When a Mission Study is needed
When a congregation has not called a new pastor for some time, a mission study is often initiated to discover what is needed to help move the church forward. Ideally the process of missional discovery helps congregants talk about:
congregational identity, shared values, and hopes
community demographics, needs, and missional opportunities
financial viability,
staff culture and organizational needs,
desired pastoral leadership traits and skills, and why.
Often an Appreciative Inquiry Model is used to discover the congregation's identity, shared values, hopes, and dreams. Sometimes a consultant is facilitate aspects of the study. Various survey such as Vital Congregations ‘7 Marks of Congregational Vitality’ can be helpful.
The Mission Study may be widely circulated, posted on the church website, utilized by the PNC and shared with potential pastoral candidates. Ultimately, the mission study serves as a guide to church leaders and the newly called pastor as they work together to develop fresh vision and plans for the future.
Contact Interim By Design to request sample mission studies or inquire about consulting.
Mission studies answer questions like ~ how did we get here? what is our neighborhood like? where do we sense God leading us? and in what ways are we making an impact as a congregation on the lives of those around us? (Thank you Daniel Gonzalez for this image from Unsplash.com)