The Family of Five Drive-by, Walk-through
Excerpted from On the Road Again -
Managing Evangelism and Stewardship for the Kingdom
By Keith B. Brown
CHAPTER ONE: EXERCISE TWO
Through the physical appearance of buildings, grounds, and signs, every church sends out signals about what kind of invitation is being sent to prospective newcomers. "The Family of Five Drive-by, Walkthrough" is an exercise that helps a congregation assess the type of invitation it is currently sending and identify aspects of their message that need improvement.
"The Family of Five Drive-by, Walk-through"
rests upon two simple assumptions:
- People seeking a church will seek attractive churches. "Curb appeal" and cleanliness help sell houses-these same qualities help "sell" churches to prospective members.
- Members who work hard to make their church more attractive will invite others to come and see their work. Who remodels a home and doesn't invite others?!
The exercise should be led by a person outside of the congregation such as a member of diocesan staff or a rural dean. The role of the facilitator is not to evaluate, criticize, or judge, but rather to ask relevant questions that help the members of the congregation see and determine for themselves what needs to be improved. Accompanying the facilitator should be a representative group of people including leadership or, in smaller churches, even the whole congregation.
Part I-The Drive-by
The exercise begins at the street or at the entrance to the church. The facilitator asks, "What kind of newcomer are you seeking?" (i.e., whom are you targeting?) Typically the response will be "more young families." Assuming that it is in fact realistic to target more families, the facilitator invites the group to imagine a family of five. There are two parents, and they are concerned about the religious upbringing of their three children:
- A 15-year-old who wants a youth group.
- An 8-year-old whom the parents want in a good Sunday school.
- A particularly boisterous, 18-month-old "afterthought" whom most Sunday worshipers (including the child's parents) would want safely ensconced in a nursery.
Now that the participants in the exercise are at the street, encourage them to role-play the parents and older children in our hypothetical family. The facilitator begins the exercise with a series of questions (never evaluations) that come from his/her observations. What kind of invitation do the buildings and grounds send in general? What does the sign tell us about the church? Do we see anything about youth, a Sunday school, or a nursery? Are service times clear and convenient? Has the sign been repainted recently? If not, what does that say about the type of invitation? Is the sign visible? If we see a play area (or if we don't), what does that say about the welcome extended to children? (A well-maintained and visible play area accompanied by a visible Christian education wing and a sign with Sunday school information send a congruent and positive message; their absence sends quite another.) Appropriate questions are asked about the parking lot. Such observations continue as necessary and then the facilitator suggests that churches like houses have "curb appeal." A church without curb appeal is a church that is likely to be eliminated in a quick drive-by. "
The facilitator then asks the participating group to render a "verdict" on curb appeal and invites them to suggest what they might do to improve and enhance the curb appeal. One member takes notes and a list of possible projects begins to develop. The projects and comments should always come from the members and not the facilitator.
Part 2-The Walk-through
The exercise continues as the group is invited to walk through the facility-again role-playing and pretending to see through the eyes of the prospective family of five. Proceeding first to the church entrance, for example, they could be invited to evaluate the condition of the outside doors: whether overhangs and eaves are freshly cleaned and cobweb-free, etc. Once inside the narthex or foyer, they would be invited to evaluate whether this space truly serves as an inviting entryway or suggests that its primary purpose is to serve as a supplementary storeroom for extra hymnals and an archive for bulletins of Sundays past.
In a similar manner, the group continues to role-play and passes through the sanctuary, parish hall, bathrooms, nursery, kitchen, classrooms, and any other space where the prospective family might pass through. The facilitator continues with appropriate questions. For example: in the nursery, "could you be comfortable in leaving your child here?"; in a bathroom, "would you change your baby's diaper here?"
At the conclusion of the walk-through (usually twenty to thirty minutes) the facilitator asks the group to evaluate and prioritize its lists and suggests that the vestry or other appropriate governing body begin to take action at the next meeting.
Parishes and missions that have done the "Family of Five Drive-by, Walk-though" have typically responded quickly and with enthusiasm. In one case, the response began with an immediate $3,000 check from an individual to redo the women's bathroom. In three weeks $17,000 was raised and the parking lot was repaved. Within a few months, the signs were repainted, as was the exterior of the church. Landscaping was improved. The social hall was cleaned and received additional cabinets. The kitchen, nursery, and classrooms were cleaned, reorganized, and repainted. Members wanted to show off their work; attendance grew by forty-six percent. Three years later the congregation achieved parish status after having been a mission for three decades.
"The Family of Five Drive-by, Walk-through" helps a congregation refocus on its call to evangelize and to grow. Since the members become personally involved with "time, talent, and treasure" to improve the physical plant, they are reminded of their stewardship responsibilities. Furthermore the gifts of time, talent, and treasure are tangibly linked with the call to evangelize.
For more information e-mail the author, Keith Brown at browncnkb@msn.com
