Niche ministries cater to uncommon followers of Jesus Mass comes with some extra jazz

By BRAD A. GREENBERG, Staff Writer

Article Published: Saturday, August 20, 2005 - 7:22:44 PM PST

Gone are the days when Christians met only on Sunday mornings in a radiant chapel filled with the breath of organ pipes.
More ministries are meeting wherever there is a need in tattoo shops, kung-fu classes and church halls with country-western themes.

In the process, niche ministries are redefining what it means and looks like to be Christian.

"It's cool to see this new generation of churches coming out and saying, 'Hey, we know where you are at, and we're going to be real,'' said Cameron Strang, publisher of Relevant Magazine, a monthly focused on young adults that fuses Christianity, daily life and edgy pop culture.

"You don't have to have a short haircut and wear a tie.'

The mission is the same as that of the apostles: Spread the Gospel. But the methods are new and direct, aimed at people with particular interests and needs.

"It seems like niche marketing rather than religion' said Eric Michael Mazur, associate professor of religion at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa. "But religion has always involved presenting something and convincing a person you're right.

"It's just marketing of faith instead of sneakers.'

That's evident throughout the Inland Empire.

It is as subtle as the use of rock music at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Rancho Cucamonga and as dramatic as a nascent Colton congregation that desires to be a sanctuary for gays and lesbians.

Mega churches such as Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside have ministries specifically for latte lovers, sports enthusiasts and firefighters and police officers.

"The ministries are just filling a need in our community,' said the Rev. Willie Dixon, an assistant pastor at Loveland Church in Fontana.

While some people buy their groceries from mom and pop stores , others need a larger selection that a supermarket offers. Christians are more inclined to church-shop than they were 50 years ago, and regions like Southern California, populated by people with a plethora of hobbies and life experiences, are breeding grounds for niche ministries like these.

"And if people are shopping, someone has to be producing,' said Mazur, who has studied the issue.