Introduction: In planning for evangelism ("outreach', "mission') I suggest a simple five point "orientation tool' be employed prior to any action. The five points or five questions to be asked pertain to:
- Target
- Task
- Team
- Timing
- Tools
1. Target
An obvious question but not always carefully and prayerfully thought through is the notion of "target'. It is the "who are we in fact seeking to reach?" question.
Let me illustrate this with three "live" examples:
A. Greenville
The regional leadership team are considering planting a new church in an area where the denomination does not have a presence.
Their initial research (based on information gleaned from the A.B.S. website, Local Government data and interviews with the Town Planning department, and the NCLS profile) helps them see that the area comprises (in the main) retirees, pensioners, and single people over the age of 55.
If this ministry is to move forward, then the "target' group (as defined by simple research) will now influence future decision making.
B. All Hallows, Riverside Park
All Hallows is a church in decline (falling attendance and offertories, lowish morale overall).
The Wardens and Curate-in-Charge recognised the need to impact their suburb afresh. People were no longer bringing their friends to the "invitation events'.
Having said that, the community do not appear to be "anti-religion' as evidenced by relatively healthy attendances at Easter and Christmas.
The Church Council (C.C.), concerned by their situation, took time to think through the "who are we in fact trying to reach?" question.
A cursory community evaluation revealed that the local primary school was full (for the first time in 30 years), the preschool across the road was now running morning and afternoon sessions and three (independent) play-groups were operating in the area.
Given that children between the ages of 0-11 and parents in the 30-45 age range were not well represented in the church (at best 3-4 families), the C.C. decided that this was an area which needed immediate attention.
C. St Thaddaeus, Newbury
The rector of St Thad's can no longer drop in and visit parishioners or personally welcome newcomer's. The suburb in which St Thad's is located is now technically a city. The parish population is in excess of 50,000 people.
The C.C. reckon that one in three people live in high rise, high security apartment blocks. In addition, some 60% of the total population are of non English-speaking background (N.E.S.B) " Chinese and Korean, principally.
"Who are we in fact trying to reach?", is a very challenging question for St Thad's. If they continue to serve only the "anglo' people (a decreasing minority) they will have a very limited shelf life, indeed. Having no experience with cross-cultural/N.E.S.B ministry, the rector and C.C. are feeling very threatened.
2. Task
Having identified a "target(s)', the leadership team need to consider the "how will we in fact reach them?" question. What is the task? We'll use the "target' examples already given to illustrate this "task' question.
A. Greenville
So here's an area inhabited by a majority of people over the age of 55. They comprise retirees, pensioners and singles. The Regional Council determine that a new Church Plant is still the way forward.
Their rationale is as follows:
- The constituents are "pre-boomers'. They have probably had exposure to the "C of E' and feel it is relatively "safe'.
- A Sunday morning service would, they believe, appear to be a "natural' way forward for this group (as opposed to Cell Church or other "Alpha/Christianity Explored' type course).
- Working the "folk religion' angle could be very profitable in this context.
B. All Hallows, Riverside Park
The people from Riverside Park Anglican decide to invest their energy and money into children's work with a view to contacting whole families (over time).
They opt for a relatively simple strategy; a vacational children's programme followed by a weekly Thursday afternoon kid's club and four end of term family services to which all the families on the new data base will be invited.
C. St Thaddaeus, Newbury
The rector of St Thad's and his leadership team decide on a creative new plan (from their perspective).
The task, as they understand it, is to reach the N.E.S.B. people who live in the apartments and gated communities in the parish. How? As this is new territory, they believe a introductory Bible study, (held in the apartment of a parishioner) could be the way forward.
The plan will be to invite people who live in the apartment block (up to 800 in some cases) to the group.
3. Team
Who will take responsibility for the project and what kind of assistance will she/he need? It is the "who will in fact oversee, organise and orchestrate this ministry?" question.
