WWYD if YOU Started a Church Tomorrow?

There seems to be no lack of opinion when it comes to what the Church Is / what is Should be / what it Could be / what it must Never be. Everyone’s got an opinion, conviction, dream, or idea. This is your chance to share yours!

What THREE things (and only three) would make your Imaginary Church a truly Remarkable Church?

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We’d love to get as many different and diverse thoughts, opinions, and convictions as possible. So share your thoughts, and dreams. Invite your friends to share theirs. Who knows, you may just learn something about yourself, about others, and about God’s heart and dream for the church.

The Rules:

Keep it brief.
Keep it kind.
Keep it inspired.
Keep it inspiring.
Keep it to yourself, and you may end up keeping someone from hearing the thunderous whisper of God.

We’re serious. We’d love to hear from you…like all of you…including you.

Share The Love:

Some Similar Thoughts...

Kyle Reed

1) More like an AA meeting then awkward small group meeting
2) Mentor Relationships for all
3) Emphasis on giving to others and not giving to the church

Nov 30, 2009 @ 8:29 pm

Well, reason I said mentoring is because that is the goal of a project I am working.
To connect everyone to a mentor.

"More like AA" tangibly played out would be less surface level relationships and more open and honest conversations that gets past the idea that no one is struggle with problems and gets to the support of lifting others up and encouraging them.
The beauty of any AA group is that they are all there united in a problem, they are all addicted. We as the church are all there together in one problem, we are all sinners.
I think we usually forget that and try and be there together all united in how good we can look.
Hope that all made sense?

Nov 30, 2009 @ 8:46 pm

Jay

1. That those who gave of their time and efforts were not just volunteers, but servants. The stereotype of "10% of the people doing 90% of the work" would be blown away. The church would have to turn away those willing to help instead of having to plead with them to do so.

2. That the walls of the church would fall down. Too many church congregations huddle like football teams. But they never yell, "Break!" They just keep on huddling.

3. My church would totally embrace the spirit of discipleship. This kind of ties in with what Kyle talked about and it dovetails with #2. Each generation of leaders within the church has to raise up the next crop of leaders, work with them, mentor them and disciple them. This way, it would spread throughout the church. As such, those walls would come crashing down and it would continue to spread out across the city. The county. The state. The country. The world.

Nov 30, 2009 @ 9:30 pm

Jarrett Stevens

Those are some rad thoughts.
Love that Mentoring would be central right off the bat.
Seems so obvious from Jesus – Paul.

What would "More like AA" look like tangibly?

Nov 30, 2009 @ 8:40 pm

Milan Ford

1. Become a FOR-PROFIT entity in the CITY
2. Identify existing and reputable NON-PROFIT entities in the CITY
and then…
3. FUND what they do and SERVE where (or who) they don't…in the CITY.
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May take a STUPID leap of faith but sooner or later, someone is going to discover the power the church may have forfeited by becoming a NON-PROFIT entity. I wonder what would happen if we paid our taxes, operated off of the return, and invested the rest of our resources in other orgs in the city?
——————————————————————-
Things (perhaps) will never be the same.

Dec 01, 2009 @ 2:39 am

Ok. Now we're talking!
Wow. I got to let that marinate for a minute.
So our tithes and offerings the "profit"?

We're all about Funding Great Organizations in the city who are already doing great work (be it Kingdom motivated or simply doing great good). It just makes sense. They are experts when it comes to serving the people they serve. Why not get behind them.

I love it.

Come On Milan!

Dec 01, 2009 @ 3:15 am

no – the tithes and offerings wouldn't be the profit.
they would belong to the city. from the city. (Acts 4:32-35)

sunday mornings would feature a new organization / family /
or perhaps even another church every week that our offerings
would go DIRECTLY to.

the church will have to (in its beginning stages) call and recruit leaders
who will creatively use their talents to create a product or business together
that the city can benefit from (Luke 19:13) in order to staff themselves.

without EVER using the tithe.

Dec 01, 2009 @ 4:33 am

Charmaine

The most important thing to me is a pastor who can give a good message on topics that relate to us. As a mom of three, the oldest being 8, I had to answer the question "Is it true two women can get married?" this week. Our kids are growing up in a different world than we did just a few short decades ago, and are having to deal with much more than we did. Which brings me to number two: a good youth group/Sunday school that is teaching age appropriate issues and not afraid to talk about, well, anything. Number three would be decent music, a good band….your brother's Graceland group was awesome, I've never found anything like it since.

Dec 01, 2009 @ 8:39 am

I'm loving the Mentoring / Discipling theme. Seems critical to getting this right. This is another one that seems kinda obvious given the example from Scripture…but we still keep missing it – Myself included.

Dec 01, 2009 @ 4:04 pm

Cool. Cool. So we pay for it all through our own work and efforts…kind of like tent making…hmmmm…
I love it Milan.
I just wish you had the guts to do it!
(consider that a throwdown)

Dec 01, 2009 @ 4:06 pm

Charmaine – Are you still in the Bay? I know some pretty rad churches out there if you guys are looking for a church home.
Let me know.

Dec 01, 2009 @ 4:07 pm

Well then, it's on!
In all seriousness Milan – This is a radically beautiful idea.
One of the best thoughts I've heard in a while.
I would love to see it as a living breathing force of Kingdom Change in the city.
And I'd love to see you leading it / us.

Dec 01, 2009 @ 5:34 pm

Mary Beth

First you need to answer "What does our church exist for?" To meet needs? To bring good news? Will we be bold in our Jesus statement? Will we combine meeting needs/proclaiming Jesus?

I think what was said before – find out what's already in place- makes sense. Then either join them, or find another people group not being ministered to.

