Unchurched Friends

#1 Brian
> What are a few issues or topics that impact/interest you?
- Why is global warmer making me colder?
- Alternative energy? Anytime soon? No? All right then.
- Why are people from Boston and New York so pompous?
- Save the Penguins. Both the animal and the hockey team.

> What is the greatest need in your area?
I don't really know, I don't get out too much. Port Authority has a money shortage, so they've had to cut down routes when they should just be going to the state and whining for more money. Pittsburgh also needs a new multi-purpose arena. The Pirates need some power out of their 6 hitter and consistency from their pitching staff.

> Who or what organization(s) are addressing that need, if any?
Well, Port Authority route changes are pretty much a done deal I believe, so there's not much to do. Gov. Rendell is working with the city to finance a new arena. Xavier Nady is looking to put up 20-25 HR this year.

> Do you think the church, universal, has a responsibility to meet this need?
Not really for any of these needs. Although I'll be praying for Nady, and I'll enjoy all the accompaniment I can get.

> Are you actively attending a church/mass?
Not at school, but I do at home, rarely. I should go to St. Paul's sometime down here though, I've heard it's gorgeous.

> Why do you think many people don't attend church?
Laziness and disdain for being scolded. Some preachers seem more interested in pointing out all the faults of the congregation than allowing Christ to enter their lives. So sitting through a scathing sermon, followed by tossing 5% of your salary into the collection basket, can cause one to second guess one's desire to return to church.
But then there are others who simply don't feel that they should have to conform their own faith to a common belief structure of a church. They would rather hold onto their own beliefs without compromising them.

> What kinds of things would prompt someone to start going to church who had not in previous years?
Natural disasters, terrorist attacks, deaths in the family, losing a job, divorce, trouble with the law, midlife crisis, etc. Basically, tragic events.

> If you were looking for a church, what kinds of things would you look for?
It depends on the person I would think. If you already have some sort of faith, you would look for a church that would fit with that faith. If you're starting from scratch, then you would find the church that gives you the feeling in your soul and enables you to better communicate and connect with Christ.

> What advice can you give to pastors who really want to be helpful to people?
Listen and be empathetic. If everyone could only listen to others and have the ability to put themselves in another's situation, that'd be just about all the world would need. Or at least it'd be a good start.


#2 Alex
Interviewer:What are a few issues or topics that interest you or that you feel passionately about?

Alex: The War in Iraq, city art and cars

Interviewer:What is the greatest need in your area?

Alex: hmm... higher paying jobs...

I:Who or what organizations are addressing the needs, if any?

A:Well that I know of the PCC have been helping out with higher paying jobs by taking high school graduates and letting them work for a higher education, congress is taking care of Iraq, and mainly Japan has been focusing on the modern car industry

I:Do you think the church has any responsibility or say in these matters?

A:Yes

I:Which issues, in what ways?

A:The church can help the job placement by using the opportunity of helping with job placement (not solely the church's responsibility, but whatever helps the community out yunno) and the church usually informs the general public on which candidate stands for what and helps with petitions dealing with the government

I:Are you actively attending a church/mass?

A: Sometimes, but you couldn't really call it “actively”.

I:Why do you think that many people who don't attend church regularly, don't attend?

A:Laziness, there is no habit of going, fear of meeting new people, or they prefer to use their "time off- wisely"

I:If you had just come to a new community and were looking for a church, what kind of things would you look for?

A:hmm.... see how often I see a flier from a certain church lying around

I:What type of flier, or any type?

A:Pretty much any type

I:What advice can you give pastors who really want to help people?

A:Do not to be afraid to help people, sure there will be shut downs, but there will also plenty of opportunities and open doors

