The Baptist Press wrote a very nice article about Island Pond the other day! Here is one part of the article:
Talking about spiritual things is especially difficult in Hampstead, a town 45 minutes north of Boston, because New Hampshire and neighboring Massachusetts are the least religiously-inclined states in the nation, the pastor said, citing a Pew Research Center study.
“New Englanders are very independent, so the idea of attending a church is a challenge for a lot of people,” Lewis said. “In our community, it’s not that people are overtly hostile to Christianity. They just don’t care.”
“You have to find ways to get on their radar before you can begin to share about Jesus,” the pastor added.
Island Pond Baptist offers an expansive Kids’ Spring Festival and fall Trunk or Treat that go far beyond similar events. Both annual events include a rock-climbing wall, petting zoo, scavenger hunt in the sanctuary, food trucks, free cotton candy and much more. The many church volunteers who direct games and other activities make friends with children and their parents alike.
“These two particular outreaches aren’t strongly evangelistic,” Lewis said. “Our aim is to show the love of Jesus by having fun with our community. You have to find ways to connect with people before they’re willing to listen to you when you’re talking about Jesus.”
To read the entire article, click here.