LAUNCH TEAM RECRUITMENT MENTORSHIP
Are You Living A Life Of Significance?
Most of us, at some point in our lives will ask ourselves “What is my Purpose?” or “How can I make an Impact?” I want to invite you on an exciting journey. One that will not only transform your life as you encounter the life-changing message of the Gospel of Grace, but also one that will transform a city. As you walk this journey know that you are not alone! There are others that have similar passion. Individuals share the vision of Compass Chapel. This strategy will encourage you to ask the following questions………..
How Can I Be Equipped To Live A Life Of Significance?
By taking the Culturally Relevant Training I can be equipped and equipped to live a life of significance. To help fill your journey with excitement, challenge, and meaning, Compass Chapel will offer you individual mentorship or Church planting team opportunities. This will provide a realistic experience that provides face-to-face opportunities to communicate and interact with others. It will take you to exceptional places full of intrigue and growth as you consider God’s purposes for your life. Through a series of Launch team learning activities and individual mentorship, your ability to add value to your own life and make a significant impact in the lives of others will be enhanced. With each step you take, you will encounter opportunities to get involved.
How Can I Become Involved In Transforming My City?
First hand experiences at making a positive difference by connecting you with real opportunities to make an impact. Your journey never ends! To live a life of significance, the journey is continuous. A process whereby the more you become involved, the more you discover who you are, and the more you personally will grow. We will develop several key initiatives that will demonstrate the person and values of Jesus Christ while meeting the unique needs of our city together. This vision will only become possible if you and others come together and get involved. Under each initiative there are various ideas and opportunities that fall into three simple levels of involvement. These levels will help you apply what you have learned through the training, use your God given gifts and abilities to enhance the overall city strategy, and provide moments for you to start spiritual conversations with someone.
To fulfill the Great commission and the Great commandment by Grace!
Vision Come Just as you are! Encounter Grace of God!
Accept everyone and anyone!
Embrace the needs of the Culture, without diluting the gospel!
Mission (What ) (HOW) The Fusion Of Loving God And People!
Core Values
Provide Relevant Road map For Unreached and un-churched!
Code of Conduct – Radical Grace Orientation Leads to Radical Disciples
Group Functions Accept everyone just as they are
Grace causes a Radical Inward Change
Grace never leaves anyone the same after an Encounter
Individual Tasks Grace application
Grace Subtracts US from our self , Christ likeness is Increase Attracts others and Multiplies Radical Disciples of Grace
Compass Chapel
LAUNCH TEAM RECRUITMENT
Levels of Involvement
Initially you may choose a certain level that you are comfortable with, eventually
Over time your involvement grows as you grow in your personal faith.
LAUNCH TEAM MENTORSHIP
2 Timothy 2:22
And the [instructions] which you have heard from me along with many witnesses, transmit and as a deposit] entrust to reliable and faithful men who will be competent and qualified to teach others also.
Exponential Growth
The Timothy Principle:
Training Faithful Men and Women
Matthew 28:19-20
Connection and Close Relationships:
- Patterned after Christ and the Apostle Paul primarily with learning, living and teaching.
- Then our Passion for following Christ becomes a witness that inspires others to do the same.
- Focusing upon living like Jesus not just the sharing of information causes life Change.
God’s Purpose
Aim
Will Goal
Desire
Acts 1:8
God’s Worldwide mission
“Simultaneous Vision”- Obeying one area doesn't mean that
We have to give up on another area.
Jerusalem:
Tampa Bay area/ Pinellas County
Judea:
State of Florida
Samaria:
The United States
Uttermost Part of the Earth:
Overseas Mission
Philosophy of Ministry
Compass Chapel
(Rough Draft)
Tampa Bay Area
Name: Teddy Awad, Lead Pastor and Church Planter
Spiritual Gifts: Entrepreneurial Spirit, Visionary Leadership, Strategic Thinking, Evangelism, Faith, Communication
Family: Wife Mary and one Child …
Tiffany–7
Teddy and Mary Awad have been married for 10 years, and have spent the last 15 years in ministry (the last 4 on staff with a Non-Profit 501 C (3) Young Adult Crisis Hotline).
Why Tampa Bay? Over the past year God has given me a burden for lost people in the Southeast and a passion to reach them with the message of Jesus Christ. My goal is to be used by God to impact the Southeast for His kingdom by changing the spiritual landscape of this entire area from one that worships and idolizes nature, leisure, and individualism to a community of fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ that worship the one true God.
Our efforts will begin in Tampa Bay Why?
