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El Monte Community Assessment

A report by Elder Monte SahlinCenter for Creative MinistryAugust 2011

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Who is Monte Sahlin?o An ordained Seventh-day Adventist

minister for 40 years who has done assessments of more than 1,000 local churches. He is currently employed by the Ohio Conference after spending two decades at the General Conference and union conference directing research and development. He teaches in the Doctor of Ministry program at Andrews University and the urban studies program at Eastern University. He is the author of 20 books, 75 research monographs and many articles.

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Goals of this Studyo Profile the demographics and religion

of El Monte, California.o Provide a community needs

assessment.o Put information on the table for

planning and mission strategy development for the El Monte Seventh-day Adventist Church.

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El Monte as a Mission Fieldo A suburb of Los Angeleso 120,000 residents in 30,000 householdso Los Angeles County has one Adventist for

every 196 residentsn For the entire USA it is 1 to 305n New Guinea: 1 to 25n Zambia: 1 to 22n Jamaica: 1 to 14n Belize: 1 to 10n Antigua: 1 to 8

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El Monte

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Who are the people livingin this community?

16 other segments

7%

Young Families

31%Struggling Hispanic

Households62%

Lifestyle Segments

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Struggling Hispanic Households – 62%o Low incomes; large families with many children

and stay-at-home moms; mostly under 35 and most adults are high school dropouts.

o Key needs: Concern about gangs, getting education, day-to-day financial worries, finding a good church, teen/child problems and affordable housing.

o Involvement in religion is average with greater numbers interested in Pentecostals, JWs and Mormons. Want a church that offers 12-step program, sports and camping, counseling services, and contemporary music.

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Young Families – 31%o Includes all ethnic groups, but primarily white;

adults under 40 with many children; incomes a little above average; large numbers of military families and Blue Collar workers.

o Key needs: Concern about gangs, parenting skills, finding spiritual teaching, teen/child problems, adequate food and day-to-day financial worries.

o High involvement in religion; especially interested in Mormon, non-denominational and Holiness churches. Prefer a church with family ministries, youth group, and a Christian school.

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Black lines are boundaries of study area.

Dark Blue = Struggling Hispanic Households

Yellow = Young Families

Green = Middle-aged and retired people

Light Blue & Red = Suburban middle class families outside the study area

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*Data for 2015 is projected.

Population Growth

157,894149,552

138,336

128,228

1990 2000 2010 2015*

El Monte is growing slowly at less than one percent a year.

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Age Groups

9.4%6.8%

30.8%

26%

7.6%

12%

Under 5 Under 18 Age 65 andolder

El MonteNational

This community has significantly more children and fewer senior citizens than the typical American community.

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Ethnic Minorities

21.5%

4.3%0.4%

12.3%

72.8%

14.5%

Asian Black Hispanic

El MonteNational

Whites are a definite minority in this community at only 5% of the total population.

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Immigrants

52.4%

12.5%

83.7%

19.6%

Foreign born Speak anotherlanguage at home

El MonteNational

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Housing

40.7%

67.1%

59.3%

32.9%

Owner-occupied Renter-occupied

El MonteNational

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Education

43.6%49.6%

10.4%

27.4%

Secondary diploma College degree

El MonteNational

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Married

47.9%52.2%

46.9% 48.2%

Men Women

El MonteNational

Half of the adult population in this area is made up of single adults, which means that singles ministry is vitally important to the mission of the church.

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Special Needs

22.1%19.3%

2.5%

10.1%

Disabled Veterans

El MonteNational

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Median Household Income

$34,202

$42,257 $43,094

$52,599

2000 2010

El MonteNational

Almost everyone who lives in El Monte is from a low-income family. The exceptions would be a few older residents, a few single adults who have relatively higher incomes because they do not have spouses or children, and a few young families with two breadwinners or couples with some education and better-paying jobs.

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Occupations

Blue collar workers

52%

Serviceworkers

16%

Office & sales26%

Management & Professional

11%

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Poverty

21%

13.2%

18.3%

9.6%

Individuals belowpoverty line

Families belowpoverty line

El MonteNational

The poverty line is currently $17,500 annual income for a family of four. This is an extremely low threshold considering the actual cost of rent, groceries, utilities, etc., in the Los Angeles area.

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Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unemployment in Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

12.9%11.7%

9.4%

6.2%

6.3%

4.6%

6.3%5.2% 5.4%

4.4%4.7%

5.5%

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

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Cost of Housing

$1,868

$1,486

$1,072

$651

Median monthlymortgage

Median monthlyrent/lease

El MonteNational

The cost of housing in El Monte is very high for a community with relatively low incomes.

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Religious Preferences of Local Residents

Other11%

Evangelical29%

Protestant16%

Catholic20%

No religion24%

Protestant = Mainline Protestant (Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian, etc.)Evangelical = Conservative Protestant (Baptist, Nazarene, Adventist, etc.)

