Using Community Knowledge for

INTERDISCIPLINARY ESSAYS 45

Using Community Knowledge for Place-Based Ministry: Interdisciplinary Engagement from Geography and Urban Ministry

Travis Bradshaw, Associate Professor of Geography, College of Arts & Sciences James Hobson, Instructor of Urban Ministry, John W. Rawlings School of Divinity

Geographers and urban ministers have the opportunity to work together to address the spiritual needs of urbanites. For this article, urban ministry is concerned with ministry in city centers. Geographers can collect demographic information that provides ministers with targeted knowledge and can make recommendations to ministers for locating accessible churches, including the repurposing of former churches or unused buildings. Ministers can combine geographic knowledge and ministerial knowledge to establish church presence, embrace diversity, and enlist local disciples. This article describes areas of collaboration between geographers and urban ministers for establishing and strengthening urban churches.

Acquire Demographic Information

Geographic information helps urban ministers to be more effective. Geographers can build an overall community assessment or profile for planning church outreach. Census related age, race, education, and income information at the zip code or smaller block group level is available for free at census.gov. Denominational agencies, such as the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia and the North American Mission Board, provide localized demographic reports

for churches. For nominal fees, the Mapping Center for Evangelism and Church Growth provides detailed demographic information, such as ethnicity, language(s) spoken, presence of children, age ranges, marital status, etc. for individual houses within a church’s service area. Geographers can design a combination of targeted phone, internet, and face-to-face intercept surveys that may include items on religious backgrounds, religious preferences, willingness to interact with religious organizations, community needs, information acquisition preferences, and language needs, to assess community ministry preferences.

Research Structures and Locations

Geographers and urban ministers can conduct research on available ministry structures and locations. Regular attendance at mainline churches is falling dramatically.1 As a result, the United States has many vacant or underutilized churches. Buying, leasing, or even accepting ownership of closing mainline churches is a wonderful repurposing for Christ’s Kingdom. Buildings designed as churches should take the highest priority; however, many other vacant or underutilized buildings can be purposed as churches.

Geographers can conduct research on location and acquisition factors. Windshield surveys are systematic observations taken from a moving vehicle that allow for the observation of area characteristics. They are useful for determining the presence or absence of functioning churches, traffic flows at service times, and the amount of activity on the streets or within the community.2 Churches should be located along intersections or main roads, in locations where ample parking is available. Locations along bus or rail stops are preferable. Urban ministers and staff members should ensure that adjacent bus stops are clean and covered, and bicycle racks are placed at all main entrances to church facilities. Once potential repurposed church facilities are identified, ministers should work on acquiring the location. This involves contacting city tax assessors, real estate agents, or denominational headquarters of vacated churches for information on leasing or purchasing.

For example, Minister James Hobson and Rev. Dr. Keith Anderson combined their ministry efforts to form the successful Hill City Community Church (HC3), a multi-ethnic and multi-generational church in Lynchburg, Virginia. They repurposed a beautiful church structure in a prime location, on a main road, at an intersection, by a bus stop. The building has appealing amenities, such as accessible ramps, extensive nearby parking, stained-glass windows, and a pipe organ.

Establish Presence

Urban ministers must be visible in their communities to promote ministry efforts. They should use geographical and community knowledge to seek prime locations for outreach efforts. There are a variety of location options for establishing presence, such as attendance at community events, weddings, funerals, K-12 schools, college events, parades, restaurant openings, or business openings. Outreach also applies to individuals in locations with aging populations, such as in hospitals, rehab centers, and nursing homes. In order to disseminate information widely in a geographic area, churches should provide weekly emailed announcements, social media posts, and an updated church website with a calendar. These are standard means for establishing presence in a community.

Prayer walking is an effective outreach tool for urban clergy and lay members, because of the high population density and the presence of sidewalks. Geographers can support prayer walk efforts by creating custom maps. The HC3 congregation practices prayer walk contact throughout the year. Prayer walking opens doors for engagement, with opportunities to reach out to different people groups. Conversations on sidewalks, porches, and lawns help establish presence and spread the love of Christ. Mingling and making efforts to engage in discourse, just as Jesus did, can turn seemingly hard and cold glares to warm and welcoming smiles.

