Urban Mission Ministry
The reason that I took this class is because of my position as a youth leader in an inner city church. It was not long after the Lord sent me to work in Urban Missions that I realized that I was extremely out of my league. First of all, the only experience that I previously had working with children was at the local juvenile detention center. However at the jail the children were handcuffed and had to listen to me. Just kidding, but seriously working at the jail does present easier circumstances.
The second bit of trouble that I ran into over at the church was that I had never ministered to people in poverty before. I have learned that there are "hidden rules" between the classes, and in order for me to reach individuals with the Gospel, I must first do a form of pre-evangelism and teach the individuals the "hidden rules" of the middle class.
My first couple of months at the church produced very little fruit among the very children that I was hired to reach. It was here that I decided to take this class and receive all the help that I could get. All in all, I enjoy working at the church, and I am extremely blessed to be a part of the wonderful ministry that is Cincinnati Urban Promise. I have included the ministry promotional video below. I believe that it should be watched before reading the two assignments that I have included. The video will provide the reader with a greater appreciation and understanding of what is detailed in Urban Missions. In addition, it will bring to life my two papers in a way that words can not do.
The second bit of trouble that I ran into over at the church was that I had never ministered to people in poverty before. I have learned that there are "hidden rules" between the classes, and in order for me to reach individuals with the Gospel, I must first do a form of pre-evangelism and teach the individuals the "hidden rules" of the middle class.
My first couple of months at the church produced very little fruit among the very children that I was hired to reach. It was here that I decided to take this class and receive all the help that I could get. All in all, I enjoy working at the church, and I am extremely blessed to be a part of the wonderful ministry that is Cincinnati Urban Promise. I have included the ministry promotional video below. I believe that it should be watched before reading the two assignments that I have included. The video will provide the reader with a greater appreciation and understanding of what is detailed in Urban Missions. In addition, it will bring to life my two papers in a way that words can not do.
Field Assignment A
Be sure to study the article "Colonizing" before doing this assignment. Your resulting report should show that you have digested the thoughts from that article. “I’m finished” I have completed 100% of this assignment Arrange an interview with the leader of a denomination or mission organization either by phone or in person. The organization must be one that has church planting as a goal. Interview conducted with Pastor Abe Brandyberry of Cincinnati Urban Promise The purpose of the interview is to find out how church planting is typically accomplished in that organization. The Pastor and his wife planted this church in Cincinnati at 4139 Kirby Ave which is off of Colerain Ave in the community of North Side. In addition, to the locating, purchasing and development of this property, they also have received a property that is one block up; which will be used for education purposes. In my interview with the Pastor I asked him the following questions: How is a place for church planting decided? The pastor responded that they were conducting a small group when the need presented itself. Abe shared that it was a leading from God that inspired them to pursue the above mentioned property within this particular neighborhood. The pastor went onto say that “They were working with another ministry, (in the small group) and a lot of the people there where driving in and leaving the community with the “see you next week” commitment. There was no connection to the people who lived in the neighborhood. It was a lot of people who use to live here.” It was here that the Pastor and his wife decided to answer the need of the community rather than a mother church conducting a pastor planting. They went onto inquire of the Holy Spirits leading to locate the property. Who does the actual onsite ministry? This part of the ministry for the last five years has been conducted mostly (98%) by the pastor and his wife. There has also been a small group of volunteers from time to time. However, the everyday consistent ministry is conducted by these two individuals with little help from others (minus donations and funding). How would you describe the church planting pastor or team? I would describe them as overworked, and underpaid. The Pastor is always busy conducting the day to day operations such as; food pantry, transportation, evangelism, accounting, pastoring, awareness, fund raising prospects, training seminars, and so many more things. In addition to all this he has to work a regular full-time job throughout the week, along with being a husband and a father and a mentor. His wife is just as equally busy with such things as; community programs and awareness, food pantry, budgeting, mentoring, in school programs, and many other things. In addition, she is a wife and a mother, along with functioning in the role of a mother to many of the young adults who come to the church. What training and skills qualify the leader of the ministry? The pastor would be the first to tell you that nothing qualifies you for something like this. However, I have noticed many qualities such