Brian Russell

Perhaps the best thing that could happen to help advance His Kingdom/capital “C” Church is to pray that not so many would “quit their jobs in order to start a church”. It’s sad that some still hold to a very dualistic worldview. Ironically many assume that in order to impact people in the world they need to remove themselves from the world and enter a ministry role where they can teach people how to reach outside the walls of the church. The question here is a valid one, as some are certainly called to this type of position. However, I can’t help but think that the amount of those called to this role is few & those in the role should be passionate about equipping & keeping the majority in their strategic places already entrenched outside the four walls.

Dec 01, 2009 @ 12:57 pm

dannyjbixby

I like this.

A lot.

Dec 01, 2009 @ 5:21 pm

LOL – check back with me in about two more years.
2012 to be exact.

Dec 01, 2009 @ 5:24 pm

Having said this, are you guys hiring a director of cross-cultural ministry?

Dec 01, 2009 @ 10:28 pm

@chadkello

1. Send volunteers out to work in other denominations to figure out what they are doing. Then after gathering all of this information use it for a road map of what not to do. This will also show you the walls and challenges you will soon face.
2. Collect data from churches within a 15 minute geographical area from where you live. Data would include; attendance, giving, missions and total assets owned by each church.
3. Facilitate a meeting with all church pastors, priest, panels and committees and give a presentation regarding how a Community Church Plant could affect the local community if all assets (buildings, land, equipment, statues, monuments, etc.) were liquidated and combined in a focused investment. Presentation would include using one current location (probably that with the most growth potential) to establish a church, shelters, schools, financial counselors, hospitals, and marriage counselors, local & global missions. etc.etc.

In other words, become a Church Mender not a Church Planter. Why? Because the money has already been given, it’s already there. The direction is not.

Luke 5: 31 Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
Thanks guys.

Dec 02, 2009 @ 1:07 pm

What if we looked at church as a sending, rather than a gathering place?

Dec 02, 2009 @ 5:39 pm

Marcus Williamson

I know I am late but here it goes…
I would start with a diverse staff from the jump, thus giving it hopefully a more diverse church throughout years to come.
Really challenge and promote NT living from the jump. It's such a struggle but I really trust that with God's help this can happen. Preach and Live.
Reach out to the widows and orphans and serve the community as much as possible. Heal the city as much as possible through service. Relentless service.

Thank you for asking this question. May God continue to bless what you guys are starting for His Glory!

Peace

Dec 03, 2009 @ 1:33 am

Kevin

I've just started looking at your website a few weeks ago, but I thought I would touch a topic (and a few subcategories) that came to mind.
Make it a community church.
- Be intentional about where you start the church, not just where you can find the cheapest space.
- Research and get involved in your (immediate local) community to develop street cred. Find out what they need from their mouths (not what you think they need). Learn from them and don't just make them a mission project, but offer the support to empower them to take on the personal/public issues facing themselves.
- Don't just partner with exciting ministries in the Chicagoland area, but also come alongside some small local programs already in existence.
- Give people in the community a reason to come to your church that may not even be associated spiritual teaching. ex. host a food pantry, hold an easter egg hunt for the community kids, tutoring, etc. depending on what is needed.
- While holding onto your vision (without making an idol out of it) discuss the worship style, direction, and other aspects of the church with the congregation while being open to where they feel things should head.

Dec 09, 2009 @ 1:41 am

Love the idea of getting input from people on this blog. I'll try to keep your forming vision and church in my prayers.

God's peace be with you,
Kevin

Dec 09, 2009 @ 1:43 am

Ben Dubow

1. Prayer walking through the neighborhoods on a regular basis — listen to what is on God's heart.
2. Create "third space" via cafe, business op, etc, to create space for people to encounter God and each other.
3. Clearly define what the metrics for the church will be. How will you know you are successful in 5 years? 10 years? (not as easy as it sounds).

I love what you are doing! Exciting enough to almost move to Chicago!

Praying for you all…

Dec 29, 2009 @ 7:06 pm

Jesse Colburn

i think a viable option we are looking into is finding some business owners with a heart for the Kingdom to own a property/strip mall that we rent out to the community/restaurants/businesses and operate off the profits of the rental property.

this sounds like a complicated way to do it sure… and there could be power plays, politics and drama… but how is that different from how we do church traditionally?

Jan 06, 2010 @ 9:42 pm

Debra

1. round the clock accessibility
2. services not just on sunday
3. lots and lots of community assistance

Jan 15, 2010 @ 5:09 am

Eric C

1. INCARNATE JESUS IN A DEFINED GEOGRAPHIC SPACE. Know the boundaries of your community, and then ask yourself, "What would it mean if we radically, relentlessly incarnated Christ in this community? If there were no homeless people in these boundaries? If there were no kids home alone after school? If every one was fed?"

2. CREATE A MISSIONAL COMMUNITY. Remind people that it's not about "in here" (worship on Sunday), it's about "out there" (living the Kingdom out during the course of their lives). SPACE teaches this; GROUP LIFE teaches this; SERMONS teach this; and BUDGETS teach this.

3. REMIND PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE INFINTELY NOT IMPORTANT, BUT JUST NOT THAT IMPORTANT. God's purpose are clearly stated – He will remake this earth to its original intentions, restoring EVERYTHING (under Jesus Christ). God's intentions for the world are not that he'll collect a bunch of "special friends", but that WE get to participate with HIS purposes. That being said, we ARE his chosen instruments to co-reign with him, and we need to bring about change through the Spirit in our lives in order to recover that sense of "reigning with God".

Jan 18, 2010 @ 9:22 pm

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