To help those in Michigan get to know Bellflower (the city) a bit, I thought I'd give you some information about it; from what I have observed any way.
I was told that Bellflower would be similar to Grand Rapids area; similar meaning the "dutchness" of it. Basically, that it would be a white dutch community out in California. I don't remember who told me this or maybe this was just my own assumption; but however I learned this, it definitely is wrong. The community that I live in has such a wide amount of diversity in it. There are lots of Mexicans, Indians (from India, not Native Americans), and middle-eastern residence here. There is also a Spanish service here at Bell One after the morning English service gets done and boy do they rock out for their service.
Bellflower and the surrounding area used to be white, dutch, dairy farmers. I am not sure when this changed, but I know due to LA becoming a bigger city, the farmers were 'pushed' out of this area to further south. But then San Diego became bigger, therefore they ended up moving to the Montana and Wyoming region. And then builders decided to put multiple houses up (almost 8 for every acre!). Therefore, Bellflower is only 6.5 square miles but is pushing 72,000 residence (yes you read that right and yes, that is a lot of people in a small area!). There are many churches in Bellflower as well as the surrounding areas (Cerritos and Artersia--this is similar to saying like Kentwood to Byron Center or Cuttlerville to Byron Center). First CRC of Bellflower began in 1927 and many other CRC churches followed suite after that. Bell One was the 'model' church for this area--everyone wanted to be like them and did what they did. Bell One used to be a huge congregation (1950's), but over time as the farmers moved out, so did the congregation. Now, there is roughly 200 people in the AM service and 30 in the P.M.
The demographics of Bell One are also interesting. They have many members in the 60+ age range. There are only a handful between 40-60. Then they have others in the 28-40 age range, but not many in the 12-28 age range. Therefore it has lots of 60+ year olds, 28-40 year olds and 0-12 year olds. This provides the church with a great opportunity--the demographics and the diversity in the area.
And what I've learned from talking with other CRC pastors in the area as well as members of Bell One is that the CRC and RCA churches here are a little 'scared' of this diversity. Maybe scared is the wrong word, I'd say they are more concerned on how to handle the diversity and then what to do about it? They aren't sure how to react to the diversity which engulfs them--literally it does. They all know that they must 'love their neighbor as their self' and pursue including everyone in the family of God; but it does present a challenge I think to get everyone thinking like this. Because race is something that can be scary for some people, especially those in older generations due to what they grew up with and the history of the USA. And then that was passed down to their children and sometimes that fear of other races was continually passed down.And if we are honest with ourselves, we know that we should love everyone just as God loved us, but it is absolutely and completely counter-cultural to do this. Not only is it this way to other races, but also to those of the same race.
This is the challenge to the church in America today--racial reconciliation.
Bell One has a great opportunity around them, but so do the churches in Byron Center. It just depends on what we do with the situation that we are in. May we use the situation that we are in to glorify God, spread the glory of God and make His glory known among the nationS!
And we too, must remember that in heaven, people from every tribe, tongue and nation will be bowing to our heavenly Father and confessing the name of Jesus Christ to the glory of God and for the glory of God.
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