Connect09

I was wondering if we might start a thread noting, and praying, for unreached people groups in Sydney.

Well, more than wondering, obviously, because I’ve just started it, and I thought it would be good to link it in to Connect ‘09.

Are there people you are coming across that don’t naturally fit into any church that you know of, as far as their demographic profile?

For example, I know we talk a lot about relating to Muslims, but it seems that they are under-represented in our churches, and not just because they don’t agree that Jesus is Lord!

Also, I’m aware that deaf and blind people have, by and large, not been part of churches that I’ve been a part of, and I am a bit unsure how our congregation would cope if they were. We had a lovely blind girl in one of our Bible study groups once in Melbourne, and she was a great blessing to us and to our church.

Are there other groups that we are not reaching? Are you part of such a group? Are there things we should be praying for/thinking about in this area?

The group of people sociologists describe as ‘new age/eclectic spiritual believers’.

They are about 15 per cent of Australian Gen Ys, Gen X and Boomers but when SC wanted to write a story on evangelism to this group we could find no real examples operating in the Diocese. And ringing round our churches we tried we struggled to find anyone who had been converted from this background.

further.. they tend to be female and more significantly from a lower socio-economic background… which isn’t Sydney Anglicans usual operating paradigm I guess.

Its interesting that we focus a lot on atheists (mainly males).

I wonder how much if anything we are doing for people with psychological problems. They are hard to reach and extremely hard to work with, but need Christ at least as much as anyone else. 
I have a lady in my Bible study with “issues” and it is sometimes very hard for the rest of the group, but from time to time I think it’s actually good for me (that’s in between wondering how on earth I can keep doing this).  Where I worship we have a psychological rehabilitation group next door and thus we do come into some casual contact with people but we don’t have any formal contacts (though lately one of the workers has been attending Church, as well as the lady who is in my Bible study who is a client of the group).

Gordon Cheng - 18 April 2008 01:22 AM

I was wondering if we might start a thread noting, and praying, for unreached people groups in Sydney.

.....


Are there people you are coming across that don’t naturally fit into any church that you know of, as far as their demographic profile?

The modern orthodox Jews of Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Because, from the last 10 months spent working with Jewish teachers & children (& also recently chatting to over 100 sets of Jewish parents), it is quite clear that most don’t know Jesus, & those who have heard of Him have no regard for Him, or for His life, His teachings, His reason for being, dying & rising.....I could go on & on.

Whle I’d acknowledge that my Jews are not completely unreached, I will say that they are far from being all reached.

{Though by God’s grace we have at least one in the form of Benjamin Pakula on the forum!}

TZ.

Roman Catholics. We ought to make the effort to get to know them and discuss our beliefs together, especially with World Youth Day approaching.