Unofficial Second Generation Lovin' Life Ministries Survey - sent to Joshua Cotter, H. T. and Jaga Gavin
2011-02-25 · Source: tparents.org
Attached you will find a report based on data collected from a survey created and sponsored by “a group of 2nd gen concerned that all the varied thoughts and opinions of the youth community are not being heard.” Our feeling was that across the US, a great number of young adults have disengaged from the Lovin’ Life Ministries (LLM) service. We created this survey to find out if this is true.
So far, 300 people ages 10-40 have participated in the survey. A professional survey website and ‘anonymous’ identity were used to ensure participants would feel free to express themselves without reprisal. The survey results tabulated in the report confirm there are serious issues that need to be resolved before LLM can become an effective tool to reach this age demographic.
These issues are:
The bickering between the True Children and use of the pulpit to make personal attacks is a major distraction from the value of the Divine Principle and True Parents teachings. Participants unable to attend LLM in New York overwhelmingly dislike the video sermon presentation and would much prefer an intimate local live experience. Many participants feel that the sermons have killed their life of faith. Many do not feel that LLM is an accurate representation of their faith.
The survey indicates that LLM is a service participants a) don’t want to come to and b) would never bring their friends to. The general perception is that the LLM ‘branding’ is just another coat of paint over a rotting house; because the inner issues are not being resolved, the paint will accomplishing nothing.
The data collected in the survey clearly identifies areas where the LLM service is failing; these obstacles need to be quickly remedied. The 300 participants provided a limited data set; if you sponsor a similar survey using the same methodology that reaches the entire young adult community, you should be able to further refine our observations, and thus better guide your corrective actions.
Unification Speak Up
2nd Gen LLM Survey February, 2011
Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary… 1 1.1.1 Statement of Purpose … 1 1.1.2 Methodology… 1 1.1.3 Survey Highlights … 1 2 Survey Results … 2 2.1 Demographics … 2 2.1.1 Where do you attend Sunday Service? … 2 2.1.2 What is your age? … 2 2.2 Multiple Choice Questions… 3 2.2.1 How often did you attend Sunday Service in 2010? … 3 2.2.2 Most often, what kept you from attending? … 3 2.2.3 Would you bring your friends to a Lovin’ Life Ministries video stream service? … 4 2.3 Ranking Questions … 4 2.3.1 How do you rate your experience at Sunday Service? … 4 2.3.2 Agree/Disagree? … 4 2.4 Free-Form Questions … 5 2.4.1 What do you most enjoy about your local service? … 5 2.4.2 What do you most dislike about your local service? … 5 2.4.3 How would you help improve the worship service? … 5 2.5 Complete Comment Listing … 6 2.5.1 Most often, what kept you from attending? … 6 2.5.2 Would you bring your friends to a Lovin’ Life Ministries video stream service? … 10 2.5.3 What do you most enjoy about your local service? … 18 2.5.4 What do you most dislike about your local service? … 27 2.5.5 How would you help improve the worship service? … 38
1 Executive Summary
1.1.1 Statement of Purpose The purpose of this survey is to gauge the effectiveness of the Lovin’ Life Ministries (LLM) presentation for the 2nd Gen. Diligently collecting, honestly evaluating and utilizing this information is vital to making LLM a success.
The survey is designed to be polite, respectful, and objective. All communications have been conducted in a professional manner. The use of an ‘anonymous’ identity was used to ensure participants would feel free to express themselves without reprisal.
1.1.2 Methodology The survey questions are simple and straight forwards. They are not ‘leading’ the participants to express a positive or negative response. The combination of options, multiple choice, and free-form comments provides a good cross-section of statistical data and personal observations.
The initial invitation to participate in the survey was sent out to fifteen 2nd Gen representatives. It has since been forwarded to others and posted in various places on the Internet.
A professional survey website was used because it provides a secure private mechanism for collecting information, and insures that the survey can only be taken once per computer.
1.1.3 Survey Highlights Here are some of the key highlights from the participants:
300 people participated in the survey; 38% from the west coast, 30% from the north-east, and the remainder scattered around the country (see 2.1.1) 52% do not like the LLM service and 54% do not like In Jin Nims sermons (see 2.3.1) 65% report that LLM does not feed their life of faith (see 2.3.2) 75% do not like the video service (see 2.3.2) Only 19% are willing to invite their friends to an LLM video service (see 2.2.3)
All comments can be found in section 2.5. Many participants took the time to write about their likes and dislikes - they all deserve to be read, appreciated, and internalized. These comments have not been altered or sorted in any way.
2nd Gen LLM Survey Page 1
2 Survey Results
2.1 Demographics 2.1.1 Where do you attend Sunday Service? Response Response Location Percent Count Seattle 11.8% 35 Bay Area 19.3% 57 Los Angeles 6.8% 20 Texas 1.4% 4 Colorado 0.3% 1 Montana 1.4% 4 A members home 4.1% 12 Chicago 2.0% 6 Ohio 1.4% 4 Pennsylvania 0.7% 2 DC 0.3% 1 Maryland 2.0% 6 Bridgeport 8.1% 24 NJ 2.4% 7 Virginia 0.7% 2 UTS 2.7% 8 NYC 8.8% 26 South Carolina 0.0% 0 Florida 1.7% 5 Alabama 0.3% 1 Georgia 0.3% 1 Boston 4.1% 12 Worchester 0.3% 1 Other (please specify) 19.3% 57 answered question 296 skipped question 4
2.1.2 What is your age? Response Response Age Groups Percent Count 10-18 12.4% 37 19-22 48.8% 146 23-28 25.4% 76 29-35 4.3% 13 36+ 9.0% 27 answered question 299 skipped question 1
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2.2 Multiple Choice Questions 2.2.1 How often did you attend Sunday Service in 2010? Response Response Attendance Percent Count Every week 45.7% 137 Twice a month 18.3% 55 Once a month 13.3% 40 Less than once a month 22.7% 68 answered question 300 skipped question 0
2.2.2 Most often, what kept you from attending? Response Response Attendance Barriers Percent Count Work/ Homework 26.4% 78 I’m not interested. 19.3% 57 Other (please comment) 28.8% 85 Not applicable- I always attend. 25.4% 75 Comment Box 119 answered question 295 skipped question 5
Here are some of the comments (see 2.5.1 for the complete list).
I did not go to church because: 1) it is too energy consuming when I have to make myself listen through IJN’s “guidance” when I am looking to spiritually “recharge”, 2) I think our community has detached in several respects once LLM started, 3) I have found others means to direct my spiritual life towards the right direction, although I would like to want to go to attend church again I fully support In Jin Nim and I think she has been doing an incredible amount for our movement, so I mean no disrespect, but I really don’t understand why everyone watches lovin’ life… it is GREAT in person. and it is VERY inspirational to see that our services are getting more professional. Maybe one idea is then expanding, focusing on one place at a time, so we eventually have services and churches just as incredible as lovin life all over the country. THAT will build attendance, and bring guests, not a 2hr video service… IJN’s sermons are appealing to a certain audience. I am not part of that audience, and that’s fine. Honestly, I leave the sermons more confused than when I go in, and therefore it is not on the top of my priority list to attend. I do, however, want to support my community and go for that reason.
2nd Gen LLM Survey Page 3
2.2.3 Would you bring your friends to a Lovin’ Life Ministries video stream service? Response Response Witnessing Percent Count Yes 19.1% 57 No (please comment) 53.4% 159 Depends (please comment) 27.5% 82 Comment Box 213 answered question 298 skipped question 2
Here are some of the comments (see 2.5.2 for the complete list).
Depends on if i knew beforhand that the content would be “guest-friendly” or not. There have been many topics/comments that first time guests could not understand; ie..true family issues, etc… I thoroughly enjoyed our local pastor’s sermons, which were intentionally directed towards helping the local community with what they were having to deal with at the time. I wouldn’t want to bring someone to church to watch a video. It would probably not be a positive experience for the guest.
2.3 Ranking Questions 2.3.1 How do you rate your experience at Sunday Service? On the scale of 1 to 4 with 4 as the highest satisfaction, how would you rate your experience at Sunday Service in 2010?
Response Rate LLM Service 1 2 3 4 Count Local worship service overall 49 104 73 68 294 Lovin’ Life Ministries overall 69 87 71 68 295 In Jin Nim’s sermons 86 75 68 66 295 Lovin’ Life Band performances 34 66 75 118 293 answered question 297 skipped question 3
2.3.2 Agree/Disagree? Please rate the following questions on a scale of 1 to 4, with 4 as the highest agreement, and 1 as the lowest.
Response Disagree <=> Agree 1 2 3 4 Count Is the Lovin’ Life service guest friendly? 75 71 77 65 288 Lovin’ Life Ministries feeds my life of faith. 124 67 42 60 293 I understand the goals of Lovin’ Life Ministries. 67 64 73 89 293 I prefer watching a video to a live, local 180 42 33 38 293 sermon. answered question 295 skipped question 5
2nd Gen LLM Survey Page 4
2.4 Free-Form Questions 2.4.1 What do you most enjoy about your local service? Here are some of the comments (see 2.5.3 for the complete list).
Fellowship with other BCs The involvement of youth to take leadership and initiative to improve the music, various programs, and a wholesome and inviting atmosphere to BCs and non BCs It’s sloppy, spontaneous, local, fun- it isn’t some ultra polished corporate church machine like lovin life. I hate the name lovin life- it sounds like something Mcdonalds would come up with after consulting focus groups and advertising agencies- the perfectly innocuous and inoffensive name to falsely brand your message as just being about living well. What happened to the mystery, wonder and respect that should surround God? God isn’t trying to sell happy meals he created the Universe.
2.4.2 What do you most dislike about your local service? Here are some of the typical comments (see 2.5.4 for the complete list).
Few young people go, though there are many in the area. We never have our own local sermons that apply to what our community needs. I feel no spirit there. Before IJN at least SOME sermons (few to be fair) brought the spirit of God and helped me connect to God’s heart. Now they never do. I especially dislike when she puts in jabs on her brother. I hate that conflict and leave when she brings it up.
2.4.3 How would you help improve the worship service? Here are some of the comments (see 2.5.5 for the complete list).
Yes, get rid of live streaming and bring back a live pastor, AKA our local pastor. Yes, community participation. Appealing to the youth to have them in charge of worship. I wouldn’t show IJN sermons on TV, only for very important occasions. NO reports for sermons.. ever. Reports can take place before or after the actual service. I think our community can always use more leaders to step up and organize project connect groups, etc. to help build strong personal relationships in the community, and support spiritual growth throughout the week.
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2.5 Complete Comment Listing This section contains the answers entered by the participants. They have not been edited or altered in any way.
2.5.1 Most often, what kept you from attending? Traveling A previous engagement/outing. Sermons were often meandering ramblings lacking in true religious insight or reflection, and it was disheartening to see the sermon used as a soapbox for IJN’s personal family issues other events Don’t enjoy staring at a screen all the time 100% of the service in intolerable not near one at college. Sunday Service isn’t a huge priority for me. For a couple reasons- I feel nourished by my prayer group and my personal worship, and I contribute through a ministry I’ve chosen. Service has never been a way that I really feel fed. I think Lovin Life Service is a vast improvement, and I am so grateful for it, AND Sunday is one day I can spend with my husband-- we both work a lot. So when we go to Service its awesome, but its a bit of a production to get there so we don’t go all the time. Also this year we’ve moved a lot, so our routine, if we ever had one, had been thrown off. I think when we have kids it will become more important. I now live 3 hours away from the closest church and 2 hours from the closest member/family. repetative Schoolwork, prior commitments, no ride. I dont feel any vitality or inspiration. The sermons lack a sort of substance that I was used to on STF and in years prior--statements and discussions that really moved and inspired us and challenged us to be better. Though I respect the effort to reach out to and connect to a broad demographic, I find LLM sermons to be “fluffy” almost and an unsatisfying “feel good” that makes you crave for something deeper. Sermons about a woman with cancer or a basketball coach are great, but I can get that in “Chicken Soup for the Soul” any day. I guess I would appreciate content that was as powerful as reading Father’s words in HDH. Honestly, though I’m sure many people have a great experience through the sermon, I only go to NY to see friends at this point. Out of town travel Why make the effort? Service is a bore. The Church changed and left me I can watch better sermons on tv Traveling I don’t find it helpful or meaningful. And I don’t feel welcome. Travel or Pending Projects homework took priority Long distance from church Boring Videos of rich liars The Unification Church is an organization that lacks much fruit and does more bad than good.
