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Demography
at times is not enough. You may need to reach further into the nature of
a locality than mere numbers tell. These are the times, for example, when
a carefully considered outside assessment is needed about the feasibility
of a new mission. Or these are the times when a church has struggled in
its attempts to minister effectively because it has deep misapprehensions
about the character of its local community and of the congregation itself.
We can assist in these times. Visions-Decisions offers
two demographically-based services that are intensive, on-site studies.
Built on our extensive community and congregational experience, they're
the Comprehensive Local Study and the In-Church Community and Congregation
Study. They are flexible, sensitive reports primarily focused on new mission
starts, church relocation, community readaption, congregational vitality,
and congregational refocusing.
Comprehensive Local Study: This report is an intensive
on-site study that can be utilized for -- among other things -- siting and
guiding new missions; assisting in community adaption; gauging congregational
vitality; and relocating churches. It is ideal in difficult situations.
We spend at least two days on locale collecting extensive
community and congregational data. We dig into the community by looking
at, for example, local highway planning, traffic counts, planning and zoning
issues, local economics, schools, and potential site areas, all of which
are essential information in mission location and church relocation. We
catalog and survey churches in the community in order to better understand
your niche and the local religious ecology. When an existing church is involved,
we examine the general life of that church. We include a complete, explanatory 
demographic package looking at current, projected and recent Census data.
We can expand the study to include several close-by sites or churches.
Finally, the report is written in an easy-to-understand
narrative, well-illustrated with numerous color tables, graphs, maps and
pictures. It thoughtfully lays out the data in about 60 pages, and outlines
possible choices in ministry, mission and program for the new mission or
existing church. More importantly, it also comes with a final presentation
to lead the responsive committee step-by-step through the material and the
choices. The study requires about three to four months from on-site visit
to final report and presentation. The fee starts at $2,250.00, plus study
expense. To talk about your situation, or to request a proposal, use this
e-response
form.
To see pages excerpted in Adobe Acrobat from the Comprehensive Local Study, click here.
In-church and Community Congregational Survey::
The Congregational Survey helps individual congregations examine their true
character, theology and mission and perhaps redefine their role in light
of social and demographic changes in the surrounding community. Designed
as a step-by-step discovery process, the Congregational Survey is a high-quality
instrument designed to reveal your congregation's unique form, theology
and general sense of self, plus its social and demographic make-up. It's
available two ways:
- DecisionsPoll: Our new congregational survey that you administer and we tabulate and report on for you. For more information, click on this
link .
In-Church Community & Congregational Study In this more extensive,
on-site study, Visions-Decisions leads your task force through the process
of surveying your congregation and studying your local community in
greater detail. $1,995.95, plus expense.
To talk about your situation, or to request a proposal,
use this e-response
form.
Community Adaption Workshop: This a full-day judicatory
workshop for churches focusing on adapting to changing communities. An option
with the Regional Population Study. Workshop is tailored to match the needs
of judicatory and local demography. Focuses on real structural changes in
community, and on long-range strategies to revitalize churches in ministry,
mission and program. Ideal group is 20 churches/50 participants. Cost is
$975.00, plus expense. |
