{"id":1238,"date":"2019-03-19T16:55:35","date_gmt":"2019-03-19T21:55:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/evangelism\/?p=1238"},"modified":"2019-06-27T11:17:26","modified_gmt":"2019-06-27T16:17:26","slug":"taking-the-gospel-to-the-most-churched-city-in-the-nation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/evangelism\/2019\/03\/19\/taking-the-gospel-to-the-most-churched-city-in-the-nation\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking the Gospel to the Most Churched City in the Nation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dallas has more churches than any other U.S. metroplex, but a significant population is still overlooked and undeserved. We\u2019re here to change that.<\/p>\n

THE MISSION<\/p>\n

We loaded the truck on the hottest day of the year. The sun beat mercilessly down on our backs as we lugged mattresses, furniture, and box after box down three flights of stairs in the South Carolina humidity. Everything we owned was stacked meticulously into the back of a 25-foot enclosed trailer. When all was said and done, I looked at the three flights of stairs and declared, \u201cThat was awful! I\u2019m so glad we won\u2019t have to walk up and down three flights of stairs anymore!\u201d<\/p>\n

Bishop Ron Carpenter, Sr. once said that the gospel message must always remain the same, but our methods should adapt to use the tools of our times.\u00a0 For our family, that means serving \u201cthe least of these\u201d through\u00a0Mission:M25<\/u>. We\u2019ve spent the past 10 years building relationships in the 1% biker community, serving veterans on Run for the Wall, reaching kids through Free Camp, and partnering with churches to host community outreach events. Through each opportunity, we have learned a bit more about advancing the kingdom through service. Now, we are adapting to a new method that led us to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Our mission: to help launch a house church as part of the Arise 2033 initiative.<\/p>\n

THE METHOD<\/p>\n

In 1985, D Magazine\u2019s headline read, \u201cIs Dallas the Most Christian City in the Nation?\u201d More than 30 years later, the question is still legitimate – the DFW Metroplex has somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,500 churches, with more springing up each year. So why plant a church in what seems to be some of the most tilled soil in the U.S.?<\/p>\n

The reality is that although there are many churches, there are still people who are unchurched or dechurched, and those who slip through the proverbial cracks. One of those cracks is apartment communities \u2013 hundreds people living side by side, yet barely knowing each other. The problem in apartment communities is threefold. First, high turnover means residents are less likely to build relationships within the community. Second, property management groups lose thousands of dollars a month on short-term apartment rentals, empty units, and high turnover. Third, residents who are less established in the community are less likely to \u201cput down roots\u201d with a local church. In short, apartments are a unique harvest field waiting for willing workers.<\/p>\n

This is where we are called to serve. Through a series of events that could only be God-ordained, we encountered a faith-based, non-profit organization that has been serving the apartment industry since 2000. They believe every individual is created for community and that they are called to love our neighbor as ourselves. Their\u00a0goal is to live this out while providing strong business value to apartment owners.<\/p>\n

As part of an apartment ministry team, we serve onsite at a community with nearly 500 units. We provide a residential service by hosting two community events each month, welcoming new residents, and building relationships with established residents. All of this leads to increased retention, higher resident satisfaction, and better online reviews for the property. But the heart of apartment ministry isn\u2019t getting the most five-star Google reviews or hosting the coolest Super Bowl party. Our heart is relational evangelism<\/u>, similar to\u00a0Mission:M25’s BALNAM approach<\/u>. We are here, first and foremost, to share the gospel. Everything else is simply a tool for the mission.<\/p>\n

Here are three examples of the God-ordained encounters we\u2019ve experienced as we serve this community:<\/p>\n

*Vanessa<\/strong> works full time and goes to school. She popped in at one of our events and said she just came to grab some food for her \u201cstudy break.\u201d Twenty minutes later, she was still chatting with us. She showed up at more events, always lingering even as she insisted she needed to get back to schoolwork. Vanessa joined us for a potluck and Bible study in our apartment this past January. As we read through I John, Carolyn Burd felt led to encourage Vanessa in her calling as a teacher. Vanessa sat with tears streaming down her face as she received encouragement and prayer, and she took a Bible home with her that night.<\/p>\n

