Tag Archives: getting started

Apr 9 2013

Missional Communities Workshops: Norwich and Sheffield

If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to come on a Missional Communities Workshop, or perhaps you’ve been to one but have been thinking about bringing a team from your church.  Or if perhaps you simply want a refresher on some of the principles then look no further!

Over the next few months 3DM UK are hosting 2 fantastic workshops designed to inform and inspire you in all things discipleship and mission.  For more information about the content of these days then click here.

The next 2 Workshop dates are:

Saturday 8th June 2013 in NORWICH - click here to book.

Saturday 13th July 2013 in SHEFFIELD - click here to book.

We hope to see you there!

mc taster day seminar

Mar 20 2013

Our Mission, Our Story….Martini Church!

 

This week’s post comes from a Missional Community leader from St George’s Church in Deal, Kent.  It’s his story of how the first Missional Community he led started, developed and grew. 

What exactly is going to Church? (or Martini Church – any time, any place, any where)

I grew up going to a lively Anglican Church in South London. My mum says it’s Surrey but she’s a bit posher than me. We all went every Sunday, at least once and sometimes twice. Mostly, this was a good experience.

As a grown adult living in Deal our Curate rocked our Church boat one morning in 2005. On Sunday mornings our building was uncomfortably full and she wanted us to stay away to leave some space for newcomers! Instead, our leaders encouraged us to do an alternative form of Church ourselves but somewhere else. The vision (for vision is essential) was to create communities that would, themselves, grow.

stepping stonesMy wife, Jacqui, has more ideas than you can imagine. She talked about forming a group, called ‘Stepping Stones’, with a vision for reaching out to families with younger children. The vision has changed, or rather, developed as we’ve gone on and the way we’ve met has varied massively over the years. Our concept of what going to Church meant was so shaken and since we were tearing up the rule book anyway, we were free to experiment and adapt to find out what worked best for us. Interestingly, the children had fewer hang-ups than the adults. They just asked ‘is it big church or little church today?’

Our Church agreed on five core values (which we borrowed from Phil Potter) that each Missional Community would try to embrace

  • All involved
  • Becoming disciples
  • Creating community
  • Doing evangelism
  • Encountering God

Initially, we succeeded in drawing in a number of families who had loose connections with the Church, gave them jobs to do and made sure they kept coming back! We basically ran a family friendly act of Worship on a Sunday afternoon (and soon on a Sunday morning instead) in the Church Hall and then in a local school. Getting away from Church buildings proved to be a good move. It was hard work but fun and relatively successful. People liked coming, felt valued and were committed to the group. We have been best at creating community but have never lost sight of our other values.

One Sunday morning we took about 20 adults and 20 kids 10-Pin Bowling in Margate. I felt so uncomfortable! How could this be Church? In fact, to me, it felt wrong! I started to chat with a Dad I’d never met. His daughter was starting soon at my kids’ Primary school. I knew his wife and daughter who came most weeks we did Stepping Stones, but less often to Big Church. We got chatting about sport, work, life in Deal, the kids’ school and so on. He enjoyed his day out with us and his wife was thrilled. He’d never been to anything run by the Church before. She described the event as ‘the most spiritual thing we’ve done’. He now comes to Church (big Church more than Stepping Stones) sometimes and he once came to an Alpha supper.

Stepping Stones grew. It became too big. It’s two MCs now, Sunday AM and One Step Beyond. Each has a separate and distinct vision although they overlap one another. People have come and gone but the vision for reaching out to people remains.

We have gone from being a group of people who go to Church to a group of people who do Church. It’s a much healthier arrangement.

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Bruce Watson lives on the Kent coast and teaches Modern Foreign Languages. He taught for 3 ½ years in Pakistan, married the Science teacher & came back to England (where he planned to live happily ever after).

Photo courtesy of Milan G on flickr.com

Mar 5 2013

Community Values…LIMBS: Incarnational

 

limbsmcs

A few months ago we looked at how communities and central gatherings can work together as one body.

