This is the Way: How We’ll Get There

In John 20, the disciples were gathered behind locked doors. They were afraid and uncertain about what was to come. Then the resurrected Jesus suddenly stood among them. What happened next gives us a powerful picture of what it means to be the church:

Jesus comes to us. Jesus sends us. Jesus empowers us.

Jesus did not gather his disciples simply so they could stay together. He gathered them in order to send them back into the world.

“As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”

That changes the way we think about church.

We Are a Sent People

It is easy for a church to become focused on getting people to come to us. We can build better programs, improve our worship gatherings, advertise events, and encourage everyone to invite their friends.

But Jesus gives his followers a different starting point: Go.

Rather than simply finding people to invite to church, we want to become people who go to others and make disciples. We want to build relationships where people already live, work, learn, and spend their time.

That is the difference between an attractional church and a missional church. An attractional church primarily asks, “How can we get people to come?” A missional church asks, “Where is Jesus sending us?”

Don’t Confuse the Trellis with the Vine

As Way of Christ grows, we are building a lot of things. We are preparing portable church equipment, developing ministry teams, creating groups, training leaders, and putting structures in place.

All of those things are important—but none of them is the mission.

Think of them as a trellis.

A trellis provides structure so that a vine can grow. In the same way, our meeting space, equipment, programs, tools, and training should support something much more important.

The trellis supports the mission. The vine is the mission.

The vine is people growing through the gospel, people coming to Christ, becoming mature disciples, sharing the gospel with others, and learning to make disciples themselves.

If we build an impressive trellis but no vine grows on it, we have missed the point.

Start with Your Kingdom Circle

So how do we actually live this out? Start with the people God has already placed around you.

We call this your Kingdom Circle: a small group of people in your everyday life whom you intentionally bless and with whom you build spiritual relationships.

They may be unchurched, with little or no experience with church.

They may be de-churched, having once been part of a church but no longer engaged.

Or they may be dormant churched—still connected to a church in some way but no longer actively following Jesus or participating in his mission.

You don't have to begin with ten people. Begin with one or two.

Begin by praying for them. Listen to them. Eat with them. Serve them. And as the relationship grows, look for natural opportunities to Share Jesus with them. This simple B.L.E.S.S. rhythm gives us a practical way to live on mission in everyday life.

Who Is God Sending You To?

Our goal is not simply to build a larger Sunday gathering. It is not even simply to get more people to attend church.

We want to make disciples who make disciples.

Every Sunday, Jesus gathers us. He meets us in our fear, weakness, and need. But then he sends us back into the places where we live our lives—and he does not send us alone.

Jesus comes to us.
Jesus sends us.
Jesus empowers us.

So perhaps the most important question is a simple one:

Who are the one or two people God has already placed in your life that you can begin praying for, blessing, and helping move closer to Jesus?