Purpose Driven Church Ch10 - Knowing whom you can best reach

The other side of defining your target is knowing what you can hit. There's no point in taking on tanks with a BB gun, and in the same way there are people we can reach and people we can't reach[1].

The bottom line is that the most effective evangelism comes when we have something in common with the person we're sharing the Gospel with.

If we want to understand who we can reach, we need to ask a few questions.

1) Who already attends our church?
Whatever type of people you have in your congregation is the same type you are likely to attract more of. Peoples' first question in a church is "Is there anyone like me here?" We should be warm and welcoming to everyone, but people like ourselves are more likely to be interested in being a part of our church.

2) What kind of leaders do we have?
Whilst the leaders aren't the attraction for first time visitors, chances are that if they identify with the leaders, people will be more likely to return. You'll best reach those you relate to. As a leader you will attract who you are, not who you want! The exception to this is if you have the "Missionary gift", the ability to minister cross-culturally.

"Explosive growth occurs when the type of people in the community match the type of people that are already in the church, and both match the type of person the leader is. If they don't match, there will probably be an explosion without the growth!"

But communities change. What if we don't match the community?

* Build on your strengths. Strengthen what you are already doing, and don't worry about what you can't do. Chances are there are a pocket of people in your community that only your church can reach.

* Reinvent your congregation. Warren doesn't advise this. It may be viable in small churches, which can be completely transformed by having a few families leave and a few new families join.

* Start new congregations. Commence a new service, or begin a mission. The mark of a new church is the ability to reproduce - it has babies!

Be ready to recognise spiritual receptivity. The most receptive people are:
- People in transition; those experiencing a major change.
- People under tension; those enduring emotional pain.

If you want to grow, focus on reaching receptive people (don't try to reactivate old members who have stopped coming!).
[1] I say "can't." Obviously, nothing is impossible for God. But He did make us in certain ways, and he gifted us to be able to reach certain people. So whilst He CAN help us reach people who aren't naturally a part of our target, chances are He won't under most conditions.