Churches large and small have used surveys to get valuable information from the community and at the same time make valuable contacts. Some mega-churches such as Saddleback and the Crystal Cathedral shaped much of their mission around the responses they got from their neighbors through surveys. You can often begin a dialogue that starts on a neighbor’s doorstep and leads to the steps of your church! It’s a simple but effective outreach.
Going door-to-door surveying neighbors helps you become more effective in serving them. Don’t routinely ask for names. That makes some people uneasy, especially if you survey a neighborhood with a large number of immigrants.
Develop a series of no more than 10 simple questions. Some questions should be ice-breakers or conversation starters, such as: “How many Bibles do you own?”
The most helpful questions are the ones that tell you something about the needs of the neighbors, such as: “What type of services would you like a local church to offer?” This question usually sparks an interesting exchange as neighbors speak about the need for child care, recreation, tutoring, etc. You have not only gathered valuable information to aid in ministry formation, but you have an instant candidate for the ministry or service they suggest.
