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| author | Helen Wingate |
| title | Expanding the Evangelistic Boundaries of Christian Education to Reach Millennials in the Greater Faith Baptist Church, Bronx, N.Y. |
| abstract |
The purpose of the project was to show hospitality and openness to church growth by working alongside of a specific focus group of millennials who engaged our existing ministerial staff at Greater Faith and the LAC. The goals of engagement were sustained, planned, and facilitated dialogue over a period of four weeks to listen, learn and develop a relationship with the focus group. The purpose of the focus group was to discover ways in which millennials by having critical and reflective conversations with us were able to discuss the empty pews at The Greater Faith Baptist Church. We wanted them to help us understand what could be done to reach this specific group and help grow our church. The millennials used their own narratives in our evangelistic thrusts to reach the unchurched. We heard stories of those who are unchurched and how they can come to Jesus Christ. This is a very nontraditional way to expand church growth in that the very people we sought to attract made a commitment to partner with us in a more constructive and purposeful way. The focus group ascertained the information from the unchurched that would help us get to know, build, and prepare our church to minister to those who are unchurched. This was the initial stage to a wider evangelistic effort, which will come after the focus group meetings and themes. This broader evangelistic effort is not a part of this project. However, to be clear, this project charted the discovery of what Greater Faith is called to in relationship with the focus group and others like them within our neighborhood. It is my desire that this project will help other ministry contexts in our surrounding areas that are faced with these similar challenges in dealing with the absence of millennials in their ministry contexts.
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| school | The Theological School, Drew University |
| degree | D.Min. (2019) |
| advisor | Dr. William Presnell
Dr. Donna Ciangio |
| committee | Min. Joshua Wingate
Rev. Dr. Kimberly Holmes
Rev. Dr. Zoleka Adams
Elder Earline DeVaughn
Min. Cherrod Allen
Myra Miller
Sandra Linen-Ward
Gloria Williams
Rev. Dr. Loren Russell
Min. Jessica Batson |
| full text | HWingate.pdf |
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