To love your neighbor, a great place to start is by asking, “How well you know your neighbor?” The challenge is to resist assumptions and ask if you really know the communities where God has called you to serve. How many families are living near or below the poverty line? What age groups of the population are growing or declining? How many of your neighbors are first generation Americans? What concerns are they harboring about their neighborhood that might open the opportunity to share the Gospel with them?

It isn’t always easy to discover the answers to questions like these. However, with LCEF demographic studies, you can quickly learn about your community. Looking at expanding your ministry by creating an early childhood center? Feel confident in your decision by confirming the need for such an organization with the help of a population growth Demographic study. Curious what the religious beliefs and preferences are in your community? Maybe you want to learn about the life concerns of those around you: what keeps them from walking into a church, and what ministries or programs are they seeking that you could target to meet their needs? Request a ReligiousInsite and MinistryInsite report to go along with a Demographic report to help answer these questions.

The suite of reports of an LCEF Demographic study can provide data and support to help leaders and ministries move thoughts and ideas into action! However, these studies are only valuable when you use them.

LCEF has partnered with the Missouri District to provide congregations not only with these reports and data, but through LCEF District Vice President Casey Carlson and the support of trained Plus One coaches, we can help you discover opportunities and meaningful actions for serving your community with the Gospel.

To connect with LCEF or to request a Demographic study, contact Casey Carlson at 314-590-6207 or casey.carlson@mo.lcms.org.