When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, he already knew four things about her: She had come to draw water, her people had religious differences with Jesus' people, she had been married several times and was living with a man who was not her husband, and she needed a messiah.
Pastors who minister to people today can look to Jesus' model and first try to understand those they want to impact. One way to do this is through demographics.
"I cannot comprehend beginning a new ministry without the use of a current demographic understanding of the area," said Peter Wernett, president of Percept Demographics.
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"They generally have a place in mind where they are being called," said Wernett. "Individuals tend to seek information about a specific community and a targeted group of people that they believe are not being reached by existing Christian churches."
Examples of targeted groups include 20-year-olds with families, or singles under the age of 40, according to Wernett.
But regional church bodies can also use demographics to understand the people within their own geographic area in order to reach them.
"This is where an analytical demographic study of the entire geographical area ... has high value," said Wernett.
Often that type of study reveals that the people in the neighborhood around a church building look different than the congregation — either culturally, ethnically or financially.
Neighborhood watch
"If the demographics of the area around your church have changed to include a large influx of persons of another cultural background," said church health expert and author Dr. Thom S. Rainer, "begin the process of either starting a church specifically for that ethnic group or plan to add a regular staff member who is from that ethnic group."
While churches often find community differences in demographic data, they can also find similarities. "We have been amazed at how much unchurched people look and act like us," Rainer said. "They work alongside us, and their children and our children play together. Some of the unchurched are the teachers of our children. The unchurched live in our neighborhoods and carry on friendly conversations with us."
Back at the Samaritans' well: To their surprise, the disciples returned and found Jesus engaged in conversation with the Samaritan woman. Other Samaritans also came to believe in Jesus because he first understood water, Samaria and a sinful woman in need. Understanding people today, particularly through the use of demographic studies, can lead to an introduction to Jesus in the same way.
