The Agency

SUNDAYS MISSION

Here's some important intel for all agents to be aligned in the mission and a look back on how it all happened this year:

Here's some intel about the mission with music.

Here's some more intel on how the language and environment play into Sundays.

We're all about the relationship, not just our weekly event. However, Sunday Gatherings can be a major launching point for some peoples relationship. We view Sundays as 52 opportunities to help people take first & next steps in their relationship with Jesus. Each week is somebodies first Sunday at The Journey. It might be their one and only shot at church in years and maybe for years to come. So we want to bring our best each week. We also talk about first & next steps because we want the relationship to be real and not just a Sunday duty. We don't want to just pass on knowledge. We want people to experience a relationship that bring hope, change, and new life. That vision goes from Sundays to groups to networks to teen and even down to the kids. It's all about first & next steps in our relationship with Jesus and our Sunday Gatherings can be a launching point for those steps.

Thanks to everyone who makes Sunday mornings happen at The Journey!

INVEST & INVITE....AND INVEST

Here's some great thoughts from Tony Morgan:

INVEST & INVITE....AND INVEST

Church used to be all about the invite. Everyone went to church whether they wanted to or not. It was a cultural expectation. All you had to do was invite someone, and there was a very good chance if your church had the right denominational sign on the building that whoever you invited would show up and get connected to the church. The invite worked…and then it didn’t.

Church used to be all about invest and invite. Going to church was no longer a cultural expectation. We still had relationships from our workplace, neighborhood, social circles and families though. We learned that outreach was highly relational. We were challenged to invest and invite. If we invested in a relationship, eventually there would be enough trust established to invite our friend to church. At that point, the church would take over. All we had to do was get them to church where our friends would hear the Gospel message, get plugged into a small group and start serving. The invest and invite strategy worked…and then it didn’t.

The problem with the invest and invite strategy is that we expect “the church” to be responsible for discipleship. We, of course, forget that we are the church. And, I think we forget that when Jesus said “go and make disciples of all the nations,” this wasn’t direction for an institution — this was intended to be the mission for every Christ-follower. That’s you and me.

For too long, we’ve abdicated our responsibility for discipleship. We’ve assumed that’s something the church is supposed to do. Unfortunately, when that happens, it creates several challenges.

• Disciples aren’t involved in discipleship.
• Discipleship is relegated to the pulpit and the classroom rather than everyday life.
• We eventually become dissatisfied with church programs because they aren’t producing disciples…forgetting that discipleship was never intended to be a church program.
• The hyper-spiritual people get frustrated that the church programs are not “deep enough” and they start searching for another church where they can be “discipled.”

One of my favorite verses in Scripture comes from something Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica. He shared:

“We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.”

That’s a great reminder (and challenge) for me. Discipleship is not just hearing the Gospel message. It’s not just about gaining knowledge. It’s also about applying that knowledge to everyday life. Because of that, discipleship can’t happen apart from sharing life. That’s why church programs and preaching will never make disciples. Both may be part of the discipleship process, but, if the church is completely responsible for the discipleship process, we’re doomed to fail.

I think we need new language. Maybe we can start with this. We can encourage people to invest and invite…and invest. We need to help disciples make disciples. It can’t be programmed. Think about your own experiences. You studied the Bible. You engaged personal disciplines. You probably had someone in your life to encourage and challenge you in your faith journey. I did. There were different guys along the way — Charlie, Larry, Lee, Chris, Matt, and Tim to name several. These guys didn’t assume it was the church’s responsibility to help me take my next steps toward Christ. They invested in me.

 

HOW DO I INVEST IN PEOPLE?

If you want to make your life count by making an impact with people along your path (see previous post), it all begins with relationships. But How? Here's a few ideas to get you thinking:

LISTEN. BE THERE.
One of the best ways to impact someone is to just walk through life with them. You don't need a counselling degree and it's not about having your life all figured out. You don't need to have unlimited knowledge or always know the right thing to say. You don't need to be perfect. Listen. Be there.  Be a friend.