*Shea <\/strong>and her nephew were struggling to move her new washer and dryer into her apartment.\u00a0 Angel jumped to help them, then grabbed his tools to hook up the units for her. Shea exclaimed, \u201cYou\u2019re the most genuinely nice man I have ever met!\u201d That encounter opened the door for us to tell her about our church plant and Mission:M25, and now Shea wants to help us feed the homeless!<\/p>\n

*Charlotte<\/strong> and Sean <\/strong>have three kids. Our boys developed a friendship over Nerf guns and superheroes.\u00a0 We invited them to several faith-based events, but they showed no interest in hearing the gospel.\u00a0 One evening, Charlotte called us in tears. She was late for her job at the bowling alley. Sean wasn\u2019t home yet, and he had their only vehicle. Could we possibly watch the kids until he arrived? And give her a ride to work? Of course we could! M\u00e9gan drove Charlotte while Angel expertly wrangled kids until Sean arrived. That night, the couple who never wanted to talk religion poured their relationship troubles out to us as one sat in our car and the other sat at our kitchen table \u2013 a truly God-orchestrated moment that allowed us to counsel and pray for them.<\/p>\n

THE MESSAGE<\/p>\n

St. Francis of Assisi is credited as saying, \u201cPreach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.\u201d We\u2019ve used that quote for years; now, as we serve in a new capacity that requires us to adhere to Fair Housing Laws, we find St. Francis\u2019 quote more relevant than ever. The gospel comes alive through our actions first, then through our words as we build trust with residents.<\/p>\n

This type of kingdom work is a long-term investment. There is much planting and watering, and no guarantee we will personally see the harvest. Several of the residents we\u2019ve grown close to will be moving out in the coming months. We can only pray that the seeds of the gospel will continue to grow as they move to a new community \u2013 hopefully one that also has an apartment ministry team!<\/p>\n

Oh, and our new apartment? It\u2019s at the top of five <\/strong>flights of stairs. God does indeed have a sense of humor \u2013 and a plan. We\u2019re trusting Him to guide us each step of the way.<\/p>\n

*names have been changed to honor privacy<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By:\u00a0M\u00e9gan Alba<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

