Where is the mission field? Who is the missionary?

Monte Sahlin Director of Research & Special Projects Seventh-day Adventist Church Ohio Conference

Mansfield as a Mission Field o Richland County has a population of

125,000 o City of Mansfield has a population of

49,871 o Who are these people? How do they

make a living? What are their needs? o Unemployment is now near 15% o One in five live below the poverty line

Adventist Presence o  Richland County

has 1 Adventist per each 497 population

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 Richland County

Other1%

Catholic9%

Evangelical*14%Unchurched

61%

Protestant15%

Average Church Attendance in Richland County o  22% of the population attends worship

on a typical weekend n  13.5% attend an Evangelical church n  4.9% attend a Mainline Protestant church n  3.5% attend a Catholic church

o Church attendance increased 9.7% during the 1990s n  A 39% increase in Evangelical churches n  16% decline in Mainline Protestant ch’s n  20% decline in Catholic churches

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

Strategy of the Ohio Conference

“Cultivate an environment within which God’s people discern God’s direction and activities in them and for the communities in which they find themselves; that releases the missional imagination of the people of God; that empowers congregations to live and act as the missional people of God.”

Public Awareness o Nine surveys over the past decade:

Random telephone interviews of the general public.

o Overall Results: n  Two-thirds of the people have never

heard of the Seventh-day Adventist Church

n  Less than one in ten can give one true fact about the Church

o We are invisible!

Summary of Public Surveys

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?

How far do you live from your church?

Community Service by Adventist Churches

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

New [Old?] Paradigm for Adventist Church

Spirituality Community involvement

Intention Atmosphere

Sabbath events for the non-churched

“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 be …

o  “Incarnational” = representing Christ

o  “Transformational” = change the quality of life

What Ohio Churches are Doing o Good Neighbor House in Dayton o Agora Community Bookstore in Mason

(Cincinnati Village Church) o Haven of Hope in Toledo o ACTS thrift store in Mount Vernon o Community Services Centers in

Newark, Medina and Barberton

Teen Esteem drop-in center

A Church that Meets in a Community Center

Night Out Against Crime in Cleveland’s Westside

Toledo Street Fair

Toledo Street Fair

Toledo Street Fair

Adventist youth built a neighborhood park in Pittsburgh

Youth Emergency Service YES Corps

Bucyrus Emergency Center Ohio ACS Disaster Response

Bucyrus Emergency Center Ohio ACS Disaster Response

Bottom Line Question o Are we authentic people of hope who

bring with us a tangible sense of “the hope that is in Jesus” or a hope-filled quality of life?

o Does your congregation (or at least a core group) want to become that kind of people?

My Work o  I can conduct an initial assessment of the

community and the congregation o  If the church appoints a Community

Mission Team, I will help them do an in-depth study to identify needs and options

o  We will help you build your project on research, creativity and spiritual foundation

o  We will provide coaching and technical assistance to empower local leaders

My Challenge to You o  Pray for the lost and suffering in

Mansfield and Richland County 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  You are the missionary!

If you want to read more … o Mission in Metropolis o Understanding Your Community o One Minute Witness

www.adventsource.org (800) 328-0525