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Watching a service on TV does not appeal to me. I do think it’s fun in person and for the NY community, but I feel like its not great for other communities to come to together and have speaker that they know and is familiar with the congreagation. stf My community met twice a month for service — and over the summer, I was in Cheong Pyeong. I’m sleepy Lovin’ Life is the best change we could have ever expected for our church. wake up too late I live too far away plus it’s way too expensive to catch the train both ways! (and work 9-5 every Sunday) Other church related activities the service is mundane and not produced very well! parents’ work schedules Work and lack of interest. Not being in the states Not a big fan of In Jin Moon I’m sick of IJN’s sermons, which do nothing to inspire me. Her face. I couldn’t stand it. STF fundraising or activities I look forward to Lovin’ Life every week I am originally from California, but this year I was given the chance to live in New York so having Lovin’ Life at my fingertips makes every Sunday something to look forward to. traveling/vacation Only miss service when there is an unavoidable schedual for work. When you live in the barracks and are not allowed to own vehicles, it gets pretty hard to get to church. Or when the nearest church is a 2.5 hours drive, I try to make it at least once a month. Its more of a show than spiritual distance from home I don’t like Lovin’ Life. It feels fake and bland and with no substance. Injin nim’s sunday services are not inspirational. She just seems angry at her brother Hyunjin. She bashes her husband. And she has a fake british accent! It is not inspiring Distance from home to church Lovin’ Life doesn’t inspire me. In Jin Nim always talks shit about her brother and husband. baseball tournaments location, trying to save gas money Out of town, etc. I’m very involved with Sunday Service. I had other things going on. Transportation issues its gay Work
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transportation, the local church is far away from me It’s about an hour from my school IJN’s sermons are appealing to a certain audience. I am not part of that audience, and that’s fine. Honestly, I leave the sermons more confused than when I go in, and therefore it is not on the top of my priority list to attend. I do, however, want to support my community and go for that reason. Sometimes we didn’t go because of work but mostly because it’s 100 miles round trip, and they skipped a lot of the lovin’ life music which I grately look forward to. Also, the other people in the sanctuary talk, text, and sleep during the broadcast video and those actions by the other people in church make me not want to be there. A trip to Las Vegas. lol Too far I was interning on NGA so we did not always have the chance to go to church every week. There is no longer a personal touch to service. college life and not too interested as well away during the weekend. wasnt interested in going sometimes. I also teach Sunday School, which is the same time as the service i kinda have to because Im in the church community band family health reasons. During the semester I attended avg 3x per month Lovin’ Life Ministries has no life here in Seattle. I did not go to church because: 1) it is too energy consuming when I have to make myself listen through IJN’s “guidance” when I am looking to spiritually “recharge”, 2) I think our community has detached in several respects once LLM started, 3) I have found others means to direct my spiritual life towards the right direction, although I would like to want to go to attend church again Distance Fundraising, Workshops, International Service first, I’m not interested. For various reasons, I don’t feel like the church engenders an actually supportive community. Secondly, I don’t feel like there’s any real point to coming together as a community to watch DVDs of the New York service. I am going to school in Buffalo, NY. I hate watching videos. why would I need to drive 45 minutes when I could just as easily watch something from my house. I hate that we have to watch videos for sund sermons. It completely discourages communities to connect personally and spiritually with each other. I don’t feel like this church is moving forward but only taking LEAPS backwards doing this. Using Sunday mornings for family time and outings I work every other weekend so I attend on my off days It’s difficult to sit through a sermon that isn’t interacting personally with the audience. In Jin Nim doesn’t know everyone in my community and their situations, so it doesn’t feel as personal as it would coming from my local pastor or youth minister. Below, I want to rate the sermons and performances based on their quality and how much I enjoyed them when I’ve actually seen LLM live; but it’s just not the same in a video…
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taught sunday school Sometimes work, sometimes just not motivated to attend It DISCOURAGES me for the week. I honestly cannot stand In Jin Nim’s sermons. I think the band is really great, and the atmosphere is cool. But as soon as she starts talking, it’s extremely hard for me to listen to her. She talks way too long, she’s hard to follow, and I feel like barely ever makes points that are really inspiring or spiritually uplifting. Most of the time she just seems to talk about how her family does everything right, and the antics that go along with that. I will not start listening/going to Lovin’ Life Services until In Jin Nims starts giving sermons in different ways. Most of the time I don’t go because I’m busy with work, but when i get the chance to go to church i often don’t bother. I was traveling constantly Watching LLM in the church over past years facilitated less interaction, less interest in coming to the church from 2nd gens, less life itself… I know it’s our own faults but it use to be better before LLM. uninspiring service waking up late NGA I was also less inspired to attend than ever. I thought the sermons were very long, and wasn’t attracted to watching them via projection screen. Family issues I was on NGA involved with workshops or Fundraising In Jin Nim’s service Distance. We live far 2 hours away. but i dont enjoy it Sometimes I have planned a day trip on Sunday and there for can’t make it. sometimes I visit my family instead. They live a few hours from the main church. I attend because I play in the band. Didn’t like watching the sunday service on video all the time. Sometimes over slept I’d oversleep and noone else at my house wants to go… not interested and to avoid drama between 2nd gen. from the Bay Area Refreshing my batteries by going on excursions overlapping events from job or friends church is too far away. cost of transportation is too high. Video sermons are really not appealing I fully support In JIn Nim and I think she has been doing an incredible amount for our movement, so I mean no disrespect, but I really don’t understand why everyone watches lovin’ life… it is GREAT in person. and it is VERY inspirational to see that our services are getting more professional. Maybe one idea is then expanding, focusing on one place at a time, so we eventually have services and churches just as incredible as lovin life all over the country. THAT will build attendance, and bring guests, not a 2hr video service… Responsibilities as MC/Church band
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The lack of ownership my local community received was frustrating. Lovin’ Life videos are very tough for me to endure.
2.5.2 Would you bring your friends to a Lovin’ Life Ministries video stream service? Watching a video stream does not have the impact that Lovin Life in person does. It would have to be some kind of special speech. Why bring my friends to a Lovin Life Minisitries stream video service if I can bring the Lovin Life Ministries video stream service to my friends! Video sermons are never appealing Who like watching videos? IJN’s approach is like North Korea. And her speeches are like Kim Jong Il speaking to her underlings of how glorious he/she is. Yay! In Jin Nim’s sermons are very guest friendly when she doesn’t use a lot of church terminology such as “king of kings” For the majority its not guest friendly because you speak directly about TP as messiah and not more general messages on broader subjects that are applicable to everyones life such as trust, unconditional love, faith, forgiveness, etc. I feel like it would scare guests away to dive head first into our beliefs. They need to be eased in and I think that should happen more on a one on one basis not public service because you never know who is hearing this for the first time. I don’t think the spirit at church is exciting and inspiring enough. I might bring a friend to Lovin’ Life in NYC but not to my local chruch. I like the Lovin’ Life services, I just not particularly like the fact that it is on a screen and it is the sole way for us to express our church “community.” I would bring them to a live service since I’m in CT I live where it’s live, I’ve never seen a vid it’s crap The Lovin Life band is really weird and full of gossip-worthy issues… IJN’s sermons are.. not inspiring? I think it would be weird to bring someone to church, just to watch a video its nice to hear a sermon from the local pastor every once in awhile. However i do appreciate what IJN is doing too.. having a live sermon makes things more persnonable. a video stream can feel detached at times. dfdf When I tell my friends about it, they are interested and want to come. No one normal would understand the content of the sermon. If the people are loving and welcoming (local church members) then yes. If the food and fellowship is good afterwards, yes. If the building is a clean, bright environment, yes. In short, if the surrounding elements support the video stream, I think its fine. I thoroughly enjoyed our local pastor’s sermons, which were intentionally directed towards helping the local community with what they were having to deal with at the time. no depth
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If they are interested in coming, then sure. I don’t think it would be particularly enjoyable though, They will think it is weird. I brought a group of friends before to the fourth of july sermon 2010, they enjoyed it but all asked me if the speaker always talks for that long. depends on if i knew what the sermon was going to be about..so if it was a repeat or something. Telecast is awkward, not really different from tv or internet Awkward No personal touch - The era of dynamic DP lectures is gone not a spiritual feeling to the service The sermon is boring and pointless It’s boring, non-inspirational, two-dimensional, and the sermons are mostly irrelevant to my spiritual life. Not for the first time. I will bring my friends to Live first. On how open my friends are. Also if it’s a clear message. I don’t even feel comfortable, why would I bring my friend? What’s up with In Jin Nim’s fake English accent?!? It reminds me of politicians who have a really fake comb-over! And the transparent stories to put down her brother are so beneath the dignity of any sermon giver, especially a member of True Family. Disgraceful, really. (Btw, I’m not a Hyun Jin supporter, in case you were wondering. Depends on if i knew beforhand that the content would be “guest-friendly” or not. There have been many topics/comments that first time guests could not understand; ie..true family issues, etc… It’s the most impersonal representation of what I believe in and want to share. I wouldn’t want to bring someone to church to watch a video. It would probably not be a positive experience for the guest. I don’t like In Jin Nim’s attitude. It is not personal (or interesting). Yes, but not regularly, I don’t think its a satisfactory reflection of our church. The Lovi’ Life sermons and band may have energy and appeal, but usually its not enough to feed a community through a screen. I won’t my guests to know its something real that can be felt, and not just watched. Some communities have taken LLM and ran with it — expounding on the service with a feeling of unity with IJN, their own live music, strong congregation, etc. I would not feel comfortable bringing a friend to a service where the community didn’t feel united with IJN. If my friend was open to religious views and I explained some things first I would i would bring them to it live in New York, but i feel like Lovin’ Life in my hometown is not yet to the level of the original it’s kind of out-of-the box, only if they were real open-minded. But my pastor usually speaks afterwards so… depends if they are somewhat prepared for service if i get friends :( I would just show them the link online or something. While the content of LLM is guest friendly, most of my friends don’t care for religion. Despite that the feed varies in different locations, In Jin Nim’s service content is beyond the content that any local pastor can give.
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There’s not much spirit in our services. Part of it has to do with the location of the church. It’s not really a community center because it’s at least an hour from where most people live. Thus it’s difficult for people to become involved with things like music practice and ministries. It depends if Only if I knew it was guest friendly and very powerful, otherwise, I feel that a video is a little strange compared to what is the norm in church services. Video worship is bizarre and impersonal. The streamed videos are amazing, but the announcements/music should be a reflection of each community - you can’t connect to a recorded concert. Honestly, our church is weird enough as it is, but watching a video in replacement of a pastor talking in real time is just too weird for non-churchmembers. if I wanted to show them a good sermon In Jin Nim had, I would just send them a link. I have invited guests I am not interested in LLM as a video ministry. I now go to church purely for social reasons and out of sense of duty towards In Jin Nim. However the services are not spiritually fulfilling to me. it is to abstract I don’t feel that the Lovin’ Life Ministry is relevant to me so why would I bring a friend? i would prefer to bring them to the live performance of Lovin’ Life in NY If I knew the local chapter was going to be doing a significant amount of the service, and if I knew the sermon itsself was not too long. I don’t think they would be moved by watching a video/ not being able to ever speak or meet with the person in the video on a Sunday at the local church I don’t even like the videos It’s a little strange to say the least. The streaming service is very not personal. If there is no interaction, there is no movement of the spirit. It’s embarrassing- plus I strongly disagree with taking authority from local pastors, who are often longer in the church and more seasoned than In Jin Would you take a friend to a car show with horrible cars? I don’t speak about religion enough to bring my friends to a religious event. If I have witnessed to them already I would prefer them to bring them to the live service by In Jin Nim, but I would if I felt that they were open and prepared to hear the service. As I said above, IJN’s sermons do nothinng to inspire me. There is nothing holy about her.. What? They would think I’m stupid and shallow if I bring them to be inspired by her sermon. Come on. Lots of my friends are not too open to religion I haven’t actually ever brought any friends to any service I would bring them to hear In Jin Nim because she is very inspiring on and off the camera. I think my friends would enjoy being with the people of the local community as well as watch the video service. It is so much more guest friendly than church before Lovin’ Life. The service itself is good the but the facility of the building is not the best. Also the programs we have and I wish we had live music that people could feel.
