Pathways Toward 68 Churches

1. Pathways Toward 68 Churches

2. We are working on strategic plans for 2018-2020…initial draft! Our work in Ames, Des Moines, USA and The World • Establish a Virtual Resource Center in Des Moines • Plant and Network 68 churches • Train 340 Leaders - in CBTE System Get Competencies completed!! • Strengthen ADMCC Partnership w/ BILD Apostolic Team • Build Next Generation Benefactor Team • Complete 3 Manuals - Shep, Re:Build, Urban Degree • Complete 2 Training Tools - PwP, KidStories-KidsStudies • Media and Technology Design Teams • SIMA and Your LifeWork Program • Arts-Music Guild • Publish Mastering the Scriptures • Oakwood Community Centering Hosting • Oakwood Community Centering Expansion • Launch and Steward Central Iowa Antioch Initiative • Seek the Welfare of the City Initiatives

3. We are working on strategic plans for 2018-2020…initial draft! Our work in Ames, Des Moines, USA and The World • Establish a Virtual Resource Center in Des Moines • Plant and Network 68 churches • Train 340 Leaders - in CBTE System Get Competencies completed!! • Strengthen ADMCC Partnership w/ BILD Apostolic Team • Build Next Generation Benefactor Team • Complete 3 Manuals - Shep, Re:Build, Urban Degree • Complete 2 Training Tools - PwP, KidStories-KidsStudies • Media and Technology Design Teams • SIMA and Your LifeWork Program • Arts-Music Guild • Publish Mastering the Scriptures • Oakwood Community Centering Hosting • Oakwood Community Centering Expansion • Launch and Steward Central Iowa Antioch Initiative • Seek the Welfare of the City Initiatives

4. 0 22 45 60 80 Childhood Early Adulthood Middle Adulthood Late Adulthood Planting and Networking 68 Churches Influential People evangelists teachers

5. How Could This Expansion Happen? ?????

6. What were the keys to spontaneous expansion in the early church? Our churches are called: Kerygmatic Communities & Our vision and purpose statement: We believe there is a connection, a “link” between the spontaneous expansion of the early church and the simple gathering together of communities of believers on the first day of every week in homes and tenements around an evening meal, celebrating their new life in Christ. Is your church family modeling this?

7. Discussing - Planting and Networking 68 Churches What aspect of planting and networking 68 churches excites you and energizes you? How do you think your gifts contribute to this work? How do you think the gifts of others in your church or cluster will contribute to expansion? What potential do you see? How do you think your gifts can work in tandem with others to contribute to expansion?

8. Priming Our Churches and Clusters for Expansion Assessing our churches and church clusters for expansion. Critical giftings and functions: Apostolic vision - keeps the overall purpose and vision alive, fans the flame publicly and individually Gatherers - relational networker, people like to be around them, takes relational initiative Hospitality givers - home is open, not overly concerned with wear and tear on their stuff, conversations about faith blend seamlessly into any conversation, moves across social boundaries easily Developers - aware of people and their worldview, understands the process of moving a person to maturity in the faith, gives a great deal of time to those who are teachable. Sees potential in people. Michael to meet with church cluster leadership through the coming year to assess in all our clusters and churches.

9. Priming Our Churches and Clusters for Expansion I’m assuming this context… As a church you are celebrating your life in Christ as you gather As a church you are seeking to become complete, internalizing Christ’s teaching As a church and cluster you are engaged in good deeds All are encouraged to look outward from themselves, ministering as a lifestyle to those within the church and those outside. All gifts play a role in expansion and everyone needs to see their connection

10. Priming Our Churches and Clusters for Expansion The Apostolic Leader Keeps the vision of 68 churches alive, fanning the flame publically and privately Equips, helping all giftings in the churches understand their point of engagement in the mission Catalyzes, coaches, and troubleshoots Looks across the network landscape and keeps the elements needed for expansion in play

11. Priming Our Churches and Clusters for Expansion 11So these were the gifts that he gave. Some were to be apostles, others prophets, others evangelists, and others pastors and teachers. 12Their job is to give God’s people the equipment they need for their work of service, and so to build up the king’s body. (Eph 4:11-12; ntw) Equip – “to make someone completely adequate or sufficient”