- Spiritually open people who are ready to respond to God when His gospel is presented through an authentic and culturally relevant community of faith.
- Growing population of over 4 million people with 9% growth in population expected annually. This county has the Youngest demographic in Florida (18-40 years old) nearly 42% of Tampa Bay’s population is in the highly desirable target 18-40 age group.
I believe that I have been called by God to church planting is the single most effective form of evangelism today, and the best method for achieving the common objective of reaching all of North America with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. New churches grow faster than established churches because new churches are formed around impacting entire communities and reaching the un-churched versus an emphasis of taking care of existing members in established churches. People are also more open to change in new churches and thus excited about trying new and innovative ideas which, in turn, attract other people. New churches also encourage the raising up of new leaders that may otherwise not readily get or seek leadership opportunities in existing churches. This is an important consideration given that a church’s ability to identify, empower, and equip kingdom-minded leaders largely determines the level of its success.
Vision: Used by God to design, launch, and grow two high impact churches over a five year period. These churches will in turn reproduce within this five year period, and be used as a catalyst to launch and reproduce church planters which will impact the entire southeast, as well as minister to people groups in many other parts of our world.
Church #1: “Compass Chapel” will be a seeker-targeted, refor-missional church “with an edge” targeting young Gen X families (“20-30 Something's”) and post-moderns who live in the Greater Tampa Bay. Thus, our church will be loosely patterned after both the North Point Community Church model (Andy Stanley’s Church in Atlanta) and Marrs Hill Acts 29 churches. It will probably be located in a school, Business Park, or community center and then eventually a building that will have a worship and recreation center containing numerous classrooms for the Bible institute, skate-park, performing arts center that bands can rent, dance groups and other artists can use in the Community. The church will reproduce by year five, and have as its goal the potential to start other churches.
Church #2: This church has not yet been named, but it will be an inner city model which will reach young adults and college students from an urban setting. This church will be uniquely “organic” in its design (which means it won’t follow any model per say, but will be very simplistic and down to earth, focusing mainly on relationships and community), and will be designed to appeal to the urban subculture. As such, we would start the church through a band playing at coffee house and/or in bars. From this outreach, we would intentionally build one on one relationship, and then begin small to large group meetings on another night at a strategic location above the bar or in the coffee house itself (Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday evenings which would probably be the slow nights for the business). This other group meeting would become the “church” location, with hip-style worship and teaching. This church will also be designed to reproduce within five years.
Church “Catch-phrase”
“Compass Chapel … a fresh perspective on God’s timeless truth and amazing Grace which will reproduce the next generation of missionaries that will impact everyone, everywhere they are!"
Mission:
“The Mission of Compass Chapel is to be ‘real’ people on a journey together discovering, experiencing, and living out an incredible faith together through Grace.”
Vision:
The Vision of “Compass Chapel” can be best expressed through certain “environments” that will be created through the missionary community groups of the church in which numerous ministries and community outreach will flow from their desires which God will birth uniquely in each individual of every missionary group.
Our unique portable Vision will set us apart from the numerous new Church plants and modern ministry models Not just committed to GROWTH Numerically....committed to Spiritual reproduction through MULTIPLICATION.
Why Unique?
We must offer a biblical alternative to overly centralized and over programmed models that are in the modern Church planting movement. Numerous new church plants are unapologetically watering down the Word of God to make it more relevant which is just selling out through moral relativism and western consumerism.
How Unique?
We want to plant a living organism that has a missionary training center with Missionary community Groups interdependent upon one-another.
The Missionary training center will be a place where individuals can come as they are and learn who God is And what He has done. Having an Open Door policy where Church is not only a once WEEK event on Sunday but an everyday Learning the Habits and life of Christ from God’s Word and the working of the Holy Spirit in a living missionary community. The Sunday Church service will be a celebration of our King and Master Jesus Christ. When we celebrate our King Jesus, we will sing and celebrate the highest of Worship listening actively to God’s Word of Life. The Word of God is relevant and life transforming when taught with Grace. The celebration of Grace will be an opportunity reach the un-churched and non Christ–Follower’s seeking for answers of life’s important questions. The main emphasis of Church on Sunday will be to connect individuals to the life of Christ and encourage the next steps of Discipleship with personal development of a Christly Life. There will be a Bible Institute established at the same time the Church will be planted that will offer various levels of missionary training that Christ-followers at any level of Maturity can practically apply in their missionary community groups and eventually go around the world with the Word of God. Reproducing disciples and individuals that will leave the mark of the Gospel of Grace wherever they are living, working, and ministering is the ultimate purpose of a Church plant that is patterned after the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.
