Welcome to the eighth article in a series designed to enhance the use of the Small Membership Church Guideline. Ideally, this Guideline will be shared among your church leaders, read, discussed together, and utilized to strengthen ministry.

Usually, the way people in a congregation see themselves (attitude) affects the way they claim resources (assets) for ministry (action). Leaders who wish to develop this compass point focus on all three things. Look over the following discussion questions and use them with your leadership council, adult Sunday school class, or a special setting to identify people's attitude about the church's ministry. (There are also helps for looking at assets and action.) This can be a valuable way to get the most out of this resource in your small membership church. Try to develop a healthy sense of ministry through the following:

Attitude
The way a congregation sees itself and possibilities for ministry (esteem, vision, language)

Try a variety of ways to define your congregation's current attitude about itself: a weather report, color, song title, character, or story in the Bible. How different is this attitude from 10 years ago and why?

If you sense a low esteem in the congregation, what would help people see themselves in a new way or better place? in the words used to describe the church? in the sense of its purpose? If the esteem of the congregation is positive, describe why you believe this is so in the same terms (words, purpose).

Monitor the language used by people in the church. Are the words used in conversation, at leadership meetings, or in group settings those of abundance or scarcity? "We can't" or "We won't"? versus "We can" or "Let's try"? good cheer or challenge? survival- or service-orientation? If this is an area needing improvement, try naming a different monitor to give a brief report at the end of meetings until language improves.

How might you share this learning with the congregation? How could negative or tentative language used by people in the congregation to describe itself or ministry shift toward a solid, positive expression if improvement is needed? How do you encourage positive language in meetings?

Assets
The resources a congregation claims for ministry (financial, facility, people abilities, etc.)

If you were to go on a Treasure Hunt, what assets would you name in the church? community? How do you celebrate these assets?

Write a Prayer of Thanksgiving for all the resources the Lord provides for ministry to happen in and through you church. Use it in worship.

Action
The ministry a congregation accomplishes

Arrange a community canvass or another way to meet people who live in the community but do not attend the church. Spend time listening to their description of the neighborhood or area they live in. Perhaps you can even invite a sampling of individuals to meet for a meal and discuss the community. (Remember, this is a listening session, not an opportunity to get people to join the church. If your neighbors attend another church, do not attempt to draw them to yours.)

First, define the congregation's service area or parish by drawing a map of the area.

• Is there a sense of a "service area" you can define that your congregation covers?
• What are the geographical boundaries?
• Where do most of the members in the church live?
• What are the other churches and organizations in this area?
• What do you know about the people who live in this area (occupation, age, etc.)?

Second, conduct your canvass.

• What challenges or concerns emerge from a study of this area?
• What concerns does this area have in common with the congregation?
• What unifies this area?

Third, evaluate your findings.

• What seems like a manageable service area, considering the number, abilities, assets, and gifts of your congregation?
• Does the congregation have a sufficient sense of their identity, mission, and gifts to look outward?
• Which concerns or challenges are being met by others? Which can be met by the congregation?
• How can the congregation tap into the unifying factors to strengthen the church and community?

Fourth, develop an action plan.
Make a list of two or three learnings from your evaluation. (The point here is not to try to do it all, but to choose wisely the right thing to accomplish for mission and ministry.)

• Given the size and abilities of your membership, what is the most important finding to work on? What assets will serve this concern or ministry area?
• What are the three or four most important next steps to take?
• Who can and will follow through on those steps?
• What timeline seems reasonable?
• What will you do to hold yourselves accountable to the goals and schedule?

Thank you for visiting our website and for giving us the opportunity to serve you.

Julia K. Wallace is former Director of Small Membership Church and Shared Ministries at the General Board of Discipleship.

Diana L. Hynson, editor of this series of articles, is Director of Learning and Teaching Ministries at the General Board of Discipleship.

Copyright © 2004 The General Board of Discipleship. Permission is granted for use in local church training or study groups. No portion of this article may be reprinted or republished in any form for any other reason without written consent.

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