"Deep Down"

This is going to be a first of several entries about getting started. People keep asking, and rightfully so, how do you begin well? Let's learn together.





Assumptions:

This is what it falls to, we can make tons of assumptions about the town that we live in and the people around us but at the end of the day, without diligent research, our assumptions are barely worth the time that it takes to formulate them, or the breath required to expel them.





Research:

I know that for a lot of you, this is a rehashing of things that have already been said, but I wanted to throw some different resources to you.





http://www.thearda.com/:


This is one of the best research websites out there. If you want to find out the religious climate for the area that you live in, then jump on this one. Type in your zip code and it will give you a snapshot of the 2000 Census and how things stand in your area. If you would type in Fargo, ND; and then Moorhead MN. Compare them with where you live, I think you will find it interesting.





Then, when you are done, go to the websites of the groups that are in the majority and see what they belive and see how, for good or ill, these things shape how the people there view Christ, His Church.





http://www.northamericanmissions.org/:


One of my profs, Dr JD Payne, heads up this site and there is some great info on cultures, regions, etc... Well worth your time.





http://www.churchplantingvillage.net/ :


Not just because of a particular denominational persuasion, but there really are a large amount of free resources here that you should take a look at.





http://www.newchurches.com :


Another really neat website with a lot of links to places you can go to find all types of resources.