86% of Young adults are leaving the Church because they are not finding answers to life’s hardest questions that they are seeking from the church community in the midst of their life transitions, They are not only looking for answers in the form of a road map but also looking for acceptance and approval that they find with their peer group. Mature Believers are leaving the Church by the droves because instead of hearing the bible they are hearing fairytales, stories, watching movies, hearing sermons from books other than the Bible, and inundated with watered down teaching and Sharing. We want to be an outpost of Hope and Grace with answers that offers a roadmap to abundant life for Young adults in the midst of their various life transitions. We therefore will provide numerous opportunities for mature believers to be an integral part of the Young adult lives, which will provide mentorship in various missionary communities and bible institute courses. Providing meaning and Purpose to mature believers who want to share with the next generation the faithfulness and grace that God has shown them throughout the years they have followed Christ.
By These Environments?
· Jesus is the “Living Water of Grace” that quenches our spiritual thirst and transfigures our life from within. Hearing the Word causes our Faith to Grow in Grace as we are transfigured internally to the image of the one whom we are called to follow Christ. By following the teachings and Habits of the Master, modeling our lives after His, and by surrendering our lives over to Him piece by piece, as our personal lives are daily outwardly transformed into a trophy of His grace, one by one together by the Word of Life, Christ Jesus.
· Holy Spirit spreads the message of Jesus through us to others as we share our individual and collective lives with them through God’s Word’s of Life. Our missional spirit as a church, and our commitment to reach out and to share the message of Christ in concrete contemporary ways to all corners of the world will be our Collective purpose that Glorifies God our Father. As we are faithful in planting and cultivating these seeds, the Holy Spirit will bring forth new life and new Christ-followers. We want to be able to provide real practical teaching and learning tools for new Christ followers and those who have gone to Church most of their lives and do not know much about their Master and Lord. This is done through the missionary community groups and bible institute courses that will make learning fun and life transforming. This process of transferring rudimentary head knowledge to spiritual formation is the work of the Holy Spirit not the work of Clergy or other believers.
· Spiritual formation takes time for meaningful progress and requires a safe place where you can practically process what you are learning in your daily life with God. The environment must be safe from evaluating people on the basis performance and production. Measuring success and failure into spiritual metrics only hiders an individual’s growth. Success in the business world and world system is very different from what God defines as Success. The world measures success is by individualism, outward appearance, production, performance, and obvious external results. God works in the invisible and His work is in an individual. The hidden work on the inside will eventually be revealing in God’s timing not on our own effort, production or individual outward works.
· As God’s creation and we are called to cultivate and reproduce Spiritual life through ministry for God’s glory. At Compass Chapel, we believe the church isn’t a place you go to once a week – the church is a people who are a living body or organism of “missionaries” on a glorious mission of proclaiming their King and His Kingdom. "Being a missionary to everyone, everywhere you are!" That is, they are a people who on a mission to be “outward looking” and “others focused” as they live out their living faith in their day to day lives. We are constantly on mission to reach out and serve our neighbors, our communities, and our world in relevant ways each and every day with Joy, not legalistic performance based works system of Service. We serve because of the radical inward work of grace in our lives, and desire that others also experience the revolution of Grace personally.
· God has placed a passion in our hearts and spirits for worship which is illuminated as we draw closer to him. Our hearts set ablaze with worship, both corporately and individually, as we continually give ourselves over to Him and draw closer to His glory. The highest form of Worship is to hear and obey God’s Word of Grace and Truth. To receive all that God is and what His Word teaches changes lives and causes lives to radically change internally that is a result of progressively growing in Grace. GRACE is not merely “unmerited favor” that causes new birth which it is; Grace also is our Living mentor who tutors us all in the Character and Nature of Who God is, what He has done, and what God is doing now. If it was grace that saves individuals through the Holy Spirit, should grace also train an individual after he is saved? Numerous Christ-followers are trapped in defeat, overwhelmed by personal failure and are exhausted trying to be Victorious Christians in their own performance by human effort, they eventually stop trying and quit. Many non-believers want nothing to do with becoming a Christ-follower because of the perception and image that we have falsely presented to the lost and dying world through the way we treat one another as Christians and treat lost individuals in the world. We want to plant this church to take a Stand for the Gospel of Grace and welcome those who have been wounded and hurt by the universal churches image problem. Re-Producing Grace trusting Spirit-filled and Spirit Taught Disciples who are "Being missionaries to everyone, Victorious everywhere by God’s Grace not trying to be Victorious in their own self-reliance and effort!"
