Creating Community

I had a great meeting today with a very knowledgable person. As I sit here trying to reflect upon the details of our conversation, I feel challenged to look at church from a different perspective. Too often, we have this approach of Come and See. In the church world, we call this model the attraction model. It basically comes to the understanding of  we have something within the four walls of our church that people need to see. Another approach that is gaining momentum is what my wife termed the Go and Be. This approach would be called the missional model. Somewhere in the middle is where I believe that God is calling me to plant a church. 

I believe that without a doubt that God wants devoted followers to be in their communities making a difference for Christ. I believe that as I speak with people about Spring Hill, I hear and see a community of unconnected people searching for deeper connection. What can a church do? Nothing. What can a group of devoted Christ lovers do? Everything. If people in the Spring Hill and North Columbia area would begin to invest in the lives of their neighbors, not only would people come to know Christ, an entire community would be changed. Our approach to ministry in Spring Hill will not be more programs of come and see but will be based upon the belief that everyone is a minister and God has called each of us to love our neighbors. We will equip, encourage and empower our people to love those that they are surrounded by daily in the name of Jesus Christ. We will do this not because our neighbors that do not know God yet are a project but because Christ loves us, loves them and calls us to love them. We also hope that the time of gathering of worship and teaching will be such that one would want to invite their friends and family but in order to have the right to invite, one must put in the time to know. 

We will also approach our plant in such a way that to intentionally build a community or family feel. Knowing that many people in Spring Hill have moved to this community and lack extended family means that many people do not have those people around them when times are tough or to celebrate when times are good. As a father, I want people to know and invest in my children and I want people to love and support my wife. I want to walk with men and women in the journey of life. God did not create humans to live in isolation but in community. 

I say all of these things to say that I have a lot of grandiose ideas. I have dreams and vision of something bigger than I can even wrap my head around and I believe that is a good thing. I hope and pray that as I take this vision and put it into a plan with goals, time lines and details that I do not lose the passion that I have for God and for the community of Spring Hill. I can’t wait to see the lives restored through the amazing grace of Jesus Christ through the devoted people of the future church plant. 

Pray that God will continue to reveal his vision for this new church, His church, 

Derek