CANDIDATE INFORMATION PACKET - Ryan Fields

dedicated study of the Word and prayer amidst much slower social calendars. Consider that many folks who would no longer darken the doors of a church might be willing to tune in to a web-broadcast worship service. Consider that Covid-19 has created instances of greater need within our communities which the church can step up to meet and so witness to Christ's love which compels us. Consider that the social isolation may very well have brought people to realize how lonely and unsatisfied they really are with the life that they have built...and be open to how Christ might meet them in that place of brokenness and hopelessness. What are your thoughts of social media use for reaching the next generation for Christ in New England? There is no question that social media plays a huge role in the lives of the younger generations; this is simply a fact we have to face. In this sense I think we should continue to think about social media as a tool to be able to reach people we might not otherwise reach, and we need to be wise about the way that we use this tool. To me what is vitally important is that social media is the hallway and not the living room for God's people, meaning that it is best as an invitation to community and not a replacement for it. Ultimately people are longing for real community, and we have that to offer them in the church. I also think that pastors need to help God's people think about their habits and behavior on social media and whether they are in keeping with their identity as adopted children of God. For instance, do their posts reveal more of an allegiance to a political party or a particular social platform than an allegiance to Christ and the gospel? We need to help God's people think through the gospel's implications for life on social media, as with every arena of life. Statistically, New England ranks near the bottom on the religious index of areas to live in the country. Please describe your calling to this area and your vision and thoughts for ministering in this challenging environment. New England's "post-Christian" ethos is largely what attracts me to the area, actually. I grew up in the South and have ministered primarily in an environment where there are (relatively speaking) a lot of Christians and a plethora of churches to choose from. There are many good things that come in that kind of environment. But as I have looked at our country's religious demographics, it is clear to me that there is a much larger need for gospel ministers in places like New England. This is not only because of the relative lack of Christians and gospel-proclaiming churches, but also because of the inordinate influence of this region. As one example, New England has some of the most influential educational institutions in the world, and the Boston area particularly attracts folks from all over the country and from around the world who will come for a time and then head off somewhere else, often becoming leaders in their various fields and institutions. This is a strategic place to do gospel ministry, even though it is a tough place to do gospel ministry. I should also say that part of my calling to New England has come through visiting it time and again in coming to see my wife's family (she grew up in Guilford, CT, her brother's family lives in Watertown, MA, her parents live is southern Vermont, her grandparents live on Cape Cod, and her extended family is all over the region). I have come to enjoy the beauty of the area, and as I have looked in on the culture of ministry there I have often seen a "band of brothers" mentality that is very attractive. We are hoping to move to New England so we can 1. raise our children in the culture and climate that my wife grew up in, 2. be near to parents,

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