· We believe that people matter to God – in fact, they are the pinnacle of His creation. Not only that, but every person was created by God with a need to connect in authentic Missionary community with others. We can establish real, encouraging, safe, and honest relationships with one another as we learn to do life together as a redeemed missionary community of faith.
Strategy:
A churches “Strategy” outlines a possible blueprint of how each church will reach out to people, connect with them, and lead them into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. The Strategy of our inner-city / vibrant church will be determined at a later date when a specific location is identified, and the cultural context of that particular location is examined. The 10 step strategy of “Compass Chapel” will be as follows…
1) Building relational bridges into the community through our missionary community groups inviting individuals to a celebration of Grace on Sundays or to the numerous missionary community Groups events of Celebration (Three keys here: Intentionality, Unconditional Love and Acceptance, and “Telling Our Story”)
2) Living out an authentic living faith for others to see (People don’t just want you to tell them about your faith; they want to see evidence of it in the way you live your life – are you for real or a fraud? People do not care how much you know until you show them how much you really care. Has Jesus REALLY radically changed your life and given you a new set of values and desires to live your life by?)
3) Inviting and Gathering an un-churched friend to an authentic service designed for particularly them to observe the Celebration (The key is to have several relevant services and events for different age groups: adult, teen and children’s service). This also allows for the development of missionary leaders, mentorship of missionary community group leaders, and practical outlets for missionary Bible Institute students to apply what they are learning and grow effectively in reproducible authentic maturity.
4) Encountering the Spirit of God and teaching the Word of God through the worship experience (it needs to be real and relevant) making the complex simple and applicable in daily life for everyone, not just seekers. The worship service become the template for the following weeks teachings and discussions at the missionary community Groups. Making the content reproducible in daily life and practical application.
5) Making a decision to follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord (You shouldn’t have to force or manipulate this – Jesus didn’t! – Just gave them an opportunity to respond to the Gospel) We are only a pencil in the hand of God, God will do the writing on individuals heart if we are only faithful to present Him and invite people to a decision as we celebrate our Master.
6) Connecting into the life of the church community through Christ honoring relationships, friendships, and spiritual discipleship. The organism of the church the missionary community groups is where we do life together corporately.
7) Learning how to live like Jesus lived and taught from the Word of God we will develop genuine growth together. Spiritual formation and reproduction of life transformation in others (Mentoring / Teaching / Reproduction)
8) Serving others outside the church (Community Service and servant evangelism thru our Missional DNA and Missionary community groups)
9) Loving God as a lifestyle (Worship – it’s not just an event you go to on Sunday, it’s a lifestyle! We will teach people what it means to live the Christian life 24/7)
10) Reproducing other believers and churches (Creating Disciples 1 on 1 & Church Planting)
Discipleship Process:
The discipleship process will involve three main components:
1) Biblically relevant teaching from anointed speakers during our main services on Sundays
2) A series of four, 3-4 hour “Discovery” Classes taught regularly and weekly in new families homes through our Missionary community Groups…
a. “Discovering Compass Chapel” (mission, vision, values, strategy, membership, Missionary community Groups, gospel presentation, baptism)
b. “Discovering Life Transformation” (Bible 101, how to follow Jesus, personal growth through grace)
c. “Discovering the GRACE Life” (Christianity 101, Spiritual Gifts, Serving, Giving, Outreach)
d. “Discovering Your Life’s Mission” (Living like Jesus, Worship as a Lifestyle, Telling your Story, your Life Calling, etc)
3) Life Group involvement where one on one mentoring can take place and encourage enrollment at the Missionary institute for more in-depth teaching and intensive discipleship of Tomorrow’s leaders to reach the next Generation.
Core Values:
Our Core Values identify who we are uniquely, and what we hold dear to as a Missionary community.
We Value…
- Authentic Relationships – God created us to live in the context of authentic community. We believe in keeping it real with God and with each other through Grace as our Source. Helping one-another to live in God’s New Character and nature, removing the barriers of Rules and ungodly expectations that stunt Growth and turn Christianity into Churchianity a dead institution. From Rules to Relationship by a living Faith through God’s Abundant Grace and changeless Truth.