Communities are the LIMBS on this body – the moving parts that give the body its mission-reach. They are also our primary place of belonging, making disciples and developing leaders.

We also looked at the first of our LIMBS values; the importance of being love and service-motivated.

L ove and service motivated
I ncarnational
M aking Disciples
B eing Family
S ent & Sending

This time I’d like us to explore our second key value – what it means to be an Incarnational people.

We know that Jesus left everything to come and live among us. His love was so great that the most powerful being in the universe made himself nothing – beginning life as a vulnerable and dependant baby and even as a grown man, he made himself the servant of all. He had 30 years of being among the people to whom he had been sent, before embarking on any public ministry. He took time to know the hearts and ways of the people He was revealing Himself to.

In the same way, Jesus told his disciples to “Go” and represent Him and preach the good news in all the world, making disciples of all nations/peoples – beginning in Jerusalem, (the most familiar place), extending to Judea and Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth. (Matt 28:16 & Acts 1:8)

The call to these first disciples was not to be content to just reach people who were very similar to them, but to be willing to move from their familiar culture and location and make disciples of people who were very different to them.

If they were to follow the example of Jesus, this would mean living amongst those to whom they were being sent, taking the attitude of servants by learning their culture and ways, and then living and communicating the good news in ways that were meaningful in that culture.

thumbtack map

I would suggest this same call to incarnational mission has not changed. It may be that you are called to the equivalent of Jerusalem – to live, love, serve and incarnate the good news amongst people who are very like you – and to grow missional community there.

But it may also be that God is calling you to leave what is familiar to you and go and live among a people who are only a bit like you (Judea and Samaria), or not like you at all (the ends of the earth) – and grow community there.

Every generation needs people who are willing to pay the price and respond to the call to go to people who are not like them. God’s love in us compels us – God so loved that He gave, He sent, He came and dwelled among us – and it cost Him everything.

The Codinas and Nunns are a great example of this here at St Thomas’ Philadelphia in Sheffield. Charlotte, the Team Leader, has a PhD and could have gone anywhere and done anything as a young adult. However, she chose to move to a tiny terraced house in one of the poorest estates in Sheffield. She started with a Stomp Club (for 7-11’s), and now has a flourishing community with schools work, toddler groups and youth work all a part of it – all because she was willing to say, “Yes, I will go and live among that community and be good news to them.”

We are not all Charlottes, but that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t want us to live these principles in smaller ways… For example – if you are a community of English students, God may ask you to welcome some international students into the family…If you are a community in suburbia, He may ask you to open your hearts and homes to a failed asylum seeker…It may be that one of your small groups can be sent out to begin a new community in a completely different context…

The most important thing is that we are willing to continually go and be among those we are trying to reach – and not get too comfortable where we are. I’d encourage you to ask God to show you how you can be a more effective incarnational missionary/community wherever you are.

LindsayLonchar

 

Lindsay Lonchar leads the Missional Communities and Training Team at St Thomas’ Church Philadelphia in Sheffield and is also training to become a Baptist Minister.  

 

 

 

Image courtesy of Grant Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Feb 28 2013

How to…start a Missional Community

In previous blogs we have looked at many of the principles and activities that go into the life of a Missional Community. As we look at some of the steps we need to take in starting an MC I am assuming that it is all being done with the agreement and blessing of the leadership of the church.

athletics track lanesStarting a Missional Community isn’t just a matter of going through a check list of tasks. There are practical steps that need to be taken as you begin, but they follow later in the process. As we have started MCs and helped others to start them the first thing we have done is ask a couple of questions. Those questions are:
  • What is God saying to YOU?
  • What is on your heart?
  • What are you passionate about?
Missional Communities are vision and passion led.

Over the past few years of leading and observing MCs we have identified that a clear vision and sense of calling have been a key factor to determine whether we see breakthrough in establishing a community.

In his book ‘The Forgotten Ways’ Alan Hirsch writes challengingly:

‘The most vigorous forms of community are those that come together in the context of a shared ordeal or, communities who define themselves as a group with a mission that lies beyond themselves – thus initiating a risky journey. Over-concern with safety and security, combined with comfort and convenience have lulled us out of our true calling and purpose.’

