How much do you really know about your area?
A church I once visited told me of their shock when they accidentally discovered a house, just a few hundred yards from their church, which was being used by men to sexually exploit women through prostitution. Female church members managed to befriend these women and, for a time, took gifts of food over to them on a regular basis. Friendships grew and the love of Christ was shared.
It is amazing what you don’t know about your community.
Churches can be quite self-contained – even without realising it. We have our own internal support networks and friendship groups. We warmly welcome those who come to us. But how much do we know about the wider community around us?
Mission Mapping is a unique resource from Proximity. It is simple, effective and empowering. I guarantee you will think differently about your community once you have done a ‘Mission Mapping’ exercise. I was introduced to materials at a seminar and t was a game changer.
It’s a simple idea.
The more you understand your community the more effective your church can be in serving locally and reaching people for Christ. Mission mapping involves finding out more about five aspects of your community:
- History – What past events have shaped how your community views itself? The arrival of a new housing estate? A factory closing down?
- Geography – Geographical features are important too. Are certain areas isolated? Has a new road divided the neighbourhood?
- People Groups – Who exactly lives here? What ethnicities, age groups, or social dynamics exist? This is often rapidly changing in an age of immigration and increasing racial diversity.
- Local Culture – What role does the local football club play? What’s the music scene like? Are there crime issues? What part do local schools play in community life?
- Faith Groups – What other churches are there and why were they established there? What are they already doing in the community and can you work with them? Beyond the churches we also need to be aware of the synagogues, mosques, gurdwaras and temples. How can we reach out to build respectful relationships with these other faith communities?
By researching these five key issues we gradually build up a fuller picture of our local church community. I remember when my church first did some rather basic mission mapping we discovered two surprising things.
- Just how many people live alone locally.
- There are far more elderly people in our area than we realised.
These two facts have affected our missional thinking ever since.
Two final takeaways we found through this process –
- Local Councillors usually know far more about a community than church leaders! I always recommend talking to them when mission mapping
- It is a good way of finding a local ‘person who promotes peace’. This friendly and open person can not only tell you some great local stories but can also introduce you to lots of local people. They are networkers and community builders.
When Jesus instructed the seventy-two missionaries to go from place to place to proclaim the Kingdom of God he specifically instructed them to look for people of ‘peace’ (Luke 10:5-7). This was vital because they were going into geographical areas they did not know – into Samaria and Judea – rather than to the more familiar Galilee. So, they urgently needed local people to explain the local culture and introduce them to the community.
Mission mapping is a simple and powerful way to see our communities with fresh eyes.
When we take time to understand the history, geography, people, culture, and faith groups around us, our churches can become more connected and effective in sharing Christ’s love. The resources are free and easy to use. Why not give it a go!
Get the resource
Mission mapping will help you refocus on all the exciting opportunities and adventures in your area. So, whether you’re new to your neighbourhood or have been calling it home for years, it’s time to get mapping!
- You can download your mission map on this page or we can send you a copy.
- Take a look at our supporting video and download the map here.
- Maps are available to buy in packs of ten. Please visit our online shop to place an order.