of them just might have more of a sense of urgency (and thus importance) for people.
Care Ministry. Less people feel connected to Care Ministry compared to our other ministries (worship, learn, and connect). Ironically, some of those same people shared stories or gave examples of meaningful experiences that actually fit right into Care Ministry. I think if we do a better job of explaining Care Ministry and all the things that fall into this area, we’ll find more realize they actually do have connection to this ministry.
Personal invitation. While many people don’t feel they need a personal connection or invitation in order to attend an event, we realize that most survey takers are likely to be pretty comfortable here already. People under 30 ranked this higher (first or second), and I believe other people less connected here might be seeking personal invitation too. We’ll be trying to help people think more about inviting others over the coming months. Even if we don’t need it, it’s always nice to be remembered!
What do you think? You can share your thoughts at kari.slotten@sotv.org, or call me at 952.985.7356.