- Incarnate Living – We value practical Spirit filled living and reflecting the character and the life of Jesus Christ by daily surrendering our self-sufficiency and own Flesh to God. Don’ think of your Flesh as only Skin, but personal techniques or mechanisms for meeting your own perceived needs apart from Christ. The Resurrection life that birthed us from above is the life that flows in and lives through a follower who has yielded himself to Christ.
- Biblical Truth – We value the proper application of Grace and Truth to our daily lives instead of legalism a system in which an individual seeks to gain God’s approval and acceptance by what they do. Any approach to following Christ that focuses on keeping the rules as means of experiencing victory or growing spiritually is Legalism. Therefore we value the Gospel of Grace which is received through trusting and receiving the Great News of His Grace which internally radically changes lives, not through religion trying and performing in a natural way or human works to gain God’s approval.
- Compassion – As Christ-followers, we are called to love all people like Jesus did and minister to them daily regardless of their social status or spiritual condition. Teaching people to delight in who they are by Grace and how to live from the bottomless well of Living Water from within to share with everyone the Living Water that quenches their own spiritual thirst and has transfigured their own life from within. Compassion is to gladly spend and be spent for Christ our Source who has spent and completed the ultimate act of compassion for us on the Cross. Therefore we value cross-cultural compassion that is birthed from the work of the Finished work on the cross. We are all members of the Armies of compassion here on earth to do the unfinished work of seeking those who are lost and reaching those who are wondering away from God.
- Missional Living – Jesus came to serve by Grace and minister through mercy to the world through love and teaching life applicable truth. We are equipping grace oriented people to know who they are in Christ, their new identity in Christ; how to remove their masks of who they think they are outside of Christ and the importance of yielding to the overflowing life of Christ which will overflow from their new lives in to others in their community. Therefore we value missional Living from across the street to around the world serving by grace and through the mercy of God.
- Grace-wholeness – The only identity equation that works in God’s kingdom is you plus Christ equals Wholeness and meaningful purpose. Grace gives all of us the same opportunity to live a meaningful life with purpose. Why? Because wholeness and meaningful purpose in life are not products of what we have or don’t have, what you’ve done or haven’t done. We are already a whole person and possess a life of infinite meaning and purpose because of Who we are - a child of the living God of Grace. Therefore we value wholeness that Grace has provided, if our identity in Christ is the key to Wholeness we value grace and acceptance over judgment and rejection which has been distorted by the world system, our flesh, and the great deceiver himself.
- Relevance – Committed to engaging today’s culture in its context with significance without selling out or watering down the Gospel of Grace. Never compromising nor cowering in shame of the Gospel of Grace. We value being not of the world, but impacting it through living a life hidden in God in the present World and adapting alternative methods to reach people in this present generation. Never changing the timeless truth of God’s Word or the Gospel of Grace, just the methodology.
- A Global Impact – We believe in starting more Grace oriented Bible preaching and teaching churches, partnering with other ministries and networks that have a global impact and vision, in going into all the of the world with the Gospel of Grace. We want to be part of a global network that makes a kingdom impact.
- The Freedom to Question – The “mystery” surrounding God is one of His greatest attributes. If God could be totally “figured out” by us then He wouldn’t be God, we would! At Compass Chapel we aren’t afraid to admit that we don’t have all the answers. In fact, we welcome the freedom that comes with questioning things. In the end, aren’t we all fellow seekers on a spiritual journey to discover the truth?
Leadership Team:
Teaching/Community Pastor – If funded
Worship Arts Pastor – If funded
Executive Director –If funded
Children’s Director – Mary Awad
This is an extremely diverse team with many gifts which will enable us to start. In addition, over the next 9 – 18 months a Launch Team of 200 will be our goal, people will be recruited through relationship building in the community for Compass Chapel, as we prepare for a public launch date. Our attendance goal for our public launch is 400 people. The church will begin to build relationships immediately in the downtown area, one individual at a time, and will begin to meet regularly for worship in a small group format as soon as significant relationships are developed and a strategic location is found.
