Many of you know that over a year ago my wife and I moved to Macon, Georgia to plant a new church. We gathered a group of people around us that wanted to help see this come to pass and it has become somewhat of an experiment to explore faith in a new way.
What most people know about church centers around a single Sunday worship service and possibly a mid week service or bible study. Now let me be the first to say that there is nothing wrong with practicing your faith this way, but we were eager for something more.
When we came to Macon our vision hinged on this text from Matthew 28
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV)
It was our conviction to create environments where people's lives intersected in order to have true discipleship and community. We believed that we could not create a church to make disciples but rather if we made disciples we would get the church.
So you're probably asking, What does that look like? Well we meet in homes every week, share a meal together, share our lives with each other and someone teaches from the scriptures allowing for others to share, add to or ask questions. But it doesn't end there for us. We care for each other, walk through good times and difficult times.
For us church is not an event we attend but rather the way we live our lives. Our hope is to help create more families of believers that live life in the same manner so that we can become not a church but rather a church of churches and a family of families(this phrase is borrowed, i can not take credit for it, but perfectly describes what we hope for).
Why do this though?
Ever since the early days of my salvation I have always had a desire for the church to be much simpler and at the same time deeper. I personally believe that in the next several years you will see movements such as this taking place across our country, not because this is the right way to practice our faith but rather changes in our society will force us to adapt and change.
Where churches have been large or even small organizations with its own unique branding, I believe will shift to focus on being a cohesive family where the focus is caring for others and equipping and encouraging people to reach others. I believe that true apostolic ministry will arise where leaders will help lead and develop networks of churches within a city.
What does that mean for today?
I'm not sure, that's why they call it an adventure. In the words of my father-in-law Vaughn Clark "Its a brave new world!"