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It really depends on how the overall community is whether they are lively or not and welcoming or not. I wouldn’t want a friend to come if the community wasnt guest friend and on top of that watch a video stream who watches video sermons at church? (not at home) boring and not guest friendly The spirit and the atmosphere are great at Lovin’ Life. There is so much vibe to it and i’ve had friends and non church family members truly enjoy the music and the sermons! I’m in a transitory time, I haven’t thought about witnessing at all. Usally my guests are not so ready for some of the things In Jin Nim says, like when she is talking about Hyun Jin Nim and our internal church issues. However, some guests are ready to hear that True Parents are the Messiah and many things that In Jin Nim talks about, such as life of faith issues are very guest friendly, coherent and enlightening. Depends mostly on the friend I’d be bringing and how much they know about our church. ie. True Parents Completely depends on how well the local service integrates the national service so that it still feels welcoming and natural. We’re working on that here in Philly now. sometimes sermons are friend-friendly sometimes not If a friend is willing to know more about the church then by all means I’ll bring a friend over. If my friends wanted to come to a church service, I would love to bring them. But watching a video of a pastor giving service to us is kind of odd, and isn’t very inspiring. Before LLM it was so difficult to bring friends and family to church because I never knew what they would get. Now I have not only a great message every week, but also a place where I feel comfortable bringing my friends, family, and people I work with Only if they ask It’s too boring content is sometimes too member-centric If it does NOTHING for my relationship with God, how will it help my friends? absence of vision and goals It does not represent the movement well so impersonal; just wierd to watch it on a screen with people that don’t know IJN.. I dislike the video screens and think bringing them to service in New York City would be much more personal. Why would I want to end my friendship with someone by bringing them to Lovin Life Minisitries?? If they are a women’s empowerment activist, then maybe yes. i dont enjoy it so i couldnt bring my friends. I would be embarrased to do so Not Personal On how well it is presented Not confident in the message or format being guest friendly or right for them. It’s a video. Their churches are more inspiring then ours. I would not want them to convert because I feel like they will find God better in their own faith tradition. It’s embarrassing.
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because we are looking a a video for a hour If they knew about our church enough to understand some of the subject matter in the sermons, or the sort of slang, then yes. I feel that Lovin’ Life is a great to introduce our movement to them. BUT I don’t know if they will come back to watch a video. I think they would get more benefits if their was somekind of live service done at our center. you can just watch ti at home it seems weird to be worshipping something on the tv I don’t mind the video format, it’s just that the service is a little lengthy. Depends on where this friend is at spiritually. In general, I would feel more comfortable bringing a friend to a Service where they can personally meet and talk to the Pastor they just heard a message from. I also struggle with some of the LLM band’s songs. To me- Sunday is a day all about GOD. :) And some of their music really does not connect me to God at all. I know they work really hard and they are amazing musicians, I would just love to see more worship/songs about God in Sunday Service, instead of songs about heartache from a guy or girl. Young people can hear “modern” music all week long. I wouldn’t want to bring my friends to something that doesn’t inspire me. I never know if there will be an inappropriate topic brought up that will alienate my friends. The too boring well, it would be kinda strange to say “i’m gonna bring you to my church for today”, then watch something on the computer… Well, its kind of awkward to show a live service that is broad-casted from somewhere else. I feel awkward bringing guests to the live stream unless they are very familiar with the church already. Its hard to bring new guests because there is so much to explain to them. Our Minnesota church is still Externally weird, like a weird building ect. But i think the people are awesome. The services are really long so that’s one challenging point. It depends on how open they would be to hearing Lovin’ Life. For an example some of my friends are atheist It is hard enough for members, not really a place for guests. Watching on a video is not interactive at all. My friends would be bored, just like I most often find myself. Watching a video is not very exciting But I wouldn’t have brought a friend to my church before either, mostly because I’m self conscious and definitely not secure enough in my own life of faith to do so. A few of the services, especially those following a large event of Father’s, sometimes referr to him as King of Kings, or discuss the matching to strangers, which i think is too much for a guest to hear first time. But if I’ve already heard the service, I will show them to my friends and relatives. Live feed is good here, but when we get an older unedited sermon, some people have a problem with that. I would prefer bringing them to a live sermon Sometimes the sermons are really good but sometimes I feel like they are filled with a rotation of the same few topics which are repeated every week. Watching a video for church is kind of embarrassing/strange. It’s too weird.
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This is not a personal service designed for my community. Rather it feels like a mass produced production made to push. Impersonal Only if they were really interested in coming, even if it was just a video. No one wants to go to church to watch a screen. see what i dislike most about local service if I knew ahead of time that it is non-member friendly; as in, it wouldn’t be confusing to them. Its not stimulating or grasping even for me its not inspiring to watch a video. The video service feels artificial and inaccessible to me. I feel no connection to the video stream service and would not bring a guest to what is to me a nonevent. It would be hard for them to understand the blessing/matching sermons even though they know thats the tradition of the church Maybe if they were really open to it It is a bit unconventional to bring someone to your church service, only to have them see a live broadcast. While most people wouldn’t be adversely affected, I think some would be a bit put off, so it really depends on the person as I know them. Still, for most cases I would say yes. They would be better off going to their own church services. invite people to watch DVD? I don’t know.. Why would I bring my friends to a service and sermon i can barely sit through? maybe but not likely Many of In Jin Nim’s sermons are directed towards a unificationist audience exclusively. i feel a friend of mine may feel left out of many of the things she is talking about. Largely on the persons (friends) openness. The sermon-giver should have a physical presence in order to make continuous contact with a guest. Don’t have many friends if the sermon has a theme that can relate to them I would’t bring someone to church just to watch a video, no matter how good it is It’s weird that we have servie on a vido-it’s not personal Church in general is known to be quite boring, having a stream video of someone my friends can’t see or know in person is even more unappealing to them. There is absolutely no value in it. I would be embarassed to associate myself with the video sermons. I would only do it if the sermon was the only streamed part of the service. It would be weird for someone otherwise. I find it to be strange to watch a video as the main sermon for a Sunday service and I think my friends would think so as well. I don’t feel lovin life sermons reflect our faith well, and I think it would be seen as strange that we watch videos of sermons rather than hearing from our local pastors. It’s very impersonal. because it is a waste of their time and I wouldn’t even be going for myself in the first place. No because my friends are not looking for deep value in life.
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At this point I attend sunday service because I feel the need to set an example for my peers, but I do not feel moved by the experience and cannot bring myself to share that which I don’t enjoy with with my friends6. It’s embarrassing to bring a friend to a church with a stage and podium, only to watch a screen. Maybe to introduce them to the church but probably not in hopes of helping them build a faith I’ll let you know when I get some non-church friends, haha I don’t bring guests to watch a video. Honestly the most attractive thing about any church to outside members is community. These videos are not conducive to this Its not very exciting and i am sort of embarrassed by how boring it could be. Though the services are good, it’s not personal enough to bring a person to watch the video for a church service, we brought someone once and she left I don’t want to invite my friends to something I, myself, am not inspired by. I feel embarrassed about our church right now. I don’t like the idea of watching a video for service it makes in impersonal and I wouldn’t bring a friend to that. As I stated before, In Jin Nim’s sermons are actually uninspirinng to me; they literally drain me. She’s needs a new style, get out from behind that podium and actually talk about spiritual things. She should really talk about things that can be inspirational. I just feel like if I’m anti-inspired when I go to service, why would I EVER want to bring someone to that? I’d rather go to another church in all honesty. Even if the band is great, and the environment is great, the content and whoever delivers it is really what’s going to keep someone coming back to church I can’t expect someone else to have a fulfilling experience from something that i have little enthusiam for. No one wants to sit and watch a video of someone talking for an hour straight. In Jin Nim’s Services are nice, but after a 2 years of watching them it became annoying. In Jin Nim is talking about a same points over and over again using excessive amount of stories. I think the Sermons needs to be short and to the point, if you are repeating your point over and over again it just gets annoying. if I knew what the sermon would be about i might Its hard to bring new people into a service that is on a screen and not interactive. I would definitely bring friends if my local church didn’t chop the music out in the beginning or the end. If I wanted my friends to watch a stream service, and wanted them to get something out of it, I would watch Joel Osteen on TV. He is a bit more inspiring and attention getting to the average viewer. Plus, a busy young professional or college student doesn’t have all that much time to watch something unless they really feel like it is impacting their life in a positive way. Its very impersonal. we have a real pastor sitting down with us who could acctually be a pator to THIS community. I like Lovin Life in person, but video footage inside a church is not inspiring or hopeful. I agree it’s a little “guest friendly,” but I cannot picture bringing my friends to church to watch a screen. live is always better It’s hard to connect to a video, it’s nothing too special I think it’s weird to bring someone all the way to church to watch a movie.
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A video feed CANNOT compare to a live presenter, no matter how good the Lovin’ Life band or service is. It loses the magic when you aren’t there. hell no No one wants to come to church to watch a video, we can do that in the comfort of our own homes It’s kind of strange, but In Jin Nim’s sermons are good.. so if my friend is open-minded, than I would. Because its stupid to watch a video, there is no interaction I think a live sermon is much more guest friendly. It depends if my friends are interested at all, but to be honest I prefer my local sermon and would rather bring my friends there. I don’t really watch the Lovin’ Life Ministries video stream, so I’m not sure what its really like. I’ve just seen a couple. It seems okay though. It’s a hit or miss. Sometimes its UC specific stuff that is completely unrelatable to guests. it would be a waste of time, they could never relate to it and would probably feel intimidaited. depends on if they’re willing to get up early enough to watch at the church or not IN Jin Nim is working hard, yes, but the sermons only scratch the surface of life - I’d screen them before showing a friend. The sermons are just not…too many puns…kinda fake…The band is enjoyable. local service much more interactive, Rev. Thompson’s sermons are great, I could much easier send them a link to watch it I’d send them a link if it was really inspiring it is more effective to have an actual pastor, an actual person that my friend can see. we can watch a video stream any other time There never seems to be clear guidance or developmental spiritual advice or practices given through Lovin Life Sermons. Watching a video sermon is also much less personal and empowering. Lovin’ Life promotes a church service atmosphere that is not relatable to other local churches, in its apparent wealth of resources and style, which no other local church realisitically has the capacity to come close to any time soon. if they are open/intrested or not not very personal dumb question It would be great if it were live, but watching it on video does not have the same effect I would never bring someone to a streamed service. Firstly there is often delays with reception. it is VERY long, and it is not personal. I LOVE lovin’ life, I was inspired to watch it, but I can’t understand why the whole nation is still watching it every week. I would possibly stop attending, personally. The sermon is not at all personal to myself or my community. Other than that, watching a video for service is just plain weird. Very cultish. Why would I bring friends to something I don’t even believe in? I would, however, bring friends to services in the past. Lovin’ Life live in Manhattan is amazing, I’ve been to it. But it just doesn’t translate through a video. All of my Christian friends are a part of huge, lively, real community. Bringing them to a church where we sit in a room watching a service miles and miles away is embarrassing. Their Christian service would be better for their spiritual lives, at times I have contemplated going to their church instead of ours.
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Its got potential I just need to jump on the bandwagon and get excited about what In Jin is doing with a national message.
2.5.3 What do you most enjoy about your local service? Community gathering at the end. I enjoy hearing my pastor and my band. There is a real life connection, and a sense that our community is taking the initiative, not just sitting in a recieving position. Not watching the Loving Life Ministries video stream service. What are we? Netflix or Hulu? n/a Most likely the band. N/A Live interaction, music Rev. Thompson is a great speaker and cherished member of our community. He does a great job giving guest friendly services. For the most part, I enjoy talking to people after church. the sermons, because they have jokes and useful messages for daily life situations. I enjoy Kevin Thompson’s sermons, but sometimes they let other people give the sermons and its not very good. Seeing everyone Meeting friends after the sermon the LOCAL part of it - the LOCAL pastor, community, etc. I enjoy our youth service that we hold once a month, called Own It, where we have live speakers and then open floor discussion at the end, where we discuss all kinds of varied topics that relate to us 21 - 35 year olds. Am too busy to attend regularly. I enjoyed the singing and music. IJN’s sermons are a bit long, but I like the fact that she speaks to issues in parenting and personal attitudes. She gives lots of stories that are easy to relate to. my local service is LLM live hmmm Fellowship with other BCs friends Friends seeing friends the youth band. the people, warm welcoming environment. I don’t attend dfdf Lunch, social aspects Knowing everybody, including the pastor. It’s lively, and the community is close-knit. Community time Nothing
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interacting with people who live nearby my home. (if I go to my local service this would be a benefit- there would be a sense of community.) The involvement of youth to take leadership and initiative to improve the music, various programs, and a wholesome and inviting atmosphere to BCs and non BCs when its over The NJ Clifton Church is a cozier atmosphere. Nothing, that is why I attend a local Christian Church with my family. I don’t go normally Used to like our pastors sermons. A chance to reconnect with family members each week. It’s been more like “duty” than anything else. the family atmosphere that we have. Interaction w other attendees, sharing about life of faith and local issues Feeling of local “together-ness” I’m no longer associated with the church. Dont often go. At the end, when it’s over. Gathering Nothing Local band Nothing to enjoy Boring and pointless Everyone is there out of guilt or duty Seeing my friends. The fellowship afterwards. Members always looked so bored and unhappy during the service. Sermon, Meeting locals. We have Adult Sunday School. It’s nice to get together as a group and talk about things that are going on in our lives and to digest the sermon. congregation I don’t. The people who speak English well (as their first language) give good sermons that show some wisdom and insights, and you could usually bring guests without being embarrassed. Pastor Kevin Thompsons deep messages…much more inspring, thoughtful and motivational then the previous pastor. He must must put hours into his preperation, as God speaks thru him deeply every week…he is a special person in our church and should be recognized as such. The second gen team we have working our own band, and working with each other. I like the musical offerings made by local musicians. Singing songs and chillin with friends Live People connecting with an audience. An everyday person like me talking about real things, not a rich, fake, out of touch trust fund princess who wears diamonds and pretends to have problems or spiritual insight. Give and take between pastor and audience - it builds stronger connections within the community. The pastries. Seeing friends, family, church members. Potluck lunch afterwards. Coffee before service.
