I’ve been learning something about meeting people’s needs. I’ve found you can’t hope to meet someone’s needs unless you meet their perceived needs. And their perceived needs usually don’t match up with their real needs. Let me illustrate.
Creative folks who work in churches have real and perceived needs. Their real needs are this: to know they aren’t alone and to connect with other creatives. But their perceived need is: to get ideas they can use.
I began a blog a few years back to help creatives connect. I knew this would solve the problems all church workers deal with. Unfortunately, it never took off. Nobody went to the site.
On a whim I began Church Stage Design Ideas. For me it was research. I didn’t have any goals of it becoming big. But it did. People latched onto it. And do you know what the side effect was? Church creatives were connecting with other creatives and realizing they weren’t alone. I mean, they got ideas they could use, but their deeper need got met too.
I know you’ve identified a need you want to meet. You have a passion to help people. But you won’t be able to help people until you find out what their perceived need is, satisfy that, then meet their real need.
It’s in that sweet spot between perception and reality that’s the hardest work. But that’s where the magic happens.
So in churches. People might attend your church to get practical relationship advice or to learn how to live life well. It’s fine to attract them and meet their perceived need. But the magic happens when you meet their real need of a savior.
So explore what people’s real needs are. That’s great. But even better, see how you can connect people’s real needs with their perceived needs. Then you’ll be effective.
Love the photo!
Love the photo!