WWJD…WTC – The Dream
This is a post for the WWJD…WTC Synchroblog. I have to say that I have been surprised by the simple journey so far. It made me ask some interesting questions. Some of my own critique was not new but informed by important research. Another was informed by the ironic wisdom of my own child. But it was a late night in bed, lying wide awake with an idea that forms the last of my posts.
The other night I couldn’t sleep. I went downstairs and wrote the following post. This is my dream of the church that I would like to help build.
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Tribe – An Emerging Community
Tribe is a new community committed to exploring Missio Dei. We do this by actively engaging what it means to follow Jesus in today’s world. We are committed to restoration and reconciliation through love. This includes:
- Weekly Missional Discipleship Tribes – The primary focus of the church is the discipleship group, not the Sunday meeting. I’ve been working on this part for the last five years.
Everyone who is part of the community engages a missional discipleship tribe. This is actively participating in Missio Dei and following Jesus in today’s world. Everything else flows from this experience.
The tribes are primarily gender groups of 11-12 people, mainly because we have found gender works so well. The tribe is the primary contact point for people. Each tribe takes a 3 years inward journey of restoring the heart and an outward journey of restoration and reconciliation to those in the group and those in the community. We would use the Thrive materials we’ve been developing. All groups meet for four quarters a year (11 weeks on, 2 weeks off). Once a quarter the group meets over a meal.
When the tribe has ended it’s journey, it splits up into smaller groups and begins the process of developing new groups. This is the primary leadership development model. - Monthly Celebrations – Once a month everyone in the larger community gathers for a meal and tells stories about what is happening in the smaller communities. These are feasting celebrations of what God is doing in the lives of the people in the groups.
- Monthly Gatherings – Once a month everyone in the community is invited to a corporate response through worship, drama, graphic arts and contemplation.
- Monthly Leadership Gathering – Once a month, the leaders of the communities gather for breakfast and dialog on Missio Dei and the health of the tribes.
- Monthly Coaching Evenings – Once a month everyone is invited to engage a coaching session on Missio Dei and love. These are the primary entry point for people to ask questions about joining a new group.
- Restorative Projects – Tribes are encouraged to actively seek out ways to restore the community around them through restorative projects. Anyone in the community can participate as needed.
- All Community Retreat – Once a year the entire community gathers at a retreat center together to engage dialog, worship, reflection, feasting, and community.
Some other thoughts
- Children: I’ve been thinking about this part for a long time. My primary thoughts are placing the role of nurturing the children back in the hands of the parents. I think they would love to participate in the celebrations, restorative projects, and the gatherings. Children follow their parents. If the parents are following Jesus, then they most likely will.
- Buildings: Most of the significant meetings will take place in homes during the discipleship groups. This essentially means the church only has three significant monthly corporate gatherings. These can take place in rented spaces and grow as needed. These can even be broken up into different groups if size ever becomes an issue.
- Office: I’ve been an entrepreneur all my life and worked from home in a significant collaborative settings. Technology can help overcome this.
- Technology: I would like to use technology to our advantage to reduce unnecessary waste of paper.
- Missions: I’ve thought a lot about this and I would like our mission to be primarily in the spaces we live in, although I am completely open to how the Spirit leads.
Would love any further thoughts.
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grace
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jonathanbrink
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brad brisco
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jon | M | holmes
