My interviewee for this round was a girl named Shelby. She is a girl who doesn't really have any ideas about church because he parents have never gone, and therefore she has never gone. I tried hard (especially today) to get her to think about church and to get her thinking about going. Here are the questions and answers.
What do you think is the greatest need in your area?
She couldn't answer this question for a few minutes, but then came back with "the only thing I can think of is like a park". This was just because in this area there isn't anything she knows of where you can just walk without traffic near you.
Are you actively attending any church?
No, she says this is because he parents never have, so she hasn't seen a was or a reason to.
What are a few issues or topics that impact/interest you?
She decided not the answer this one, she couldn't figure out what it meant. At the beginning she said she liked math, and I assume that's because she thought it was asking about what subjects in school she likes.
Why do you think most people don't attend church?
Just as my other interviewees, she gave the "because it's boring" answer. I think many people have a view of church that is very warped. She thought this simply because other people told her that they were bored in church, but not from personal experience.
If you were to look for a church to attend, what kind of things would you look for?
She would want a fun service. Something that was short, entertaining, and to the point without guilt trips and being preached at, whereas we want her to be preached for.
What advice can you give to pastors who really want to be helpful to people?
With help from others present, (regretfully, because I already interviewed one of the people there, who was the one who chose to give the most information towards this subject.)she said they should listen and have some true perspective for the other person's side.
Added note: one girl at the table contributed that she couldn't talk to a pastor because she felt like a 40 year old man (emphasis on man) couldn't be compatible with a girl her age. I think there may be some underlying things that needs to be spoken about with a pastor or counselor, but how can we get her to talk to them, when she's so ardent about keeping her problems away from the people who could help the most?
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
church rater #3 March 29th, 2009
The Church
What Church did you visit?
VFCC chapel
What city or town is this Church located?
Outside of Philidelphia.
What date and service did you attend?
Evaluating
How would you rate this church?
Please provide ratings based on your own experience. Yes, I realize this is subjective and your '1′ might be someone else's '5′. That's ok. It's your rating and I really want your opinion.
Rate the following from 1 to 5. 1 is not effective, 5 is very effective!
Overall: _____4______ Friendliness _____4________ Singing ______5______ Preaching ____3_____
First Impressions
Outside:
Was the building easy to find? Yes, it was part of the Valley Forge campus.
Was it difficult to find parking?No, we walked.
How about the interior or exterior signage- what would you do differently? No.
What did the appearance, style, or construction of the building communicate to you?
That it was a nice place that focused on music and learning about God.
Before the service:
Did anyone approach you and speak to you before the service got underway? No, but I was there as part of breakaway.
If someone did speak to you, how did you feel about that?
Can you share their names?
Did you know them before the visit?
General observations:
As you observed the people "doing their church thing", what went through your mind?
The worship team was very into God and into the spirit, but a lot of teenagers there were not.
Were you able to understand why they do what they do? Yes, I could.
Do they seem sincere? Very much so.
What do you think about the overall presentation of the service? (the liturgy, program or flow of the service) It went through smoothly, not much trouble with that, which is could, because it went unnoticed.
Bulletin and communications:
Is there anything in the church bulletin that you find confusing or offensive?
I did not receive one, I don't believe they use bulletins.
If this were your "business", how would you improve the communication part of it- the bulletin especially? Maybe simply to have some communication, but since it was a retreat there was information everywhere.
Were announcements clear, and interesting (did you want to sign up for anything)? I didn't think there were announcements.
Children's Ministry
Does this church appear kid-friendly? No, it was a college chapel.
Did you bring any children with you to the service? No.
If so, ask them about their experience. What did they tell you?
Music and Prayer
How would you describe the music? Modern, but with a hint of toning back the modern because of the retreat, I think.
Did you enjoy any of it?Yes, very much.
Did you feel like you connected with God during any part of it? Yes, but since there were so many teenagers and rowdy folk, it was tough.
