Researching the Harvest Field

by Carl Townsend

 

Harvest Field: The context in which the church finds itself. All non-believers. (Bob Waymire) The Territory One of the first questions the researcher asks is what is the territory to which the church is called to take? You really can't get strategic until this is defined. It might be considered to be a neighborhood, a census tract, a suburb, or just a specified area. It is easy to think in terms of the church taking the "land" in this way. More accurately, the church is really called to save people, and you are witnessing to one or more people groups. These could be singles, senior citizens, baby boomers, Generation X, or whatever. This needs to be clearly defined before you can start the research. You can then research and map the people groups, which may primarily be in a specified geographic area. Chronological Mapping Another part of the harvest field research is to define the chronological time line into which the church witnesses. What has happened in the past? Where does reconciliation need to take place? Where has it taken place in the past? Where has God worked in the territory? Where is He working? Where will He work? Part of your harvest field research is to define this spiritual history. Key Questions for Harvest Field Research Do a chronological history of territory, looking for clues as to how God has acted in the past and present. What are the needs and concerns of the territory? Are these being met? How? How do they suffer? What are their joys? What are their dreams and visions? Where is reconciliation and forgiveness needed? What is the socio-economic profile? Age profile? Income Profile? Growth Profile? Occupatioal profile? Family type? What percent of the area attends church? Growing or declining? Why? Denominationa profile? What denominations are growing? Why? Ethnic profile? Crime profiles? Economic profile? Employment profile? Housing profile? What is religious preference? What people groups are unchurched? Why? Where do churches need to be planted? What strategies are being used that work? What events in the community have affected the community over time? Who are the gatekeepers in the area?   Sources for Information Here are a few key sources for information for Portland Data: Neighborhood Association Police Strategic Resources Ministry Metro Percepts Portland State University Mayor's Office (Benchmark data) Chamber of Commerce Libraries Oregon Historical Society Realtors School Superintendents Newspapers Gatekeeper people, historians Books