NORTHSHORE BAPTIST ASSOCIATION PROBE

PROBE: To search, investigate, survey, and look into.

What is an area probe?a discovery process to identify communities and people groups that are not being reached with the gospel.

What is the purpose of a probe?to assist churches &/or associations in their efforts to identify people groups, population segments & places that need new churches or evangelistic type ministries in order to have an impact on the lostness of the area.

1. Who are the unreached in my community? 2. Where are the unreached living in my community? 3. Why are they unreached? 4. What is God doing among the unreached in my community?

4 guiding questions for a probe

PROBE… SURVEYING THE LAND!

Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites… See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? Are they unwalled or fortified? How is the soil? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.

Numbers 13:1,18-20

Someone has stated that often we can’t see the forest for the trees of familiarity.

Often we become blinded to new opportunities by the familiar.

Just as the visitor sees the cobwebs in the vestibule, which the church members have long since ceased to notice, even so our ministry routine blinds us from seeing opportunities all around us

Discovery Process Components

Research Demographics & Lifestyle Studies

Area Probe Compile/Draft Priority

Profiles by Categories—New Church/Ministry

What Do We Look For?

P-PeopleR-ResidencesO-OpportunitiesB-BarriersE-Evangelism

What Do We Look For?

PEOPLE Ethnic groups Socio-economic levels Factors that reveal age

What Do We Look For?

RESIDENCES Types of houses Age of houses Condition of houses

What Do We Look For?

OPPORTUNITIES Evidence of growth Resort communities Mobile home parks Apartment complexes Housing projects

What Do We Look For?

BARRIERS Natural barriers (rivers, interstate, etc.)

Cultural Barriers Housing barriers Church barriers (due to socio-economics)

What Do We Look For?

EVANGELISM Local churches Look for temporary meeting places

Look for abandoned church buildings

Interpreting What We See

Recording what you see & whyChurches in Area & Attendance Estimate•List all churches•Estimate their attendance•Cluster by communities

Interpreting What You See, cont.Area Probe Work Sheet

– Complete team information at top of form

– Identified area of concern information•Describe the location•Describe the people (Target Group)•Describe type of church needed•Target date to begin refers to the ideal

•Potential sponsoring churches•Group notes

Interpreting What You See, cont.Proposed New Work Priority Sheet

While in the field– Sketch a map on the Proposed New

Work Priority SheetWhen the Team Returns– Complete each Proposed New Work

Priority Sheet– Report on each during team report

time

Gathered Research Info

•Demographics Observations

•Lifestyle Study Observations

Team Leaders guide this discussion for your team.

Before Leaving, Pray Together with Expectancy for God to Reveal His Will