How was it different from what you are used to? More people, and a few things like focus were missing for the audience.
Would you enjoy worshiping like that often? Not as much as other places, but I can see myself there.
What did you think of the prayers that were offered in the service? They were well spoken, intriguing.
As you listened to the prayers, what did you learn about how that church might think of people, or of God? They are very AG there, but I didn't hear any praying in tongues, which for me, would've been nice.
The Speaker's Presentation
Did the Pastor or speaker seem likable? Likable, yes.
Is he/she a person you might enjoy having coffee with? Why? Probably not, I see a lot of smoke and not a lot of plan, which I like to see the smoke, but I need to the plans too.
Did he/she seem engaged/sincere/condescending?
Yes, to all but condescending.
Were you motivated to do or think anything differently because of the talk?
Not really.
What could they have done to make it more enjoyable or useful?
I just don't enjoy his (Reggie Dabbs) Style of preaching.
Please erase any of the following descriptors that did not apply to the talk: Boring(probably only my point of view, he does a great job at getting the kids involved with his sermon), Relevant, Gloomy, Energetic, Credible, Slow, Sad, Upbeat, Humorous, Life-changing, funny,
The Message
What was the main idea of the message? God's view of us.
What action did the speaker want you to take or consider taking? Salvation with God
Did the talk itself (the subject matter) hold your attention? No, but it was because I've heard that type of sermon before.
Did any part of the talk stand out to you in a positive or negative way? A negative way may be that he embelished a few of his stories for more relevance.
What is the one thing the speaker could do that would improve his/her presentation?
No offense, but I feel like someone who is preaching to others about Godly living should have a healthier body, and he did not. I also understand that no one is perfect, but it bothers me.
Do you think that you particularly will remember anything that was taught?
In the end, probably not.
Do you understand God or people better because of it?
no, I wouldn't say so.
Did it make you feel like you wanted to preach someday yourself?
Yes, it made me want to preach.
What Church did you visit?
VFCC chapel
What city or town is this Church located?
Outside of Philidelphia.
What date and service did you attend?
Evaluating
How would you rate this church?
Please provide ratings based on your own experience. Yes, I realize this is subjective and your '1′ might be someone else's '5′. That's ok. It's your rating and I really want your opinion.
Rate the following from 1 to 5. 1 is not effective, 5 is very effective!
Overall: _____4______ Friendliness _____4________ Singing ______5______ Preaching ____3_____
First Impressions
Outside:
Was the building easy to find? Yes, it was part of the Valley Forge campus.
Was it difficult to find parking?No, we walked.
How about the interior or exterior signage- what would you do differently? No.
What did the appearance, style, or construction of the building communicate to you?
That it was a nice place that focused on music and learning about God.
Before the service:
Did anyone approach you and speak to you before the service got underway? No, but I was there as part of breakaway.
If someone did speak to you, how did you feel about that?
Can you share their names?
Did you know them before the visit?
General observations:
As you observed the people "doing their church thing", what went through your mind?
The worship team was very into God and into the spirit, but a lot of teenagers there were not.
Were you able to understand why they do what they do? Yes, I could.
Do they seem sincere? Very much so.
What do you think about the overall presentation of the service? (the liturgy, program or flow of the service) It went through smoothly, not much trouble with that, which is could, because it went unnoticed.
Bulletin and communications:
Is there anything in the church bulletin that you find confusing or offensive?
I did not receive one, I don't believe they use bulletins.
If this were your "business", how would you improve the communication part of it- the bulletin especially? Maybe simply to have some communication, but since it was a retreat there was information everywhere.
Were announcements clear, and interesting (did you want to sign up for anything)? I didn't think there were announcements.
Children's Ministry
Does this church appear kid-friendly? No, it was a college chapel.
Did you bring any children with you to the service? No.
If so, ask them about their experience. What did they tell you?
