By: Kenn Dixon, M.A., CDMP, APR
If your church had to take a guess right now:
What does your community need most?
Hope?
Childcare?
Financial guidance?
Mental health support?
Events for kids?
Sermons that answer their questions?
A sense of belonging?
Help with loneliness?
Marriage support?
Prayer?
Most churches answer based on assumptions—not research.
In my dissertation, I identified a significant disconnect between what churches think people need and what communities actually need. This disconnect leads to:
- poor attendance at outreach events
- misaligned sermon series
- wasted evangelism funds
- low engagement online
- little to no community trust
- minimal baptisms or professions of faith
The fix is simple:
Stop guessing. Start researching.
Why Churches Don’t Do Research (But Should)
Churches often skip research because they believe:
- “We already know what our community needs.”
- “We have the Gospel. What more research do we need?”
- “We’ve always done ministry this way.”
- “We don’t have time.”
- “We don’t have expertise.”
But research doesn’t replace spiritual discernment—
it informs it.
The early church did this intuitively:
- Paul studied local cultures and religions.
- Jesus tailored His teaching to His audience.
- The apostles contextualized the Gospel for Jews and Gentiles.
Research is simply understanding your mission field.
Five Simple Ways to Collect Community Insight
1. Conduct a Community Survey (Online + Offline)
Ask questions like:
- What do you think is the greatest need in our neighborhood?
- What resources do you wish churches offered?
- What topics would you attend a workshop or seminar about?
- What types of community events interest you?
Use:
- Google Forms
- QR codes
- Facebook polls
- Flyers
- Post-event sign-up cards
You will be shocked at the responses.
2. Analyze Public Demographic Data
Your local Chamber of Commerce, census data, school district reports, and nonprofit organizations can tell you:
- age distribution
- ethnicity and languages
- income brackets
- education levels
- family structure
- community pain points
This directly shapes your communication strategy.
3. Listen to Social Media Conversations
Local Facebook groups, neighborhood apps (Nextdoor), and community pages will tell you what your neighbors care about.
Look for:
- recurring concerns
- upcoming events
- seasons of stress
- community opportunities
- local tragedies and needs
This is real-time ministry intelligence.
4. Interview Local Leaders
Talk to school principals, nonprofit directors, city officials, teachers, business owners, and community organizers. Ask:
- What challenges do families face?
- Where are the gaps in support?
- How can the church help?
No one knows the mission field better than those serving it daily.
5. Run a Simple Communication Audit
Your church should ask:
- Who is responding to our content?
- What content performs best?
- What platforms show strongest community reach?
- Are we reaching anyone who is not a member?
Your dissertation’s engagement data supports this fundamental truth:
You cannot reach the community you refuse to study.
Why Research Strengthens Communication
Research does three things:
1. It removes assumptions.
It forces churches to see reality instead of tradition.
2. It improves messaging.
You begin speaking to people, not at them.
3. It increases relevance.
When you address real needs, people listen.
What Research Does Not Mean
It does not mean compromising doctrine.
It simply means contextualizing communication.
Jesus did it.
Paul did it.
Missionaries have always done it.
The church must return to the discipline of understanding its audience before speaking to it.
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