Here are some artist renderings of the facility we want to build for Branches:
Architectural Renderings for Branches
Just kidding!
When I was little, I would sit on the playground and draw. One project was a church. The daycare workers asked, "What are you drawing?" I said, "I am drawing a church that I am going to build one day." They walked away amazed, but I was nine and terribly bored.
I've come a long ways since then :) :). Branches has a commitment that is uncommon in what I am used to in Church Planting world. It has a commitment to stay a non facility church. I have found that every classic church plant I have been involved in went way wrong when they tried to build a building. If they were huge like New Spring, well thats a different story. Or if they were gathering large momentum like Barefoot in Myrtle Beach, that too is a horse of a different color. I am talking about small church of less than 200 trying to build buildings.
I like rapidly multiplying house church, and the idea of these is no building! Rent out spaces, maybe even an amphitheater, community center, movie theater, or college, but don't jump into a building program until you break a thousand--I would like to split the gatherings way before then!
I do wish I had a cool tree house though!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Church Planting Movements
Branches is all about reaching those that haven't heard. In travelling and studying different church models, as well as participating in church plants, I have been able to go literally all over the planet. The coolest thing by far that I have found are what we call Church Planting Movements. This is where we go in and start a house church that intentionally starts another house church that intentionally starts another house church ad infinum. I have seen this with my work in Russia, and with my best friend Volodya who is over in China helping do this very thing as he works bivocationally as an engineer.
The unique thing about Branches is that it won't just have a big church service with small groups. It will have a big church service built around the needs of seekers, but it will also have a House Church Network in the place of small groups. The whole thing is to help inform people about Church Planting Movements and to get people involved in a House Work Movement instead of just splintered off house churches that aren't networked effectively.
If you are a part of our core, you don't necessarily have to buy into house church, thats why we want to have the regular service with children's programming as well.
As I have spoken with people interested in being a part of a launch team, I know the fear that it is too much work to commit to. Believe me, I hear ya. I have been here before, but this is the first time I have been here while doing another job that I don't want to quit (aka teaching!). It won't be any more work though than volunteering to help with youth or children in a bigger church.
The vision right now is for us to get the core group built around the ideas above, and then launch the big service when the core is established. Paper work, logos, all that jazz is to be handled by Aaron (who has yet to find a teaching position so hey, why not make her a job?)
We need you to come on board with the core if you live in or near our target area (Oakwood or Flowery Branch), and if you don't we need your prayers! We would love to have some sponsoring churches. But we aren't set up just yet for that. We are in the process of applying for that with the SBC North American Mission Board. I would love to hear from you!
The unique thing about Branches is that it won't just have a big church service with small groups. It will have a big church service built around the needs of seekers, but it will also have a House Church Network in the place of small groups. The whole thing is to help inform people about Church Planting Movements and to get people involved in a House Work Movement instead of just splintered off house churches that aren't networked effectively.
If you are a part of our core, you don't necessarily have to buy into house church, thats why we want to have the regular service with children's programming as well.
As I have spoken with people interested in being a part of a launch team, I know the fear that it is too much work to commit to. Believe me, I hear ya. I have been here before, but this is the first time I have been here while doing another job that I don't want to quit (aka teaching!). It won't be any more work though than volunteering to help with youth or children in a bigger church.
The vision right now is for us to get the core group built around the ideas above, and then launch the big service when the core is established. Paper work, logos, all that jazz is to be handled by Aaron (who has yet to find a teaching position so hey, why not make her a job?)
We need you to come on board with the core if you live in or near our target area (Oakwood or Flowery Branch), and if you don't we need your prayers! We would love to have some sponsoring churches. But we aren't set up just yet for that. We are in the process of applying for that with the SBC North American Mission Board. I would love to hear from you!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Branches Church
Why would we need another church in Hall County, Georgia? Answer: We don't. We have a lot of choices available for anyone that wants to go to church, but in Flowery Branch and Oakwood, we don'thave a church for people who don't want to go to church. That is why I want to help start one.
Drum roll please...this is why I am working with a group of people to start what for this new stage is called Branches Church. It is an environment in the spirit of North Point Ministries where you can invite your friends, thinking and non to a gathering of people and have them introduced to a growing relationship with Christ.