I:Awesome thanks

#3 Anthony
>What are a few issues or topics that impact/interest you?
Gay Rights, the Environment, and Politics
>What is the greatest need in your area?
High School dropouts. Pretty much no one graduates high school in this area anymore. And the ones who do, they just go off to college and then when they graduate move someplace better so we're left with just hicks and high school dropouts.
>Who or what organization(s) are addressing that need, if any?
Well, mr. bush is suppose to be taking care of the education system with no child left behind, but we can all see how well that's working. The teachers and the students all hate it, and it doesn't help at all for kids who want to drop out, that only hurts the school. Some people learn that, and they drop out just to hurt their school on purpose. Yeah, nclb is supposed to be to be addressing this need, but it's not. Abolish it!
>Do you think the church, universal, has a responsibility to meet this need?
No not really. The church has no place in education. And christian schools are immune to nclb anyways.
>Are you actively attending a church/mass?
I go with my family on Christmas and Easter, but other than that no. When i go i don't care it's just tradition anyway. even the pastor knows it's tradition because im pretty sure he preaches the same thing every time.
>Why do you think many people don't attend church?
Its boring. Nothing that they talk about relates to real life. This is a scientific world, and the fantasy world of the bible is just unbelievable most people.
>What kinds of things would prompt someone to start going to church who had not in previous years?
A tragedy in their life or the life of one of their loved ones.
>If you were looking for a church, what kinds of things would you look for?
It would have to be a place accepting of all lifestyles.
>What advice can you give to pastors who really want to be helpful to people?
Don't be afraid to go out into the real world and learn how to relate to real people. Pastors are all shut up in their church and they act weird when in public.

#4 Renee
What are a few issues or topics that impact/interest you?
Drugs, music, Invisible Children (Children being drafted into war in Uganda)

What is the greatest need in your area?
Battered and abused women and kids.

Who or what organization(s) are addressing that need, if any?
The Catholic Charities is doing alot, they are a national organization that does alot of good things.

Do you think the church, universal, has a responsibility to meet this need?
Not really, people need to take care of themselves. Everyone is responsible only for themself, but if the church wants to help out then i guess that's ok. I mean, they help out anyway, but its not really their responsibility.

Are you actively attending a church/mass?
Eh, no.

Why do you think many people don't attend church?
It's a waste of time and they have better things to do.

What kinds of things would prompt someone to start going to church who had not in previous years?
Death of a loved one or a holiday.

If you were looking for a church, what kinds of things would you look for?
A place where people are not judgmental and they accept people as they are without trying to change them.

What advice can you give to pastors who really want to be helpful to people?
Don't try to force your beliefs on other people.

Faith Formation Project

Section 1: Why start this ministry?
A. State your calling. How is it that you believe God is working to bring you to launch this ministry?
My calling is two-fold and primarily unclear at this point. I am to plant a church, I believe in the states, but I'm not sure, and I am to be a missionary, in the classical sense, to somewhere in the Middle East, I do not know where yet. There I will minister to Muslims. In this project I am, totally apart from any divine inspiration, attempting to combine my callings into a unified ministry that will combine aspects of both.
B. Briefly state your vision. What will this ministry look like in five years?
This ministry is meant to be a Mosque for lovers of Christ. I want to create a place where Muslims can maintain their cultural identity and traditions while placing their focus on Christ. In five years, I hope to have a center that can minister to the needs of American Muslims who have converted to Christianity. In terms of numbers, I think that about 40 adults in attendance would be a good goal for five years. There will be times of prayer conducted 5 times a day. Worship services that combine the post-modern church and the typical Jum'ah service will take place on Fridays, in keeping with common Islamic practice. Everything will be directed at worship of Jesus, the Father God and the Holy Spirit as a triune being, but the balance between what looks “Christian” and what looks “Muslim” will be a product of the will of the congregation.

I also would like to have my Mosque do ministry to the poor and needy of the area. This would be almost necessary being that, according to a 2001 Study by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, 70% of mosques in America provide some sort of assistance for the needy. According tot he same study, 20% of mosque contain schools, but for this mosque that would be more of a long-term possibility than a pressing need.
C. Why is there a need for a ministry in this area?

I plan to plant this Mosque is Patterson, New Jersey. According to a study done in 2000 by The Association of Religion Data Archives, New Jersey had the highest concentration of Muslims n America, 14.35 per 1000 people. According to the same study, Passaic County has the greatest concentration of Muslims in New Jersey, 45.8 per 1000 people. Comparatively, for all Evangelical denominations combined in Passaic County there are only 31.9 adherents per 1000 people. There is an obvious need for a Christian ministry directed at Muslims in the area.

