segment n47: countrified pragmatics - …missioninsite.com/pdf_files/n47 contrified...

Mission Impact Guide V2.0 by Thomas G. Bandy Group N, “Pastoral Pride”

Download resources for your mission field through www.missioninsite.com. Mission Impact Guide V2.0 © MissionInsite, LLC

SEGMENT N47: COUNTRIFIED PRAGMATICS

Mission Impact…Focusing your heartburst for the people around you

Mission Impact Guide V 2.0 Group N, “Pastoral Pride”

Lower middle-income couples and singles living rural casual lives

Resource: Mosaic by Experian

General Spiritual Insight: Countrified Pragmatics is part of the Lifestyle Group N (Pastoral Pride). Please refer to the description of Group N for the larger context of this segment's potential relationship with the church.

Religious Perspective:

"The Lord Is My Shepherd"

Key Behaviors:

Solitude and Self-Reliance, Retrofitted Vehicles, Large Freezers

Strong Impressions:

Inclination & Attitudes: Traditional, Simplicity, Carefree Mood & Values: High Importance of Religious Faith, Low Drive for Affluence

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Comments:

This segment is a somewhat younger version of True Grit Americans N46 (a counterpart in this lifestyle group). They primarily include childless adult couples and singles, but fewer divorced and widowed people. They have the same independent and self-reliant spirit, traditional family values, outdoors lifestyle, but differ in some important ways. They have stepped out of older clapboard homes to brick homes ... and especially manufactured homes on recently developed lots. They have added large screen TV’s to their media preferences, and have come to believe women have as much right (and duty) to join the workforce as men. Their attitude to the church is a bit different too. These folks are even more wary of outsiders and distrustful of imposed authorities. They behave with more wit and humor ... but they are also more stubborn, inflexible, and hard headed. Ironically, people in this slightly younger segment are even more resistant to change in the church than their older counterparts. They may also quarrel more easily with the church and less regular in their attendance. Faith remains important to them, but they may exercise less self-discipline. They still tend to gravitate to small churches with conservative values, traditional worship practices, and unambiguous doctrines. They enjoy the fellowship of a church, and are very sacrificial and generous toward their neighbors. N

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Leadership Hospitality

Enabler, Care Giver This pastor is a strong enabler for the work of the church, and a strong care giver to the members of the church. The pastor leads worship, facilitates organization, recruits and coaches volunteers, and keeps essential programs rolling. People in this segment don’t have big problems with working women, and many may appreciate a strong female leadership role model who is confident about faith and competent in care giving. The care giving role is probably more important than the mentoring role valued by their counterpart lifestyle segments. People in this segment may be more reliant on the counseling, visitation, and personal support ministries of the pastor, and less likely to appreciate it from their peers. They expect the pastor to know what is going on their lives, and be attentive when there are illnesses, milestones, emergencies, and difficulties in the family ... and rely on the pastor to keep all this strictly confidential.

Leadership Compelling Issues: The pastor should be a good preacher and teacher, absolutely sincere, and consistent in message and behavior. The pastor’s natural assertiveness and authority should be tempered with diplomacy and good listening skills.

The Basics, Take Out Like their True Grit American N46 counterparts, people in this segment don’t stray very far from home. They may be less intentional about spending half a day or more with the church on Sunday, and may arrive in time for Sunday school or just for worship. Keep refreshments available all the time, and the server can also be a greeter. They may appreciate a television with religious DVD located in the refreshment area (if it doesn’t intrude on ongoing Sunday school classes). The pastor’s schedule on Sunday morning may be hectic, but people expect the pastor to spend quality time to interact with members as they rush between preaching points. Arrange for lay leaders to start or finish a worship service in one place, so that the pastor can linger longer at another place. Newcomers are welcome, but on probation. Train elders or board members in their duty to greet them. These people are committed to casual. They come as they are, and expect to be accepted as they are. These people are laid back, prefer informal environments and don’t mind a messy kitchen. They are less enamored by grandmother’s recipes, and prefer fast food, supermarket desserts, and donuts. Have extra so that they can take something home.

Hospitality Compelling Issues: Pot luck, fowl suppers, barbecues, and fish fries are welcome fellowship events ... and might be combined with country, bluegrass, or gospel music.

