Ministry Update (2/12/13)
I surveyed and researched the following five boroughs last week. (Click the name of each to download a more comprehensive report.)
- Havering is a borough of 237,000 people with no gospel-preaching church of which we are aware. We have identified four areas where churches need to be planted: Rainham, Upminster, Romford, and North Havering.
- Redbridge is a borough with nearly 280,000 people and a good deal of ethnic diversity (43% White, 42% Asian, 15% Other). I know of three churches in the borough that claim to preach the gospel, but we have identified four other areas where we think churches need to planted: Redbridge, Illford, Seven Kings, and Fullwell.
- Newham has 307,000 people and only two gospel-preaching churches of which we are aware. The borough is growing at a rate of 26% which means it is expected to have 375,000 people by 2031. It is one of the most ethnically diverse places in the entire country (17% White British, 14% Indian, 12% Bangladeshi, 12% Other White, 12% Black African, 10% Pakistani, 7% Other Asian, 5% Mixed, 5% Black Caribbean, 3% Other Black, 1% Chinese, 1% Arab, 1% Other). There are two areas in the borough where churches need to be planted: Canning Town and East Ham.
- Tower Hamlets has 255,000 people and is growing at a rate of 30%. This borough covers the area of the traditional East End and has large amounts of ethnic minorities (32% Bangladeshi). There are also 40 mosques in the borough. There are four gospel-preaching churches in the borough with at least one area needing a church plant: Bethnal Green.
- Hackney has a population of 246,000 people and only 1 gospel-preaching church. It is very ethnically diverse with a high population density of 34,000 people per square mile. There are two areas where we think churches need to be planted: Stoke Newington and Dalston.
We had a good time celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday with Ryan and Elisabeth Strother and Stephen Silverson. They are both serving at Chelsea Community Baptist Church.
This week, I am planning to survey several more boroughs. We are hoping to be done surveying all the boroughs by the end of December and then begin making plans for our first church plant in January.
Thank you for your continued prayers for us. We appreciate them so much.