Section 2: Who is your ministry focus group?
A. Describe your ministry focus group. Include appropriate demographics

The ministry focus group is Muslims and Christians who have recently been converted from Islam. The US Census Bureau cannot gather religious information based on national law, but on their website they directed to a number of private organizations. According to a study done with the 2000 census by The Association of Religion Data Archives, New Jersey had the highest concentration of Muslims n America, 14.35 per 1000 people. According to the same study, Passaic County has the greatest concentration of Muslims in New Jersey, 45.8 per 1000 people. Comparatively, for all Evangelical denominations combined in Passaic County there are only 31.9 adherents per 1000 people.
B. Describe the particular needs of your group/community.

My group needs to be able to worship Christ in a safe environment while maintaining their cultural identity. The new converts would need a large amount of discipleship and Biblically founded teaching on what is true and what is not. Islam and Christianity use many of the same “characters” in their texts, but the personalities and the divine aspects of the characters' lives are commonly interpreted very differently.
C. Describe the proposed location, if necessary.

The proposed location would be in the suburbs of Patterson New Jersey. Hopefully, a location would be available that would be in a neutral location in terms of the nearby religious atmosphere while simultaneously being within easy driving distance of a number of Muslim-dominated communities.
D. What are some possible names for your new ministry?

I have no idea what I will name this. Preferably, I would like to have mosque in the name and avoid anything that was outrightly Christian, while still giving the message that this mosque is different from the other ones in the area.
E. How will you determine the name?

I would like to be able to go from church to church in the area and interview former Muslims who have converted to Christianity about what they would imagine a Christian mosque would look like and what its name should be. From the pool of ideas generated something useful must come.

Section 3: What kind of ministry are you trying to start?
A. State up to, but not exceeding, eight core values of your new ministry.

1. There is only one true God who has revealed Himself in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

2. All the 66 books of the cannon of the Bible are inspired of God and are the infallible revelation of God to man and the final rule of faith and conduct.

3. All mankind is innately marred by sin and is in need of salvation that can only come through faith in the atoning work of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the only Son of God by grace.

4. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a Scripturally backed experience that empowers believers to do the work ordained for them on this earth and is normally evidenced by speaking in tongues.

B. State and expand your mission statement.

Our mission is to provide a safe place for Christian converts from Islam to worship and pray to the one true God within their own cultural context.

Many converts from Islam are persecuted not only overseas, but also in America, our goal will be to provide as much as we can to keep our adherents safe a well taken care of. Christian ministries are very focused on white, middle-class Americans. The church causes people to become a part of the church culture in order to be Christian. The goal of this ministry will be to allow people to maintain their cultural identity while worshiping.

C. What style of ministry will this be? What "model" will you use?

The basic model for this ministry will be like a church that is planted in a foreign context. This will not even be a home missions church. Everything will be considered cross-culturally. In terms of missions styles, this will be pioneer missions in that the pastor, Imam, and his very small staff, if any, will carry out almost all of the tasks of the church at first and then after a few years and, hopefully, a few converts the members can begin to be worked into the leadership structure.
D. Draw your ministry flow chart as your presently envision it.

E. Describe your ideal launch team.

In my research, I found that most mosques in America (78%) have one part-time leader who also works a second job. That will be my starting point. My launch team would consist of myself and my wife. Both of us will work other jobs at first if necessary. I will deal with the “pastoral” functions and male counseling, and she will deal with counseling the women.

Small Group Project

In my 20's small group at my church, we used the icebreaker ball that was used in class for one session. They actually had two of the inflatable balls. One was very general things that anyone in any walk of life could use and relate to. The second was a more church-focused one. It had questions that were very non-threatening to anyone of any Christian denomination, but it was still very useful for lightly getting to know each other as Christians. That week we happened to have group from YWAM Nashville visiting the church. It worked as an activity to let us get to know them and let them get to know us. The inflatable balls with icebreaker questions would work very well as an opener for almost any small group so long as it is a small enough group. I don't think that this would work well in too large of a group because by the time everyone had had a chance to speak even once it would have consumed all of the time available. In my small group, there were enough people to make it interesting, the same people aren't speaking the whole time, and yet there were few enough people that everyone was able to speak twice without taking more than the allotted time. Overall, I think that the icebreaker balls are a great discipleship tool.