Music and Prayer
How would you describe the music? Modern, but with a hint of toning back the modern because of the retreat, I think.
Did you enjoy any of it?Yes, very much.
Did you feel like you connected with God during any part of it? Yes, but since there were so many teenagers and rowdy folk, it was tough.
How was it different from what you are used to? More people, and a few things like focus were missing for the audience.
Would you enjoy worshiping like that often? Not as much as other places, but I can see myself there.
What did you think of the prayers that were offered in the service? They were well spoken, intriguing.
As you listened to the prayers, what did you learn about how that church might think of people, or of God? They are very AG there, but I didn't hear any praying in tongues, which for me, would've been nice.
The Speaker's Presentation
Did the Pastor or speaker seem likable? Likable, yes.
Is he/she a person you might enjoy having coffee with? Why? Probably not, I see a lot of smoke and not a lot of plan, which I like to see the smoke, but I need to the plans too.
Did he/she seem engaged/sincere/condescending?
Yes, to all but condescending.
Were you motivated to do or think anything differently because of the talk?
Not really.
What could they have done to make it more enjoyable or useful?
I just don't enjoy his (Reggie Dabbs) Style of preaching.
Please erase any of the following descriptors that did not apply to the talk: Boring(probably only my point of view, he does a great job at getting the kids involved with his sermon), Relevant, Gloomy, Energetic, Credible, Slow, Sad, Upbeat, Humorous, Life-changing, funny,
The Message
What was the main idea of the message? God's view of us.
What action did the speaker want you to take or consider taking? Salvation with God
Did the talk itself (the subject matter) hold your attention? No, but it was because I've heard that type of sermon before.
Did any part of the talk stand out to you in a positive or negative way? A negative way may be that he embelished a few of his stories for more relevance.
What is the one thing the speaker could do that would improve his/her presentation?
No offense, but I feel like someone who is preaching to others about Godly living should have a healthier body, and he did not. I also understand that no one is perfect, but it bothers me.
Do you think that you particularly will remember anything that was taught?
In the end, probably not.
Do you understand God or people better because of it?
no, I wouldn't say so.
Did it make you feel like you wanted to preach someday yourself?
Yes, it made me want to preach.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
David Kennard
David is an amazing man of God and is doing an insane amount of work for God's kingdom. His work in the ministry battle field. What he does is described with many words, because it seems to e never ending. A list he came up with was: groups/discipleship, funerals/weddings/counseling, administration, teaching, and site pastor. With this amazing list becomes and even longer and more amazing list, which consists of his many underlying jobs within those titles. His official title, however, is "Adult Ministries Director". He is a pastor, however it is for a video site of the Riverside Community Church. The site is actually located in a mall, which is perhaps the most interesting this about this interview. He has amazing ability in his small groups as well. This is maybe the area where I feel like I can learn the most, because of my personal moving into a small group style ministry. He is very, very odd at it, although I would say it works best for a church with a working congregation, not for a church plant to begin with. This is only because of the relying that the small groups have on the people's imagination and creativity. The people have to make up a small group that's relevant to the church and congregations people. I like it very much, but you may need a few more people to be that specialized.
All in all, I like him extremely and I would love to learn even more about his ministry and what he does daily.
All in all, I like him extremely and I would love to learn even more about his ministry and what he does daily.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Church Rater 2 ------- 3/24/09
The Church
What Church did you visit?
The Pulse Youth Group (Christ American Baptist)
What city or town is this Church located?
What city or town is this Church located?
Spring Grove
What date and service did you attend?
3/18/09
Evaluating
Evaluating
How would you rate this church?
Please provide ratings based on your own experience. Yes, I realize this is subjective and your '1′ might be someone else's '5′. That's ok. It's your rating and I really want your opinion.
Rate the following from 1 to 5. 1 is not effective, 5 is very effective!Overall: ___4.5________ Friendliness _____5________ Singing ______3______ Preaching ____5_____
First ImpressionsOutside: Was the building easy to find?
