Ministry on the West Coast

Jovan Payes Recharge 2011

Where to Start?

We have the same issues

we live. we love. we sin. we die.

California alone is home to 38,648,000 souls.

Ministry in the most populated region of the United States of America.

Add Oregon (3.8 million) and Washington (6.7 million), and that number reaches 49.1 million souls.

Los Angeles (4,094,764)

San Diego (1,376,173)

San Jose (1,023,083)

San Francisco (856,095)

Fresno (502,303)

Long Beach (494,709)

Sacramento (486,189)

Oakland (430,666)

Santa Ana (357,754)

Anaheim (353,643)

Portland, Oregon

583,776 souls

Seattle, Washington

608,660 souls

California alone is the 59th

largest geographical region in the world; larger than Paraguay but smaller than Iraq.

Add Oregon (9th largest) and Washington, and the West Coast is collectively the 46th

largest geographical region in the world; larger than Madagascar, and barely smaller than the Ukraine.

Demographics

Religion

Immigrant Cultures

Blue Collar

White Collar

Politics

Marriage Issues

Education

The enormity of our region makes our work different.

Numbers 13 speaks to our fears and temptations for disbelief in the face of great obstacles.

The testimony of Joshua and Caleb (Num. 14) calls us to remember that following the Lord is not about us…

It is about Him and His Power

and Faithfulness.

It is not About the Numbers

I recommend you visit www.fhu.edu/go for wonderful ways to Go and minister to our communities.

We go because we have a “wonderful message” to share.

No matter who you are

No matter what you have done

There is room for you in the

family of God.

We preach Jesus Christ and Him Crucified because it is here that the facts of Christianity are revealed.

But we live in subjection to God, because it is there that onlookers will see God’s people, and in turn see the love of God demonstrated.

We are to minister through teaching and equipping members of the church.

We are to minister though benevolent acts of love upon our brethren and our community.

We are to minister by receiving others as Christ has received us.

Being all things to all men

Hawaii

and

“Black Suit”

Multicultural Churches:

Melting Pot v. Tossed Salad

Tossed Salad

Source: Dr. Blackwelder, FHU

Recognize God as “multicultural”

Learn to celebrate differences

Move from cognitive to emotional comfort

Develop a need-based perspective

Be intentional in choices

Source: Dr. Blackwelder, FHU

Multi-linguistic Churches:

Subsidized v. Organized

Organized

Integrational – accommodations are made to allow for a few obvious linguistic and cultural differences

Multi-congregational – sharing of facilities, but in the same time and/or space. Groups are largely autonomous.

Intercultural (or multi-cultural) – One eldership, one budget, as much interaction as possible

Multi-modal – blends all of the above to some degree; esp. good in a ethnically diverse community

Source: Dr. Blackwelder, FHU

We need to be mission minded at the local level

We must find the local needs of our communities and find biblical solutions

to them.

We may need to learn new languages in order to reach our community.

We must not let the government be an excuse to run from being a benevolent

people.

We must learn how to raise the bar on reaching out in meaningful ways.

We must learn to reach those with whom we share a closer cultural

background.

The church overcame a world of cultural diversity.

We are built to thrive in a culturally diverse world.

We are called to faithfulness.