Congregational Survey – Summary
August 2010

Lengthy comments are in the Appendix.  A total of 20 surveys were returned, 4 visitors and 16 members.

1. PASTORAL FOCUS: In thinking of our church’s pastor and our church’s needs and ministries, what are to be the pastor’s priorities?  (Number of Votes) Listed in order of votes for Importance.

Most Important	Least Important	PASTORAL FOCUS	
14	2	 Effective preaching 	
7	2	Community involvement and outreach 	
6	1	 Providing leadership 	
6	2	Working with Youth 	
5	1	Visiting the sick and home-bound	
5	3	 Leadership development/mentoring/coaching others 	
4	3	Personal prayer, Bible reading, and meditation 	
3	2	 Pastoral and counseling ministries 	
3	4	 Personal spiritual development and growth 	
2		Bible teaching	
1	9	 Associational; state and national denominational leadership and participation 	
1	7	 Church administrative responsibilities 	
	2	Working with Senior Adults 	
1	5	Teaching a Sunday School Class 	
1	5	 Visiting church members 	
1	5	 Evangelism and Outreach 	

2. AGE/EXPERIENCE: Assuming other characteristics are favorable, indicate what you would like in our next pastor. Check one in each group. 

Number Votes	AGE 	
9	 Age should not be an important factor	
	 Under 30	
2	 30-39	
5	 40-49	
	 50-59	
3	 60 up	
	
	EXPERIENCE	
7	 Experience is not an important factor	
3	 0-5 years experience	
8	 6-10 years experience	
	 11-15 years experience	
	 16-20 years experience	
1	 21 or more years experience	

3. EDUCATION: What preference, if any, do you have regarding the formal education beyond high school? 
Number Votes	EDUCATION	
5	Formal education is not a factor	
6	Bachelor Degree	
4	Masters Degree	
4	D. Ministry. or Ph.D.	
4. DENOMINATIONAL IDENTIFICATION: Which of the following do you wish our new pastor to identify? 
  	Listed in order of votes
Number Votes	DENOMINATIONAL IDENTIFICATION	
13	Cooperative Baptist Fellowship	
10	Baptist General Assoc. of VA/Virginia Baptist Mission Board	
2	Southern Baptist Convention	
1	Baptist World Alliance	
1	Does not matter	

5. PERSONAL QUALITIES: Please list characteristics you would especially want us to see in a person serving as our pastor.  Lengthy comments are in the appendix. Summary listing: Listed in order of votes

Number Votes	PERSONAL QUALITIES	
9	Relate well with people	
7	Leader, Leadership, 	
7	Enthusiasm, hard worker	
6	Compassionate	
6	Integrity, Trustworthy, honest, reliable 	
3	Sympathetic and empathetic to needs	
2	Down to earth	
2	Organizational skills	
2	Counseling 	
1	Develop youth and children	

6. NEW MINISTRIES: What new ministries do you feel you would like our church to offer after a new pastor is called? Lengthy comments are in the appendix. Summary listing: Listed in order of votes

Number Votes	NEW MINISTRIES	
6	More community outreach	
2	Assess needs first	
2	Revitalize current programs first	
2	Deacon Family Ministry Plan	
2	Youth	
1	Children’s Choir	
1	Sunday School revamped	
1	Children’s program	
1	Women’s program	
1	Music	

7. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT OF YOUR PASTOR? Lengthy comments are in the appendix. Summary listing:
	Listed in order of votes
Number Votes	EXPECTATIONS	
7	Leader / Motivator / Supporter	
5	Be my friend in Christ	
4	Visit old and sick, call first	
3	Integrity	
4	Enthusiastic	
1	Open & welcoming	
1	Sunday School Involvement	
1	Church hours	
1	Be available	
1	Enlist unsaved	
AGE BRACKET of RESPONDIES: (Check one) 
Number 	AGE BRACKET	
1	Youth	
0	15-20	
0	21-30	
4	31-40	
3	41-50	
4	51-60	
3	61-70	
5	70 up 	

INVOLVEMENT of RESPONDIES: (Check all that apply) 
Number 	INVOLVEMENT	
12	Sunday School Member	
16	Church Member	
4	Regular Visitor	

Submitted by: James Starr, Pulpit Committee Chair

APPENDIX:	
1.	PASTORAL FOCUS

Effective preaching is important but it does little good if people just come for the good show and fill the pews and don’t support the church with their time, talents and money.

