Review/Lessons after the first 2 years of a Missional Community
Jan. is a good time to reflect on the previous year. In my case, reflect on the last couple years. Going from being unemployed to having a steady job, as well as going from being very unsatisfied with my church, starting a new community, and being encouraged by the fruits we’ve started to see.
My current community was born out of a frustration/discontent with church as usual. I complained, dreamed, and prayed for several years but never felt like God wanted me to leave the church I was at. Right about the time I was getting ready to pack my bags for a new church, the leadership approached me about starting this new community. My good friend had offered to be the weekly preacher in addition to his other 1-2 jobs at the church. I offered my services as a support person, using my giftings in organization to lead up volunteers, play music, and just give my insight into the direction of the community. Basically doing whatever needed to be done.
We started under the main principles that we wanted people to live out the gospel, to take it beyond the Sunday only spirituality, stop being fake, and to have intentional focus on participation, spirituality, and education. Our organizational model was loose, we operated as a church plant within a church, so we had a building, supplies, and a nice launch. We’ve had to develop our own leadership structure and identity along the way. Every week has been a blessing, and we always feel wonder and amazement that God will bring people to our service each week and to be involved in home communities, etc.
Now that we’ve been around for 2 years we’ve seen an increase in our leadership team, a steady number of dedicated people, and some really exciting tangible examples of our communities dedication to mission. I think the best thing has been seeing how excited people get when their spiritual community comes around them to help them obtain the vision God is calling them to. Which is so much different then the top down model I grew up with.
So now some of the lessons I’ve learned over the past 2 years (in no particular order):
1)Organization is important: My first inclination was to do everything free form, no schedules, just ask people to help out with things and to really take ownership of certain areas. This failed to work, people needed to make a solid commitment, and for the most part I have head a steady team of volunteers for 2 years.
2)Direction is important: It is important to constantly be talking about direction, where we’ve been and where we feel God wants us to go. It is direction that casts vision for the community and solidifies identity.
3)Leadership is important: It is important to have regular meetings with leadership, to pray, analyze, and create Direction. In periods where we didn’t meet as leadership for months, the stagnation in direction was almost palpable.
4)God is important: It is easy to focus on all the organization and tasks that need to be done to operate a community and a weekly gathering, but keeping God at the center is key for maintaining sanity and keeping priorities and focus in the right place.
5)Being Missional is important: It is important, especially with people accustomed to a traditional church to focus on Mission. They have had years to learn, and be preached at, but a lot of people don’t even know how to interact with their community. I’ve found that you have to take baby steps and to re-educate people about what it means to “evangelize” and be in the community.
6)Being patient is important: When beginning a missional community with people accustomed to traditional church, patience is key. It is natural to want immediate change but 2 years down the road and only a small fraction of our community really gets it. However, we continue to see more and more people get it and it is exciting to see them embark on God’s Mission.
There is a lot more to cover, but it is time for bed, so I’ll have to leave that for future posts, I hope these lessons can help you in your own community.