M\u00e9gan and Angel Alba<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dallas has more churches than any other U.S. metroplex, but a significant population is still overlooked and undeserved. We\u2019re here to change that. THE MISSION We loaded the truck on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":1239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[375,54,4],"tags":[362,199,361],"class_list":{"0":"post-1238","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arise2033","8":"category-evusa","9":"category-m25","10":"tag-apartment-ministry","11":"tag-evangelism","12":"tag-unchurched","13":"entry"},"title_es":"Llevando el Evangelio a la ciudad m\u00e1s eclesi\u00e1stica de la naci\u00f3n","content_es":"Dallas tiene m\u00e1s iglesias que cualquier otro metroplex de los Estados Unidos, pero una poblaci\u00f3n significativa a\u00fan se pasa por alto y es inmerecida. Estamos aqu\u00ed para cambiar eso. LA MISI\u00d3N Cargamos el cami\u00f3n en el d\u00eda m\u00e1s caluroso del a\u00f1o. El sol ca\u00eda sin piedad sobre nuestras espaldas mientras arrastramos colchones, muebles y caja tras caja tres tramos de escaleras en la humedad de Carolina del Sur. Todo lo que pose\u00edamos estaba apilado meticulosamente en la parte trasera de un remolque cerrado de 25 pies. Cuando todo estuvo dicho y hecho, mir\u00e9 los tres tramos de escaleras y declar\u00e9: \u201c\u00a1Eso fue horrible! \u00a1Estoy muy contento de que ya no tengamos que subir y bajar tres tramos de escaleras! \u201dEl obispo Ron Carpenter, Sr., dijo una vez que el mensaje del evangelio siempre debe ser el mismo, pero nuestros m\u00e9todos deben adaptarse para usar las herramientas de nuestros tiempos Para nuestra familia, eso significa servir a \u201clos m\u00e1s peque\u00f1os\u201d a trav\u00e9s de la Misi\u00f3n: M25<\/u> . Hemos pasado los \u00faltimos 10 a\u00f1os construyendo relaciones en la comunidad de motociclistas 1%, sirviendo a los veteranos en Run for the Wall, llegando a los ni\u00f1os a trav\u00e9s de Free Camp y asoci\u00e1ndonos con iglesias para organizar eventos de alcance comunitario. A trav\u00e9s de cada oportunidad, hemos aprendido un poco m\u00e1s sobre el avance del reino a trav\u00e9s del servicio. Ahora, nos estamos adaptando a un nuevo m\u00e9todo que nos llev\u00f3 al Metroplex de Dallas-Fort Worth. Nuestra misi\u00f3n: ayudar a lanzar una iglesia en casa como parte de la iniciativa Arise 2033. EL M\u00c9TODO En 1985, el titular de la revista D dec\u00eda: \"\u00bfEs Dallas la ciudad m\u00e1s cristiana de la naci\u00f3n?\". M\u00e1s de 30 a\u00f1os despu\u00e9s, la pregunta sigue siendo leg\u00edtima: el DFW Metroplex tiene un lugar en el vecindario de 4,500 iglesias, con m\u00e1s brotes. cada a\u00f1o. Entonces, \u00bfpor qu\u00e9 plantar una iglesia en lo que parece ser uno de los suelos m\u00e1s cultivados en los Estados Unidos? La realidad es que aunque hay muchas iglesias, todav\u00eda hay personas que no asisten a una iglesia o se encuentran en la iglesia, y quienes se escabullen por las grietas proverbiales. Una de esas grietas son las comunidades de apartamentos: cientos de personas que viven juntas, pero que apenas se conocen entre s\u00ed. El problema en las comunidades de apartamentos es triple. Primero, una alta rotaci\u00f3n significa que los residentes tienen menos probabilidades de establecer relaciones dentro de la comunidad. En segundo lugar, los grupos de administraci\u00f3n de propiedades pierden miles de d\u00f3lares al mes en alquileres de apartamentos a corto plazo, unidades vac\u00edas y alta rotaci\u00f3n. Tercero, los residentes que est\u00e1n menos establecidos en la comunidad tienen menos probabilidades de \"echar ra\u00edces\" con una iglesia local. En resumen, los apartamentos son un campo de cosecha \u00fanico que espera trabajadores dispuestos. Aqu\u00ed es donde estamos llamados a servir. A trav\u00e9s de una serie de eventos que solo pod\u00edan ser ordenados por Dios, nos encontramos con Apartment Life, \"una organizaci\u00f3n sin fines de lucro basada en la fe que ha servido a la industria de los apartamentos desde el a\u00f1o 2000. Creemos que cada individuo est\u00e1 creado para la comunidad y que somos llamado a amar a nuestro vecino como a nosotros mismos. Nuestro objetivo es vivir esto mientras ofrecemos un gran valor comercial a los propietarios de apartamentos \". \u00a0<\/u> Como equipo de Apartment Life, prestamos servicio en un complejo de apartamentos con casi 500 unidades. Proporcionamos un servicio residencial al organizar dos eventos comunitarios cada mes, dar la bienvenida a nuevos residentes y establecer relaciones con los residentes establecidos. Todo esto conduce a una mayor retenci\u00f3n, mayor satisfacci\u00f3n de los residentes y mejores revisiones en l\u00ednea de la propiedad. Pero el coraz\u00f3n de Apartment Life no es obtener la mayor\u00eda de las rese\u00f1as de cinco