Disparity of Christian Churches

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Just for fun I ran a list of Christian Churches in the town where my mom & dad were raised in NE Pennsylvania.....it tallied 167 Christian Churches w/in a 3 mile area.

Then I ran the same report for churches in my current town in New Jersey.....it tallied 82.

So there are actually 85 more Christian churches in this dilapidated old town in Pa then there is in my modern town in New Jersey. I'm also told by pastors that not more than 2 % of the registered Christian Population in my area of the state actually goes to church (and most of them are the catholics--- the dominant denomination).

Any wonder that anyone would have 2nd thoughts about planting any church here---the place is devoid of Christianity. Sad!

 

[Salty]

Just for fun I ran a list of Christian Churches in the town where my mom & dad were raised in NE Pennsylvania.....it tallied 167 Christian Churches w/in a 3 mile area.

Then I ran the same report for churches in my current town in New Jersey.....it tallied 82.

So there are actually 85 more Christian churches in this dilapidated old town in Pa then there is in my modern town in New Jersey. I'm also told by pastors that not more than 2 % of the registered Christian Population in my area of the state actually goes to church (and most of them are the catholics--- the dominant denomination).

Any wonder that anyone would have 2nd thoughts about planting any church here---the place is devoid of Christianity. Sad!

That sounds like an excellent reason to start a church!

 

[Jerome]

Salty, do you know if north New Jersey is a New York Southern Baptist state convention territory?

Apparently South Jersey is appended to the Pennsylvania Southern Baptist convention. South Jersey DOM Gail Hallman was at the state convention last month reporting on the work, and it was noted there that New Jersey is "one of the most unreached states in our nation with 2 percent evangelized":

http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=39306

EWF, you might try contacting Ms. Hallman. She might have some suggestions for you.

 

[Salty]

Salty, do you know if north New Jersey is a New York Southern Baptist state convention territory?

Apparently South Jersey is appended to the Pennsylvania Southern Baptist convention. South Jersey DOM Gail Hallman was at the state convention last month reporting on the work, and it was noted there that New Jersey is "one of the most unreached states in our nation with 2 percent evangelized":

http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=39306

EWF, you might try contacting Ms. Hallman. She might have some suggestions for you.

Northern NJ is an association of the Bap Convention of NY.
Southern NJ is part of the Pa Bap conv

Jersey is a good 3 - 4 hours from me - doubt I would be going down there anytime soon.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Northern NJ is an association of the Bap Convention of NY.
Southern NJ is part of the Pa Bap conv

Jersey is a good 3 - 4 hours from me - doubt I would be going down there anytime soon.

I dont understand Salty...why would you go to Jersey? BTW, how long does it take you to go to Scranton from Syracuse....an hour if memory serves. From Scranton to NJ where I am is 1 1/2 hours.... I covered all NY State as a sales job in another life.

 

[Salty]

I dont understand Salty...why would you go to Jersey? BTW, how long does it take you to go to Scranton from Syracuse....an hour if memory serves. From Scranton to NJ where I am is 1 1/2 hours.... I covered all NY State as a sales job in another life.

have no plans to make plans to go to NJ

takes about 2 hours to get to Scranton - probally a bit longer in my old agae

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

have no plans to make plans to go to NJ

Thats probably the most intelligent thing I ever heard you say!:smilewinkgrin:

 

[Jack Matthews]

Just for fun I ran a list of Christian Churches in the town where my mom & dad were raised in NE Pennsylvania.....it tallied 167 Christian Churches w/in a 3 mile area.

Then I ran the same report for churches in my current town in New Jersey.....it tallied 82.

So there are actually 85 more Christian churches in this dilapidated old town in Pa then there is in my modern town in New Jersey. I'm also told by pastors that not more than 2 % of the registered Christian Population in my area of the state actually goes to church (and most of them are the catholics--- the dominant denomination).

Any wonder that anyone would have 2nd thoughts about planting any church here---the place is devoid of Christianity. Sad!

From what I have observed after years of living in Bible Belt Tennessee, church "planting" here usually involves a group of disgruntled, angry members of a church, usually upset with a pastor, who go off to form their own congregation, and take all of their quirks, cliques and personal agendas with them. Other "church plants" involve a smart alec pastor who comes out of seminary thinking he's a "hot property" because he was in the favor of a couple of professors, who plops a church right down in the middle of a neighborhood already saturated with churches and goes to work prying members out of the other ones. The "unchurched" here are a growing group who are turned off by the antics of watching this show from the sidelines. Nashville is the headquarters of the SBC and their huge publishing arm, the UMC publishing house, Thomas Nelson Bible Publishers, the National Baptist headquarters, seminary and Bible college, and several Bible colleges and seminaries related to other conservative groups like the Church of Christ and Freewill Baptists. And yet, while the population of Metro Nashville-Davidson County is growing, the "churched" population is declining faster. Starting a church with all that baggage would be extremely difficult. I know a few who have tried it.

I think they'd much prefer your city in New Jersey. I know I would.