So for me the first step in starting an MC is to LISTEN. Listen to what God is saying to you. As you listen to God you might want to ask yourself a number of questions:
  • What is my heart’s desire? What do I long to see happen?
  • What do I ache for? What do I hope for?
  • What is my holy discontent? What do I long to see changed?
As you listen to God you will DISCERN.
  • Who am I called to?
  • Where am I called to?
This is followed with LOOKING and LISTENING.
  • Where are the opportunities to love and serve?
  • Where are the people and places of peace?
  • Where can we be good news to people?
  • What does good news look like to people?
As your vision for the MC becomes clearer you will need to write it down and share it with others who you see as potential leaders with you. Having refined and defined your vision and gathered a team who share your vision, you can begin to look at some of the other key principles that go into a Missional Community. Others have written about these in more detail but I do want to emphasise two.

Firstly ensure that the UP/IN/OUT principles are central to the life of your MC. Secondly make your MC Lightweight and Low maintenance. (For the 5 Essential Ingredients of a Missional Community see Mike Breen’s post from 3DM US.)

You are now ready, or as ready as you will ever be, to start your MC. Having a clear vision and knowing who and where you are called to will help answer the practical questions of where and when to meet.

So what do you do?

Just get going. Step out in faith and enjoy the adventure.

One of the promises that God gave us as we went on this journey is from Exodus 33:14 ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’
david and jenny rosser

David Rosser lives in Durham with his wife Jenny. They have been involved in the development and implementation of missional communities for the past 11 years.

Image courtesy of mack2happy / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Feb 7 2013

LAST CHANCE BOOKINGS for MC Workshop next week!

If you’re interested in finding out more about Missional Communities then make a date to come to our next Missional Communities Workshop on February 14th in Sheffield.

For more details click on the flyer and click here to book on.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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Feb 4 2013

Top 3 Posts of 2012: Oikos

 

Today we continue our re-posting of the most popular 3 posts from 2012.  Today, an introduction to the principles of Oikos from Simon Ford.

 

Some of the most common questions you hear people asking about MC’s are “what’s so unique about Missional Communities?” or even “why is a Missional Community different to a small group?”

If you have looked around this site much or been involved with MC’s for a while, you will know that Missional Communities are described as “extended families” on a mission together. This extended family principle is a key foundation of any MC and refers to a particular way of living that we see the early disciples experiencing in the book of Acts. The word in Acts that describes this extended family is “Oikos” – an odd sounding Greek word that really helps us to understand what the heart of a MC should be!

For example, in Acts 20.20, Paul writes “…I have preached the gospel publicly and from house to house” – in effect from household to household. This word for house/household is Oikos.

But what does it mean?

Well, to Paul’s original audience, this would have had a very clear meaning. They would have know that he was referring to the everyday “extended family unit” that everyone functioned in – a place where extended families spent time together, shared meals, took care of business and looked after each other.

20120904-173152.jpgIt would be easy to read this from a Westernised mindset and automatically think we’re just talking about the modern day nuclear family – we’re not! Most of these extended families would have involved around 15-35 people (which, funnily enough is the size we normally recommend for a MC) and would have included Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents and others. There is a particular dyanamic created in a group this size (known in sociology as the “social space” – one of 4 types of space that we all look to function in. Click here to read a blog from 3DM about this) which is very different to that of a small group.

This style of belonging would also have been very useful social structure for the disciples when they landed themselves with thousands of converts to disciple and a faith community to lead that was growing daily!

As an overview of how these things worked, here are 5 key principles involved in an Oikos that help to inform some of the underlying values of a Missional Community (an extended family on mission together), along with some quick examples and questions for you to ponder.

1. Prayer
Oikos was a place for spiritual growth and expression. As an extended family, we gather together in times of prayer and worship. This doesn’t mean replicating a Sunday service, rather learning to engage with the Lord together as a family would. This could take a variety of forms and be with or without music, using Psalms, writing words of praise or simply giving thanks round the table. Does your community come together before God?

