By Tom Bandy MissionInsite (and its parent company ACS Technologies) introduced a revised system in February that includes a number of new and useful features. Congregational, District, and Conference users will need to update their passwords and log in anew, but you will find your saved shapes and plots still in place. One goal for …
By Tom Bandy Many churches hold leadership retreats in January or February. Aside from prayer and fellowship, these retreats are often about assimilating newly elected council and board members and strategic thinking for the coming year. Updated ComparativeInsite reports are an essential resource for both elements in the agenda. ComparativeInsite date compares current church …
My children worshipped in a megachurch setting for almost 10 years. My daughter is only 11 so that is most of her life. My children are accustomed to large parking lots, elevated pulpits, flashing lights, large choirs, loud music and charismatic preaching. Since my father-in-ministry’s retirement, we’ve explored worshipping in smaller settings. Our church today …
In my role as the Director of Innovative Evangelism in the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Area, I have the privilege of working with a diverse group of congregations throughout Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. Since we are located in an incredibly diverse region, I do get asked a lot for help with leading evangelism …
Read more “Ethical Evangelism: Sharing Faith with Integrity”
By Tom Bandy Baby Boomers (present age 60 – 78) represent a large portion of the population in Maryland and Delaware, and an even larger portion of UMC participants. However, Baby Boomer church expectations are not all alike. Consider just some of the top boomer lifestyle segments: Baltimore-Washington Peninsula-Delaware Region UMC Region …
Read more “Lifestyle Sensitivity and Preaching to Baby Boomers”
In a world filled with billions of people, it’s easy to feel insignificant, like a single drop in an ocean too vast to impact. But history and storytelling remind us time and again of the profound influence one person can have. As I was flying home from vacation, I had the opportunity to watch the …
By Tom Bandy The internet has been valuable in so many ways. But the combination of digitalization and miniaturisation has raised ethical concerns especially for lifestyle research. Many churches and denominations also use lifestyle research (as we do), but there is always a risk that institutional priorities and hidden biases might unconsciously lead us to …
Read more “How to Use MissionInsite: Ethical Principles for Lifestyle Research”
By Tom Bandy Every congregation has free access to MissionInsite. The amount of data may seem overwhelming, and research tools may seem challenging, but with regular practice it soon becomes easy for any staff, board, or committee to gather information pertinent to their area of ministry. Opportunity Scan is a tool that helps you focus …
As the song lyrics remind us, it’s “summertime and the livin is easy.” There is something about the rhythm of summer; schools are on break, for some work schedules are slower and people pile onto planes, trains and automobiles (and don’t forget cruise ships) to venture to familiar and new destinations throughout the summer months. …