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!

GUARDED MARGINS = GUARDED HEART

We talked about margins in our life in the Be Rich Series. No matter if it's about our time, money, relationship, activities, or even our kids schedules, we need healthy margins. So, here's some more thoughts from Mark Batterson about margins:

I’m trying to guard the margins in my life these days, and it’s not easy.  In some ways, I feel guilty if I’m not busy.  I feel guilty if I can’t meet with everybody or meet every deadline.  But that attempt to be all things to all people is really a form of pride.  If you try to be all things to all people then you’ll end up being nothing to nobody.  Why?  You’ve got nothing left to give. No margin = no grace, no creativity, no vision.  By trying to do more we become less.

In the words of II Thessalonians 3:11, we become “busybodies.”

Guarding the margins of your life–in other words, managing your schedule in a way that you have time to read, time to pray, time to dream–is really guarding your heart.  Your heart needs room to grow!  If you lose your margin, you’ll lose your spiritual edge.  The first thing to go is a sensitivity to the prompting to the Holy Spirit.  You don’t have time to obey those promptings because you’ve got places to go and things to do. The next thing you know you’ve got an inverse relationship with God. Instead of living a Spirit led life, you want God to follow your lead.  You’re no longer serving God’s purposes. You want Him to serve your purposes. You’re no longer following Christ. You want him to follow you.

When we lose our margin we get it backwards.

 

LESS IS MORE

Almost every month, we kick off a new series at The Journey. We'll spend a month on one main concept and we'll break it down into four key points over the month. Why? This approach is based in how people apply concepts to their lives, how they digest content & how life change happens.

When we share about God & His ways, we want to do it in relevant, creative & memorable ways. We don't want to be arrogant, but we want to present things with respect to God and to people at different places spiritually. We could talk over peoples heads to make us look smart or to pretend we are deep, but we are more focused on relationships, not religion. Our goal isn't to just share knowledge for people to fill up a notebook. Our goal is for people to apply God's words to their lives to experience a real relationship with Him. IT'S ALL ABOUT LIFE CHANGE. We want to give people a BIG concept each month and break it down into real steps they can take to experience God in their lives. When you think about it, that's pretty deep. Most people can't remember what they heard at church the week before, so we try to hammer home a key concept over a month.  Hopefully, there's some memorable & relevant next steps to walk away with and to apply to your life. We review some key concepts each year that are big issues in everyones lives. Basically, it's a journey, a process. Some people might say we aren't deep enough because they want to experience a "wow" with some random piece of knowledge they've never heard. We're more concerned with applying God's word. With all the smartphones, facebook status updates and info on the internet, our lives are filled with random information. So we see this strategy as less is more - give people more steps and thoughts on less topics to help them experience God & His ways. We're in it for the long haul. This is why we also talk about next steps, give ideas and opportunities to apply God's ways in our lives. God is the one who changes lives so we always point people to Him. 

So what about you? This is a key concept for all volunteers especially those teaching kids, teens or leading a group. This is a great idea for your family & raising your kids as well. Are you communicating with the goal in mind? Are you just sharing knowledge or is it about next steps?

For more thoughts on this topic, check out Teaching Less For More 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.

RESOURCES ONLINE

When we talk about relationships, not religion at The Journey, our goal is to help people take first & next steps. We aren't interested in just pretending to be religious. We want to be in a real relationship with God and we want people to take action - next steps - in their relationships. We know that our relationships with others are connected with our relationship with God. Sometime people need to take steps with their families, in their marriages or even with their money because those relationships can cloud our lives if they're off track. Most importantly, we want people to take first steps & next steps with God beause He can bring life, focus, meaning & purpose.  So if you haven't seen the online resources yet, make sure you check them out here.

As an agent, it's key that we take our next steps so we can help others take their next steps. So check them out for yourself and make sure you're familiar with them so you can point others that way too.

NARROW THE FOCUS & THINK STEPS NOT PROGRAMS

At The Journey, we focus on relationships, not religion. We want people to take first steps and next steps to look beyond themselves. Our bottom line is for people to connect with 3 Key Relationships: with God, with people far from God, and with other journeyers to help each other in life. We want that vision to determine all that we do as a church. We don't want to just do some good things. We don't want to just start some various events or programs. We do want to help people take steps in those relationships. 

Have you ever gone into a restaurant and they have a huge menu and you have no idea what to order? They might have everything from italian to mexican to asian. That usually makes me feel overwhelmed with what seems like a whole lot of nothing. I typically enjoy the speciality places. They do a few things and they do them well. They are known for those things. 

We want to be a church that does relationships well. A church that is focused and does things with quality, not quantity, so we are more effective. So we have our vision that drives us. We don't want to do things just because that is the way they've always been done or just start a program just because it sounds good. Instead of just thinking about meeting a need or starting various programs, we think through what steps are needed to help people experience relationships, not religion. What steps do you need to have a personal relationship with God? What steps do you need to take to look beyond yourself? As we think through those steps that help people walk through the three key relationships, we also want to narrow the focus. We want to make the steps clear & easy. If there are too many steps on the menu, the most effective steps can be lost. We often get asked to start certain programs. A lot of times we say no or maybe later. It's not because we are against these things; it's just that we are thinking through steps and narrowing the focus. Lots of activity doesn't equal taking next steps in relationships. We don't want people who are busy in good activities, but don't have time to personally connect with God, or looking beyond themselves, or invest in relationships with people who don't know God. We constantly evaluate our steps and how we can make it easier for people to connect in relationships.

For more thoughts on narrowing the focus & thinking steps, check out 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.

2011 NEXT STEPS

We rolled out our next steps for 2011 at the J.A.A.C. Sunday night. We are planning and praying about 4 major steps this year:

1) WWW: Launch our streaming online campus

2) RESOURCE FOR STEPS: we are developing a system, a website & a bunch of resources designed to help anyone take next steps in their relationships, especially with God.

3) NETWORKS: we are planning to launch this strategy & method this fall. Networks will be regional big groups of 30-80 people that will strive to impact their local community & help participants take next steps. Service projects, groups, care and support will flow out of Networks.

4) MULTI-SITE: we will be working towards an end of the year launch for our next Journey campus.

STEP UP

We talk about next steps all the time at The Journey. So what's your next step?

We are looking for A FEW GOOD MEN (and WOMEN) who are ready to step up. We have some exciting  opportunities coming up this year as we have a strategic shift. This shift will give people more opportunities to make a difference in their community, take next steps in relationships, grow as leaders, and reach the people around them. We will need people who can coordinate and coach - from setting up a service project to coordinating a group of 30+ people to contacting people and more. God can do big things in and through you. We are excited for this next level. Are you ready to step up? 

Start thinking and praying about this. You will hear more in the near future when we finalize and unveil this new plan and we will be looking for some people to help coordinate & coach.

SOON

Networks are coming....

TRANSITIONS & 2011

Here's a few more thoughts about transitions with our staff...

A thank you note for Virginia
Thoughts about difficult decisions from Paul
Thoughts about the transition from Matt
Be praying for Ben & Brenda Massung as they need to sell their house and for their transition in March.

Our team has been looking at some other transitions for this coming year dealing with multiple locations, helping people take next steps, making a bigger impact in our communities and developing leaders. Here's some thoughts from Paul and some from Matt on these agendas. Be praying for God to make an even bigger impact in and through us this year.