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People Spots
Online People Spots: A Definitionby James W. Moss, Sr. The term “People Spots” has been my byline for more about 25 years. Some folks can’t remember my name, but they remember me as the “People Spots man.” What is a “People Spot”? Is it the red, green, or yellow dot that grows on somebody who attends church regularly. Absolutely not. Do you know someone who has a chair in their home that is their chair? It has been their chair for so long it is now form fit. The chair should probably be replaced, but it has really become a part of the person. They sit in their chair, eat in it, sleep in it, read in it, and watch television in it. It is “theirs!” It is their place of belonging. Never sit in someone’s chair even if they offer it to you. They will wish that you would leave for as long as they you are sitting in it. A “People Spot” is a person’s place of belonging in a church. It is their special place. “People Spots” reside in small groups. There are no “People Spots” in worship unless the service of worship has an average of less than 35. If that is the case, then worship itself will act like a small group. A “People Spot” is three dimensional. There has to be a physical space or a chair to sit on. There has to be a relational space or an opportunity to know a few people well. It is never important for everybody to know everybody else in a church. It is extremely important that everyone knows a few other people well. There has to be the opportunity for some of my felt needs to be met. It is the latter two parts of the definition that make the concept complicated. It is sometimes difficult for church people to understand there can be empty pews and chairs and no empty “People Spots.” A person will generally drop out of a church if they haven’t found a “People Spot” in six to twelve months. It is a place where the person is known by name, feels needed and wanted, and is missed if they are absent. A membership class is a classic illustration. A new person begins to attend. They like the pastor and church. They express an interest in joining. The new members class is their small group. It is where their “People Spot” resides. Everything is fine until the day of the induction as new members. Their small group ends. Their “People Spot” is destroyed. They are told to find a small group. They feel abandoned. In their mind they had a small group. Many times they will become sporadic at church within their first six months of membership and then drop out. It is difficult for a person to enter a small group that is more than eighteen months old. Once small groups are formed, they become closed. There is no such thing as open small groups. That is an oxymoron. So churches need to regularly add a variety of small groups for people to find their places of belonging. I also believe there is a “Primary People Spot” for each individual. Most active persons in a church will have more than one “People Spot.” But most people have one of them that they will die for. Other groups may close or be significantly changed. That is okay. But when the group housing their “Primary People Spot” closes, they will disappear from the church. I first began using the term “People Spots” in the early 1980’s. It is not outdated. However, I believe the concept is age old. Create “People Spots” so people can experience their place of belonging in the church. _____________________ Read about Jim's seminars and books. _____________________ October 27, 2005. Volume 8, Issue
17.
People Spots Online
is prepared by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants. It is provided as a service by New Life
Ministries, www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org.
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