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BE CHURCH

BE CHURCH. How can we make our parishes places people want to be?. 1. Believing leads to belonging. An individuals spiritual commitment naturally leads to a desire to belong to a faith community. Myth Reality. Myth!.

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BE CHURCH

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  1. BE CHURCH

  2. How can we make our parishes places people want to be?

  3. 1. Believing leads to belonging An individuals spiritual commitment naturally leads to a desire to belong to a faith community. • Myth • Reality

  4. Myth! • Belonging is far more likely to lead to believing. Churches that focus efforts on increasing members’ sense of belonging end up not only increasing their members’ engagement, but also spiritual commitment. • The more they feel they belong, the more spiritually committed they become.

  5. Myth or Reality Members who are the most active are also the most loyal. They know more about what is going on and have an increased sense of ownership. • Myth • Reality

  6. Myth! • Activity is not the result of engagement, it leads to burnout. • Terms like: duty and responsibility are repeated in recruiting members for roles. ( ever heard “pull their weight”) • Response to recruitment: “I’ve done my share. Let the younger ones take their turn”. • Engaged members do not burn out; they only become stronger, more energized, and more engaged.

  7. Myth or Reality Acts of service, charity, and goodwill happen as a result of, and in response to, the depth of one’s spiritual commitment. People will naturally serve more, invite others to parish events and give more financial support. • Myth • Reality

  8. Myth! • True those who are highly spiritually committed do invite more, give more than those with low spiritual commitment. • The factor with the greatest influence on these outcomes is engagement.

  9. What is Engagement? • Involvement is not engagement. Involvement is what you do in and for your church; engagement is how you feel. How you feel about your parish.

  10. Three groups in every parish Actively Disengaged -C.A.V.E. Dwellers Disengaged Engaged

  11. Engaged • 29% of parish members • They are present every Sunday they are in town. • They serve willingly and take on leadership roles. • They invite others to come to church events with them. • They give generously, even at a sacrificial level. • And they carry a sense of peace, a sense of great satisfaction with how their life is going. 

  12. Not Engaged • 54% of parish members • They serve occasionally, such as at the annual church picnic.  • They give a token amount to the collection.  • They rarely invite others to come to church events with them. 

  13. Actively Disengaged • 17% of parish members • Often not churchgoers at all, maybe Christmas and Easter.  • They can be those who are so who attend on Sunday, but make it clear that they do not want to be bothered with any request for their time or financial support. 

  14. C.A.V.E. Dwellers Complain About Virtually Everything • Can be regular churchgoers, even holding positions of responsibility in church. Many of the actively disengaged & drag down the Body of Christ.

  15. Why Engagement Is Important • Being engaged in the life of a group makes a tremendous difference in your level of participation and giving in that group. • Those who are engaged • have a feeling of belonging. • sense that they are contributing something worthwhile. • believe in the mission of the organization.

  16. Sum it up... • Engaged churchgoers: • Serve more • Invite more • Give more • Have more life satisfaction

  17. Strategies to Grow an Engaged Church • Remember the needs of the volunteer. • Recruitment • Recognition • Dare to Dream

  18. Strategies to Grow an Engaged Church • Help newcomers find the right fit HOSPITALITY

  19. Strategies to Grow an Engaged Church • Don’t Sweat the Money!

  20. Strategies to Grow an Engaged Church • Tap into the Talents of the Youth

  21. Strategies to Grow an Engaged Church • It’s All About Spiritual Commitment • An engaged church is much more than impressive rosters of volunteers and spectacular collections.  The goal is for those drawn to your parish, to find a climate that helps them live a good and holy life. To put into practice everyday the faith that is expressed on Sunday morning.

  22. Strategies to Grow an Engaged Church •   Equip the Pastor to Lead • It is difficult, if not impossible for a church to grow more and more engaged without a competent and effective pastor.  • To be a great leader he must not imitate someone else, but be true to his own God-given gifts and talents.

  23. Something concrete • To make an immediate impact from the pew. • Clarify the expectations of membership • Help your members discover what they do best. (become genuinely welcoming) • Create small groups.

  24. Must Read • Growing an Engaged Church • How to Stop “Doing Church” and Start Being the Church Again • Albert L. Winseman • Help your parish be a place people WANT to be.

  25. For more information contact: Eric Haselhorst Director of Stewardship www.dcdiocese.org

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