Creative Scribble

One of the biggest things I've learned through preparing to launch a church is that there are a lot more things in my head than I communicate. Certain things that I take as "understoods" aren't as clear to other people that are new to the process or haven't been around me much.

That became very clear to me on Tuesday. I was meeting with a UT student who is going to be a part of the launch team. He comes from a church plant in his home town that started as a group of small groups before they ever launched. Because OneLife is doing it completely differently - focusing on Sunday mornings before starting small groups - he had some legit questions.

In my presentation of this, I had simply said "For the first year we are going to stay simple and focused." But what I had not communicated was how we would ensure people were taken care of, discipled, and didn't fall through the cracks - especially as we hit our target of seeing unchurched and people far from God drawn to Him. This question forced me to think outloud and put words to my thoughts.

...

I was then able to tell him about using Sunday morning ministry as the key element of discipleship and care. Afterall, the New Testament doesn't tell us that discipleship happens because of a group Bible study. In fact, Paul said we need to be able to feed ourselves and leave the growth to the Holy Spirit. We want people to serve together, thus growing together. Through ministry teams OneLifers will celebrate the "wins" of OneLife Church as well as the "wins" and hard times of every day life. They will have people they serve with to lean on and grow close with.

So whether it is as a member of the parking team, greeters, ushers, children's teams, tech crew, set-up, tear-down, etc., our first, simple way of plugging people into community will be through serving. And who knows? If this fulfills the purpose of community as we expand to multiple services and ministry opportunities outside of Sunday mornings, will we even need what has become "traditional" small groups?

That answer will come as I lead our team and myself to think outloud and put words to what God is leading us to do.