12/29/18 BEING SALT AND LIGHT GROUP
AN EXERCISE IN EVANGELISTIC STRATEGY
THIS EXERCISE IS FAULTY, and it is not hard to find points, with which you may disagree, which I understand. Nevertheless, for those who are willing to squeeze past my blunders, the intent is worthwhile.
The data in this particular post relates specifically to my home area (Carteret County, N.C.) but the principles are applicable to other areas and communities. You should find the info data concerning your own area, community, population, demographics, church presence, etc.
If you live in a high population area (very large city) then you may want to narrow the parameters to communities within your Metro area.
I obviously, but unintentionally will leave some important info out and I may add info that is not as important. However, I am more interested in getting this project launched than I am in perfecting this project.
REMEMBER, I am not posting this for the purpose of argument or debate. If you don't like it, ignore it, or leave it. If you feel like you must vent your feelings, contact me personally. I am not trying to win an argument here, I am trying to help others win souls to Jesus.
HERE IS THE CHALLENGE. Try to understand the ratio of believers to non believers in your own community and then count the cost of reaching your community, based on the resources that God has posited in your community.
Not only will this give you a view of your evangelistic field, it could help believers stand together as the powers of darkness encroach on your community, churches, families, children, faith. CHRISTIANS SHOULD STAND TOGETHER AGAINST DARKNESS.
YOUR COMMUNITY POPULATION AND THE PRESENCE OF LIGHT?
Morehead City (Attractions)
9,303 area residents.
Largest town and population size in the county but is not the county seat.
Newport
4,694 area residents.
Beaufort (Information)
4,195 area residents.
Is the county seat.
3rd oldest town in NC.
Emerald Isle
3,655 area residents.
Broad Creek
2,365 area residents.
Cape Carteret
2,058 area residents.
Atlantic Beach (Information)
Census 2017: 1,506 area residents.
Pine Knoll Shores
1,339 area residents.
Cedar Point
1,329 area residents.
Harkers Island
1,207 area residents.
Peletier
740 area residents.
Bogue
737 area residents.
Atlantic
543 area residents.
Marshallberg
438 area residents.
Davis
422 area residents.
Salter Path
365 area residents.
Cedar Island
334 area residents.
Indian Beach
116 area residents.
Otway, Smyrna, Williston, Stacy, Sea Level, Straits, North River, Merrimon, Harlowe, Mill Creek, and Bettie
No census information.
https://ccountync.com/cities-carteret-county-nc-town-infor…/
NOW, What percentage of your community population do you believe are...
Authentic & Active, Bible Believing, Christ Followers?
(This is subjective and not definitive, but it might be helpful and enlightening).
This question is not intended to raise judgement but rather AWARENESS concerning the number AND PERCENTAGE of people who might have an EVANGELISTIC influence on a community (remember Abraham, Lot and the judgment on Sodom).
We may not actually know how many Christians are in a community, but Bible believers should have a working idea of that number.
How many actual, active, Bible believing, Christ following, Christlike people do you know personally? You can eliminate those who are openly and knowingly living in disobedience to God. You can eliminate those who do not believe the Bible, (for instance) those who do not believe that the Bible is the infallible word of God; that all men (people) have sinned and need salvation; that Christ is God in the flesh, that Christ died a sacrificial death, that Christ rose from the dead physically and that Christ is the only way of salvation. Now, with these criteria as a backdrop, what percentage of your acquaintances would this group be?
Those who are part of a strong (or at least fundamentalist or evangelical) church will have a higher percentage of fellow believers than those who do not claim to be saved, do not go to salvation churches, do not go to Bible believing churches.
Consider how many churches in you community, which claim to be Bible believing and are part of the historical Christian tradition. Though you may differ with the doctrinal position, there are other churches that teach basic doctrine and make it possible for a person to come to a saving faith and faithful walk with Jesus Christ.
Consider the testimony and character of the people you work with, the people in your neighborhood, the people you meet in the stores or at social, community events.
Consider the nature of the social life of your community.
Consider the witness and lives of the leaders of your community, the administration and staff of local schools, the number and size of cults and anti-Bible churches in the community.
Remember, a person is not necessarily a Christian because he/she attends a Bible church or professes to be saved.
And also Remember, a person may be a Christian even if he/she does not follow all of the precepts that you follow.
STILL, we should be able to come up with some kind of percentage of our community, which might be Christian. Keep in mind, not everyone attends worship, and not everyone who does attend worship is part of a Bible believing church.
In trying to guess the percentage of believers in a community, we should not assume that the only Christians are the people we tag as Christian. The purpose of the "percentage" thing helps us understand the need and the opportunity of bringing the Gospel to our community.
THE NEXT STEP is to look at the ratio of Christian to non-Christian. What would it take to reach your community for Jesus?
The discussion should continue...
