Case Study Three: A People Focused on Victory Aaron Batey Aaron began pastoring in Florida 2011. He is currently working on a master’s degree at Asbury Theological Seminary. He has been married since 2005 and has two boys. Context: Coastal Texas Affiliation: Independent Charismatic Size: 120-140 attending Church Context The Independent Charismatic “Church on the Gulf,” is located in a Texas coastal county. Like churches in every part of the world, they are intentionally taking steps to minister to the congregation and community during the pandemic. The county that the church is located in has 830 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of August 16, 2020, with 32 deaths.1 The population of the county in 2019 was 36,643.2 $44,896 is the median household income, with most of the jobs coming from retail, closely followed by construction and healthcare.3 The population of the county is ethnically diverse, and, according to the leadership team, the congregation reflects the surrounding area, being made up of both Hispanic and non-Hispanic Whites. This can be quickly noticed on a Sunday morning, as the worship team reflects this diversity. The website Matagorda Regional Medical Center, “COVID-19 Public Information,” updated August 16, 2020, accessed August 16, 2020, https://www.matagordaregional.org/ covid19 2 U.S. Census Bureau, “Quick Facts: Matagorda County, Texas,” accessed August 16,2020,https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/matagordacountytexas/ PST045219 3 Data USA, “Matagorda County, TX,” accessed July 20, 2020, https://datausa.io/ profile/geo/matagorda-county-tx#economy 1
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