Congregational Surveys

Alat #23: Congregational Surveys

Survai (menyebarkan di gereja, mengeposkan, atau via telepon) bisa memberikan informasi berharga ke gereja anda
Belajar diri proses. Tetapi, anda harus menimbang apakah ini menjadi pilihan terbaik untuk situasi anda.

Keuntungan melakukan survai termasuk:

• Menyediakan beton informasi statistik.
• Bisa menegaskan (atau di beberapa kasus, tantangan) persepsi kelompok yang belajar diri.
• Bisa diubah untuk menanggapi pertanyaan yang paling mendesak di konteks gereja anda.
• Membolehkan anda membandingkan aktivitas dan pemandangan kelompok-kelompok berbeda anggota.
• Menggunakan alas anggota yang lebih luas daripada wawancara seorang diri.
• Menolong anggota merasa dimasukkan di belajar diri dan perkembangan kementerian proses.
• Memungkinkan anda mengikuti ganti di jemaat tentang waktu.

Merugikan termasuk:

• Survai menerima investasi tambahan waktu dan tenaga, dan mungkin memperpanjang belajar diri.
• Meniru dan menyebarkan uang biaya survai (khususnya jika survai diposkan ke luar).
• Jika survai tidak ditulis dengan semestinya, jika anda tidak dapat mendapat jumlah mencukupi jawaban, atau jika anda tidak menterjemahkan hasil dengan benar, anda bisa berakhir ke atas dengan menyesatkan informasi.
• Memasukkan dan analyzing jawaban memerlukan perlengkapan komputer dan kecakapan tehnik.
• Members may get annoyed at being asked to complete a survey.

Surveys to explore the congregational context for ministry might include these question areas:

• Beliefs related to evangelism and social ministry
• Satisfaction with the congregation's current ministries
• Personal involvement in ministry activities
• Motivation for ministry involvement
• Desires or priorities for ministry development
• Willingness to commit to particular ministries
• Assessment of factors that help or hinder holistic ministry (e.g. conflict, leadership, organization)
• Indicators of spiritual vitality (prayer, Bible reading, church attendance)
• Demographic information (gender, age, education, residence, length of time in the church)

See Carl Dudley, Community Ministry (Alban Institute, 2002), pp. 95-103 for more discussion of surveys.
If you opt to do a survey, you can create your own, or use existing models. Good sources include:

• Church and Ministry Involvement Questionnaire. Developed by Ron Sider and Heidi Unruh, www.network935.org .
• Church Census. Diana Garland, Center for Family and Community Ministries, www.family-ministry.org .
• Congregational Self-Assessment. James Furr, Mike Bonem, and Jim Herrington, Leading Congregational Change Workbook (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000). Leadership Network, 2501
• Cedar Springs, Suite 200, Dallas, TX 75201, 800-765-5323, www.leadnet.org Parish Profile Inventory. In Studying Congregations: A New Handbook, edited by Nancy Ammerman,
• Jackson Carroll, Carl Dudley, & William McKinney (Nashville: Abingdon, 1998).
• "How Is Our Church Doing in Making a Change in Someone's Welfare?" In Amy Sherman, The ABCs of Community Ministry (Charlottesville, VA: Hudson Institute, 2001). Hudson Faith in Communities, 757 King Street, Charlottesville, VA 22903, 434-293-5656, shermanA@cstone.net
• The Ministry Toolbox. Church Growth Resources, 15705 Bishop Street Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, N1R 7J4, 519-622-2262, www.ministrytoolbox.com
• Natural Church Development Survey. Church Smart Resources, 350 Randy Road, Suite 5, Carol Stream, IL 60188, 800-253-4276, www.churchsmart.com
• Facing Reality: A Tool for Congregational Mission Assessment by Thomas Bandy (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2001). Easum, Bandy & Associates, www.easumbandy.com
• See also Tool #24, Theological Survey, and Tool #33, Ministry Participation Survey.