Watch (and like this) and then keep reading…
In December of 2011, we were a small church of about 70 people gathering in an office. We cast a vision and asked our attenders to make a commitment to own the vision, carry out the mission, and BE the church as we launched publicly in a movie theater. Our gathering crowd became a committed body of people, hosting a bunch of new guests in a new location. Our attendance grew by about 50 more people over the next few months.
A year and a half later, we issued a challenge to our attenders to BE the church again as we launched a second worship service to make room for more lost people to hear about Jesus. More attenders decided to go “all in” and join a team of volunteers to greet, guide, and serve our guests. We grew by another 70 people.
Every time we make a bold move, and our attenders take ownership of the vision and step up to serve, we grow. God blesses. We get to meet new friends and see more people come to know Jesus, be baptized, and experience the redemptive and healing love of God.
So… In January of 2016, we’re making TWO bold moves. First, we’re moving to our new, semi-permanent location at 2323 West Chestnut Street in Rogers. Tons of volunteers have been showing up to remodel the building and get it ready for our first service there on January 3 (and our official Grand Opening on January 10).
AND, we’re launching a second worship service time. We will be meeting at 9:00 and 10:45 so that more people can find room and get to know others. And here’s what I believe will happen…
- People who have been volunteering will lead others to join in.
- People who have been attending for a while will plug in and join a rotation volunteering for one of our teams.
- People who have been visiting will become regular attenders.
- People who have never attended, who aren’t plugged into church family, who may not know Jesus at all, will start attending.
And we’re going to grow. More people are going to meet Jesus and discover a welcoming church family.
Here’s the question. How will YOU grow with us? Where are you now, spiritually? And what next step will you take as we make this bold move forward?
I’m asking you to consider becoming a part of one of two ministry teams that set the table each Sunday, so to speak, so that we can love and serve the new people that we meet each week.
Greet new guests as part of our First Impressions team. We want to help people find a god parking spot, know where to enter, get their kids checked in, get a cup of coffee, and find a seat. And we want our guests to feel that they are among friends, that they belong, regardless of their ethnicity, their appearance, or their background story. This is an enormously important ministry. When we remove the barrier of awkwardness for first time guests, we pave the way for them to experience God’s love.
Volunteer in kids ministry once per month. We’ll have a nursery for babies and another for toddlers, two preschool rooms, and kids’ worship, which includes kids’ small groups. Our first priority is safety, so all regular volunteers must pass a background test, but we aren’t looking for Bible scholars. We’re looking for men and women who will smile and encourge kids and help them learn about Jesus on their own level.
How will you be a part of this big move?
