Posted: 10/29/04
Baptist researcher's apartment ministry
study yields unexpected findings
By John Hall
Texas Baptist Communications
FORT WORTH–Apartment ministries may not reduce crime rates the way advocates previously expected, but that doesn't mean they are ineffective, a Baptist researcher insists.
The ministries may be giving residents hope where it didn't exist before, she maintains.
Recent doctoral research by Tomi Grover, restorative justice consultant with the Baptist General Convention of Texas Missions Equipping Center, revealed calls to the police remained steady during an 18-month period in complexes with church-sponsored ministries.
Her research also showed a decrease in phone calls to the police during an 18-month period in complexes without ministries.
This runs contrary to many people's thinking that apartment ministries decrease the number of calls to police, but does not indicate ministries are not effective, said Grover, whose work recently was named the best research project of the year by the Southern Baptist Research Fellowship.
| Residents with a sense of hope are more likely to call for police assistance, according to Tomi Grover, restorative justice consultant with the Baptist General Convention of Texas Missions Equipping Center. |
She believes her report does not indicate crime rate fluctuations, but it shows increasingly bold residents where developed ministries are functioning. Ministries are creating an environment where people believe they can make a difference. Individuals are feeling valued and believe cooperation with each other, managers and police officers can create better lives, Grover said.
“Overall, a sense of community development helps people feel a part of the community and helps them care about their neighbors and their managers,” she said.
Conversely, residents in apartment complexes without ministries lose hope for improvement, Grover added. They do not believe the police can make a difference and are less likely to call for police assistance.
These findings have several implications for church work, Grover said. When congregations evaluate their ministry, they need to look at more than professions of faith in Christ to determine effectiveness, she insisted. It is important to bring people to Christ, but churches also need to analyze the entire situation.
Congregations should note crime rates, quality of life and worldview as well, she continued. Correctly discipling individuals will affect each of the aspects. That means outreaches should address each of those issues.
“It's not just about Bible study or social-recreational ministry,” she said. “It's about the whole person. When you start addressing the whole person, you address the whole community.”
Grover noted her research encourages further studies in this area. She would like to see a study covering a longer period of time than 18 months. Assessing the types of crime committed could be helpful, she said.
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