what is the mission of the dupont park...
TRANSCRIPT
What Is the Mission of the Dupont Park Church?
Monte Sahlin Senior Consultant Center for Creative Ministry
What is Christ’s mission? o Luke 4:16-19
n “good news to the poor” n “freedom for prisoners” n “recovery of sight for the blind” n “release the oppressed”
o Matthew 28:18-20 n Primary verb: “make disciples” n Helping verbs: “go … baptize … teach”
o Do the two passages contradict each other?
Upper Anacostia as a Mission Field
o Population of 103,794 o Who are these people? o Where do they live? o How do they make a living? o What are their needs? o What are their spiritual attitudes and
religious involvement?
The Adventist Presence o One Adventist per
623 people
o U.S. – 1 per 305 o World – 1 per 450
o Ghana – 1 per 73 o Fiji – 1 per 37 o New Guinea – 1 per 23 o Rwanda – 1 per 21 o Jamaica – 1 per 14 o Belize – 1 per 10
*Includes Adventists
Religious Profile of the District of Columbia
Unchurched27%
Orthodox1%
Catholic28%
Evangelical*14%
Other15%
Protestant19%
Average Church Attendance in the District of Columbia o 31.8% of the population attends
worship on a typical weekend o Church attendance declined 4% during
from 2000 through 2005
Source: American Church Research Project
The Challenge o What impact does your local church
have on the community? If your church were to close down, would anyone in the community notice?
o Jan Paulsen, General Conference President
Public Awareness o Nine surveys over the past decade:
Random telephone interviews with the general public.
o Key Question: “Have you ever heard of or read about the Seventh-day Adventist Church?”
o If they say Yes, follow-up question: “When you hear the name Seventh-day Adventist Church, what comes to mind?”
Surveys in More than 1,000 Adventist Local Churches
o The majority of our members do not live in the same community where the church is located.
o We drive in on Sabbaths and are absent the rest of the week.
o Are we seen as good neighbors?
Community Service by Adventist Churches
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Daycare/preschool
Substanceabuse
After-schoolprogram
Immigrantassistance
Healthscreening
Prisonministry
Clothingprogram
Foodpantry
Familyassistance
Adventistchurches Interfaithsample
Ellen White “I have been shown that in our labor … in
the large cities the work has not been as well organized or the methods of labor as efficient as in other churches that have not the great light we regard as so essential. Why is this? Because so many of our laborers have been those who love to preach, and a large share of the labor has been put forth in preaching.”
n Letter 34, 1892
Ellen White o “First meet the temporal needs of the
people, and relieve their physical wants and sufferings, and you will find an open avenue to the heart, where you may plant the good seed of virtue and religion.”
n Testimonies to the Church, Vol. 4, page 227
o “Preaching is a small part of the work to be done for the salvation of souls.”
n Review & Herald, August 22, 1899
An Adventist Missional Paradigm
“Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Savior mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.’”
n The Ministry of Healing, page 143
Measuring church growth o Number of regularly participating adults
as percentage of book membership o Number of regularly participating youth
as percentage of book membership o Change in number of regularly
participating adults over the last five years
o Percentage of adults involved in activities that strengthen faith (outside of worship)
Possible Predictors of Church Growth o Worship experiences o Congregational identity o Evangelistic outreach activities o Community service o Christian education o Specifically related to church growth
Church growth measured as a higher percent of participating adults
o Members excited about the future of the church
o Church helps members deepen their relationship with God
o Church sponsors a community service of employment counseling and/or job training
o Church sponsors a community service of senior citizens feeding program
Church growth measured as a higher percent of participating youth
o Church sponsors a community service of employment counseling and/or job training
o Church helps members deepen their relationship with God
o Church sponsors a community service of elderly, emergency or affordable housing
o Church sponsors a community service of substance abuse program
Church growth measured as an increase in active members
o Church is spiritually vital and alive o Members excited about the future of the
church o Special worship services are conducted for
the non-churched (“Friend Day” or “seeker service”)
o Members believe the local church has potential for growth
o Local church sponsors a community service of family counseling services
Church growth measured by involvement in spiritual growth
o All church activities are coordinated to focus on church growth
o Church helps members deepen their relationship with God
o Congregation welcomes innovation & change
o The local community is well-informed about church activities
Summary of Findings o 5 of 9 items are related to community
involvement o “Church deepens relationship with
God” correlated in 3 out of 4 clusters o Atmosphere in the congregation,
intention to grow and Sabbath evangelism are also important
Source: Adventist Congregations Today, Chapter 2
A New [Old?] Paradigm for the Adventist Church
Spirituality Community involvement
Intention Atmosphere
Sabbath events for the non-churched
An Adventist Missional Paradigm
“Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Savior mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.’”
n The Ministry of Healing, page 143
“Christ’s Method” Community assessment
Community visibility
Community service
Friendship Evangelism
Discipleship Program
The Mission of Christ o The mission that
Christ has given us is to …
o embody Christ; bring Christ to the people who need Him
o change the quality of life
Bottom Line Question o Are we authentic people of hope who
bring with us a tangible sense of “the hope that is in Jesus,” a hope that can be tasted and touched.
o Does your congregation (or at least a core group) want to become that kind of people?
My Challenge to You o Pray for the lost and suffering in
Upper Anacostia o Pray for God to open doors o Pray for the Holy Spirit to use your
imagination and show you want God wants you to do
o Pray for the Mission Assessment that will be presented in the near future.