Relevant Ministry Choices:

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Worship

Education

Worship Compelling Issues: These days rural pastors come and go, so people in this segment tend to protect traditional worship practices. While the pastor may craft the sermon, the rest of the worship requires little innovation.

Inspirational, Care Giving Although the sermon is still important for people in this segment, worship is mainly inspirational and care giving. There tends to be more music; and more spontaneous prayers for individual needs and community issues. Many hymns are older and well known ... but some will be more modern praise choruses. There might even be accompaniment by a non-amplified instrument like an acoustical guitar. Sermons apply scripture to everyday living and eternal hopes. Preachers rarely follow a lectionary, and often preach on a topic related to spiritual life or orthodox faith. They don’t usually explore “hot button” social issues, international concerns, or theological ambiguities. There is often a call to repentance or renewal of faith, but there might also be opportunities for laying-on-hands or healing prayer. If Eucharist is part of their tradition, it is often intensely personal or emotional.

Education Compelling Issues: If the pastor is available, he or she always teaches a Bible study group. The pastor usually does most of the teaching, but does not always have the last word!

Experiential or Curricular, Biblical, Generational The norm is usually to begin the morning with Sunday school for all ages. However, people in this segment may be increasingly sporadic in their attendance ... and gravitate toward midweek small groups for fellowship and education. Adult classes tend to be older. When people in this segment participate in a class, there is more likely a mix of men and women (rather than gender specific), and the class my concentrate more on discussion than curriculum. Classes generally focus on a religious theme, and focus mainly on Bible study. The leader is often a member of the board (deacon, elder, etc.) The Children’s Sunday school may be small. Children may be gathered in a “younger” and “older” group. The teacher is often an older, highly respected elder with one or two young assistants that they are mentoring. They often use workbooks or exercises that have been recycled over the years, and supplemented with extra activities the values of which have been proven over time.


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Outreach Small Group

Rotated Leaders, Affinity or Curriculum Midweek small groups are becoming an important alternative to Sunday school classes. Many of these people live in the south, where weather is not as significant a factor for transportation. The working hours may vary significantly through the year, and short term small groups with different time covenants can be helpful. Small midweek groups primarily gather around shared enthusiasms, interests, hobbies, and crafts. Most are exclusively for women or men, but a few may bring couples together for quiet entertainment. Groups naturally include opportunities for intercessory prayer, Bible reading, and especially encourage intimate sharing. There may be a curriculum, but it is usually a very brief “devotional” that provides a scripture, thought-provoking reflection, and simple prayer. People tend to stay with the same group for a long time, and the leadership may be rotated among the members. They may meet in private homes or at local restaurants and diners. The pastor often monitors group progress, and is readily available for problem solving (usually regarding personality conflicts or religious disagreements).

For Themselves: Survival, Quality of Life, Health For Others: Survival, Quality of Life, Health, Human Destiny People in this segment are self-reliant individualists, but may need temporary help over a bad time. “Bad times” often involve periods of unemployment, health crises, or household disasters (e.g. storm damage, fires, etc.) Their concerns are very practical and functional, and they will appreciate depot and distribution ministries for food, clothing, house wares, and used furniture. They also connect with health clinics and parish nurse programs, and appreciate help for both prescription and non-prescription medications. Community fellowship events, fairs, and pot luck suppers are great ways to socialize, but they are less interested in dances or dating. They may oppose corporate attempts to strip mine or quarry, or government initiatives to dam waterways or regulate game and land use, but they are less likely to advocate recycling or environmental protection. These people are concerned about issues of human destiny (e.g. personal salvation, faith, and hope for tomorrow). They sponsor crusades and revivals, and will participate in evangelization programs. They also support veterans groups, and help veteran re-establish themselves in civilian lifestyles.

Outreach Compelling Issues: These folks are rapidly responsive and very sacrificial in response to natural disasters or sudden family emergencies. They will donate time and energy, or open their homes for temporary housing.

Small Group Compelling Issues: Recovery groups can be very important ... especially in these hard economic times. The focus may be recovery from addictions to alcohol, or to prescription pain killers or illicit drugs. Recovery groups for gambling addictions may be a growing opportunity for ministry.