No, but we came with people who go there often, so we found it easily.
Was it difficult to find parking? No, we were there early, however.
Was it difficult to find parking? No, we were there early, however.
How about the interior or exterior signage- what would you do differently?I would try to make the church a little more visible, it was outlined by trees and was a wooden structure, so it blended right in. I didn't see any signs, but I'm sure there were some.
What did the appearance, style, or construction of the building communicate to you? Very laid back, young feeling, it was the trade-off of the blending in look.
Before the service:Did anyone approach you and speak to you before the service got underway?
Yes, a few people came up to us
If someone did speak to you, how did you feel about that?
I liked it, it was a very friendly atmosphere.
Can you share their names?
one of them was either Bri or Bria. I came with Zach Knight.
Did you know them before the visit?
some yes, but many no.
General observations:
As you observed the people "doing their church thing", what went through your mind?
I thought that some of the worship felt a little forced, teens were just jumping to jump, or not jumping to be cool, while a few were still doing a serious worship, but not as many as one would hope.
Were you able to understand why they do what they do?
It was actually explained quite clearly by their pastor beforehand
Do they seem sincere? For the worship team and clearly "leadership teens" - yes. for many of the students - no.
What do you think about the overall presentation of the service? (the liturgy, program or flow of the service) I thought the flow and ability to change went very well, although the worship transitions could've been smoother.
Bulletin and communications:
Is there anything in the church bulletin that you find confusing or offensive?
I didn't get a bulletin, I don't think there are any that go with the youth group.
If this were your "business", how would you improve the communication part of it- the bulletin especially?
I actually very much liked the communication, - verbally, there was no non-verbal - it worked very well.
Were announcements clear, and interesting (did you want to sign up for anything)?
I saw a barbecue announcement that I thought looked pretty fun, I would've gone if I was a part of the youth group.
Children's Ministry
Does this church appear kid-friendly? Yes, but again, I was there for youth, not main services.
Did you bring any children with you to the service? No.
If so, ask them about their experience. What did they tell you?
Music and Prayer
How would you describe the music? Well done, but I feel like it was a little unpracticed.
Did you enjoy any of it? Yes, I enjoyed trying to get the kids other than me into it.
Did you feel like you connected with God during any part of it? Yes, but I had to force a little bit because there seemed to be a lack of enthusiasm by the crowd, the worship team was great, though.
How was it different from what you are used to?It had a little more of a hymn feel to it than I'm used to.
Would you enjoy worshiping like that often? Probably some of it, but not that much of it.
What did you think of the prayers that were offered in the service?Very, VERY nice. The youth group split into small groups and had some very effective talking and prayer where you could really see the lead man's (in our group)work that he does with the kids outside of weekly service. a great followup seemed to be in the background of that service.
As you listened to the prayers, what did you learn about how that church might think of people, or of God? They seemed to be there to save kids, as I believe they should be.
The Speaker's Presentation
Did the Pastor or speaker seem likable?(small group leader)
Is he/she a person you might enjoy having coffee with? Why?YES, he was very insightful and seemed to be a hard-working, god-fearing, guy.
Did he/she seem engaged/sincere/condescending?Definitely engaged and sincere, but I wouldn't say condescending, he was actually very kind and very equal with the students.
Were you motivated to do or think anything differently because of the talk?
Yes, I felt very motivated, but that was more for the church plant than anything.
What could they have done to make it more enjoyable or useful?
I don't really know, maybe work on worship transitions, which is very small.
Please erase any of the following descriptors that did not apply to the talk: Enjoyable, Thought-provoking, Boring, Relevant, Energetic, Credible, SLIGHTLY Slow, MOSTLY Upbeat, Useful, Life-changing(not to me, but very possible to change another life),
The Message
What was the main idea of the message?How is your life, how do I help (it was a small group) , and very much based on you tell me, we pray about it.
