Faith-Based Networking In Places Of Worship

Places of worship are great places for building networks, be it a church, a temple, a mosque or any other belief-based house of worship. These are places where you will not only meet your old friends, but are likely to meet new people, every time you go there. Religion is an authoritative unifying force - the congregation at any religious ceremony or service feels a bond with each other. You feel like part of an extended family. Irrespective where you come from, you are part of the same God, a group with similar feelings and thoughts. Such people find it it's easier to trust someone, open up to them, and want to help. Networking under such an environment is perfect.

However, we walk a thin line when we try to adapt a primarily business networking concept to the church, synagogue, shrine or temple, so where should we draw the line and how do we go about it.


Internal Networking

There seem to be several ways networking can be important in place of worship. In most such places the family concept prevails. For sake of convenience, let's call all places of worship, the church. The church building serves as the church home for the family. The hope of church leaders is for the congregation, or church family, to get to know each other. But, depending on the size of the congregation, this is not always possible under ordinary circumstances.

At some time before, during or after services we are encouraged to get to know one another through mutual greeting. Unfortunately these introductions are frequently short-lived. Networking, we believe, can produce more lasting relationships. How do you network in a church? Easy. Just participate.

The more activities in which you are involved, the more people with whom you can network. Churches offer a myriad of opportunities for meeting new friends. Within the church consider the choir, family activities, school or classes, camping, day trips, church suppers, participation on the various organizational committees, decorating committees, the official church boards.

External Networking

The work of the church is not confined to the church building. Just as there are activities within the walls of your house of worship, so too are there opportunities through the work of the church in the community.

Participation in canvassing teams for new members introduces you to your neighbors. Church services and charitable activities put you in touch with still another group of people. Working at fairs and bazaars provides you with people with whom you can network. Let us not forget visiting the sick and elderly. If there is ever a desperate need for networkers it's for those who will do visitations to hospitals, nursing homes and facilities for the aged.

Family networking can be accomplished through participation in church retreats, school activities, camping trips, or special church sponsored trips and tours. For singles, young or old, your church is the ideal place to network for people of like interests - a great starting point for people with either a casual or serious interest in a personal relationship.

Recruiting In The Church

It is easier and better to recruit people from within a church as they are more likely to be disciplined and lead more conscientious lives. An owner of a steel company said that he was finding it hard to find qualified to work in his stainless steel processing plant. To solve the problem, he turned to a local church. He rightly believed that people with a sense of religion have close family ties and a strong code of ethics. His theory proved right. Since he started recruiting from local churches he has had excellent results. He now has three churches in his network. "The ministers do the screening for me. They don't send loafers or drifters, just solid citizens," he said. Moreover, looking for jobs, or employers looking for help, turn to church networking and the likelihood of finding appropriate people increases considerably.

Churches and other places of worship serve as a bridge between the people and those seeking to bring them into a close-knit network. People who attend religious programs are those with both strengths and weaknesses - they are just like the rest of us and hence will be easier to identify and collaborate with.

Networkers will do well to identify people who are facing difficult situations, squabbles within the family, unwed pregnancies, alcoholic problems, domestic turbulence and then work, using existing networks, try to resolve their problems as best and as much as possible. Such additions to your network will be a great source of help as they have passed through tough times and will have learnt from that experience and be in a position to help others - moreover, they will more than keen to help as they will have a measure of gratitude and indebtedness towards the help you initially provided to help them tide over their initial difficult situations.

Your Extended Family

Of all the networking possibilities we write off in this book, church networking probably provides the greatest opportunity to make the greatest number of and longest lasting friendships. You now have an extended family - your church family.

The unique part about church networking is that in your efforts to expand your network through active participation you are giving of yourself to your God's work. What a wonderful bonus.