Right now Mooreland needs effective leadership to get us headed in the right direction

Committees and deacons should handle church administration, not the pastor

Working with youth / senior adults: in a small church the pastor has to be able to work with all age groups

To preach what Jesus wants us to know and do and not fear what or who it offends – rather in being obedient. 

2.	AGE / EXPERIENCE
 
Age is less important than energy and drive and willingness to work

We don’t need someone we have to train.

Hard to quantify enough experience to effectively handle situations.
A Bachelor Degree is good but not necessarily imperative. Having degrees does not necessarily make anyone a caring, effective pastor but folks expect a pastor to be able to answer questions about the Bible.

5. PERSONAL QUALITIES

Must relate well with people 

We really need leadership and organizational skills

The pastor must have sincere interest in church family and church family being mindful of his or her obligations to his or her family.

He/She must have interest in developing the young children, middle school children and teenagers in their love of service to God and discipleship.

A person who has a genuine interest and enthusiasm for the children and youth of our church and community

A person who is sympathetic and empathetic to the needs of the church family, yet keeping time to his/her own ideas of where our church needs to go to grow within this community

Be dynamic, perhaps charismatic (which can be a dangerous word) personality that reflects the love of Jesus.

To know their spouse is excited to be in our midst, as well

Enthusiasm, willingness to reach out to unsaved in the greater North Garden area

Practice what he preaches, good speaker, speak so I can hear him.

Empathetic, good listener, compassionate, temperate, confident, strong in building relationships, diplomatic, and fair in mediating conflict; showing Christ’s love.

Someone who is friendly, involved and knowledgeable. Someone who relates well to all age groups. Shows caring and compassion as well as strong leadership skills

Compassion for all, working with church as a whole, grace, mercy good at counseling people, someone like Lynn Litchfield.

Organized, motivates people, follows through. Likes and works well with children and older people. Inspirational speaker. Easy to talk to and out going

Sincerely excited about church and activities.

“Spirituality”, friendly, since of humor, humbleness, outgoing- excited about Christianity , church, community, willingness to retain tradition, but also willing to try something new. 

Pattern after Jesus. Personable, Bible oriented, deals with unbelievers

6. NEW MINISTRIES

We need to get back on track before trying to start a lot of new things.

Asses our needs first and base things on needs versus what the pastor “wants” to start

To abide by by-laws in existence or to any changed or addition to by-laws prior to he or she signing contract.

Notify the church of resigning more than a 30 day notice.

Further our music ministry

To initiate new community outreach programs

I expect them to want to shake things up for the Lord pretty rapidly with fresh ideas and imitative for reaching out to the community.

What ever the Youth needs

More outreach and visitation, visit nursing homes

Children’s choir, generally more attention to music in our worship services

Like to see Sunday School Program revamped. Like more leadership with children’s programs and perhaps a women’s group

Women’s programs that help all women become better women with a heart for service.

Emphasis on outreach into the community

Deacon Family Ministry Plan, Visitation to new housing

7. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT OF YOUR PASTOR?

Put the “good” of the church body ahead of personal ambitions.

He/she to be an ex-officio member of all boards (committees?) with freedom for input and suggestions. (Pastor is ex-officio on all committees and boards which he/she may provide input but has no vote according to bi-laws.)

He/she to be my friend in Christ, nothing more, nothing less.

To enlist unsaved

To visit old and sick and call before coming, especially those of us who have to use radio or TV for church.

Compassionate, leader, down to earth

Try to connect with everyone and make them fee. Comfortable and welcome at Mooreland

I expect them to be trilled to be at Mooreland regardless of their salary. 

Someone to be there when you need them. A friend in good times and bad.

To be our spiritual leader, to have set hours to be at the church and to have his office at church. To lead in prayer meeting and Bible study and to visit the sick in the hospital and nursing homes.

I expect him/her to follow Christ’s leading in his/her personal life and in leading and sheparding church members. I expect him/her to strongly lead our church through God inspired preaching , Bible study and prayer support.

Duties: Sunday School and Worship Service, Youth ministry, visitation of sick and elderly.

Be available to the congregation when called upon.
To work well with all the different needs of our church. Find church camps for the children. Motivate and up lift our volunteers. Be a good support system

Availability – but not at the expense of neglecting his/her own family

Be a good shepherd, patterned after Jesus

OTHER GENERAL COMMENTS

A priority issue must be that whatever we do be financially sound. We are setting bad examples to our young folks by operating in the red. Fact of life: only “governments” can continue to operate in the red forever.

We must get away from the common philosophy of “entitlement” that pervades our society. Our grandparents lived and followed “work for what you need and want”. If people want a viable church they need to contribute their time and money to the extent they are able.