Planting Churches among the City's Poor - Volume 1

352 • P LANTING C HURCHES AMONG THE C ITY ’ S P OOR : V OLUME 1

III. Know to Whom You Are Called: Your Community.

I become all things to all people in order that I might win some.

~ The Apostle Paul

A. Do your homework before you arrive in the community.

1. Use standardized reference sources (demographic and statistical volumes).

2. Population, major newspapers, industry and commerce, museums, places of interest, universities, art galleries, museums, etc.

3. Do your library work to unearth data on your city.

a. History and background

b. Cultural distinctives

c. Local personages and legends

d. Ongoing neighborhood issues and concerns

e. Places of importance

B. Enter the scene as a learner.

1. Adopt the mindset of a student of the community.

2. Keep a record of your experience and insights.

3. Formulate questions and seek to answer them.

4. Spend ample time learning about the city in general, and the history of the community to which you are called.

5. Judith Lingenfelter, Biola – set aside the first 3-6 months for learning the ethnographics of the community.