12. Priming Our Churches and Clusters for Expansion The Gatherer They are drawn to people, and people like to be around them Relational networker – connects with people and connects people with other people Take relational initiative – not passive A value-adding inviter – people appreciate their sincere offers Not insecure about faith. Can blend faith seamlessly into any conversation. Moves comfortably across social boundaries without judgement. Able to have an agenda without forcing an agenda Sees opportunity where others don’t Key to introducing people to the churches

13. Priming Our Churches and Clusters for Expansion 13contribute to the needs of God’s people; make sure you are hospitable to strangers. (Rom 12:13, ntw) Gatherers love strangers - core hospitality cp 1 Tim 3:2; 5:10; Tit 1:8; Heb 13:2; 1 Pt 4:9

14. Priming Our Churches and Clusters for Expansion 5Behave wisely toward outsiders; buy up every opportunity. 6When you speak, make sure it’s always full of grace, and well flavored with salt! That way you’ll know how to give each person an appropriate answer. (Col 4:5-6, ntw) • Skillful with outsiders • Using opportunities • Speech that draws others • Able to answer

15. Priming Our Churches and Clusters for Expansion The Hospitality Giver Their home is open, not closed by concerns over inconvenience, privacy, or wear-n-tear Understands that hospitality is not entertainment nor presentation nor staging an event May open home spontaneously or with forethought (eg Friday movie night) They team up with gatherers for huge effect (“use us”) Tailors hospitality to different demographics (college students vs neighbor vs co-worker) With or without a home are sensitive to people’s needs Critical to keeping people connected to the church family during the conviction-building window

16. Priming Our Churches and Clusters for Expansion He must be temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, a good teacher. (1 Tim 3:2, ntw) 8He must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, sensible, just, holy, and self-controlled. (Tit 1:8) Must be modeled by leaders

17. Priming Our Churches and Clusters for Expansion 8Above all, keep absolutely firm in your love for one another, because “love covers a multitude of sins.” 9Be hospitable to one another without complaining. (1 Pet 4:8-9)

18. Priming Our Churches and Clusters for Expansion The Developer Studies people and their worldview, wanting to complete what is lacking. Understands process. Can move people step-by-step over time. Will give major time to those who are responsive and teachable. Driven to distraction by those who are getting off course. Sees potential. May be impatient by someone’s pace but can’t help investing. Nags usefully Alert to those who bond relationally but need establishing When paired with hospitality, uses kitchen tables to great effect

19. Priming Our Churches and Clusters for Expansion 28He is the one we are proclaiming. We are instructing everybody and teaching everybody in every kind of wisdom, so that we can present everybody grown up, complete, in the king. 29That’s what I am working for, struggling with all his energy which is powerfully at work within me.(Col 1:28-29)

20. Priming Our Churches and Clusters for Expansion 8Now, you see, we are really alive, if you are standing firmly in the Lord. 9For what thanks can we give back to God about you, for all the joy which we celebrate because of you in the presence of our God, 10praying with even more fervor than you can imagine, night and day, that we may see you face to face and may put into proper order anything that is lacking in your faith? (1 Thess 3:8-10)

21. Priming Our Churches and Clusters for Expansion Interview

22. What If You Don’t Feel You Fit Any Of These? Ask which you identify with the most (100X, 50X, 10X) Ask which you can link arms with Ask your leaders how you contribute, with your gifts, to the work of expansion

23. What if Your Church is Lacking Gifts? Work together as a cluster Don’t underestimate prayer Don’t underestimate the Lord using simple faithfulness to bring in certain gifts

24. Maximizing the Effects Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. (1 Cor 12:4-6, nasb) Consider as leaders whether you have all gifts fully deployed Work together (and don’t expect others to minister with your gifts) Invest strong during the windows of responsiveness Don’t lose your new gatherers (get them established) Be prepared for the friends of friends