BE A FRIEND. HAVE A FRIEND
We all want someone to be there for us. Someone who will stick close through the good times and the bad. A mutual relationship where we can help each other through life. We all want that...so don't sit back. Take the first step. If you want to have a friend, most of the time you need to be the friend first. We provide opportunities to make connections in Networks & Journey Groups, but you still might need to take the first step. Your level of connectivity is really up to you. So whether it's in your neighborhood, workplace, in our community or at church, tke the first step and connect with someone. If you are willing to take the first step, that relationship could be one where you make a big difference in someone elses life and your develop a great friendship that changes your life as well. 

INVEST & INVITE
Investing in people is about a process. We're called to to share God's love and message with people in our lives & along our path. It's about investing in people far from God, being a friend, and looking for opportunities to invite them to church in order to invite them into a relationship with God. We aren't trying to make "converts". We believe God can make all the difference in our lives and we want people to experience a relationship with Him. So don't be weird, just be yourself. Don't be pushy, just share your experience. Respect people and the process. Pray and ask God to help you see opportunities to share his love and message through our words and actions.

Invite someone to join you some Sunday at The Journey. Statistics show it takes at least seven invites for someone to show up. A lot of people want to explore God but they are just waiting for an invite. If they come, follow up. Take them to lunch after church or ask them what they thought later in the week. Share your thoughts too. Look for opportunities to invite them to explore God more and maybe begin a relationship with Him.

SHARE YOUR STORY
How has God changed your life? What does follow Jesus mean for your life? How have you experienced God? Think about it. Write it out. Be prepared to share it.

BRIDGE THE GAP
Here is a great picture to explain what Jesus did on the cross. You can easily draw it on a napkin or whatever and ask people where they see themselves. It's based on Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Memorize it. Share it.

GIVE ME MORE
Each week we provide some follow up questions to each message. Grab a friend or two and make your own group. Invest in each other. Follow & pray for each other during the week. Help each other take steps. 

CHURCH FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE CHURCH

When we started The Journey, we saw a need for something different. There are a lot of churches doing some good things in our area but they did the same things and looked like the other churches. We realized that if we were going to reach people who weren't getting reached, we would have to do things that other churches don't do. We began to think, ask people and research why people don't go to church. What has kept them away? Why did they stop going? With that in mind, we began to think about how we could break down walls and unfold arms for people to be able to connect with God. We wanted to create an environment and some steps for people at all different spiritual places on their journey. We want people to experience relationships, not religion. There are a lot of things that play into this process like style of music, music playing before church, coffee bar, language we use on stage or publications, what's on the slides, being relevant, how the message is presented, the look & feel of the building, dim lights, volume of the music...the list goes on and on. This doesn't mean we water down the message, avoid hard topics, or don't call people to follow God. It means we don't make assumptions, we respect people & the process and we present everything for people to take first steps or next steps.

We never want to lose sight of this. Every week we have guests. Every week might be someone's one of only shot at church; the one time that they give God a chance. We want to make sure that in everything we do from Sundays, to Networks, to Kids/Teens, to Group, to our own relationships - we live with that pressure. We never want to overlook people just because we're focused on ourselves. So what about you? In your areas of serving at The Journey & in the relationships in your life, are you sensitive to those far from God?

For more thoughts on this topic, check out Listening to Outsiders on  practicalspeaking.org. A lot of these thoughts are developed from the leadership of Andy Stanley and his team. If you want a copy of 7 Practices of Ministry, ask one of staff to hook you up and take your next step as a leader.

BELONG BEFORE BELIEVE

There has been a long standing concept of you have to have it all together before you can serve or be part of a church. I never really understand that. The Bible is full of people with messed up lives and if the apostle Paul still felt like he had a long way to go, then so do we. We have seen the opposite of this concept at The Journey as well. We have given people the space to process their questions and explore a relationship with Jesus. Many people come for a long time before they even believe. Many people feel part of our church before they believe...they feel like they belong here. This has made some interesting and challenging dynamics. We have people who serve in many areas that are still in process. You might see someone in the band or welcoming you at the doors...they might feel like they belong before they even believe. Life is a journey...it's organic. Not everyone takes the same steps in the same order. We have to set some boundaries - like leaders or people who teach the lesson in journey kids need to have an established relationship with Jesus - but we will continue to live with some tension in this area. So invite someone to serve with you. It will open conversations about God and it can help them take their next step towards or in their relationship with Jesus.