as; commitment, dedication, perseverance, selflessness, living in the community, and his ordination. What training and preparation does your organization provide? When I asked the pastor this question he referred to the mother church that we have to operate under to receive and conduct our license, and he said that “The Nazarene church requires us to go to a new start pastor assessment (3 day interview, exercises in ministry planting) panel where people observe us. Several pastors from all across the country attend this and offer constructive criticism, and affirm what is done right. They either approve or disapprove and you may have to come back the next year. This is much like the training that the article spoke of when it said “They know what to expect because they visited places where it is being done and received training just as they should have if they were going to a foreign country.” How is the starting of a new church funded? The pastor shared his particular start by saying “A lot of times in the Nazarene church there is a parent church that funds a new start. We were funded through district. It depends through districts how the funding works. Sometimes old dying church resources go to starting of a new church. At other times advisory boards provide donations. We have keep going on our starting funding by the nature of our ministry. We are not supported by the people who come to the church.” This is much like the article from this week’s assignment that mentioned “But in the inner city, attracting people does not automatically mean attracting money. It is possible to pull together a sizeable congregation and still have no money to operate a normal church budget.” Conclusion The way that this church was founded, procured, and is maintained is anything but typical from that of suburban models of church planting. The beginning started out much the same as a suburban model; with the prompting of the Spirit. However, there was not the same kind of commitment or tactics used by suburban model. I am not only impressed by their methods for church planting, but I am also honored to be a part of what they are doing. The method of this church planting could be summed up in this; find the need, trust and wait on the Lord to reveal his path, answer and meet the need, commit to the need. |
Field Assignment C
Before doing this assignment, review the articles provided in week five. “I’m finished” I have completed 100% of this assignment. Interview a pastor about the relationship between his church and its neighborhood. Report your findings and evaluate. Interview conducted with Pastor Abe Brandyberry of Cincinnati Urban Promise The questions that I asked are as follows: What percentage of the congregation lives within 10 blocks of the church building? 90% How often does the congregation do outreach within 10 blocks? It is done multiple times each week. In addition, it is consistently done every week. What form does outreach take? It takes on multiple forms such as; community meetings, in school programs, mentoring, community meals, transportation, community food pantry, community summer camp, and the once a year community parade. What kind of needs in the neighborhood does your church respond to? Food, clothing, transportation, financial, after school educational/ relational mentoring, and coming soon job training called jobs for life, How is your church perceived by the neighborhood? The Pastor had the following to say “Some windows get busted, although most would describe the church as loving place that people can come as they are and find God. Most who are Christians have come through our various ministries that we offer. Non-attendees like some of our ministries and community council would agree with this assessment of us. They see our church as valuable to the community. Within the nine churches in the area that are all on a team together for the betterment of the community, we are the one that the others send people too” How do you deal with security issues? The pastor had the following answer “Jesus, and the Home depot.” After a good laugh he went on to explain that “we have no security system. God has protected us many times.” There was one time in particular where an angry man was outside waving a gun and he was calling for church members to come outside; the pastor had to call the police, and keep everyone in. At other times I myself have seen fights break out of insignificant issues. The Pastor shared that “crowd control is easier said than done. There are times when people are asked to leave. We are not afraid of excommunication, but this is a last resort.” I have sadly seen this be the case. How often does someone walk into your church with a request? Every time the doors open, and then some. The Pastor is up there at the church every day and the community knows his truck. How do you respond to requests for financial help? Pastor Abe said the following “It varies; it depends in each case first, if we are able. Secondly, if we don’t know the person, we refer them to other non-profits where that is what they do. Lastly, if someone in the church needs the money; they work for the money, along with a series of questions such as ‘why do you not have the money?’ ‘Is this going to be a problem again next month?’ ‘If we help you out where exactly will the money go?” Conclusion I work at this church and I am there multiple times throughout the week; even though I do not live in the community, I am a part of the community. As previously mentioned the majority of the church is members of the community within a ten block radius. This church is very much a part of its community. The church is community, and the community is the church |