25. Maximizing the Effects “I mean the expansion that follows the unexhorted and unorganized activity of individual members of the Church explaining to others the Gospel which they have found for themselves; I mean the expansion which follows the irresistible attraction of the Christian Church for men who see its ordered life, and are drawn to it by desire to discover the secret of a life which they instinctively desire to share; I mean also the expansion of the Church by the addition of new churches.” When will you see this happen? Allen, Rolland. The Spontaneous Expansion of the church. Pg. 7

26. Maximizing the Effects Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. (1 Cor 12:4-6, nasb) Consider as leaders whether you have all gifts fully deployed Work together (and don’t expect others to share your gifts) Invest strong during the windows of responsiveness Don’t lose your gatherers Be prepared for the friends of friends Tailor your hospitality

27. Maximizing the Effects Discuss as a cluster: What are the demographics of your outside relationships? How type of hospitality is needed?

28. Maximizing the Effects How might hospitality differ for… College students The arts community Middle-class professionals Sports community Young families Blue collar – the trades Those with generational strongholds

29. North Campus – Yuma – Phoenix Discussion on Students The uniqueness of students Your window of opportunity is short – 2-3 yrs The school year forces a rhythm – High availability and receptivity in early fall declines as the year goes on. Strong freshman/sophomore search for community They want peer community but are responsive to a home away from home There is an intensity around life-direction questions Opportunity is created by the unconscious sense of I’m-an-adult-but-don’t-know-what-I’m-doing

30. North Campus – Yuma – Phoenix Discussion on Students How this effects hospitality Regular is better. A neighbor doesn’t want a weekly invite. A student likes it. Don’t lose the beginning of the school year. Early break-through efforts, particularly by our wives, can set up your home to be a gathering spot for students and their friends. Convey the sense of, “You are welcome…”, “We want you to eat our food…”, “Bring your laundry…”, “We want you here…”

31. North Campus – Yuma – Phoenix Discussion on Students Our discussion with families and key students Who could create a weekly rhythm of having students into your home? How could this be woven into your normal family rhythms? eg include students in your weekly family night Who could be effective as mentors, as tutors, to counsel? Who would be open to having a student live with them for the summer? Longer? Who are student gatherers and how could you let them use you? Students – How could these families help you reach your friends?

32. Maximizing the Effects Discuss as a cluster: What are the demographics of your outside relationships? How type of hospitality is needed?

33. How Could Expansion Happen? New church forms from a discussion group (LifeN, Parenting, Story, etc) Numbers added to existing church which then multiplies Numbers added to cluster which then draws from all churches to plant Strategic deployment within the network

34. Be Equipped Ordered Learning this semester: Leaders, Tuesdays, 6-8pm; Starting Jan 23 Preaching and Teaching, Tuesdays, 8-10pm; Starting Jan 23 Shepherding and Counseling, Saturdays, 7:30-9:30am; Starting Jan 27 Communicate in your churches

35. We are working on strategic plans for 2018-2020…initial draft! Our work in Ames, Des Moines, USA and The World • Establish a Virtual Resource Center in Des Moines • Plant and Network 68 churches • Train 340 Leaders - in CBTE System Get Competencies completed!! • Strengthen ADMCC Partnership w/ BILD Apostolic Team • Build Next Generation Benefactor Team • Complete 3 Manuals - Shep, Re:Build, Urban Degree • Complete 2 Training Tools - PwP, KidStories-KidsStudies • Media and Technology Design Teams • SIMA and Your LifeWork Program • Arts-Music Guild • Publish Mastering the Scriptures • Oakwood Community Centering Hosting • Oakwood Community Centering Expansion • Launch and Steward Central Iowa Antioch Initiative • Seek the Welfare of the City Initiatives

36. What are the keys to spontaneous expansion for our churches today? Strategic Intent of apostolic leaders Networking to build one mindedness in our cities, establishing the churches. Planting new churches in our own network Our churches being Kerygmatic communities Establishment of our current churches - all people no matter their station in life

37. Building one mindedness in the Churches in our Cities …an initiative to network and build one mindedness in our central Iowa cities This will be done through establishing the churches in the Kerygma and Didache James and the apostolic team will lead this effort, the entire existing network will participate in events. We have a 9-step process over 3 years to follow. 20-40 churches by 2021 - neighborhood, ethnic, under-resourced