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Religious Involvement of Local Residents

30%35%

25%30%

44%

35%

Stronglyinvolved

Somewhatinvolved

Notinvolved

El MonteNational

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Change in Religious Involvement of Residents

18%20%

23% 24%

Increased involvementin last 10 years

Decreased involvementin last 10 years

El MonteNational

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Blue line = boundaries of El Monte Zip Codes

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Purple line = boundaries of El Monte Zip Codes

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Beliefs about God

85% 85%

69%64%

There is a God God is active

El MonteNational

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Social Values89% 91% 89%

83%

Preserve traditionalfamily values

Environment is anational crisis

El MonteNational

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Community Services

62%

50%

74%

63%

Government shouldprovide

Churches shouldprovide

El MonteNational

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Ethnic Change44%

36% 34% 36%

America shouldopen the doors

it is a threat to ourheritage

El MonteNational

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Top Needs in the Communityo 45% Achieving financial securityo 37% Neighborhood crime & safetyo 35% Day-to-day financial worrieso 34% Maintaining personal healtho 28% Concern about gangso 25% Dealing with child/teen problemso 24% Finding good schoolso 22% Dealing with stresso 21% Finding health insuranceo 20% Finding time for recreation

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Purple line = Boundaries of El Monte Zip Codes

Health outreach of the traditional kind (health education) may not be a good idea in El Monte. All of the households within the boundaries of El Monte have a need for health promotion that is below the national average.

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Purple line = Boundaries of El Monte Zip Codes

Percent of households in which finding a job or finding a better job is a major concern:

There is a real need for programs such as a support group for the unemployed and job seekers. The percentage of households where someone is looking for a job or a better job is above the national average throughout El Monte.

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Needs in the Community 2o 19% Affordable housingo 19% Better quality health careo 19% Finding friendshipo 18% Finding a jobo 17% Achieving a fulfilling marriageo 17% Dealing with substance abuseo 17% Dealing with ethnic prejudice

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More Needs in the Community 3o 15% Domestic violence & abuse o 15% Finding a satisfying job/careero 15% Dealing with social injusticeo 14% Developing parenting skillso 14% Finding a good churcho 13% Problems in the schoolso 13% Finding retirement opportunitieso 12% Care for aging parents o 12% Finding spiritual teaching

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Low-priority Community Needso 10% Finding direction in lifeo 10% Providing adequate foodo 10% Obtaining an educationo 9% Finding child careo 4% Dealing with divorce

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Church Programs People Wanto 40% Bible study & prayer group o 34% Family activities & outingso 34% Youth activitieso 23% Family counselingo 21% Active retirement programo 18% Doctrinal classeso 16% Spiritual retreatso 15% Care for the terminally illo 14% Marriage enrichment events

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Church Programs People Wanto 13% The arts, music, drama, etc.o 11% Parent training classeso 10% Food & clothing resource centero 10% Day care for childreno 7% Sports or campingo 7% Church-sponsored schoolo 5% 12-step groupo 3% Divorce recovery

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Church Program Preferences Index

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6

-4

Personaldevelopment

Socialservices

Spiritualgrowth

Recreation

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Worship Style Preferences

30%36%

10%

24% 23%

39%

11%

27%

Emotionallyuplifting

Intellectuallychallenging

Both Notinterested

El Monte National

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Worship Style Continued

33%28%27%

13%

27%27%26%20%

Traditionalformal

Contemporaryinformal

Both Notinterested

El Monte National

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Purple line = Boundaries of El Monte Zip Codes

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Worship Music Preferences31%29%

21%19%

25%

31%

19%

24%

Traditional Contemporary Both Notinterested

El Monte National

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Church Focus

32%36%

19%13%

26%

37%

22%

14%

Spiritualgrowth

Communityservice

Both Notinterested

El Monte National

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How I prefer for churchesto contact me …

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Telemarketing

Door to door

Phone for a visit

Newspaper ads

Cable TV

Radio spots

Direct mail

NoYes

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Source: Center for Metropolitan Ministry

Survey of the General Public in Major Metropolitan Areas

Never heard of the Adventist

Church66%

Know nothing about it

15%

Know something inaccurate

12%

Know one true fact

7%

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Analysiso Research has shown that growth in

Adventist churches comes from:n Community involvementn Strong spiritual lifen Intentionality (goals, planning)n Positive atmosphere in the congregationn Activities for the unchurched on Sabbath

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The Adventist Paradigm for Outreach & Evangelism

o Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching people. He mingled with men as one who desired their good, showed sympathy for them and ministered to their needs. He won their confidence. Then, He bade them, “Follow me.” – Ellen White, The Ministry of Healing, p 143

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“Christ’s Method”

Discipleship Program

Friendship Evangelism

Community service

Community visibility

Community assessment

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Examples of Adventist Churches that are Implementing this Strategy

o Mount Dora Church, Floridao Aldergrove Church, British Columbian Pastor David Jamieson wrote about the growth

and development of this church in a DMindissertation at Andrews Univ.

o Walk of Faith Fellowship, Clevelandn Pastor Kevin Kuehmichel is writing a book about

this urban church planto Stillwater Church, Dayton, Ohion A dying church discovered new life!

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Resourceso One Minute Witness – good introduction in

32 pages designed to be handed out to church members

o Chapter 2 in Adventist Congregations Today contains the research on church growth

o Mission in Metropolis contains more research, focusing on urban and suburban churches in metropolitan areas

o Understanding Your Community provides tools for doing a community assessmentn All are available at www.AdventSource.org

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Discussion Questionso How well known and visible is the El

Monte Church in the community?o What has been done to “plow the

ground” in El Monte through serving the needs of the community?

o What relationships do church members have in the community that can be a bridge to possible candidates for Bible studies?

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o Contact information for Monte Sahlinn msahlin@creativeministry.orgn (800) 272-4664

© 2011, Center for Creative Ministry