Confessions of a (Sort of) Data Convert
I want to introduce you to a helpful ministry program called MissionInsite that provides reports about demographic trends, religious opinions, and personal concerns—reports specific to any geographic area. Want to know more about your county? MissionInsite can provide that. How about a radius around your church? That, too. Or an area where you’re praying about planting a church? Yes, especially that. It’s pretty cool.
But first, I want to talk baseball and why I’m naturally hesitant about data analysis.
2020 World Series. Game 6. Tampa Bay leads Los Angeles 1-0 and needs to win to stay alive. Blake Snell is throwing an absolute gem for Tampa two hits into the sixth inning when, suddenly, the manager pulls him. Seventy-three pitches, two hits, and gone. The “data” said he was less effective the third time through the order. The “data” said Tampa Bay should bring in a righthander to face the top of the Dodgers order.
Two batters later, the Dodgers were in the lead. Tampa lost.
Often, when we think of “data” and “analytics,” we think of moments like this and say, “The manager’s an idiot! Data doesn’t work! Close the book and feel the situation! Back in my day…”
The truth is, I’m not a Tampa Bay fan. I’m a lover of baseball, the Phillies, and, even more, humans, that indescribably glorious creation of God Most High. I live for the human story, whether glory or heartbreak. Instead, I got a blue binder telling me—and Tampa Bay fans (all ten of them)—what matters.
People are not data points. We are unique among all creation. Anytime someone reduces the specialness of people and uniqueness of each individual into a lifeless number or a quantifiable asset, it grates at this pastor like little else.
It’s through this lens that I approach and appreciate a tool like MissionInsite. Just like that blue binder, MissionInsite doesn’t dictate what we do as churches. Data doesn’t assign meaning; data just tells us what’s there and, sometimes, what’s likely. That’s really valuable.
Here’s where MissionInsite has helped me as a pastor and where it can benefit you and your leaders as well.
First, the demographic and religious insights probably confirm what you already sense about your area but have a hard time talking about. People can get defensive when you make observations about their hometown, even if those observations are accurate. That makes strategy difficult. However, in order to discern ministries that can make the most impact and, equally important, avoid mistakes that can turn whole segments of the population away, it’s helpful to know who is there and what they care about.
What MissionInsite can give you is objective observation not as ammunition, but as your partner in conversation. You can put the data on one side of the table while you and your leaders sit on the other side, asking together, “What do we notice?” You’ll probably see similar things, and that will get good discussions going.
Second, the data is useful for “sprinkling”: seeding conversations, prompting exploration, and rethinking priorities:
“Have you noticed how many Hispanic families have moved into the area? Twenty-five percent of the population already, I read. I wonder how we can reach them…”
“I didn’t realize we had so many white-collar workers in town. We might want to rethink these midweek committee meetings.”
“Did you know a lot of folks in our county believe God wants a relationship with them but also believe they don’t have any need for church? How did so many people come to believe that?”
As pastors, we never know what will grab someone, what they will pray about, and where the Spirit might make that seed come to life.
Can I introduce you to this helpful tool? All our Converge Heartland churches have free access to MissionInsite through August 31. I am ready and excited to help you find and interpret any report you need. A brief overview video is here. Reach me at dave@convergeheartland.org. I’d love to help you out!