Launching New Ministries Wherever You Live
Finding Your Ministry Community
- Go to Google maps and type in your location (city, country).
- Once there, search google maps for key phrases that will include your target group you are wanting to reach.
- Example, if you are starting a college ministry, look for “University” in the maps to get a list of all Universities found.
Understanding Your Ministry
- Go to the Digitally Understanding a New Ministry Community.
- Use the instructions to fill in as much info as possible.
Label Community Sections by Level of Priority
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List the top 10 places you want to reach.
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Highlight each area according to the following levels of priority:
- Green ‐ You want to attempt visiting this area weekly.
- Yellow ‐ You want to attempt visiting this area a few times every other month.
- Red ‐ You want to attempt visiting this area at least once this year or connect with the community digitally.
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Divide up and plan with your ministry team who will visit each area and when.
Searching for Interested People
Step 1: Identify Relevant Forms of Communication- For each area and demographic, try to identify the top forms of communication used by your target audience. Research shows that 18‐34 year olds engage and use Snapchat the most and the 65+ group is growing on Twitter.
- Do the online research to understand how to meet your target audience where they already exist.
- Pick a relevant form of communication. An example that has been successful is “Searching for Interested People on Facebook”.
- You can also connect through Facebook Advertising or use hashtags to find people in your area based on arts, sporting or other events that your target audience would attend.
Engage with People
Step 1: Create Online Community- Choose a platform (ex. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) to try setting up an online community.
- Create an account using your ministry name. See tips on creating a Facebook page.
- Load it with a thoughtful “About” section, photos, description and a way to contact you.
- Update that account often and make sure to engage with the people who like and comment.
- Invite those community members to events, to get together, and even into deeper spiritual conversations online.
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Choose a time frame during your ministry work hours to spend engaging with your community digitally.
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During this time, try engaging through one or more of the following:
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Find and add people you've found for your ministrycommunity `in person on social media.
- Send texts to your friends saying something like, ‘Hey ____, I was just thinking of you and wanted to see how you are doing?’.
- Take the initiative to engage in spiritual and relationship‐building conversations by asking them questions.
- Share one or two things God has been teaching you or that you are going through and ask if they can relate.
- Send a relevant video from Global Short Film and ask a question about how it may relate to their life or what they think of it.
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Check your social media accounts for new followers and thank them for liking your page.
- Ask them a question such as, ‘Hey ___, thanks for liking our page/following us on (Instagram). My name is (Name). I’d love to connect with you and hear how you became interested in our page/found us on (Instagram or other).’
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- Choose a few events (ex. Movie Night, Thanksgiving, Craft Night)
- Create Facebook events (or other types) and invite people as you meet them.
- Encourage them to invite their friends in person and on social media.
- Upload photos to your Facebook page/Other accounts from events to create a sense of community.