Now, we just need a launch team. A launch team is a group of people from area churches that are willing to come help launch the church for a decided period of time. Positions are: 1. People to just come, be friendly, tithe for a season, and have fun. 2. People to help with the Children's Ministry (affectionately called The Treehouse) 3. We don't have any thing to set up as of yet, but we will need a set up team. 4. A worship team because I personally can't sing or play any instruments!
So, pray about it, think on these things, and come on, it will be fun :).
Drum roll please...this is why I am working with a group of people to start what for this new stage is called Branches Church. It is an environment in the spirit of North Point Ministries where you can invite your friends, thinking and non to a gathering of people and have them introduced to a growing relationship with Christ.
Now, we just need a launch team. A launch team is a group of people from area churches that are willing to come help launch the church for a decided period of time. Positions are: 1. People to just come, be friendly, tithe for a season, and have fun. 2. People to help with the Children's Ministry (affectionately called The Treehouse) 3. We don't have any thing to set up as of yet, but we will need a set up team. 4. A worship team because I personally can't sing or play any instruments!
So, pray about it, think on these things, and come on, it will be fun :).
Saturday, July 3, 2010
The Book of Eli
I watched a fantastic rated R movie tonight. The Book of Eli. It was like watching a classic western/course in apologetics(the defense of a Biblical Worldview)wrapped into one. I've spent the last five years scratching my head, watching friends make interesting decisions that a younger me would have shouted loudly at them for, and trying to figure out why people get a way with doing the wrong thing while I still plod along sometimes less than blissfully thinking that Biblical Worldview + Moral Absolutes is right even if it costs me. Please don't take that last phrase as self righteousness because it isn't intended that way. But I just want to know if I am stupid or not for doing the right thing when it costs a whole lot!
The Book of Eli really was outstanding because it coincided with several hard hitting books on apologetics that I was reading. Eli, Denzel Washington as a kick butt protagonist, follows a voice across a fallen post apocolyptic America, running from the bad guys. It turns out that the book he is carrying is actually the last copy of the Bible on earth. Eli takes a licking and keeps on ticking, all in the name of preserving this text!
It was even more amazing as a history buff, because Eli faced crazily similar situations that Martin Luther faced when he was originally making the Bible accessible to the masses. Luther unknowingly insighted revolts resulting in mass losses of life, ran from murderous Catholics (not to be confused with the nice ones I know), and even hid out in disguise. All for the sake of the Bible.
Knowing the reliability of the Bible, how to read it and apply it contextually, and holding on to grace and truth is the challenge of living a Biblical Worldview. This has been very hard for me in the last few years because I have found that the more I see what the text actually says, the less republican I am. The more I read what it actually says, the less compelled I am to be happy go lucky in the Christian Bubble. And the more I read what it actually says, the more I wonder why life is harder when you do the right thing!
At least I don't have to chop anyones head off or shot them to protect the last copy on earth like Eli, but like Eli, I want to have a passion to stick to that voice inside that guides and protect the book with passion. Its a journey for us all, costly, yet worth it.
The Book of Eli really was outstanding because it coincided with several hard hitting books on apologetics that I was reading. Eli, Denzel Washington as a kick butt protagonist, follows a voice across a fallen post apocolyptic America, running from the bad guys. It turns out that the book he is carrying is actually the last copy of the Bible on earth. Eli takes a licking and keeps on ticking, all in the name of preserving this text!
It was even more amazing as a history buff, because Eli faced crazily similar situations that Martin Luther faced when he was originally making the Bible accessible to the masses. Luther unknowingly insighted revolts resulting in mass losses of life, ran from murderous Catholics (not to be confused with the nice ones I know), and even hid out in disguise. All for the sake of the Bible.
Knowing the reliability of the Bible, how to read it and apply it contextually, and holding on to grace and truth is the challenge of living a Biblical Worldview. This has been very hard for me in the last few years because I have found that the more I see what the text actually says, the less republican I am. The more I read what it actually says, the less compelled I am to be happy go lucky in the Christian Bubble. And the more I read what it actually says, the more I wonder why life is harder when you do the right thing!
At least I don't have to chop anyones head off or shot them to protect the last copy on earth like Eli, but like Eli, I want to have a passion to stick to that voice inside that guides and protect the book with passion. Its a journey for us all, costly, yet worth it.
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