Success Factors: Here are some factors that will help ensure the growth of a high-impact church (this list is by no means exhaustive, but it will give you an idea of what I feel is important to ensure success):
a. A clear and compelling Vision from God to reach the un-churched.
b. Intentionally building relationships with people in the community.
c. An anointed Leadership Team (the right chemistry, competence, character, calling).
d. Gifted communicator(s) who can bring relevant messages in addition to the lead pastor.
e. Dynamic worship that leads people into an encounter with God.
f. An awesome band.
g. Quality and excellence in presentation (in music, drama, technology, website, etc).
h. An excellent and creative Children’s Ministry.
i. An Atmosphere of love, grace, and acceptance.
j. Doing church in a REAL way with transparency and authenticity.
k. Connecting people into meaningful community
(Missionary Community Groups /Missionary Teams).
l. Leadership committed to empowering people to reach their God-gifted potential.
m. A focus on reflecting the image of Jesus, instead of following religious rules.
n. A proven process to create disciples through teaching and mentoring.
o. Cultural relevance between the Church and the community without becoming the polluted culture. Making a radical impact upon culture with the Gospel of Grace. Anywhere the Gospel of Grace goes revolution takes place within individuals and in the culture it surrounds.
p. The right general location to locate the Church Plant (high growth and families)
q. The right specific location for Sunday Services.
r. A massive marketing effort prior to public launch.
s. A Vision for Church multiplication built into the Churches DNA from the start.
t. An organizational structure that promotes change, risk-taking, “Out of the Box” thinking, and growth
u. Living out the missional example of Jesus when it comes to ministering to people in the community.
v. The desire and plan to have a far-reaching, global impact.
w. Adequate funding to do it right from the start.
x. Prayer and the anointing of the Holy Spirit – without this, don’t even try it!
Compass Chapel Timeline
Here is a rough timeline, keeping in mind that church planting is a process that is milestone driven, not timeline driven…
Statement of Faith
Unabbreviated Statement of Faith with Biblical Verses Can Be provided when Necessary
We Believe -
All scripture contained in the Old and New Testaments is verbally, plenarily and inerrantly inspired by God. It is the Authoritative guide for all Christian understanding, life and ministry.
There is one God who is eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Each is infinite, eternal and almighty. Jesus, Christ, the Son, is fully God and perfectly man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin, Mary and lived a sinless life. He died, shedding His literal blood as a vicarious atonement for sinners, then was buried, arose from the grave, ascended into heaven and is now seated in His exalted position at the Father’s right hand.
The Holy Spirit, who is Lord and Giver of Life, convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment; and unites man to Jesus Christ by faith. The Holy Spirit indwells seals and fills all believers.
Man was created in the image and likeness of God. It was by man’s free volition that he disobeyed God, incurring physical and spiritual death (separation from God). Each human being is born with a sin nature; therefore, each is a sinner by nature and is in need of Divine Salvation.
Salvation is a free gift of God that was accomplished by Christ’s substitutionary death for the sins of the world. All who believe in Christ are justified by His shed blood on their behalf. Because salvation is given by grace, the believer’s salvation is eternally secure.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is sent upon all who believe in Jesus Christ at the moment of salvation. Continual filling may follow. Each spiritual gift is given by the Holy Spirit for the edification of the Body of Christ.
The fulfillment of the Great Commission is the responsibility of all believers and churches today.
The church is the Body and Bride of Christ. It is dedicated to the worship and service of God and the observance of the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The primary task of the Church in all ages is to teach all nations and make disciples through the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, the Bible. It is God’s perfect will that all believers seek fellowship and attend a local church where they receive instruction.
Christ may return at any moment for His Church. All believers will appear before Christ to be rewarded eternally for all things that were done through His Grace. All unbelievers will be rewarded according to their deeds and all will be cast into the eternal lake of fire because of their unrighteousness. After this, Christ will establish a New Heaven and a New Earth. This is the consummation of all things.
…a place for ‘real’ people on a journey
While many understand the biblical merit of this argument, many have also bought into the clergification of Christian ministry. This is the belief that the professionals carry out the real work of the church, and everyone else simply lends a hand here and there. And “professionals” are of course those who make their living from the gospel. Therefore, bi-vocational pastors or church planters are often held in much less esteem, and the rest of the church is seen as practically unnecessary. Such a perspective misses the example of Paul, and more importantly the nature of gospel ministry and church health.
We believe that we have been called by God to church planting because is the single most effective form of evangelism today, and the best method for achieving the common objective of reaching all of North America with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. New churches grow faster than established churches because new churches are formed around impacting entire communities and reaching the un-churched versus an emphasis of taking care of existing members in established churches. People are also more open to change in new churches and thus excited about trying new and innovative ideas which, in turn, attract other people. New churches also encourage the raising up of new leaders that may otherwise not readily get or seek leadership opportunities in existing churches. This is an important consideration given that a church’s ability to identify, empower, and equip kingdom-minded leaders largely determines the level of its success. To accomplish our vision we have joined with Converge Southeast. The focus of Converge Southeast is staring new and healthy churches throughout the region. For more information about Converge south east please visit their website at:
