MissionSite DIGEST – Seeing Concentrations of People in Need of Christ

REACHING BENTON HARBOR, BERRIEN, MI
This location has been identified as one of the top areas in Michigan in need of new churches.  This report has been written to assist you in gaining an understanding of where God has gathered concentrations of people in need of Him in order that your church can focus your efforts and resources where He is at work and the need is greatest.  May this report assist your church in hearing God’s invitation to join Him where He is calling.

During the night a vision appeared to Paul: a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, "Cross over to Macedonia and help us!"  After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to evangelize them.  Acts 10:9-10

LOCATION SUMMARY
The table below identifies the center of the smallest ring in the map above.  The location data provides various types of identification to better describe the location.  The GIS data can be used to map the location in Google maps or Google Earth.

Central Street Address | 557 Waverly Dr | GIS Latitude | 42.082490
Subdivision | | GIS Longitude | -86.444860
Zip Code | 49022 | Sitescape Category | Townscape
State Region | Region Two | Sitescape Group | Medium Towns
Association | Southwestern | |

POPULATION & HOUSEHOLD BAND COMPOSITION
Below are listed the total number of people and the total number of households corresponding to each of the 3 bands indicated on the map.

CATEGORY | COUNTY | 0-3 MILES | 3-7 MILES | 7-10 MILES
2010 Population | 160,748 | 38,442 | 27,959 | 14,344
2010 Households | 63,778 | 15,486 | 11,075 | 5,057
2010 Group Quarters | 4,794 | 1,103 | 622 | 1,477

TOP COMMUNITY TYPES
The largest type of community within this area is high density, inner-city neighborhoods. Approximately 6347 households within the 0-3 mile band as indicated on the map fall into this description.

COMMUNITY | 0-3 MI BAND | HHLDS | PERCENT
Urban Communities | High Density, Inner-city Neighborhoods | 6,347 | 40.98%
Working Communities | Blue-collar, Working Families | 3,458 | 22.33%
Upscale Communities | Affluent, White-collar Families | 2,579 | 16.65%

TOP LIFESTYLE SEGMENTS
The largest type of lifestyle within this area is the New Generation Activists segment. Approximately 414 households within the 0-3 mile band as indicated on the map fall into this description.

LIFESTYLE | DESCRIPTOR | HHLDS | PERCENT

New Generation Activists
(67.34% unreached)

Less educated, young, low income minority singles and single-parent families concentrated in the nation's inner cities

414

2.67%

Professional Urbanites
(72.30% unreached)

An upper-middle-class retirement oasis in the metropolitan sprawl containing very active empty nesting couples and older singles

388

2.51%

Small Town Endeavors
(67.38% unreached)

A mix of lower income, young and old, singles, families and single parents living in older homes and small apartments in working-class towns

212

1.37%

EVANGELSCAPE: SPIRITUAL INDICATORS
The numbers in this segment communicate the most compelling reasons why this community needs churches and believers to intercede in missional prayer and activity.  This community needs eternal transformation that only comes by way of the gospel and the working of the Holy Spirit.

SPIRITUALITY INDICATOR | COUNTY HHLDS | COUNTY % | BAND HHLDS | BAND %
Unreached | 43,451 | 68.13% | 10,818 | 69.86%
Religious but NOT Evangelical | 11,124 | 17.44% | 3,587 | 23.16%
Spiritual but NOT Evangelical | 6,680 | 10.47% | 1,158 | 7.48%
Non-Evangelical but NOT Interested | 25,929 | 40.66% | 6,289 | 40.61%

CHURCHSCAPE: SPIRITUAL INDICATORS
The indicators below reveal a snapshot of the extent of evangelical presence in the focus community.  The last item in this section reveals how many churches are needed in order to have a minimum of one church for every 2000 hhlds (4000 –5000 people).

SPIRITUALITY INDICATOR | COUNTY | COUNTY % | 3 MI RING | RING %
Active Evangelical HHlds | 10,196 | 16% | 2,342 | 15%
Inactive Evangelical HHlds | 10,131 | 16% | 2,327 | 15%
# New Churches Needed | 32 | 8

MISSIONSCAPE: CULTURAL BRIDGES
Cultural bridges are those characteristics that could be used to build relationships with people in the lifestyle group. Various activities, interests, or opinions represented among the consumer behavior characteristics of the lifestyle group offer ways for believers to build relationships with people in the lifestyle group and through that relationship impact them for Christ.

CULTURAL BRIDGE | #HHlds | %HHlds
Fast Food/Drive-In Restaurant-Visit Any | 13,365 | 86%
Family Restaurants/Steak Houses-Visit Any | 11,941 | 77%
Home Personal Computer-HH Own | 10,934 | 71%
First Aid BandAid/Topical Antibiotic Remedies (Non-Prescription) Use | 10,612 | 69%
Listening To Music | 10,363 | 67%
Ailments Last Yr-Any Ailment | 10,359 | 67%
Movies-Attended Movie In Last 6 Months | 10,219 | 66%

This mission site is located in the Region Two of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan.  For more information about this need, contact the regional Church Planting Strategist:  convention office (info@bscm.org)

BSCM in partnership with the Intercultural Institute for Contextual Ministry –www.iicm.net | Page