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I like spending time with the community. Having time to share personal inspirations, struggles, and successes. Also, sharing with your community not only is a great way to give back, but allows for incredible growth and understanding. it doesn’t include a boring pastor, kids can join their parents for the sermon and take away something deep, how it really focuses on blessed children, the songs are very meaningfull,you come and leave with a new mindset, confidence, pride, My local service now is live LLM in Manhattan — but before, in my smaller community, I loved the energy we created through give and take with the lovin’ life band. In Jin Nim’s message and the sonic cult Hearing In Jin nim sermons and the music live; being there with her and her family we have great leaders and youth leaders you cant ask anything wrong Food Community the community that i have. socializing afterword The fellowship the community and effort into service In Jin Nim i enjoy the fellowship afterwards I enjoy listening to Lovin Life band. I enjoy seeing my church friends and church family every Sunday. Watching In Jin Nim speak. In Jin Nim Not sure Not much I most enjoy the strength of In Jin Nim’s sermons every Sunday. I can always find something valuable to take with me to help me throughout the week. Seeing my friends get involved and be a part of the service. Discussions with the second gen. I most enjoy that I can see Lovin’ Life live. I do enjoy the lovin’ life band and also the sermon Spending time with friends and family after the service. discussion groups after service I most enjoy the fact that we actually play In Jin Nim’s sermons. A feeling of community. Good sermons. Seeing people face to face. message sense of community, develop deeper relationships (with fewer people) We play our own music, we celebrate well, are well united and I get to see my friends It’s more close to home. I love the sermons. Absolutely phenomenal. hanging out with friends
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Our local LA Lovin’ Life Band, In Jin Nim’s sermon My community Pastor Thompson’s sermons and the amount of active college students. Great message, great music! It was local, it felt a little more applicable to our community. I like a community catering to its own needs, and a local pastor. Stopped going It’s an opportunity to see my friends. it is convenient and we have a small group of families who are very close to one another nothing Our local band is great, and I love to see all of our congregation. Pastor Thompson is engaging and funny, has short messages with a clear and strong point, easier to connect with a person who is actually physically there. the fellowship, and all the great people and experiences There is none, ever since the videos came put that is all we do. It sucks. It’s original, and personal. The constant interaction with the pastor, and with the members of the community It’s sloppy, spontaneous, local, fun- it isn’t some ultra polished corporate church machine like lovin life. I hate the name lovin life- it sounds like something Mcdonalds would come up with after consulting focus groups and advertising agencies- the perfectly innocuous and inoffensive name to falsely brand your message as just being about living well. What happened to the mystery, wonder and respect that should surround God? God isn’t trying to sell happy meals he created the Universe. When the sermon ends. Community. Small community=closeness The fellowship we have. We are more united under the same, clear vision that we hear from In Jin Nim. Seeing friends. I like the singing part and I used to like when the pastor would give an actual sermon. The community, I grew up with them. Having a speaker live, I have realized, is pretty difficult to imitate. Our community outs in a lot of effort to mesh the two services, but watching a video can be a little dull sometimes. I enjoy the music the most in my local service. I gain a lot of inspiration from music, and I especially like how most of the songs relate to the main message that In Jin Nim gives. I get to see the service live in NYC and I enjoy everything about it. In Jin Nim’s sermons are amazing-- she is so articulate and she speaks from the heart. The band is awesome. It is done professionally. I love the venue. The announcements are actually entertaining. I am proud of it. The inspiration In Jin Nim gives to the 2nd Gen. and the people in my community are close and it is very family friendly. Seeing friends and family I think InJin Nim’s services are really awesome. I thought that our own local services were lame. Our services usually talked about random stuff, but I thought that InJinNim’s services were 10 times more
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professional. I also like how you can watch the sermon from a laptop and not actually have to drive to church. The people who gather there. community I look forward to Sunday’s for the opportunity to truly receive guidance from a True Child that is applicable to my daily life of faith. Secondly, I enjoy the live music. In New York, the music and set up almost gives the feeling of being in a concert rather than church service which is absolutely amazing. Also in Los Angeles, the music is lead mostly by 2nd generation which makes it inspirational to see the people I’ve grown up with share their talents. at this moment, nothing The music and the message from In Jin Nim. The music really sets the tone, and the sermon has such deep content, both spiritually and intellectually. The music is good. The sermons are very good. They have a lot of preparation and I can tell that In Jin Nim is doing her best. I like how we feel connected to a larger movement and we are not left in the dark. It means a lot to a guest who realizes this church is connected to a larger world movement (this comes from the sermons and announcements). We have Ballroom dancing sessions after the service in LA (guests attend these)! Ability to connect to In Jin Nim’s heart and through her, to understand True Parents better. In Jin Nims sermons and the LLM Band The people and the community. Being part of a community that is working together to strengthen families is where it’s at. Fellowship, personal real feel Being able to gather once a week to take time off of our busy schedules. The people at church The community coming together and making something amazing happen. Being a military man, I just enjoy being someplace with fellow BCs away from the barracks and the base. It’s more involving and helps to strengthen to local community sense of community, good culture Chance to meet people with similar goals and hearts, share about our progress in life and dreams of making a difference in the world. prefer old fashion pastor lead sermon to IJN’s sermon I enjoyed when the pastor gave a live talk. It was very moving. closeness of people; pastor can relay things that deal with the local community; different people in the community can contribute to service; we even had 2nd gen start to lead services sometimes The community and hearing sermons from people that I know personally. na I used to enjoy it. not anymore Time spent with other BCs and reminiscing on the good ol’ days. I was engaged. I was welcomed. There was a sense of community. I didn’t feel like there was this dictatorship that always pressured everybody to watch videos and only praise the main pastor. We’re like zombies now. N/A
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Fellowship, music, good energy I don’t enjoy it at all Rev. Thompson, Community The community. Our band, Sunday school The fact that we have an actual local service with a live pastor giving the sermon. The fellowship after the service; hanging out with friends and family. The people I grew up with. Inspiring talks by local leader the bc activities It’s small, up close and personal, and every one knows everyone. The sermons are also really great! I love when we sing together. We sing with the Lovin’ Life band. But the feeling is not the same. I feel like i get more into the music at our church when we can have our band play and “Feel” the spirit of the music. I hard to get that “feeling” through a screen. The music and the people. it’s not too fr form my house its my community. Its the people that i know and love. When they do things i respect and love them for it. we create connections and gain respect for each other. When you take that away it feels very indirect. THE MUSIC, being able to see friends, the friendly atmosphere Location. Direct give-and-take with the Pastor. Our worship, 5 min local message and prayer time. I enjoy seeing my community and spending time with my brothers and sisters. It’s geared towards the local community and concerns. The main speaker has taken great effort to learn how to better present the material, as well as going out to learn more material. I also love seeing all my friends after service. And the local band is very good. The music. Meeting people foooood and the company afterwards Some of the things the sermon provides is good. The family atmosphere I love the people. The community feel, like were family. the music, thats the only local thing we do other than the video That everybody there is nice. Personal, community feeling We have a variety of speakers so we don’t hear the same person each week which prevents repeated points. Seeing people I enjoy coming to spend time with the people in the community. Kevin Thompson’s sermons. Fun, our band is awesome, more relatable, local, friendly, not mass produced
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I like how dynamic Lovin Life Ministry’s video service is, and how In Jin Nim talks about things I (and anyone) can relate to, and how she always talks about True Parents. IJN’s messages, which go very deep and stick with me for a long time. the community, the sermon, the music Socializing after service. The support and the sense of being at church, but mostly the personal support from the church members. I feel the support from everyone who is actively making the local service work (e.g. the local band, MC, the tech people, etc.). Friendships Everything especially the music!!!! Everyone knows everyone. It is very open, people feel comfortable sharing testimonies and participating in singing, offering prayer, and other aspects of service. are u realy supporting ijn Seeing friends Previously, I liked that there was a pastor investing into a sermon created for a specific group of people. Now, I enjoy the refreshments after service. the energy it’s close The small community feeling. It offers an opportunity to take my attendance to God. Worship and the people. I enjoy the immediacy and accessibility of a live local service, and its interactive component; instead of being a passive recipient of a sermon, I feel I have the opportunity to co-construct one by my reactions. The pastor addresses the needs and concerns of the local community, and I feel he knows me personally, which makes his guidance more meaningful. I also appreciate how the local service allows the involvement of many community members (worship team, ushers, greeters, creating pamphlets, etc.). We have a lot of young people singing in the choir and we have all girls in the band. Being able to perform with our band and give to our community. Our Sunday school program, and other youth programs. Also, our food service. Lovin’ life band performance. The community, and sunday school for my kids. I like having my children be able to socialize and play with other children their age who are church members. Music, Direct contact The people. Music, Rev. Thompson’s sermons. The PERSONAL touch!!! I most enjoy listening to our music band, mostly composed of second generation. Interaction with others. Support through listening to other peoples experiences, in a manner thats open. I like our pastor The only thing enjoyable at church nowadays would be seeing friends, although I haven’t seen any friends at church that used to attend weekly. Sense of community and bonding.
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it feels real. the sermon giver can see you, and you can see them. the feeling of having an actual person gives a bigger difference in understanding things It’s ALIVE. The music is real, the people on stage are real, there’s real interaction, its a lot more invovled, and it makes me proud of my local church. Seeing the people. Kevin Thompson’s Sermon. Pastor knows community’s specific needs, excellent messages, music The live band we have before the video stream and then after the sermon. I like that my match feels connected with the local community and has a lot of friends there, so I like to be there and support her. Getting to see people and friends. Different church members have the opportunity to give the sermon when they wish. Sermons given by the pastor and members. community I feel that our local community has heart and is sincere. Fellowship afterwards. How hard they work to make a good experience for everyone, now all they can offer is music. When our local band plays a few songs before we start the video. I also like the lovin life music and sermon. the fact that others in the church like them Friends and families connecting Portland high school Sunday school teacher - very dynamic, thoughtful/logical, heartistic. Many adults prefer his lessons to the adult Sunday school/meeting. When in Bay area, I appreciate receiving their live sermon. Singing the music is great :) The live band, the live speaker, and a clear, well thought out sermon. Friends and family, and the diverse number of speakers for sermons Different speakers with different insightful messages. Rev. McCarthy is awesome with all his stories. Stories that are exciting and have a message are the best and most memorable. I appreciate the dedication that the New York community has put into the services, the heart that In Jim Nim puts into her services NOTHING Inspirational Sermons and Friends. Being a part of the community, and seeing the people that I like. Having real people that I know give the sermon is also far preferred to watching some televised thing happening hundreds of miles away with people I really don’t know. It just makes me feel like we’re all peons to In Jin Nim and she just wants us to worship her, and I feel like it totally takes away any identity that people/communities have. I enjoy our live quality music and sermon. The sermons are well thought out, organized, a good length and relevant to the time and community. our local band is fun to watch because they are people that i know personally and it’s great to see what kinds of things they create to perform.