What action did the speaker want you to take or consider taking? Prayer and being a bit of an open book. Honesty is useful.
Did the talk itself (the subject matter) hold your attention? Yes, very much so.
Did any part of the talk stand out to you in a positive or negative way? Yes, just the parts of true trust kids had in this leader (Shannon Lewis). He made me want to have a relationship with the great mentor he is.
What is the one thing the speaker could do that would improve his/her presentation?I honestly can't think of a thing.
Do you think that you particularly will remember anything that was taught?He didn't exactly teach, but I will definitely remember how he ran his group for future reference.
Do you understand God or people better because of it? It made me understand how to reach my peers in a more complete way. I really need to focus on them and spend time on them. More so than I have.
Did it make you feel like you wanted to preach someday yourself ?very much so, in that way, at least.
I liked it, it was a very friendly atmosphere.
Can you share their names?
one of them was either Bri or Bria. I came with Zach Knight.
Did you know them before the visit?
some yes, but many no.
General observations:
As you observed the people "doing their church thing", what went through your mind?
I thought that some of the worship felt a little forced, teens were just jumping to jump, or not jumping to be cool, while a few were still doing a serious worship, but not as many as one would hope.
Were you able to understand why they do what they do?
It was actually explained quite clearly by their pastor beforehand
Do they seem sincere? For the worship team and clearly "leadership teens" - yes. for many of the students - no.
What do you think about the overall presentation of the service? (the liturgy, program or flow of the service) I thought the flow and ability to change went very well, although the worship transitions could've been smoother.
Bulletin and communications:
Is there anything in the church bulletin that you find confusing or offensive?
I didn't get a bulletin, I don't think there are any that go with the youth group.
If this were your "business", how would you improve the communication part of it- the bulletin especially?
I actually very much liked the communication, - verbally, there was no non-verbal - it worked very well.
Were announcements clear, and interesting (did you want to sign up for anything)?
I saw a barbecue announcement that I thought looked pretty fun, I would've gone if I was a part of the youth group.
Children's Ministry
Does this church appear kid-friendly? Yes, but again, I was there for youth, not main services.
Did you bring any children with you to the service? No.
If so, ask them about their experience. What did they tell you?
Music and Prayer
How would you describe the music? Well done, but I feel like it was a little unpracticed.
Did you enjoy any of it? Yes, I enjoyed trying to get the kids other than me into it.
Did you feel like you connected with God during any part of it? Yes, but I had to force a little bit because there seemed to be a lack of enthusiasm by the crowd, the worship team was great, though.
How was it different from what you are used to?It had a little more of a hymn feel to it than I'm used to.
Would you enjoy worshiping like that often? Probably some of it, but not that much of it.
What did you think of the prayers that were offered in the service?Very, VERY nice. The youth group split into small groups and had some very effective talking and prayer where you could really see the lead man's (in our group)work that he does with the kids outside of weekly service. a great followup seemed to be in the background of that service.
As you listened to the prayers, what did you learn about how that church might think of people, or of God? They seemed to be there to save kids, as I believe they should be.
The Speaker's Presentation
Did the Pastor or speaker seem likable?(small group leader)
Is he/she a person you might enjoy having coffee with? Why?YES, he was very insightful and seemed to be a hard-working, god-fearing, guy.
Did he/she seem engaged/sincere/condescending?Definitely engaged and sincere, but I wouldn't say condescending, he was actually very kind and very equal with the students.
Were you motivated to do or think anything differently because of the talk?
Yes, I felt very motivated, but that was more for the church plant than anything.
What could they have done to make it more enjoyable or useful?
I don't really know, maybe work on worship transitions, which is very small.
Please erase any of the following descriptors that did not apply to the talk: Enjoyable, Thought-provoking, Boring, Relevant, Energetic, Credible, SLIGHTLY Slow, MOSTLY Upbeat, Useful, Life-changing(not to me, but very possible to change another life),
The Message
What was the main idea of the message?How is your life, how do I help (it was a small group) , and very much based on you tell me, we pray about it.