A. Greenville
The Regional Council believe that a "like-reaching-like" approach is a good way forward. Here is a summary of their thinking:
- An invitation be extended to two "third age' (read:'retired') "priests" to share the responsibility for establishing a new work.
- A core group of twenty-five people be formed from the 11 churches in the region.
- A new "provisional district" be established in Greenville.
- The Archdeacon will supervise the project.
B. All Hallows, Riverside Park
The team who will take responsibility for the children's programme at All Hallow's is as follows:
- A student minister (catechist) who has a "calling" to children's ministry will lead the work.
- Her job is to recruit a "beach-mission" style team (and the options before her are Bible Colleges, Scripture Union, Y.W.A.M, or two large churches nearby).
This will operate in the holiday period and will be advertised as the "Riverside Park Holiday Club'. [Her hope is that some of the larger churches will not only send a team, they will also come on board as longer-term "missionaries!]
- At the conclusion of the Holiday Club, the catechist will, with the assistance of three (very senior) women from the 8.am service, begin the Thursday after school programme. They will use the G.F.S. "Kids Plus' programme.
- The end of term family services will be organised by the rector and the catechist. They will "import' the music team (four times per year) from one of the larger churches in their region.
C. St Thad's, Newbury
St Thad's believe the rector needs to be involved in this project (for that is their tradition). So, Canon Desmond goes through the parish role and notes that Ling and Luke Tu (keen believers) live in the "Loftview' apartments adjacent to St Thad's.
Having shared the "vision' with the Tu's (and with the Tu's immediate and enthusiastic cooperation), Canon Desmond invites another couple, Peter and Grace Fong, to be the founding members of the group (along with his wife, Edna). In addition, Canon Desmond recruits 12 people from across the two morning congregations to pray daily for the work.
Canon Desmond is feeling decidedly uncomfortable with this new assignment but is willing to "give it a go'.
4. Timing
Lead times and scheduling are on view at this juncture. We're asking the "when ought we in fact commence this event (given the possible need for recruiting helpers, training, advertising et al), and for how long will it continue?" question.
A. Greenville
The Regional Council feel that pastoral appointments and team recruitment, orientation, training, advertising and the like will take about 6-8 months.
They will begin the process around October and formally "launch" the new church at Easter. This is deliberate. Given their context, they feel that Easter Sunday morning will have enough resonance with the community to generate interest and attendance.
They also note that quarterly "progress reviews" will need to be made re the viability of the new work.
B. All Hallows, Riverside Park
Detailed scheduling will be needed for the Holiday Club in Riverside Park. The plot broadly runs something like this;
- In October a "catechist" will be engaged with a view to starting work at the end of January.
- The Holiday Club (run by the Mission Team) will be held at the end of first term (Easter Holidays).
- The term time after school group will start on the second Thursday back (after Easter).
- The group will operate for the term and a Family Service will be scheduled for the Sunday prior to School Holidays.
C. St Thad's, Newbury
Canon Desmond (and Ling, Luke, Peter, Grace and Edna) think that they should meet for one month to plan and pray.
Their next step will be to invite all the residents from "Loftview' to a social event (in the "Loftview' function room). They believe a wine and cheese night is appropriate. Residents and friends will then be invited to attend a six week "Christianity Explained" programme.
5. Tools
This is the "what help and or resources will we in fact need to get this ministry off the ground?" question.
- For example, in all the scenarios (above) a detailed strategic plan that ties the activity on view into the overall direction of the parish or organisation would be of (high) value. Essential some would argue.
- An external consultant may need to be engaged at this point (for example -Youthworks [especially for the work in Riverside Park]; Anglicare [especially for the cross-cultural work at St Thad's]; Church Army [especially for the work in Greenville] ).
- Even without a detailed strategic plan the need for tools such as training, curricula, budgets, advertising and promotional material, external review, broad based prayer, web-sites and the like, should be identified and assistance sought.
