Disciple Maker Index- How will it help?

Part Four of a four-part series on a new and exciting initiative called Next Generation Parish

Last week we released part three of our series on the Next Generation Parish program. We have been discussing the upcoming Disciple Maker Index survey. Part three explained why the survey would be helpful. Today is our final post, and we will focus on the impact the survey can have in our parish. Here are two reasons it will help our parish.

The first reason the survey will help is that it provides valuable input for pastors, staff, and parish leaders to make wise decisions and plan effectively. The data we will receive from the surveys will show us our strengths in helping you grow spiritually and show us our weaknesses. We can build off our strengths and target the weak areas in our parish to provide support for every parishioner at St. John’s. Instead of just doing nice events, we can create an intentional plan that will target your specific needs. What a blessing!

Second, the leaders of St. John’s will have a sense of where to focus our evangelization efforts. Indeed our primary goal is to help each of our parishioners strengthen and grow in their relationship with the Lord, but we also have received a clear mission from Jesus to go into the world and make disciples. Within our plan for spiritual growth, we also need to build a plan to reach out to those who are not connected to St. John’s. We can plan to grow in numbers by evangelizing Goshen and the broader community! As Pope Paul VI says: “Evangelizing is, in fact, the deepest identity of the Church.” We all have the mission to evangelize those around us. Evangelization will become a primary goal.

This Sunday, the surveys will go live. Paper surveys will be available for you to take home, fill out, and bring back by Sunday, November 24. You have three weeks to complete the survey. The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to fill out. The survey is also available digitally, with the ability to be filled out on your smartphone, IPAD or laptop. Cards with the link and instructions are available in the narthex. IPAD’s will be available in the church basement after each Mass to fill out on our campus. A team of people will assist you through the process. Here is the link to the survey: http://cli-dmi.org/go/68060

We have big dreams for St. John’s, and that is a great thing! Let us pray that those dreams will match up with what God wants for our parish here in Goshen! Let us also pray for the guidance of this four-year partnership that it can help us reach our goal of becoming a Next Generation Parish, a parish of disciples!