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Unified Budgets, Lifestyle Coaching People in this segment are laid back about money and materialism. The budget is pretty simple, and increased to keep up with inflation, but costs are kept to a minimum (including the pastor’s salary). Some people voluntarily practice tithing, but most simply try to give as much as they can (which may be calculated before or after other discretionary expenses). The stewardship campaign is simple, and basically shares the costs and asks for help. People are more likely to give cash in the offering plate than use offering envelopes, and will not pre-authorize withdrawals. They tend to distrust banks, but they may appreciate some lifestyle coaching on how to manage their money better. Personal savings accounts are not extensive in this lifestyle segment. They will do special collections ... and don’t be surprised if the plate is passed a second time during worship ... but will not use professionals for a capital campaign. They will give in-kind donations and their time and talent to keep the church and its basic ministries going. If they don’t like the minister, or disagree with some denominational policy or innovation, they may reduce financial contributions to demonstrate their dissatisfaction. However, if the church has an emergency, they will respond generously.

Ecclesiastical or Utilitarian, Christendom, Modern Countrified Pragmatics prefers the church to be a practical, low maintenance building. It should be identifiable as a church (with a cross and steeple), and it may well be an older, traditional building. On the other hand, they don’t want to maintain a heritage and are willing to replace historic buildings with utilitarian brick or cinder block structures. These buildings eliminate stairs and multiple entrances. Rather than a basement (which in the south may be damp and impractical), they may simply add kitchen and hall (that can be divided by moveable partitions to form Sunday school rooms). The sanctuary may be eccentrically decorated and even a bit messy. People in this segment like to be offbeat and unconventional. Symbols are clearly Christian and often handmade. Hallways may be decorated with amateur murals depicting Biblical scenes (Moses crossing the Red Sea, Noah’s Ark, and Jesus with the children, and so on). There is good storage for simple, stackable chairs and tables. There may be a simple, portable audio system than can be moved as needed from sanctuary to hall, and an overhead projector and screen. Video screens and computers are probably unnecessary frills and not affordable anyway. The church office is probably located in the pastor’s home.

Stewardship/Financial Management

Property and Technology

Relevant Institutional Strategies:

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Stewardship/Financial Mgmt. Compelling Issues: People in this segment need visible benchmarks for giving. Leaders lead! The individual or average giving of staff and board set a standard for members and adherents to follow.

Property and Technology Compelling Issues: The kitchen may be the most up to date room in the building. People in this segment tend to eat fast or frozen food, so there is often a freezer and microwave available.

Relevant Institutional Strategies: Resources:

Download MissionInsite’s Impressions Report for your mission field through http://www.MissionInsite.com (Predefined Reports)

Really Relevant (and) Always Faithful: How Churches and Ministries Target Mission in An Explosion of Diversity by Thomas G. Bandy (Available through Amazon)

Download the MOSAIC Guide from Experian

Explore the Interactive MOSAIC Guide from Experian

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Communication Compelling Issues: The internet is not widely used for research or information. However, people may go online using slower dial up connections to participate in a chat forum or game. They may share text messages, but are probably limited to desktop computers and don’t use handheld devices very much.

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Communication

Gatherings, Telephone, Some Print People in this segment are generally wary of technology, although they often buy a large or flat screen TV for their home. They are not readers, either, and not subscribe to newspapers or read religious magazines. The church newsletter needs to be relatively short, and emphasize prayer concerns among the members and coming events. In church, they may or may not use printed orders of worship ... and perhaps only a simply sheet of announcements may be handed out. They will rely on static billboards and outdoor signs for marketing. People mainly rely on oral communication in large gatherings and small groups to communicate information or learn new things. This can be reinforced by telephone calls to the home. Posters may be used in local diners, community centers, hospitals, and sports arenas to advertise opportunities to the community. They may also sponsor a booth a local fair, or hand out literature at a picnic.

http://www.missioninsite.com/

http://www.missioninsite.com/PDF_Files/Mosaic_Descriptions%20Group-Segments_%20USA%20Final%20Cover%20081312.pdf

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segment n47: countrified pragmatics - …missioninsite.com/pdf_files/n47 contrified...

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