Embrace Diversity

Christian geographers and urban ministers should account for shifting demographics in urban ministry planning. Paul outlines in 1 Corinthians 9:19-22 how Christians should find common ground with all people for the purpose of reaching the lost. Cities are undergoing racial and ethnic shifts.3 In addition, many urban areas are undergoing gentrification. Gentrification efforts revitalize city centers, but raise housing costs, which may lead to population displacement. The urban minister should attempt to acquire relevant knowledge pertaining to people in the church’s geographic service area. The evangelistic church must find ways to open its doors and proactively practice outreach to everyone living and moving into urban areas. This may necessitate cultural training, foreign language acquisition, and/or the hiring of a translator or bilingual staff member.

Ministering to diverse groups may present challenges; therefore, urban ministers should plan accordingly. As Ed Stetzer states, “In a world where our culture is increasingly diverse, and many pastors are talking about diversity, it appears most people are happy where they are and with whom they are. Yet, it’s hard for Christians to say they are united in Christ when they are congregating separately.”4 All should feel welcome and actively invited to worship.

Urban church programs should reflect the demographic diversity of the church and the community. The music ministry is a way to showcase diversity. Musicians and staff members, wherever possible, should be reflective of the congregation and of the local community. Music is a universal language, where emotions and feelings can cross linguistic barriers.5 According to 1 Corinthians 9:22b, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” This principle extends to finding common ground in worship, including with diverse musical languages, styles, and approaches. Multi-service churches often vary musical styles to target congregants of various

demographic groups. Many ministers have developed English as a second language courses, deaf ministries, and special needs ministries. Some churches have taken the additional step of hiring campus pastors and trained worship teams to hold alternative service times for congregants in their native language.

Sociologist Dr. Harold Bare is a successful urban pastor. Since 1981, he has pastored Covenant Church in Charlottesville, Virginia, where the University of Virginia has a global draw. Bare advocates for support of foreign missions, in addition to localized personal invitations to worship. His church has transformed its congregation to one that claims members from over twenty countries. Bare encourages parishioners to attend church in their native dress. He has hired and worked with pastors of various backgrounds from all over the world and his church sponsors international food nights as a means of outreach to the community.6

Intentionally Enlist Local Disciples

Effective ministry utilizes local geographic knowledge and human resources. For example, the international missions organization, Advancing Native Missions, prioritizes training natives for local ministry. They report that natives know the people and culture, usually have a similar standard of living, understand the needs of the locals, and understand potential ministry barriers.7 Natives can provide unique perspectives to geographers and urban ministers on neighborhood ministry mindsets. They are invaluable in local planning and to the overall church ministry.

Informed Outreach

In ministry, it is important to obey God and to reach out to others. Luke writes in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” This verse emphasizes the importance of ministry and outreach. Each urban area is unique, containing its own mix diversity, and has people who need the presence and encouragement of believers in their lives. Geographers and urban ministers should arm themselves with evangelistic knowledge and information about their surrounding community to be fully equipped for the work of the ministry.

1 Ed Stetzer, If It Doesn’t Stem Its Decline, Mainline Protestantism Has Just 23 Easters Left, The Washington Post, April 28, 2017.

2 Phil Rabinowtiz, “Windshield and Walking Surveys,” Community Assessment, Assessing Community Needs and Resources, (2019).

3 Pew Research Center, “Demographic and economic trends in urban, suburban and rural landscapes,” (2018).

4 Bob Smietana, Sunday Morning in America Still Segregated-and That’s OK with Worshipers,” (2015).

5 Heather Singmaster, “Why Music Is a Universal Language,” (2016).

6 Harold L, Bare, Sr, personal communication, October 16, 2019.

7 Advancing Native Missions, “About,” (n.d.), https:// advancingnativemissions.com/about/..