communication is key

Communication is key. You know that, but how much are you communicating and how often?

We talk a lot about staying relevant and catching up with the culture in order to reach people. We're trying to teach you to speak their language and reach out into a growing unchurched population. A recent survey of American evangelicals, though, reminds us that it's similarly important to make sure your congregation knows what is going on.

What concerns American evangelicals today?

The National Association of Evangelicals recently surveyed its leadership and found little concern centered on national politics or the war in Iraq. Culture concerns ... were listed as top issues of concern to the evangelical leaders representing about 30 million members.

Everyone knows that our culture is in the middle of an amazing upheaval, and it's kind of scary.

So as you get excited about adding a third place space and a youth center to your facility, explain what that means to your staff and ministry leaders - so they are equipped to talk about it and encourage their head volunteers, who will be equipped to talk about it and encourage the volunteers who work with them. Share the cool stuff you're learning about Joe Meyer's spaces of belonging, or the digital age that is dawning, or the benefits of third place.

If you reach into your communities long enough, you will eventually catch at least a few people. They will come in for coffee or to drop off their teenagers to play basketball, and they will bring with them their worldviews. They will come with the culture that is a greater concern to many evangelicals than who the next president is going to be. Is your congregation ready?