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Community interaction & connection not much at all Very little--it’s llm in nyc group discussions friends There is no real local service since weve been watching the videos. But I guess I like the band we have at the church itself. It is getting pretty good. We had a good one before too.. but they stopped for a long time after we started watching the videos. The sermon I love my local pastor’s sermons. I watch them regularly on our local website. He often has practical topics that apply to everyone’s lives, and makes them funny with jokes. Socializing afterward or recieving inspiration through the music. Our real life pastor. The community resembles an actual functioning church, not a video church. Everything! Rev. Thompson is an amazing pastor and his sermons are funny, concise, personal, enlightening, and useful. I usually remember what he spoke about the entire week thereafter. Plus, the band is awesome. seeing friends if they come Live sermon’s; Rev Thompson is a great speaker, very easy to connect to and I always feel God speaks through him, to tell me exactly what I need to hear. The band is great. Rev. Thompson’s sermons are simple, applicable, and funny. I feel like I always hear something that I REALLY needed. Good messages. live service with singing and all that the sermon, the music Real live people that I can talk to and interact with Seeing my close friends and family, and hearing a really good sermon. When its over I love seeing my friends and community perform music, and I love Rev. Thompson’s sermons. The close connection between the reverend and the community and also being able to relate easily with the topics rather than a video. Rev. Thompsons sermons are inspiring and applicable to my life. Rev. Thompson gives amazing sermons. The music that the younger generation plays, the difference in topics and the connection with the rev that is right in front of me, and that energy the crowd has when we are being preached to. I do not know everyone shows up to that one, so the community is better than the 9am video sermon from New York The sermons The pastors message is always great and inspiring. Being engaged!! lunch an actual sermon prepared by the pastor. A live speaker, not video sermons.
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I really enjoy the local services that we have in the Bay Area. Generally, the young people do not come to see the Lovin Life video stream at 9am, but come instead to the local service afterwards to hear Rev. Thompson speak and to spend time together after church…I cant speak for everyone, but I think many of us dont necessarily have strong feelings against the Lovin’ Life service in itself, but we prefer the local service…when we had the condition of watching it for a couple of months instead of our local service, MANY 2nd gen stopped coming on Sundays(even after we picked up our local service again)… I love that we know that our local service is created from within our own community, that we personally know the people in the band, our speakers, and our pastor has a great hold on the community… The pastors humor and inspiring speeches. Being involved in the av production. Rev.Thompson’s sermons The sermons given by Rev. Kevin Thompson singing close nit Personal connection. Friends. Live music. people seeing my friends, the music The local pastor speaks to our personal situations and needs. He lives in the community and knows each member of the community well. I need that personal touch. Also, his sermons are concise, clear, and very engaging. I love going to service at the Bay Area. I go to the later service which is held by Rev. Thompson and I really love it. It is always a spiritual lift for me. I like my community and doing activities with the youth group. The real life experiences that can be related to an audience that knows the speaker personally. I think this has a big impact on the ability to receive the message. It is comfortable. I love the people. I have know them since I was born. They are my family. They are the reason I haven’t switched to another church yet. Getting together and seeing the community of 1st and 2nd gen all together. Our local band
2.5.4 What do you most dislike about your local service? Watching the video stream every week. A dislike little to nothing at all. See number 6 and get rid of the word “Not”. n/a That service is streamed every sunday. N/A Sermons are not so inspiring Same people in the seats every week. Staring at a screen for 2 hours the music!
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the music is pretty amateur. The energy is non transmittable i feel for the most part through a broadcast. In NY i can feel it but not online. The lack of community feeling during service the LLM VIDEO portion - that’s why I never go anymore. I miss the way it was before. The fact that it is solely based on watching a screen. I wouldn’t mind it if it was every other week, but every week doesn’t get me inspired or connected. I am not a fan of video church but really do not have a better alternative. The sermons previous to this were so inconsistent, ranging from insightful to absolutely awful. So, I can’t say that video streaming IJN’s service is worse. Overall, it is better, but I miss singing Christian hymns and some Holy Songs as a congregation. Everything about it is intolerable pretence Listening to In Jin Nim on the screen. What have we become when some stupid stuff she says passes for a sermon? hypocrits How In Jin Nim thinks she’s so superior absolutely no interaction during service sound system, equipment could be upgraded… Predictable df Lengthy announcements, testimonies The quality of the music and overall production. There isn’t much going on other than service, although ballroom dance classes have started. Stream, singing alone with LLM band. The pastor The one time I went to the local service it was kind of lame-- not a lot of ppl our age-- b/c we all usually go into Manhattan. My only dislike about service in Manhattan is the time and money it takes us to get there. thats what i mean by ‘production’. By the time we get home its time to get ready for the week. We serve such a large (geographically) community that it is so hard to keep all families connected. watching boring videos Video streaming, repeat sermons. I dont feel any real connection to God. Few young people go, though there are many in the area. having to watch a video service Short greeting time There isn’t inspiration or a “message” for the week to come. There is no :”I’m glad you are here”. In fact there is more: Wow! This is the second time I see you this month, we must be doing something right! unprofessional sometimes. Lack of occasional guest speakers Local Pastor I just wanted to see what kind of state it is in.
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Needs popcorn. At the beginning, when it starts. Video Broadcast nothing the video The horrible sermon In Jin’s boring sermons, the inability of our second gens to make their own music for the service, sitting in the dark and mindlessly clapping at a screen, the redundant service format week after week, having our local pastor’s message shut out by In Jin’s need to control, obnoxious front men like Jaga Gavin and Dave Hunter, the loudness of it all, uninspiring rock music on a Sunday morning, yuck! The lack of real joy N/A We don’t always get in a circle and I feel like it’s not very intimate sometimes. long sermons nothing to add to my spiritual value or growth. Sermons that don’t fit into what I said in #6. Would like to have 1 or 2 less songs, although the band/songs are wonderful…i enjoy them more then the east coast band. i hope our movement can encourage participation nationwide. We rarely every are “allowed” to do any but sit and listen to the screen. The fact that we generally do not perform our own worship music. As a musician myself I find it dull to watch videos of talented musicians. Anyone can watch great artists on YouTube. Worship music is much more inspiring (for me) when it’s live. The In Jin Nim part… oh and when she put her daughter to give the sermon… talk about nepotism.. so, it’s only her and her daughter that can give sermons?? the stupid video. Nothing The sermon and general environment. clean-up responsibilities are not well organized…not everyone is helping out. Food is often lacking at potlucks. I don’t like how its almost always watching a tv. But even before Lovin’ Life most of the sermons were reports about church activities. Service should be inspirational every and preparing for the upcoming week. A weekly realignment of out hearts and spirits. satelite needs to be worked on, appreciation, knowing that God can work through a satelite, I disliked our lack of initiative in expounding upon IJN’s service — her vision is to set a high standard of what Sunday Service should be like, and it’s up to us in each community to create a Service as excellent as LLM. Settling for mediocrity is what I disliked about my community. There are flaws in my local service, but nothing starts perfectly. The magnitude of the crowd; it’s easy to feel lost or unnoticed it was hard to pay attention to some sermons because the topics and speakers were kind of inconsistant and random its a video not live Length
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Technical problems sometimes no live music Lovin’ Life Broadcast the location. Kinda small the music its not quite on NY level… yet. content not applicable to my life none I dislike having to wait at church while the parents have meetings after service every few weeks or so. People complaints about In Jin Nim. Nothing Nothing to dislike Sometimes it can be uninspiring and not very interactive I dislike the unity that many church members have towards In Jin Nim. Boring LLM music doesn’t inspire me. I dislike that people constantly complain that it’s not a perfect service. Sometimes hard to pay attention See above. i don’t feel a very strong connection when watching the services via screen I most dislike when they skip the music and announcements. Nothing. not enough youth Unprofessional, not guest friendly, inefficient Sometimes attendance could be higher. The Lovin’ Life Band. It’s cool when you’re actually at Lovin’ Life, but it loses all charm and appeal when you’re watching performances of songs. Worship music is a powerful way to connect people to God - merely listening to it isn’t enough. It has to be done, and it has to be accessible and personal. how early it takes place Sometimes not orginized. Our band is very sad… not much talent. Everything’s pretty solid. Sometimes the prayers from invited clergy sometimes get too long and self-serving. It’s pretty dead. The potential is there a for a better service now though. With many BCs home from STF, a legit band, and 1st gen willing to take more of a supportive backseat. I do not attend since it is 99% Japanese who only watch Lovin Life because they were ask to…they can’t understand what is being said…but they are obedient to the HQ commands. It is to bizarre. We use to have a nice service before Lovin Life hijacked our freedom of expression. Oh well. The service is me sitting down and watching people on a screen…I don’t feel that it’s interactive at all. sometimes the experience is different watching a service broadcast than actally being there to experience it. nothing
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We never have our own local sermons that apply to what our community needs. And our announcements make a long sermon even longer, because they are sometimes disorganized. Sometimes I would like a visual, like a power point to show pictures, although sometimes a short inspiring clip is played. Also, sometimes Pastor Thompson isn’t the one giving the sermon. the length See above Not everyone is a brilliant homilist but several are better than In Jin Nim. nothing The televised broadcasts of lovin life Watching In Jin Nim’s sermons. The church we have and announcements. Lack of concrete activities, low spirit sometimes The atmosphere is slightly quiet and there aren’t enough Second Gen working in conjunction with the older First Gen. Many people just come to service and leave right after. I think we need better communcation at our local church. When they criticize Hyun Jin Nim. Why bring us in on your little sibling fight? You have issues with your brother? Take it up with him. Don’t bring me into your bedroom. It’s kind of boring most of the times honestly. Iam not interested or I cannot relate to the things they talk about. I wish everyone was united in supporting In Jin Nim and what she is trying to do. I don’t like how there isn’t much interaction during the service. However, the fact that the service is occurring at the same time, in many ways I do feel that I am supporting In Jin Nim and the band by watching them, just not in person. I can’t say that I dislike anything about the service. Maybe the pastries that are served after church. The structure and the lack of youth ministry support. No one is really taking care of the 2nd Gen because everyone leaves after high school. Sometimes the music can be not so inspiring Our pastor usually talks about the bible, and I feel like InJinNim is more connected to True Parents than some random person talking about their interpretation of the bible. I dislike how there is only about 5 people who usually show up to the service. Our own pastor sometimes (local pastor, not InJinNim) doesnt even make it to church sometimes. I wish it could be bigger. boring video and communist spirit. I dislike the fact that some people do not appreciate what In Jin Nim has done. My Los Angeles community is my family, so if someone is negative it creates an uncomfortable atmosphere to receive what God is trying to teach us through In Jin Nim. To be more specific: If I’m sitting in service and my brother or sister next to me can not see what I see or feel the amazing inspiration that I feel then I’m uncomfortable inside. watching lovin’ life Sunday after Sunday without any interaction. People who talk smack about the best thing that’s happened to our church since True Parents. The resistance to new ideas.
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Personally, I wish our band could play new and more inspiring music. I don’t like how we always sing “Everlasting Love” at the end of every service. I wish there could be a Men’s circle, Women’s circle, Young Adult circle and High school circle at the end of every service to discuss what was learned in the sermon. The sermons will sometimes confuse the guests. (When I talk with guests, I usually don’t share things about Hyun Jin Nim and UCI with them.) It makes me feel some what awkard how In Jin Nim sometimes will complain in her sermons about her own problems. I feel it takes inspiration away from her sermons No complaints There is very little spirit amongst the members who attend who mostly just sit or stand quietly. The sound quality on the speakers is bad. We’re working on a lot of things that need improvement. What I don’t like, I try to find ways to improve. sometimes bad sermons, Small community so if one family does not come then the service seems even smaller. watching a video in a dark room instead of listening to a real person. We need a better kids ministry, but i understand that it’s being worked on. Lack of singing. It’s just hard to get into it when it’s a video stream. It just seems distant Video stream crowded I feel no spirit there. Before IJN at least SOME sermons (few to be fair) brought the spirit of God and helped me connect to God’s heart. Now they never do. I especially dislike when she puts in jabs on her brother. I hate that conflict and leave when she brings it up. there’s no genuine concern about the feeling of others. Providential perspectives in relation to fathers speech and peace messages is missing Now - that i have to watch a video lack of good music group (that LLM has) Video stream. na No creativity or local ownership The In Jin part. The Cotter part. The whole atmosphere of having to dim the lights and watch a screen. The part where they spread bad rumors. The part where she tells us how great she is (seriously who gives a &#@# about her and her kids??) The part where she belittles her dear husband. The part where she pretends she was in the church working hard for the last 10-20 years, yeah right! Now, it’s all about Injin nim. And her husband is her top promoter. INJIN NIM, INJIN NIM, INJIN NIM…that’s all our church is about now. I feel that it has killed my life of faith watching the video Sermon content is extremely light - no meat, little substance. Church service should be praise time! Meet God time! Spiritual rebirth every Sunday! It is none of these. none not always well organized. It is currently not as guest friendly and children friendly as we could make it. This is not specifically because of the video…we haven’t reached out potential yet with the broadcast. Music, fellowship, and snacks could all be a bit better. Needs to be more organized.
