The beginning of every year offers a unique opportunity to churches: the opportunity to tell the pew where you’ve been, where you are, and where you are going. We like to title this exercise the “State of the Church” report which makes it sound more clinical than it needs to be. Perhaps a better description would be “The Story of Us.”

Here are three reasons you should present a “State of the Church report (and place greater emphasis on it if you don’t already):

  • People love stories and look to identify with great ones. We must not undervalue the storytelling function we are afforded every week in corporate gatherings. People are in a posture of great expectations in January, and our story must affirm their core values, interests, and dreams.
  • People are in the mood to set goals and make commitments. They are hitting the gym again for the first time in 10 months, they are trying new things, and still feeling positive about fulfilling their new year’s resolutions.
  • People forget. The only person who lives at “ground zero” of your ministry is you. Everyone else lives at 30k feet. Never forget that. The only one who thinks you might be repeating yourself is you. Everyone else is pleased to your vision for the “first” time.

What will your “State of the Church” report look and sound like this year?

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