Monday, Monday

But it's not, it's FRIDAY!!! HOLLA! ever since i changed my teaching schedule i've come to appreciate the weekend again. something i lost long ago when i entered the world of Food & Beverage, then Retail, then Church work. I like the weekend again. So a lazy morning so far Tammy hasn't made it back from work and i'm going to be leaving to teach in about 45 minutes. just enjoying my coffee in the monster mug jeanne gave me and watching MMAWeekly on HULU. man this post has a lot of capital letters.... 

So Walter and i have finally more or less finished the executive summary for the church and will be handing it out to the elders, and others soon. i'll post it below for all to read. it's brief and not a doctrinal statement, but more of a conceptual overview with some principles listed. 

Church Plant Executive Summary

 

            As we have felt the spirit stirring in us for many years[1], we are responding to the calling to plant (make disciples - Matt. 9:35-38) in a Multi-Zone (one church that meets at multiple locations) approach to church planting. We are endeavoring to create a church composed of people who will encounter, engage, and implement Jesus Christ in the context of their daily lives. As such we feel that a multi-site, culturally and economically diverse church plant is the most realistic and beneficial model to adopt. We are thankful to move forward with the expressed blessing of Manhattan Bible Church and the elders, as they have been instrumental in us being here at this place and being able to respond to the call to plant. We humbly ask Manhattan Bible Church and the elders for their prayers as we desire to be a church that functions on the following principles:

 

• Christ –We believe it must be our first priority to convey an accurate portrait of God through Jesus Christ. (Col. 1:15-20)

 

• Cause – We believe that in our response to the God who first loved us, through that love, we are empowered to be practitioners of a great and divine love that has been changing our neighborhoods, city, nation, and world for generations. (Matt. 22:34-40; 1 John 4:19)

 

• Culture – We believe it is the Church’s responsibility to articulate the gospel in such a manner that resonates with its surrounding community and culture. (Acts 17)

 

• Community –We believe this community can only be built on genuine, time consuming, significant relationships – first with God, then with others, and finally our blocks, neighborhoods, and city. (Acts 2-3)

 

• Compassion & Justice –We believe we must always strive to practice both practical and financial care, concern, and provision for those within our church community and those without with special attention to the widows, orphans, and forgotten of this world. (Amos 5:15, Jer. 29:7, James 1:27)

 

• Creativity – We believe that worshiping our Father can take many forms of expression and as such desire to be an Acts church that allows the use of individual gifts to the glory of our Creator in our group times and privately. (Gen. 1:1; Isa. 41:20; Psalms; Acts 17)
  

 

• Continuation – We believe that church planting is one of the most effective forms of evangelism and time proven methods of impacting communities and individuals, so we seek to be a continuing organism to spawn new church plants continually as leaders rise to the call of God’s ministry. (Matt. 28:16-20; Act 1:8; New Testament Epistles; Rev. 2-3)

Reasons why Multi-Zone Church Plant:

Biblical Reasons:

• N.T. Epistles written to a network of churches in a City. See Epistles
• N.T. demonstrates leadership model that is not necessarily local. Paul writting to churches (if Paul were here today, he could of used our technology) - 1 Cor. 5:3  (Paul used methods current to his time to reach the new and growing body of early believers)
• N.T. Churches in networks not only in Cities but in Regions - 1 Pet 1 - 
• New means of ministry - 1 Cor. 9:20-23

Historical Reasons:

• Denomination, movements, associations, coalitions and networks come together to be more effective for Kingdom purposes.
• Methodism - Christian movement lead by John and Charles Wesley.
• The Church was launched in 32 AD, 1980 25 churches in america implemented the cell group model church, 2008 more than 2,000 churches in North America are using multi zone churches to reach their communities.

Logical Reasons:

• Develops new models and understandings of leadership, 
  
• Stewardship and the use of property (does not mean church owns property)
• Enabling the churches to tremendously increase their impact regardless of geographical limitations.
  
• 60%-80% of established churches are settled or declining in numbers
• 3,500 churches close each year
• 58 billion dollars are owed by churches in capital improvement projects
• Missiological churches go to where people live and play
• Technology Reach
• Communications - instant, constant, global and permanent.

Financial Reasons

• Meeting in Apartments, Houses, rented facilities provide a low cost to facilities
• Bi-Vocational leadership alleviates start up cost.

So there you have it. That's where we stand. and on that note to all of our Seacoast and like friends, we have presale tickets to U2 at giants stadium...so in yo' face! although i'm sure Jason has like 18 tickets all across the world to go and watch them. but whatever. 

Love to all

Jonathan

Currently Listening to: