THINGS WE OUGHT TO BE DOING AS A CONGREGATION

Suppose you had the power to determine the programs your congregation would undertake during the coming year.  What would you like your congregation to do?

INSTRUCTIONS

On the following pages you will find five lists, each relating to one of the general ministries of the congregation: learning, witness, service, worship, and support.  Each list is printed separately so that your ideas may be channeled to appropriate committees or groups for examination.  The information you convey on these forms will help determine your congregation’s program for the coming months.

On each of the five lists please do the following:

1.	Circle the numbers in front of the three statements which best represent the goals or concerns you feel need immediate attention in your congregation.  You may write in additional concerns or goals under “other.”  These will be recorded as special concerns.
2.	In the space provided at the bottom of each list indicate briefly why you feel the items you have selected are important.  

THINGS WE OUGHT TO DOING IN 
OUR SERVICE MINISTRY

(Circle the numbers preceding the three statements needing immediate attention)

1.	Develop a strategy for involving the congregation in the more urgent hurts and needs of the community.

2.	Establish and/or expand financial and personal support to community service projects.

3.	Make our church facilities more available for use by other community service organizations.

4.	Support cooperative community projects with other local congregations and community organizations.

5.	Develop a strategy for involving members of our congregation in dealing with some of the major social issues of our day.

6.	Find ways to help poor and needy people in other parts of our nation and throughout the world.

7.	Develop ways to work for justice and equal opportunity for persons suffering from discrimination.

8.	Provide more service for members with special physical needs (shut-ins, handicapped, hospitalized, etc.).

9.	Provide counseling services for those with special needs (young people, single parents, the aged, married couples, etc.).

COMMENTS: Look at the statements you have just selected.  Why do you think they are especially important for your congregation during the coming months?

THINGS WE OUGHT TO BE DOING IN
OUR WORSHIP MINISTRY

(Circle the numbers preceding the three statements needing immediate attention)

1.	Improve our total music program.

2.	Use contemporary worship forms.

3.	Help increase the congregation’s understanding and participation in worship.

4.	Involve more lay persons in planning and leading worship.

5.	Provide opportunities for joint worship services with other Christian congregations.

6.	Improve the physical setting in which we worship.

7.	Revise the scheduling of our weekly services.

8.	Encourage and provide resources for personal and family devotions.

9.	Provide additional opportunities for special worship services (more services of Holy Communion, services on special occasions, etc.).

COMMENTS: Look at the statements you have just selected.  Why do you think they are especially important for your congregation during the coming months?

THINGS WE OUGHT TO BE DOING IN
OUR SUPPORT MINISTRY

(Circle the numbers preceding the three statements needing immediate attention)

1.	Explore the possibility of additional professional paid staff (assistant pastor, intern, associate in ministry, religious education, youth director, parish worker).

2.	Develop priorities for what our congregation should be doing in the next two to five years.

3.	Provide the pastor with more lay leadership for worship, visiting, administration, etc.

4.	Expand or remodel the physical facilities we use for our congregational life.

5.	Improve the administration of our congregation’s financial and business affairs.

6.	Improve the care and maintenance of our church property.

7.	Determine who makes the major decisions in our church and how they are made.

8.	Develop activities and programs which will encourage our members to form friendships with one another.

9.	Help our members deal with change and conflict in the congregation.

10.	Develop ways to keep members informed about all aspects of congregational life.

COMMENTS: Look at the statements you have just selected.  Why do you think they are especially important for your congregation during the coming months?

THINGS WE OUGHT TO BE DOING IN
OUR LEARNING MINISTRY

(Circle the numbers preceding the three statements needing immediate attention)

1.	Recruit more leaders to help in the educational program of our church.

2.	Provide leadership training activities for teachers and other educational leaders.

3.	Provide more learning opportunities for children in early childhood (ages 3-5).

4.	Provide more opportunities for adult education, such as Bible classes, retreats, and discussion groups.

5.	Expand the Sunday School to cover more age groups of children and young people.

6.	Develop educational ministry programs for children and youth in addition to the Sunday School and catechetical program.

7.	Work to improve attendance in our programs for Christian education.

8.	Secure additional education resources, including library books, audiovisual materials, crafts, and general supplies.

9.	Expand or improve our physical facilities for Christian education.

10.	Help children and young people to participate in the total life of the congregation.

COMMENTS: Look at the statements you have just selected.  Why do you think they are especially important for your congregation during the coming months?

THINGS WE OUGHT TO BE DOING IN
OUR WITNESS MINISTRY

(Circle the numbers preceding the three statements needing immediate attention)

1.	Help members witness to their personal faith in their daily lives.

2.	Establish an evangelism program for lay visitation of the unchurched in our community.

3.	Help inactive members become more involved in the life of our congregation.

4.	Make use of the public media (newspapers, TV, radio) for communicating the Christian faith and publicizing our church.

5.	Develop ways to help visitors and newcomers feel a part of our congregation’s worship and community life.

6.	Cooperate with other local Christian churches in reaching the unchurched.

7.	Develop among our members an interest and concern for the worldwide mission of the church.

8.	Find ways to publicly proclaim the gospel to audiences that do not come to Sunday morning worship services.

9.	Encourage members to give of their time, talent, and money as a witness to their Christian faith.

COMMENTS: Look at the statements you have just selected.  Why do you think they are especially important for your congregation during the coming months?