EASTER DETAILS

Easter is just over a week away. It's always a big day for us at The Journey with lots of guests and people who might be there for their one and only time in church. We want to be on our "A" game. If you are volunteering, be there early and prepared. Be looking for guests so you can help & welcome them, so we can break down the walls so they can meet with God. Don't miss this opportunity to bring someone with you. Use the E-vites below to invite someone to join you. Please consider coming at 8:15 am or 5:00 pm to make room for our guests. Please park far & sit near and let's make this a great experience for everyone by doing all we can to help people connect with God.

GOOD FRIDAY
We will have a 25-30 minute walk through experience. You can come any time between 11:30 am - 1 pm or 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm. If you have kids, come and take turns if you need too. There will be videos, communion, readings and more sensory elements to remember what Jesus did on the cross.

EASTER SUNDAY - 8:15 am, 9:30 am, 11:00 am, 5:00 pm
We will have four identical gatherings with full kids programs. There is also free breakfast from Panera Bread before the 8:15 am service or there's Pizza, Peeps and an Egg Hunt after the 5:00 pm. This year as we celebrate Jesus, the cross & resurrection, we are looking at how we can awaken our lives as well. 

More EASTER DETAILS: Here
EASTER INVITE: Here
EASTER FACEBOOK PAGE/INVITE: Here

DIFFERENT

If we are going to reach the people that aren't being reached, we need to do things that other churches aren't doing...

That's a paraphrase of a quote I heard from Craig Groeschel. Here's the challenge: As you volunteer at The Journey or serve in the community, don't just set into the mode & go through the motions. Think. Be Creative. Look Beyond Yourself. Put yourself in their shoes. Tell His story in a fresh way.

ARTICLES

Here's a few interesting articles/blog posts that I've read recently. Click the links below to read the articles and it will give you a bigger picture of things we think through at The Journey...

US TODAY: Spiritual Test in the Armed Forces - a need for God, hope, purpose

TONY MORGAN: A church trend might be a big retirement of many pastors

VINCE: we need more churches to reach people far from God

TIM STEVENS: we can't assume anything, but being international

TIM: having clear communication for all spiritual levels 

TONY: It's not just Sundays. We need systems to back it up.

I read all these articles within a few days of each other - how people need God but are moving away from God - how we need more churches to reach people far from God and many churches could be in crisis - how we need to be intentional, clear and have systems beyond Sunday. These thoughts are not new to me, just reminders to keep on track and a challenge to keep things focused for the future. We have some shifts and ideas we are working through as a staff - some more next steps for The Journey. It's going to take these concepts to the next level. So we are going to need to all volunteers to play a significant role on Sundays, in their communities and beyond as we look to make a difference.

DON'T ASK PEOPLE IF THEY'RE NEW

I don't know if this has happened to you before - if not - learn from my mistake...

You see someone you don't know at The Journey. You want them to feel welcome so you go up to them and introduce yourself. Great job. Then you say "Are you new?" or maybe "Is this your first time here?" Then they say, "Nope, I've been coming since 2004." Then I say, "I'm a moron".

We want to treat people like guests in our home and we want to build connections. So we all have a part to play in welcoming people whether we are an official host or not. So, if you find yourself in the above position...try saying this "I don't think I've had the chance to meet you before".  That goes over well, no matter if they're new or just switching to a difference service time.

FALL IS HERE. TIME FOR GUESTS.

As we head into fall, we kick it into full gear. Summer vacation season is over and we always pick up attendance in the fall. We want to make sure we are ready for guest...

Visitors. Nope - Guests. Yes... we don't call people visitors because that sounds like they're never coming back. We call people guests because we want to treat them like they are a guest in your house. If you have a guest over to our house what do you do? You offer them a drink, maybe give them a tour, invite them to sit with you and take care of them. We want to treat people with the same respect as they come to The Journey - offer them a drink from the coffee bar, show them where the way to the kids rooms or bathrooms, sit with them and make sure they have a great experience. This is why we encourage you to do things like Park Far & Sit Near - this way guests have the best spots. 

One thing we never want to lose sit of is that many guests haven't been in church in a long time or maybe they've never been to church. It's a huge deal that they just show up. This could be the one and only time they open themselves up to God in years. This is why we want to do whatever we can to welcome them so they can hear from God.