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Watching a video in order to feed my life of faith. I have to be honest, service was kind of a lame before Lovin’ Life..and is it is still lame with just a video. I totally have faith in the Principle..but I just can’t connect to God during service. Having to watch IJN sermon watching a video I don’t believe there is anything that i particularly dislike. I don’t like that we don’t have a state leader. My father was the state leader of MN for since I born, but stepped down because we are in debt. And even though this is a time for 2nd Generation to take the lead, I don’t feel like we want to. I think 2nd gen are hesitating to take leadership. I think it would be nice for first generation to teach 2nd generation how to become leaders. Sometimes there is a few too many presentations about people in new positions, or people leaving old positions, and our slideshows are too long and waayyyy too formal. The one we had after God’s Day lasted almost for half an hour. i can just watch the video from home whats the point of actually going It was very… old school. Did things that i thought that they needed to change but thats what i loved about them. The video and sound quality is not great. Part of that is due to our own facility and the large amount of echo, but also because it is a low-fi download. But, mainly, the service is a little lengthy. The messages are GREAT, but i feel that they are less effective because of the time. Stick to one theme per sermon. When a flood of different messages are coming to you all at once, its hard for even one to make an impact. Short and sweet, like a Japanese lady. That’s sort of how I like my sermons. But, either way, In jin nim’s sermons never fail to inspire. Community. Fewer guests, and variety. It’s going pretty well. The time is the worst. We had to change our sunday service time to an hour earlier than usual (and it takes our members 1 hour to drive to church) since the satellite service started. So now members are always late and musicians that come to church early to practice leave their home at 7 am in order to get there on time. It’s too early!! It’s just hard for musicians to lead the congregation in music when everyone is late but we can’t change the time with the live feed and it’s hard to get families up early on a Sunday morning. I don’t find anything inspiring. I don’t seem to appreciate the sermons like everyone else does, and so everything else just feels empty to me, since the sermon is the center of it all. Sometimes its a little too long. Squeaky chairs. It’s not always professional, or the band is not that good well, since we watch LLM now over an actual sermon, but, no offence, when In Jin drags the sermons out for a extra half hour after she got her point across Its kind of boring. There are very few young people. That there is no leadership, we dont have a state leader or youth group leader. No central figure locally and it’s hard for everyone to relate to the streaming video that we have to watch the lovin life video every single service.
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I’m not sure. I don’t really dislike anything. Don’t like the use of video every week. I understand that IJN wants to speak to everyone but it isn’t exciting or vibrant. We no longer have the above because we have to watch Lovin’ Life. We have to watch a video It’s not very interactive, and I include myself in that as well. The music small size The fact that some of the other people in the service are disrespectful of the video sermon. I understand that they have a hard time relating to a video, but could they at least be respectful for those of us who do like the video? We need a live band and more local stuff: like testimonies after sermon and once a month local service. Watching a video in general. I really hate that we don’t cover up the windows because there is so much light coming through which washes out the video. The local announcements drag on after service. The service is too long. I dislike how disconnected and impersonal the sermons are sometimes. Someone may give a sermon based on their trip to see True Parents, what they think of the spirit world, the history of our movement, or some other topic irrelevant to our daily lives. It feels like they don’t care enough to come up with a sermon that people need to hear to get inspired. This is what it was like before we started watching LLM sermons. But not much has changed since we watched LLM every Sunday, In Jin Nim sometimes talks about things irrelevant to us. I mean “unhelpful” when I say irrelevant. The amount of disconnection I feel during the sermons is huge with LLM. Lack of friends The church, is rather stale and bland, colorless. Can’t think of anything right now… are you? Sometimes it feels like people aren’t that excited to be there My local service is no longer a local service. sermon it can be insular Not much, maybe that with the life-feed it is impersonal now, and when it’s a repeat; it gets dull very fast. Not as many people come anymore. No love, feels more judgmental or excluding. We preach of one family under god but there are “cliques” and if you dont belong in a cool one, you’re shoved away or ignored. video streaming--- its nice to go to loving life in NYC it self and have that experience but to watch it on video-- i feel like it disconnects the local community and local services arnt as lively. as we watch NYC loving life having fun. We cant really connect with that. Watching it maybe once a month could be better. and then it gives the local church Sometimes our songs are a bit corny, or alternately I feel the band is trying too hard to be relevant by singing popular songs that feel out of place. The location is rented and very distracting. Watching the video every week.
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I think we have a good pool of experience in our local service. I would prefer if we could access once every few weeks instead of tuning into Lovin’ Life. … Video sermons. They are, quite literally, “phoned in.” The format is not conducive to forming close local communities, because the sermon topics do not come from, nor speak to, local members’ issues, and there is no opportunity to engage the pastor in conversation afterwards. There is nothing particularly wrong with the sermons themselves, but the format (video streamed off internet) — although innovative - - is a dud. Not every innovation is progress. I don’t know I hate how our Youth Band works so hard, so many people put in many hours every week to prepare for Sunday Service but every week our community has no choice but sit through IJN’s sermons which have no logical content flow, have no spiritual nourishment, and are full of hateful insinuation about True Family. Not much. The food could be a little better the very long and prolonged announcements that are made after the video feed. they take 25-30 minutes. Location could be better, its quite awkward to get to. A clear them and us attitude seems also to be regrettably in-trenched. no people my age A sense of powerlessness when it feels as though everyone wants change, but any effort to do so diminishes when leaders don’t really LISTEN to us, and/or don’t have the power to do anything for their community that they care about. Far away from my home and crowded. how i cant be at new york! It’s a bit long, going from In Jin Nim’s video to Sunday School to regular Service. 9:30 - 12:30 The music. None so far. ? The video. I have great respect toward In Jin Nim and LLM, but it’s just not a good enough interaction and appeal to get the audience’s attention through a video that was recorded 2 hours before. I’ve seen the young people especially dissipate from church service ever since the live videos have been playing and it’s truly sad. bizarre video sermons that don’t have any clear point. The music is boring. It is disorganized, small and there is no church center. It’s extremely small (about 6 families) members compelled to watch a live video from across the country. Okay, every person is different, especially where they grow up. Someone on a tv screen cannot compensate for the support and love a community can offer to their own members. I dislike that our announcements go on forever and ever and ever. Way too much rambling. Simply the general attitude towards our service: the complacency, the disempowerment, the dwindling participation. Old Sunday Services, as awful as they were occasionally, had authenticity. People gave their prayers, sweat and time and tears to that podium once, but that has changed. Dirt floors are replaced by soft carpets, threadbare pants for name brands, prayer for poetry. In Jin Nim’s services are
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not bad - please don’t misunderstand my criticism- Lovin’ Life is doing great things and evolution is the way of all things, but I feel that we are slowly forgetting what we once were. Am i afraid of change? Perhaps, but my heart tells me that you can’t centralize a religious experience or develop a formula to invoke God’s presence. It’s very limited because we aren’t very free to do what we want. Once people try to step out of the norm, even if it works, they get in trouble with Head Quarters. I have been to several live lovin life sermons in NY, and its great live, but to be honest, watching a video is no where near as exciting or inspiring. I do not always receive spiritual inspiration from them No life and little spiritual content, our pastor gives sermons in Japanese and a lot is lot in translation Superficial. Most people, especially first gen, put on facades of not struggling and being good members around each other, but it feels so fake and ingenuine - not a true place of God’s dwelling for me. I consider myself very faithful and not a negative, cynical person, but sadly I get this feeling from the vast majority of communities I’ve been to. lack of young adult community There really isn’t any program or support groups for college age bcs and older, but I think we’re trying to start special interest small groups soon. N/A how little we do Unfortunately some speakers are boring, and I receive no inspiration and no motivation to go to the next one unless I know who is speaking. Watching a video, I miss hearing a person give a service There isn’t a way I can witness through my church community because none of us are united on anything. (we have about 15 people who regularly attend church) Since we started watching the video we don’t sing anymore, which can take away from the experience; I miss singing Service only discourages me for the week because people attend out of obligation and the Holy Spirit is never present. Who wants to be part of an organization like this? Wake up! You’re kids are LEAVING. It comes down to the parents not being active in their children’s lives and operating with a “drop-off kid” syndrome. Don’t shove all responsibility on your kids and leave them to suffer as they try to balance their studies (“for the sake of the world!”) and fulfill their DUTIES by attending/leading in this church. It is frustrating beyond comparison when I, myself, WANT to be inspired, want to serve my younger brothers and sisters and I DON’T because I know that the parents will just shove everything onto me and I will be drained, grow resentful, and LEAVE. Btw, please stop forcing us all to watch In Jin Nim. It doesn’t matter how good a speaker is, no one wants to watch the same person EVERY Sunday, for TWO years! And In Jin Nim is not an inspiring speaker for me. Alot of the same thymes repeated. The fact that we watch In Jin Nim’s televised services. I like it a lot. the community here has very little life in it since so many people have stopped coming, especially the second generation. and i think that all the members in the community have just drifted apart from each other in general. Poor facilities & member-specific content only-- hard to bring guests to. we need our own local services 2nd Gen LLM Survey Page 36
It feels impersonal, a big production. The sermon is hard to listen to. no young adult service there’s no life in anyone anymore. sit. watch. clap. leave. I feel like parents have given up. All they worked for doesnt seem to be adding up. There’s no sense of an ideal world even within our church community. Watching the service on a screen, the announcements are really drawn out, sometimes its hard to get to know people in the community The music our music is extremely unsatisfactory. they schedule the local service immediately after the LLM service, which makes them pressed for time and chop the music out. “the music is the prayer” is so true when it comes to the lovin life band. I love their music and sing it all the time. you can feel the spirit working and setting up for In Jin Nim’s message. It is very powerful, and to take that out ruins the entire experience. The same person speaks every time, it is often a replay, and always on a screen unless I visit NY which takes an extra few hour out of my busy day. Also, I feel that the sermons are too long, and she repeats herself a LOT in most of her sermons. It doesn’t speak well to the young adult crowd in my opinion. Time is of the essense. sermons that are brief, sweet, and to the point are more effective (especially on males). I say this because I have heard most complaints from my brothers. male frineds, and husband. The rumor that we have to go back to watching a video for church service. Nothing. the INJ services definitely turned off lots of ppl so i saw friends less often We don’t have much social/ activities for young people after the service. When we have other people give the sermon (since Rev. Thompson is out of town). the other speakers are not as prepared and sometimes it is hard to understand their point. Imitation of Lovin’ Life band performances. video sermons going to church every sunday In Jin Nim’s service. I don’t like watching a video sermon, it’s boring and unrelatable Other strange members who say hi to you and talk to you, but you don’t even know them. I think we could sing more holy songs. And the MC and song team are rough sometimes - there’s mistakes and awkward moments on stage. Watching LLM People always show up late. N/A. There isn’t really anything I dislike. Not enough room. The equipment used is dated and also the lack of space, improving our local community seems more important that putting it all into one place that many people could never really see. Too many people getting all dressed up nothing Nothing no interaction between members watching videos.
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It can be a little stale lack of programs (see #8) 2) just cant get rid of the hokey factor… Lack of after-service community activities. the worship/singing part. i dont really have dislikes about the local service. the church and its representatives do not encourage the study of our theology. Instead, they invest all their time into trying to explain what the True Parents and the True Children are doing. They don’t cover the theological reasons why the true family is doing things. not to many people Nothing. LLM videos people seem depressed, cliques n/a nothing really… I do not like watching Lovin’ Life. It is supposed to unite our church but rather, it makes me feel disconnected to my own community. Any form of reporting, it just doesn’t inspire anyone not directly related to that project and moves us from our focus on a Sunday worship service which is connecting with God. The sermons are too long in my opinion. The fact that it starts a 9 AM. (LLM) The sermons are too long and hard to figure out what the long lost message is for strength for the week. The music is extremely unappealing and overdone. They are performing concert style instead of leading a congregation in song to lift spirit. The lack of real interaction Alaska has with In Jin Nim. She’s too impersonal and definitely LONG WINDED!!!!
2.5.5 How would you help improve the worship service? Are there any ways you would like to help improve the worship service and programs at your local church?
A mix of local sermons and video stream from New York. I focus my helping on youth ministry. Get rid of the screens, put more actual people n/a I think if they could combine both Lovin’ Life and our own service, we would get better feedback. It just feels a little numb to watch a video every week. Sunday School; I have a toddler and another baby on the way; would like to create an environment where other parents can trust their children are being cared for. Help with daycare Good food. Get rid of screen and replace with pastor who knows what the hell he’s talkin about. I don’t have skillz.