2. Meals
How many examples are there of the disciples eating or sharing food together? Lots! Sharing meals is such a key part of building community and growing extended family relationships! In our Oikos, we do this through a combination of Sunday lunch, meals in the evening and often breakfast together! Whatever works for your “extended family”.  How often does your community share a meal together?

3. Shared Resources
An Oikos meant members of the family becoming interdependent and sharing what they had (we see the disciples spelling out this principle for us in Acts 2:42). This is often the hardest aspect of Oikos for people to grow in, as it can be the most countercultural. This could look like sharing possessions, offering regular time to help someone out, supporting someone financially, inviting someone to live with you… The list goes on! It’s about finding somewhere to start. Where could you take the next step in shared resources within your community?

4. Fun
When do you simply enjoy each other’s company? Jesus said of his disciples: “I no longer call you servants…but friends” (John15:15). Its important that those in our communities are growing deeper in friendship, as well as their personal discipleship. When are the times that you know you can just be together and have fun?

5. Mission
An Oikos had common purpose as well as relationship. Our communities need to be galvanized around a common vision and direction. The mission of the family should be know to everyone in the family. Where are we trying to make a difference? Who are we reaching out to? How are we being committed to seeing the kingdom break into a neighbourhood or network of people?

There are many aspects of Oikos that can feel unnatural or hard initially. Be encouraged – you are not alone! We all have lots of cultural obstacles to overcome in order to grow these “extended family” style relationships within our communities. This is because this so-called “social space” has largely disappeared from our culture today (how often do you see extended families gathered together?) so it won’t happen instantly. But with each of these characteristics, perhaps ask yourself where God is calling you as a community to take the next step.

To read more on Oikos, check out our series on the 3dm UK blog

Simon Ford lives in Sheffield, is part of the King’s Centre Church and works for 3dm UK. He has been part of and led various young adult and workplace-focussed missional communities over the last 9 years.

Jan 22 2013

Missional Communities Workshop – February 2013

If you’re interested in finding out more about Missional Communities then make a date to come to our next Missional Communities Workshop on February 14th in Sheffield.  

For more details click on the flyer and click here to book on.

We look forward to seeing you there!

mc_workshop flyer feb 2013

 

Sep 18 2012

Oikos: going somewhere?

 

Hopefully you’ve been following the series on Oikos on the 3DM UK Blog over the summer, where they have shared some reflections on the principles of Oikos.  Here on the Missional Communities blog we have been posting some practical suggestions of what Oikos might look like in real life. Today Helen shares some personal reflections on her experience based on the most recent 3DM UK blog post entitled ‘Where’s the Adventure?’

  • Firstly, it would be really easy to start a Missional Community focussing on the UP (worship, prayer etc) and IN (accountability, fun, socials) dimensions, and be tempted to leave the OUT (mission, being good news) dimension for when people have got to know each other a bit better.  Don’t be tempted to do this!  What you may find is that you inadvertently create a cosy group of people who become reluctant to engage with any OUT kind of activity when you suggest it.   So many of us feel most comfortable in the UP & IN dimensions and so consequently it is vital that the OUT dimension is present right from the very beginning, setting the culture you want to continue with.  This will create a sense of shared life and adventure together much more quickly than many prayer meetings or social events.
  • When you do an OUT activity/event together, do something ‘low-bar’ (unless you have a group of raving evangelists!), perhaps something that offers a little challenge for the most nervous of your group, but which most people would be comfortable with.  You could prayer walk the area upon which your missional vision is based, hold some OUT-focussed social events to which people can easily invite their friends – perhaps a charity fundraiser of some sort, or a wine tasting evening, or a walk in the local park followed by the pub or a picnic –  or maybe undertake some kind of project together which helps someone else – Besom projects where you offer your time to help others are especially good for this kind of thing.
  • If you have a few people who are itching for something ‘higher bar’ such as treasure hunting, or starting a discussion group or going out on the streets then release them to go and do those things, with the expectation that they share testimony with the MC and continue to encourage others to go out with them.  Doing something scary feels much safer if you’re with people who have been there and done it before!
  • One MC that I used to lead had the vision of supporting and encouraging each other in the various areas of work and ministry to which God had called us.  To create a sense of adventure together we would occasionally all turn up to support an event or something that one of the members was involved in e.g. a community Easter kids party, some detached youth work…but we would regularly do something ‘missional’ all together as a group as well.  For a couple of years we did some fundraising as a group to buy refugee and asylum seeker kids in our city Christmas presents (through a relational link one of our group had to a midwife);  another time we held an Easter egg hunt in the city centre & gave out small Easter eggs to passers by, and still another time we held a mission day where we found various projects we could all go off and do in smaller groups and then reconvened at the end of the day for worship, testimony and debrief.

