The Center for Missional Research released an updated demographic report and online request and delivery system at the SBC Annual meeting earlier this summer. NAMB has offered free demographic reports to churches and SBC entities for many years, but has now added thematic maps and interpretive assistance to the tabular data available in the past. You can request your report by clicking here.  To read more about this topic, click here.

The report not only offers typical demographics (i.e., population, age, income, education, race and ethnicity, family breakdown) but also provides projections for these variables into 2011. The projections are calculated by our demographics provider, ESRI, and are based on statistical growth patterns, consumer activity, and on-the-ground research. Although the accuracy of these projections cannot be guaranteed, businesses and developers in your area are referring to the same numbers as they make plans for the future, so it is probably a good idea for the church to do the same.

Is the population in your area growing? Create a church planting plan. Plenty of resources are available at www.churchplantingvillage.net. Is the population in your community undergoing a demographic shift? Why not investigate proven ways to share Christ with new types of people in your community. Resources can be found at www.namb.net/evangelism.

Thematic map tip: There are several maps in the demographic report indicating change from 2006 to 2011. When the map is labeled “percent change,” it can be interpreted as the growth or decline for that category from 2006 to 2011.  For instance, if the color orange is 12.5 – 15.0 for the Hispanic population map, this means that for each geographic area colored orange, it is expected that the Hispanic population will grow by 12.5 to 15 percent by 2011.

An often used portion of the demographic report is the Lifestyle Segments known as Tapestry. Using recent census information as their base, these population segments are derived through statistical analysis and include information on consumer habits, household likes and dislikes, and household composition. The purpose of the segments is to indicate market trends and not necessarily spiritual behavior. For this reason, consider them to be more a reflection of your community than a prescription for ministry. However, they can still inform your church planting and evangelism work. Look at your present church, are the groups described in the Tapestry report represented in your church? If not, consider ministries or evangelism techniques that may effectively reach them. Or perhaps a missional church plant that meets the cultural needs of a particular segment is appropriate.

Demographic report tip: We provide descriptions for the largest Tapestry segments in your community. If you wish to see ESRI's "white paper," which includes descriptions for all 66 lifestyle segments identified in the U.S., click here.

Phillip Connor is Research Missiologist Associate on the CMR Team.