Commonly known as Greater Portland, the Portland-Auburn metro area is home to over half a million people, making it over one-third of the total population of the state of Maine.[1] Portland, the hub of the metro area, is a city rich in history as it was originally formed just ten years after America declared her independence from Britain.[2] It is also the birthplace of famous author, Stephen King.[3]
According to Barna, the Portland-Auburn metro area’s population is a striking 52% unchurched.* This equates to around 267,000 unchurched people. As you can see, Greater Portland is in great need of the gospel.
“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14, KJV)
At Vision Baptist Church, we are praying for a man to take the gospel to the Portland-Auburn metro area and plant churches that will in turn further the gospel throughout Maine and the New England area. Please join us in praying that the Lord would send us a man to train so that he could go and devote his life to Greater Portland. Pray for the people in the metro area to hear the gospel. Ask the Lord if He would have you to be that man.
[1] “CPH-T-5. Population Change for Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas in the United States and Puerto Rico (February 2013 Delineations): 2000 to 2010” (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
[2] Coolidge, A.J. and J.B. Mansfeld. 1859. A History and Description of New England, General and Local. Boston: Austin J. Coolidge, p. 301.
[3] Ancestry of Stephen King Archived October 23, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. at Genealogy.com. Retrieved August 3, 2010.
*http://cities.barna.org/barna-cities-the-top-churchless-metro-areas/ All percentages were taken from this article.
** All population estimates were taken from the National Census Bureau website.