What action did the speaker want you to take or consider taking? Prayer and being a bit of an open book. Honesty is useful.
Did the talk itself (the subject matter) hold your attention? Yes, very much so.
Did any part of the talk stand out to you in a positive or negative way? Yes, just the parts of true trust kids had in this leader (Shannon Lewis). He made me want to have a relationship with the great mentor he is.
What is the one thing the speaker could do that would improve his/her presentation?I honestly can't think of a thing.
Do you think that you particularly will remember anything that was taught?He didn't exactly teach, but I will definitely remember how he ran his group for future reference.
Do you understand God or people better because of it? It made me understand how to reach my peers in a more complete way. I really need to focus on them and spend time on them. More so than I have.
Did it make you feel like you wanted to preach someday yourself ?very much so, in that way, at least.
Jason Lamer class response 3/24/09
Jason Lamer is a pioneer in youth ministry. He helps create huge opportunities for youth who want to reach their friends. He uses prayer support, campus missionaries, networking, and the group "The Seven Project" to reach teens in the penn-del areas. One of the best things, in my opinion, is that whenever he (and the Youth Alive ministry team) has a youth student commit to being a campus missionary and a force of God in their school, he gives that student a bible that can train them in the word (called a Fire Bible). These fire bibles have text under the verses explaining what Moses, John, or any character in the bible states. While annoying to most believers who have gone to church and recieved insight already, this can be very helpful in any new believer's cause to understand what the word of God says and what God wants you to recieve from it. This is just one fraction of the ministry he does. God also sends him with the Seven Project, which has a huge skating expedition and then shares God's word to the audience of youth, often in the highest of numbers. These rallies are held in schools, churches, and many other locations across the board. He does many other amazing ministries with God's power behind him, and has become a force of faith and a fantastic example for youth like my friends and myself to follow.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
New believer Interview.
I interviewed a man (whom we will name Tom) who has had a hard time committing to church throughout his life. He is now, finally, following Christ and with what I believe is a fervent passion. When I asked him about his journey to faith in christ, he said that he was actually raised in the church for the beginning of his life. Drugs and Alcohol definitely took their role in his life as a hindrance towards anything good or God. However, through getting "locked up", he was put into rehab. This is where he met another man that told him about Jesus and how he had radically changed his ways from whatever he was into, and was then a new man. That is also what helped him make the big step of commitment towards God. He says the best part of becoming a Christian and a follower of Christ is the security he feels in his identity, and yet also the freedom he knows he has. The biggest challenge, however, is definitely his battles with demons, there is always some demon trying to get you, and it has to stop. Tom told me that foundation was the thing that helps him grow the most in his faith. Foundation and security are extremely important when your dealing with demons, you need that support group and those people that will keep you in line from anything that might make you relapse, and re-destroy yourself. Tom had great advice for reaching others like him to grow in their faith: keep it simple. simplicity is a huge deal, keeping to square one and making sure you don't go to square two unlesss they are sincerely ready. I really like Tom and I'm glad that I got to interview such a strong man of God.