It almost doesn’t matter what you do as a group together to begin with, just make sure that you do something!  Set the culture of mission as soon as you begin the MC and keep it high on the agenda!

Helen Askew lives in Deal, Kent along with her two young children and husband Ben who is training for ordination. She works for St George’s Church with responsibility for everyone under 30. They have just planted a new MC for young adults there, are working to establish youth MCs and also work with 3DM UK from time to time!

Jul 26 2012

Upcoming Autumn Workshops

 

Interested in coming to hear more about Mission and Discipleship or Missional Communities?

Our workshops are a great place to explore some of the key principles, tools and vehicles that form the basis of the movement. They are also a fantastic opportunity to bring others from your local church/community and process the day together as a team. 

All of our workshops are run by the 3dm UK team, who combine their many years of experience in leading huddles, missional communities, senior teams and churches using the principles of mission and discipleship.

We have 2 dates confirmed for 3dm UK Workshops in the Autumn:

Missional Communities Workshop (Sheffield): 22nd September - Book here

Discipleship and Mission Workshop (London): 27th-28th November - Book here

Click on the image to view and download a copy of this flyer.

May 14 2012

Missional Communities Round-up

 

We thought this week we would do a bit of a round-up of various things happening in the Missional Communities movement right now.  Here goes!

3dmUK are busy with another Learning Community in Sheffield this week, the last one in the 2-year cycle for the 500+ churches.  This has been a great Learning Community with lots of people really seeing God breakthrough in new ways in churches right the way from Bournemouth to East Kent to Leicester, Liverpool and Edinburgh!  If you want to find out more about Learning Communities then click here.

 

 

If you haven’t already seen it the 3dm HQ in the US has re-launched their website.  It is full of resources, blogs and reflections on what it means  to be missional disciples and churches in our world today. Their current promo carries the tagline ‘Keep Calm & Disciple On’.

 

 

We know you’re a fan of the Missional Communities Blog, but did you know that the 3dmUK also write a blog for leaders?  Their latest posts have been reflecting on the journey of discipleship and what that looks like, especially about the times when it can feel really discouraging.

“…the process of stepping out requires us to live uncomfortably, to stretch ourselves, and often to experience misunderstanding from others. This process happens personally for us as leaders, but is also something experienced by the congregation. But take a look through the gospels…. doesn’t this sound familiar? Isn’t this precisely the place we often find the disciples?”

To read more head over to the blog here.

Finally, a story about getting started from a new Missional Community based in Deal, Kent.

I lead an MC with my husband called Imagine. We are a community of young adults seeking to share our lives together throughout the week, encourage each other to go deeper in our walks with God and reach out together to other young adults in our town. We have spent time helping one person with her regular craft fairs, another couple with the youth work they are involved in; we have done prayer walks and times of extended worship together, we have eaten together a fair amount and sought to bring those on the fringes of church into our community.

In the next few months we are looking to find the places where young adults hang out in our town (sports clubs, music groups etc) and go and join in. We hope to be able to run some faith-based discussion groups or an Alpha course for young adults. We love bringing people together in a community like this because it is just the right size to be able to get things done together, but not so big that we can’t know each other really well.  We are a fairly young community but we are really excited about all that God is going to do with us and through us over the coming months!

That’s all for this post!  We pray for God’s blessing on you as you seek to reach out to others with His love!