estrellas de Google ni ser el anfitri\u00f3n de la mejor fiesta de Super Bowl. Nuestro coraz\u00f3n es el evangelismo relacional<\/u> , similar al enfoque BALNAM de la Misi\u00f3n: M25<\/u> . Estamos aqu\u00ed, ante todo, para compartir el evangelio. Todo lo dem\u00e1s es simplemente una herramienta para la misi\u00f3n. Aqu\u00ed hay tres ejemplos de los encuentros ordenados por Dios que hemos experimentado al servir a esta comunidad: * Vanessa<\/strong> trabaja a tiempo completo y va a la escuela. Ella apareci\u00f3 en uno de nuestros eventos y dijo que solo vino a buscar algo de comida para su \"descanso de estudio\". Veinte minutos m\u00e1s tarde, segu\u00eda charlando con nosotros. Ella se present\u00f3 en m\u00e1s eventos, siempre demor\u00e1ndose incluso cuando insist\u00eda en que necesitaba volver al trabajo escolar. Vanessa se uni\u00f3 a nosotros para una comida y un estudio b\u00edblico en nuestro apartamento en enero pasado. A medida que leemos I John, Carolyn Burd se sinti\u00f3 guiada a alentar a Vanessa en su llamamiento como maestra. Vanessa se sent\u00f3 con l\u00e1grimas en la cara mientras recib\u00eda \u00e1nimo y oraci\u00f3n, y esa noche se llev\u00f3 una Biblia a casa. * Shea<\/strong> y su sobrino luchaban por mudar su nueva lavadora y secadora a su apartamento. \u00c1ngel salt\u00f3 para ayudarlos, luego agarr\u00f3 sus herramientas para conectar las unidades para ella. Shea exclam\u00f3: \u201c\u00a1Eres el hombre m\u00e1s genuinamente amable que he conocido!\u201d. Ese encuentro nos abri\u00f3 la puerta para contarle sobre nuestra iglesia y nuestra Misi\u00f3n: M25, \u00a1y ahora Shea quiere ayudarnos a alimentar a las personas sin hogar! * Charlotte<\/strong> y Sean<\/strong> tienen tres hijos. Nuestros muchachos desarrollaron una amistad sobre las armas y los superh\u00e9roes de Nerf. Los invitamos a varios eventos basados en la fe, pero no mostraron inter\u00e9s en escuchar el evangelio. Una tarde, Charlotte nos llam\u00f3 llorando. Llegaba tarde a su trabajo en la bolera. Sean a\u00fan no estaba en casa, y \u00e9l ten\u00eda su \u00fanico veh\u00edculo. \u00bfPodr\u00edamos posiblemente ver a los ni\u00f1os hasta que \u00e9l llegara? \u00bfY llevarla al trabajo? \u00a1Por supuesto que podr\u00edamos! M\u00e9gan condujo a Charlotte mientras que Angel h\u00e1bilmente arregl\u00f3 a los ni\u00f1os hasta que lleg\u00f3 Sean. Esa noche, la pareja que nunca quiso hablar sobre la religi\u00f3n nos revel\u00f3 sus problemas de relaci\u00f3n cuando uno se sent\u00f3 en nuestro autom\u00f3vil y el otro se sent\u00f3 a la mesa de la cocina, un momento verdaderamente orquestado por Dios que nos permiti\u00f3 aconsejar y orar por ellos. EL MENSAJE A San Francisco de As\u00eds se le atribuye que dice: \"Predica el evangelio en todo momento y, si es necesario, usa palabras\". Hemos usado esa cita durante a\u00f1os; ahora, al servir en una nueva capacidad que nos obliga a adherirnos a las Leyes de Vivienda Justa, encontramos que la cita de St. Francis es m\u00e1s relevante que nunca. El evangelio cobra vida a trav\u00e9s de nuestras acciones primero, luego a trav\u00e9s de nuestras palabras mientras construimos confianza con los residentes. Este tipo de trabajo del reino es una inversi\u00f3n a largo plazo. Hay mucha plantaci\u00f3n y riego, y no hay garant\u00eda de que veamos personalmente la cosecha. Varios de los residentes con los que hemos crecido se mudar\u00e1n en los pr\u00f3ximos meses. Solo podemos orar para que las semillas del Evangelio sigan creciendo a medida que se muden a una nueva comunidad, \u00a1espero que tambi\u00e9n tenga un equipo de Apartment Life! Ah, y nuestro nuevo apartamento? Est\u00e1 en lo alto de cinco<\/strong> tramos de escaleras. Dios s\u00ed tiene sentido del humor, y un plan. Confiamos en que \u00c9l nos gu\u00ede en cada paso del camino. * los nombres han sido cambiados para respetar la privacidad Por: M\u00e9gan Alba","author_name":"","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/evangelism\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/03\/andrea-cau-51160-unsplash-e1553032353491.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbhxDC-jY","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/evangelism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/evangelism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/evangelism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/evangelism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/evangelism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/evangelism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1238\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/evangelism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/evangelism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/evangelism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/evangelism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}