Nick Poole
Nick Poole is a very young man to be so skilled at what he does. He directs church planting for Allison Park Church, in what is called the multi-church movement. This job includes deciding whether or not a church should be planted with them, and then coaching whoever is going to plant with them into a healthy church. The plants he has already coached into existence are very close in the Pittsburgh area. He said that within a fifteen minute drive you could reach 4 of their plants. Something very interesting to me was mistakes that he saw new church plants make, such as thinking they've never started anything, fear of start, and thinking that the church will grow to a hundred or more in a week, which will discourage them if it doesn't happen. Once these churches are established, the teamwork really begins through these churches. The plants are generally kept from each others business, but are also all involved in the Allison Park church network of plants, so they all help each other in their outreach. It's an amazing process to see all of the churches grow and then continue to work together. I hope that the teamwork they show can effect how I do ministry in the future.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
unchurched friend 2 ---------3.12.09
For my second unchurched friend interview, I chose another person from school. The unchurched at my school are very numerous, as well as they have many assumptions that I can kill or try to kill during the interview. This interviewee's name was kristen. She's very nice, a little needy with speaking at times, and I believe she likes to give her opinion because it's not heard much at home, or somewhere else significant to her. However, she felt a bit tense during the interview because it was about church, clearly something she doesn't know well, and kept her answers brief. What did she think was the greatest need in our area? She said that she was bored here and that our area didn't have enough attractions, since the battlefield gets boring after the first or second time, what else is there? She's definitely not actively attending a church, she hasn't gone in two years, and before that is was another two years. The third question very much bothered her: What are a few issues or topics that impact/interest you? - She thought this question was outrageously broad and therefore would answer broadly. Immigration was one issue that she spouted off as well as foreign languages, and I had to move on to get a different sound that "that question is ridiculous". Why does she think most people don't attend church? It's most likely, according to her, because of boredom or laziness. She believes people are simply too lazy to go and bored to stay, and this probably stems off of going to a more traditional church, even though she told me she prefers to dress up for church because she feels like it's supposed to be that way. If she was looking for a church to attend, she said she would look for a short service, and something that explains why she's supposed to listen to them. She's bored and feels like she's being taught things that don't connect with anything else she's heard. Lastly, what could a pastor do better, or to be best? She wants a pastor who listens, doesn't judge, and says things relevant to the questions she asks, instead of simply shooting off verses that she can't figure out how they go with her inquiry. She says she doesn't hate church, but often doesn't understand it. This seems to be a common theme in my schoolmates, and needs to be addressed in an efficient and working way.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Brian and Angie Bolt
3/5/09--------due 3/13/09
Brian and Angie Bolt have been married for almost six years and planted a church in the inner city of pittsburgh and are working very hard, not to mention very well, to bring the unreached and unpreached to christ. Much of their outreach in the community is the homes they offer, which are similar to Freedom House, and these homes help people recover from addictions, prostitution, as well as other problems people face that few people really try to reach. One thing that really interests me about Brian is that he keeps to his calling. He keeps himself away from doing what he knows is not his calling for the era that he's in at the moment. Their model of church is made after their ability to take people off the streets, and hopefully reproduce themselves in others, so that they can continue to effec others, even when they aren't there. The average attendance seen in the weekend is 150, and that is in two times of the weekend, Friday and Sunday. Friday, which is a day I esecially like to have service, since it gets people from clubs and things that will particularly go against God, is the most spiritual service they have, Sunday is a more outreach-ish day to grab people. The whole church is very, very interesting to me, speifically because it's not the "norm" for churches, but they don't even seem to know, or at least they don't acknowledge, this fact. I like this church.
Brian and Angie Bolt have been married for almost six years and planted a church in the inner city of pittsburgh and are working very hard, not to mention very well, to bring the unreached and unpreached to christ. Much of their outreach in the community is the homes they offer, which are similar to Freedom House, and these homes help people recover from addictions, prostitution, as well as other problems people face that few people really try to reach. One thing that really interests me about Brian is that he keeps to his calling. He keeps himself away from doing what he knows is not his calling for the era that he's in at the moment. Their model of church is made after their ability to take people off the streets, and hopefully reproduce themselves in others, so that they can continue to effec others, even when they aren't there. The average attendance seen in the weekend is 150, and that is in two times of the weekend, Friday and Sunday. Friday, which is a day I esecially like to have service, since it gets people from clubs and things that will particularly go against God, is the most spiritual service they have, Sunday is a more outreach-ish day to grab people. The whole church is very, very interesting to me, speifically because it's not the "norm" for churches, but they don't even seem to know, or at least they don't acknowledge, this fact. I like this church.
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