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I can’t really do anything in particular, but I would prefer to watch the whole LLM service and have no local sunday service, and then hear Kevin Thompsons History and DP lectures on other days, which is what I have been doing. Have local sermons. I know that IJN wants there to be consistency but it gets too bland. I would like to have local members speak once in a while and maybe have LLM every other week. I do enjoy IJN’s services, but it’s difficult to feel like a community sometimes without a local speaker. stop the VIDEOS or at least make it optional, at the end of service for people who want to see it. or a different time of day. or even a different day. or even not at all. I would like for there to be a live speaker of our community for every other week. I don’t have time at the present phase of my life. I think the best way to improve it is to boycott it, and hope more and more do the same, until all that is left is a handful of brainwashed retards ginning themselves up i can’t i tried and failed, these guys are hopeless Getting rid of her sermons would be the first step less of them Making her be more humble. allow for more local sermons/singing of holy songs improve youth band and sunday school. No dfd Volunteer at Youth ministry NO. I would be interested in helping, but I’m not sure how. Yes Replace the current pastor and elect new one by election. I can teach MUSIC! back to regular service I don’t really have any ideas. No NA not really Volunteer Why? It always lead nowhere. participate and volunteer more More singing Maybe Sorry. Please disregard. Promotion of interactivity between HQ and remote congregations. Local communities must be nurtured to develop and retain local talent. End it. Bring back local services at least 2 a month
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Get back to basics. When we focused on teaching DP, we grew as a movement. More prayer and focus on God and less on the show Yes Bring a real pastor who cares about the people There sermon will be natural and from the heart Yes, get rid of live streaming and bring back a live pastor, AKA our local pastor. The current arrangement is more like a cult of personality than a Sunday service. Sermon givers should be more inspired and also proficient at public speaking. I’m on STF and they are making us come here to make In Jin Nim look good by repeatedly taking the survey. What a waste of my time. Live music and Food If we had the resources to have a local band that would be awesome- and we’re working on it. We don’t have a lot of man power for Youth Group Activities either- but we’re trying to start having things every weekend. Love and be more honest. more real people Should I ask the nims and the people around Father to get their shit together? No comment really, but I think it’s a little funny that there is such a little box for why you wouldn’t bring your friends to a Lovin’ Life Ministries video stream service compared to the much bigger box for what you most dislike about your local service (and related question about how to improve it, also with a big box). I hope we’re actually allowed to say what we don’t like about Lovin’ Life. i wish the service was geared towards guests every week. our church has 0 growth for years, and the young people are not inspired by watching a video…LLM in NY needs to wake up and look at KPI stats/facts, instead of believing LLM videos are bringing all the young to church. the stats disprove this…so i don’t understand the “cool-aid” from leadership to believe otherwise. wake up - were not in the 80s anymore! too many unqualified leaders back east making decisions. In a reg. business these people would be fired, and rightly so. Look at Los Angeles. 3 leaders in the past year or so, and the new guy has 6 small children and a wife who passed on…what were we thinking?!! sorry to vent, but its painful to see all this dysfuntion..and don’t use the excuse that its a matter of unity. The discord and finger pointing amongst the True Children is being reflected in our communities, and incompetent leadership. One of the true children should live on the west coast and see the reality of what is going on. and please don’t send Joshua Cotter back here…unless its to LA to fix the mess…that might be a good place for him to practice what he preaches. I want there to be more focus on the second gen, I lead sports and youth nights with the second gen, however there is no time set for faith discussion other than during the service. If I could lead a legit sunday service for the youth or get material, it can be very affective during the service. We have a very scattered (everyone lives far from each other and from the church) area and sunday service is the only time people really ever make an effort to come together. Have continuously tried to create a service for youth not during the screen time but people don’t show up. Impractical because of distance. Yeah, once they let other people speak out no video. Use some of that moon money the first gen raised to help the churches with services. The moon kids are rich enough. No New pastor, honestly. Make a clean up chart…designating tasks to each person/family. 2nd Gen LLM Survey Page 40
Yes, community participation. Appealing to the youth to have them in charge of worship. I wouldn’t show IJN sermons on TV, only for very important occasions. NO reports for sermons.. ever. Reports can take place before or after the actual service. educate ballroom instructors to teach ballroom after church, have a learning center set up, have smooth transitions, Creating a stronger music ministry--- bringing the spirit of Lovin’ Life into the atmosphere. That starts with not degrading the value of a video-service. By continuing to attend church. Creating a bigger Lovin’ Life team, or really supporting everyone in the community to feel like they are part of the Lovin’ Life team in their own unique way; creating more of a community atmosphere/culture maybe having consistant topics. and making it more exciting and more interactive with all ages. (youth to adults mostly) community service No Get more people involved in the programs volunteer Lovin’ Life Ministries should be extended as an option for each community, and each community should be given the chocie to participate or to refrain from doing so and should be fully supported in that decision, whichever option they choose. make it a bit more exciting. Livelier songs and interactive activities. not personally but it would be good if there were improvements overall yes not sing boring songs Help with tithing and ushering. I would like to help get a better projector for us to watch In Jin nim’s sermons with. Yes, Stop the negative rumors. It’s perfect Cant think of anything More activities for the younger kids Yes, I would love for there to be more youth programs. I feel like the Youth Pastors have to truly support In Jin Nim so that the young people in out community can support IJN too. Better music. Connecting 2nd gen to one another. It is already better than it has ever been. Better sound system Leading small group studies. I would do more if I had time but school prevents it. I suggest injin nim’s sermon be twice a month rather than every single sunday. I feel that everyone misses having other perspectives given and different sermons from other members in the local congregation. I feel like it would be more interesting and guest friendly. I also feel like it would bring a stronger bond within the communities. Also if more service discussion was incouraged for the second gen. Yes, they can get a better sound system, screen, and play the musical performance and announcements. I could maybe help more with the band or AV.
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get more involved Sunday school is nonexistant No, Ballroom Dance classes. Keep the streamed sermon, but allow each community to organize their service around it with the addition of local bands. nope To be more orginized. Why not reinstate real church services? I mean, In Jin Nim is great and all, but watching a screen gets old really fast. I’ll help with high school youth ministry and eventually help to plan workshops. More music! I’ve shared my ideas with them already. get back to basics..Sing Holy songs…read TF words…break bread and enjoy being with family. I am not interested in being a part of the service. I don’t feel that I have a place in the worship service or programs at the local church. no nothing Have 2 sessions: one for the LLM movie, and the other for a live service. We don’t have all these circles like New York, so instead of showing the LLM announcements, cut the feed from there and talk about the programs we DO have. I am just saying this as a form of constructive critisism, but I find that In Jin Nim’s sermons (God Bless Her) have too many stories, with so much of it talking about feelings, that it is hard for me to retain much of the sermon throughout the week. I don’t feel I get much concrete action steps to keep my spirituality up day by day. That’s not to say all her sermons are like that, but to have to listen to only one type of sermon every week, and to have it only through video feed, makes it difficult to stay inspired about church services. So if we could utilize the church on Sunday to have several different service times, and to allow for different types of education to take place, it would be nice. I am currently helping “high school tribes” which I would like to help improve to make it more worthwhile for the high schoolers by having better ways of connecting to BCs. i want to be involved with small groups No Encourage better sermons Have local services again. Stop the televised lovin life stuff, and give Rev Hempowicz his respect and power back Go back to the older format, and have live services, with sermons from people who know how to speak publicly. Not really. There are enough volunteers to keep the service running. I started a solid education program---I would like to start SFP again. I’d like to get the community more involved. I really want to follow the example set by Lovin Life Ministries in Manhattan. They have a really good structure after and during service. Everything is more constructed and organized, so I really want our local service to be well structured so everyone can get a good experience from it.
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Yes, I would like to be asked to give a sermon occasionally. I guarantee it will be more inspirational than IJN’s. At the moment, I really don’t care about LLM at all. Give me what we used to have. I would like too see more programs where BC’s can get together. Sunday is the only day we meet up and hang out. If ever possible (as someone that has been to Lovin Life Ministries live), I would suggest that members try to make it out to NY to see Lovin Life for themselves in person at least once. I think seeing it in person and seeing In Jin Nim in person would give anyone a more personal connection with Lovin Life and therefore when they do go back to their local church service they will feel more of a connection to the video than if they hadn’t gone. I have attended the Youth Group in my community many times, and while it is very fun and inspirational, I wish it would gear more towards high school kids. I would like to see more activities that can relate to high school students. I think our community can always use more leaders to step up and organize project connect groups, etc. to help build strong personal relationships in the community, and support spiritual growth throughout the week. Live music Discussion after service with the BC’s A youth ministry leader to also support In Jin Nim’s message and vision Someone to inspire the youth and organize activities or programs for them I would like to help and go beyond what they have now with the music staff I think that it is important for people to connect to each other at church, and we do. After InJinNim’s service we discuss it over food. As far as connecting with BC’s goes, it is hard because we all live so far away from one another. I guess it is hard because our families are extremely spread out. Organize a strong greeting team to encourage fellowship. no more mandatory orders from IJN. What I’m focusing on is ways to inspire my community about Lovin’ Life. One improvement point is the announcements at the end of service. Even the smallest effort on making an attractive power point presentation would be beneficial to concluding church service. We have had meetings, suggestions, and planning groups but it seems like nothing has changed much. Ways to contribute more to my church community. It should be more spontaneous. I would like to help lead a college discussion circle at the end of the sermons (However, I think sunday school already fulfills this purpose). We need to own our own church and run (43rd Street-like) programs that have witnessing at the center of their purpose. I would like to continue doing Generation Peace Seminars (a Divine Principle-type workshop for BCs and their guests) here in LA. I’m thinking about creating a small group. . I’m already with my wife helping MC the service (welcome guests, connect to the national broadcast, make local announcements). Also I’m working on putting together a consistent live band. We’ve introduced the service with opening songs a few times now and then connected to the live broadcast. My wife teaches Sunday school. We’re Very involved. yes, workship planning Have more children attend. Right now only one family who has children attends regularly.
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I could give suggestions to improve it, but none of that is my responsibility, except to help create a good atmosphere. I’ve had an idea of getting some first gen and second gen together every week and discussing Unification Thought. Hopefully it starts in a few weeks. Perhaps if every church had a multi-thousand dollar surround sound system that made the musical experience closer to home, the music situation might improve. But, I don’t really go to church for the music anyway. Stop video stream and have a local person to speak Get some DP into the service I’ve tried in the past to improve Sunday service, but after LLM took over I wasn’t able to and gave up. define mission and vision to achieve 2013 goals. For example, I don’t see any chance that the world can be united centering on the church. Go back to the way it was before by participating; i fee like things are so structured that its hard to allow for any creativity on the communities part - ways that young adults can contribute, ways that services can be varied, etc . na Yeah. Lovin Life should only be for NY. I’d start out by having an actual pastor who knows something about ministry. I’d continue by getting rid of some of the Cotter type people who obviously sold their soul or something. He used to be a great guy, don’t get me wrong. But lately he’s just irritating and you can see right through everything he says. All I’m thinking while I sit down listening to him is ‘wow, In Jin Nim realy has him by the bawls’.. Man up Rev. Cotter! Don’t sell your soul like that! You’ll get much respect for saying things as they are, not as In Jin Nim or others want you to say they are. Many, many people know the truth of what’s going on out there and they are silently judging you. Well, not so silently actually. Yeah. Go with what True Father originally directed us to do. Hoondok family church. That means local, grassroots driven, relevant, community based support and spiritual guidance that is actually inspirational. I dont think that while loving life ministires is around i will be able to come to church and have a good experience. Every time i come to church i get more and more negative about it. I would love to but i’m out of town right now ;; We have local UC preachers who are very capable, blessed with the abilitiy to let God speak through them. Apparently, HQ does not trust that anyone is qualified… none no. Working in ministry Please keep the local live service. This is one of the few things that makes it worth taking the trip to church and paying my tithing each week. I already attend many planning meetings and I am part of the youth ministry, I just want to keep the BCs strong and together, despite everything going on. The way it is setup right now, nothing I say counts anyway. don’t watch a video I’m not exactly sure, but maybe a variety in the sermon givers.
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I would like to create more programs that would benefit our community, for example: WAIT team, Band, Open Mic, Movie Nights, Volunteer work, etc. I like most of the programs that are existing right now at my local church, I would like to have workshops for guests and other outreach programs, but I understand that it takes a lot of organization, and for that it is best to have full-time members. not watch the vidoes every week Needs to be more local services and programs. Maybe a local service every other week from llm services. We’ve been making many changes to fit the Lovin’ Life format in Los Angeles. We just recently established small groups. I hope to show my support for these up and coming groups by marketing and through my attendance. Currently, I am involved with the band and tech crew, but i would like to put my efforts toward establishing a strong atmosphere/ushering team. I feel that a friendly hug at the start of each service will really add to everyone’s overall experience. Make it more time efficient and interesting? I’m doing my best — don’t think they’d want ME speaking. I’m already involved in helping, especially with music. (Watching In Jin Nim on a screen is so different from the wonderful live experience. Therefore, since she can’t physically be everywhere- it would be nice if locations outside NY could have local Sermons on Sundays and once a month watch the live feed broadcast. Then we could really connect with In Jin Nim’s words and vision but still be able to take care of our local congregation’s needs. (The local pastor knows the needs of each community. And hearing In Jin Nim once a month over a screen would make it more special and we could really appreciate the video message vs. every week of watching a sermon over a screen.) Sorry, no. No complaints. Yes. Allow a normal live service N/A Not sure how. All we do is watch the live stream, share local announcements and thats it. I liked it better when we had a sermon with someone giving it at church than seeing a live stream. I think they are doing good things with the resources we have. Yes, I wish the sermons were more personalized tour mn community. Or we would make lovn life our own, start our own group circles after the sermon to share what we have learned make injin nims service optional in the morning, then have a regular service afterwards I can’t think of any ways. Need more education for youth ministry and young adult leaders. Need to empower the local leaders to be creative in their outreach. I think it would be better if we watched only parts of In Jin Nim’s sermon, then a speaker here could speak in correlation to her sermon. It would be more interactive if we had our own speaker. Not personally Yes, my biggest excuse is that I am from a small community and therefore it’s difficult to have a full service with music, small groups, etc., but ultimately there definitely needs to be more involvement and ownership over what the service includes.
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I would like to hear all the lovin’ life music, the guest ministers prayers, the announcements, and I would like the volume to be louder. I can do without a local service altogether. I would like to make the lovin’ life services available on disk so I can use them for witnessing to my friends. im involved in music and youth programs Has anyone written a sermon and sent it to In Jin Nim and asked for her to approve giving that sermon to their local congregation? I feel like just telling her you don’t like the video over and over again is kind of like a two-year-old complaining or throwing a temper tantrum. Giving her something substantial to work with (how about if we do this?) might get a better result. I do a lot of stuff already - I would like the 2nd generation to have a meeting with the leaders and tell them what they would like to change about service. I think we need to take in new speakers for the sermons… so we can get an idea of what’s out there. We may come across someone who speaks the mind of many of us (not all of us, but most of us who feel disconnected and need someone we can relate with) and give us the kind of message we need every Sunday. Don’t know More modern to attract younger people, more current music as special performances, music that us 2nd gen. listen to in our free time not just at church. Bring more blessed families to MONTANA!!! :) i heard nothing about this from hq I would like there to be someone giving a sermon in Seattle, as well as watching the Lovin’ Life video. I moved from Seattle to San Diego just last month (January 2011), and I really enjoy the way service is run in SD. I like to watch the Lovin’ Life videos, but real life sermons do bring more liveliness to the whole service. Therefore that’s where I would want to see improvement- communities showing the Lovin’ Life video broadcast AND having a real life sermon. Yes. Alternate between live feed and local sermons. no be part of church board I don’t have time to help right now as a college student, but do help with the youth group activities every week. not really…people dont like their authority challenged I understand In Jin Nims dream for her ministry.. and she has done a great job with the church down in NYC… But i think she need to let the rest of the Nation bring there own twang to “loving Life” in their own community. Having their own loving life band there own activities.. their own sermons by locals. We need to take ownership more.. watching a video every sunday--- has turn everyone who comes lazy… is that loving life? If In jin Nim wants a message to be heard to everyone maybe once a month we can tune in on the video stream. but not every sunday. That is my recommendation to improve the worship. and Liven it up. Maybe after I finish graduate school. We could have consistent people giving anouncements.
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I would enjoy service more if we could watch it maybe once a month, and the rest of the time have someone from the community give a sermon. That way it is more relatable and we can be more involved. I personally enjoy being able to give to my community, and I am sure that others want that opportunity as well. If we can watch it once a month or so we can give that opportunity to those people who want to offer a sermon, me including, and listen to Injin Nim speak (which I like to but now feel like I am being forced to unless this change can be made). It’s also very inspiring to see someone from their own community share their heart, and really reach out to them, because we know them personally. I think a good addition to the ways things are now are certain contests. For instance, I got an e-mail recently for a video DP lecture contest, and I instantly thought “this is a good idea” because it engenders pride and understanding in this next generation. Hold round-table discussions after sermons in small groups to have members think through the topics themselves. I don’t know Let us do a local sermon, and get rid of Lovin Life Ministries. I’d love to get rid of Lovin’ Life Ministries. It’s already improving every week. shorter announcements. More interaction, clear goals with relaxation time. The ability to create, generate or share new ideas without prejudice or studies of what the results are. not really I’ve given my ideas and was ready to take action, but, because church leaders are incompetent when it comes to substantiating plans, and being too loyal to their chain of command, nothing ever happens. i highly doubt anything will come out of this survey, rather being an attempt to make 2G feel as though we are heard, when, in actuality, it is not the case (at least for 2G in places other than Manhattan). I got a wager going with a friend: if the attendance of 2G annually decreases as long as we are watching IJN’s videos, he pays me 50$. We made the deal when the video broadcast started and it looks like I’ll be winning for years to come. No. have somelovin life sermons and some local sermons Definintely. I think the musical offerings can always be improved more and more, and I do my best to help out with the 2nd gen programs when I can. I want to make sunday school actually effective for the youth here. I think just attending is all i can do for now-i’m a busy college student. I wish we could hear the lovin life music a bit louder and I really wish we could hear all the music. Sometimes they chop off the lovin life music. Warmer closer interaction in community I don’t think it’s even a possibility to do so. so many people have been complaining about the service for so long and have tried to make changes, only to find no support from the higher-ups. In fact, they’re frequently chastised for their efforts. Not right now, since I’m away from home about 9 months a year. I am willing and would be happy to help organize the service but as it is without a church center it all seems pretty pointless. Musically, or on a bigger scale, help the church find an affordable center (service now is held in the pastor’s house) 2nd Gen LLM Survey Page 47
No because I don’t believe in it anymore. No. I’m not inspired to get involved. =) lets brainstorm about it sure. Having sermons given by our local pastors and even 2nd gen. We need to incorporate more local involvement in general. Having our own band is a good start, but in general, it feels like we’ve been really slow to integrate or put into practice the kinds of things I think In Jin Nim and Lovin Life intended. none We, the 2nd gen, give a sermon usually once a month I think in general communities need leaders that create a context for real, genuine community/family - not those who just maintain the shallow proceedings and simply do the tasks at hand. I know that’s asking a lot and that there aren’t many who can do this, but in my opinion, members will not truly experience God as long as our community gatherings are restricted by facades and internal walls. I do appreciate that Lovin’ Life brings some genuinity to the arena… I think our leaders would benefit from a ws together where the focus went beyond logistics, strategies, and political issues and really strove to connect them in heart to one another and re connect them to the heart of what we’re all about to begin with - liberating God’s heart and His children. I feel that we have become a church of head, especially with recent struggles, and not a church centered on heart, but we need to get back to that. Anyway, I know this ws would probably not happen and that my one small opinion wouldn’t count for much, but I would like to thank who ever is reading this if they have even gotten this far in my response, and even moreso if they even consider my input (especially as I know everybody probably has a different idea of what the right thing to do is). Thanks for going through the effort to do this survey - it’s definitely a good idea. I don’t have time right now I suppose if an interesting group forms and i have time, then I can join it. A more organized Sunday School. Yes I would love to contribute to more music and more activities for younger teens. Bring in exciting people to give lectures. Or even do something new for a change and have youth give ones or anything that can be inspiring to all ages and fun! :) I would like to start a weekly club/group where people could come and get together, and bring friends if we wanted, (but Im not sure how well it would work) I wish we could have the members of the community give services again, because that was one thing that helped bring us together despite our differences. Invoke CARE and ACTIVITY in the parents towards their children’s growth, the world situation - we learn by your example (2) Stop being so judgmental/self-righteous - if you can’t love and accept those that have “messed up” from your perspective then there is NO HOPE that this “Unification” church will bring about the “unification” of the world. Get over yourself. (3) Get rid of the freakin’ video (4) Have our own pastor(s) give SOUL-touching sermons (5) Amp up our own music It is fine. Some better music never hurts. Stop watching the televised In Jin Nim services and start having real church services again. Period. That’s what NEEDS to change to make me actually want to start coming back to church. I would like to start a young mens club to help guide young men to maturity and responsibility.
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I think we need to have our own sermons again. members get more out of a speaker that they are personally connected to. I volunteer a much as possible and help promote professionalism as *7, we need our own local services Let more talented speakers give the sermon. be more involved like I was in Bay Area. If In Jin Nim’s Sermons are going to be an ongoing thing then at least get more speakers to talk as well. I want to be inspired by words and teachings by father. tradition can’t be all that bad It would help if we actually had our own service that was live, and not temporary live service from lovin life that come by every once and a while but our own real service with our own pastor. So that the second gen want to stay, the visitors have something to relate to, and the people can actually interact with and relate to the speaker. So we are not watching it on a choppy video screen. And that half of the second gen, college age students wouldnt leave because maybe they had something they could relate to. It would be nice to have discussion groups about the topics, if we did have speakers to let different people do the sermons. Once a week maybe hold something for bcs in the community. It doesnt always have to be educational but just a way to bond and it doesnt have to always be something planned like a movie night every friday but just something to spend time together. To get to know each other. Know that they have people to rely on and talk to. Also to get sermons from second gen would be cool too. Not just from first gen. But a mix of both. Its good to hear each others perspectives. And I dont know how but make the community more guest friendly. Like when a guest comes dont make it awkward and uncomfortable for them to meet people. For the loving life service we need a bigger screen and louder volume I would suggest not having a local service, do other programs on other days that talk about the DP or the history of the UC, as my pastor does. I have been enjoying his friday night program. The local service is redundant when we have something as amazing as Lovin’ Life Ministries I used to be pretty involved…but, I feel a lack of motivation due to some (what I feel is) political issues. Maybe when I finish my master’s degree in counseling I can try and help with the blessed family department in helping youth and couples. Let us keep our actual service. Loving Life is great but it should be an inspiration across the country, not forced. It’s almost hypocritical to tell our churches that they have to watch and broadcast one service in new york, instead of encouraging them to grow and take care of their own communities and develop their own service. A problem with our church is our dependence on our leadership, and I feel this only makes it worse. Not that I can think of… though it’d be nice to have more gatherings/events/service projects aimed at college-age BCs. Different speakers, more variety, new faces. The talks just need more life, the messages are wonderful but there’s little passion, so the audience zones out and gets bored. Have more activities for youth- fun, educational, things I can bring my friends too. In general, it is fantastic. No. The aunts in the area, the hierarchy overall is very discouraging. no idea not that i can think of right now No In Jin Nim 2nd Gen LLM Survey Page 49
I live too far away to commit to much more. Not watching LLM No If needed and I am able to not do it every week I would probably be interested to help improve the worship service. No Make it more liberal (songs) I guess more importance on the music group and more support from the east coast about news from the true family. Can we break into more smaller group? nope no . a I don’t attend church regularly. I’ve given lectures before, and had a good time, but they take a lot of thought and preparation. I don’t think many second generation have the time or will to do this. I haven’t lost my will, but I do not feel enough of a connection with my church whenever I go to invest into it. Sports… Yes. While the sermons are great, relateable, funny, and consistent, we lack programs. I feel our community needs programs for marriage prep, marriage counseling for those recently matched/blessed and for more seasoned couples, parent counseling, etc…basically somehow we need more workshops and efforts in the direction of small group discussion and more specific guidance to the particular stages in life that we are all at. Have ways for people to interact after service in a productive way. Activities design to nurture growth and community, as well as empower church attendees. instead of focusing so much on solo performances by members of the band and singing pop songs before the sermon, the band should try to encourage group worship and involve the entire congregation, and maybe actually sing more church songs, either from our movement or Christian songs, so that instead of feeling like we’re at a concert it would actually feel like a time of worship Not at the moment no funding No. We need a good pastor, not LLM videos that are for 5 year old kids yes, just ask me continued sermons from local pastor In the bay, no… But personally, I think the lovin’ life sermons are too long. They are GREAT, but esp for people who are just watching it on a screen… it is very long. I would suggest people doing their own music ( at least partly) at their respected areas. Of course i think lovin’ life does a great job with music, but i think that live music, or everyone singing together helps bring up an atmosphere and energize the service. I know it Austin (where i am from) they do their own music once a month, so the band practices a lot and its always reaally nice that once a month. thats an option too.
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Yes. I would like to make more programs outside of church that would get people more involved. Many. We need better local singers. I’m trying to get some local music started. Live, Local service. (LLM) much shorter sermons, more holy music performed in a way that is easy for the congregation to sing along with. Shouldn’t be a showcase for musicians’ talents, this is about our faith and God. We need to improve our sound system and In Jin Nim needs to GET TO THE POINT!
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