CN | Leading Missional Communities: Growing & Multiplying

City Notes: Books in 25 minutes or less

City Notes (CN) are meant to provide you with direct quotes from some books I've read in the last year, so you can get a taste of the overall theme of the book and then begin to chew on what your life might look like if you applied what you read. And here is the link to the previous CN for this series: Part 1 and Part 2. 

Part 2 | Leading MCs: Chapter 8 | Growing and Multiplying

Phase 1: Rhythms that help you find People of Peace: " ... start by teaching the core members about People of Peace for a few weeks, equipping the people in the MC to become good at identifying People of Peace in every aspect of their lives. Then the rhythms of the MC are focused mainly on finding People of Peace. That might mean a lot of backyard barbecues and neighborhood parties where loads of people are invited over so you can begin to see who is open to your community. It can also mean training MC members to look for People of Peace among their co-workers and neighbors. ... At the same time, the MC continues to gather to pray about and process together what they are hearing and seeing as they engage in these People-of-Peace-finding rhythms. At the beginning stages, it is quite important to emphasize this kind of OUT activity (perhaps at least two to three times a month)." – pgs. 61-62

Phase 2: Rhythms that help you "stay with" People of Peace: "Once People of Peace are identified, the MC often shifts rhythms considerably, because Jesus told us to 'stay there' once we find a Person of Peace. People of Peace reveal where God is working, and we shift our rhythms in light of this because we want to be like Jesus, who only did what he saw his Father doing (John 5:19). Often it means focusing rhythms on relating to the specific People of Peace that God has brought to the MC. For example, a neighborhood-based MC might spend a few months in the summer having a lot of People-of-Peace-finding events, and then a few months in the fall going through an introduction to Christiantiy (i.e Story of God, Christianity Explored with the Gospel of Mark) with the People of Peace found in the neighborhood. MC rhythms often function this way, swinging between seasons of gathering new People of Peace and then seasons of investing in the People of Peace they find. Seasons of planting seeds and seasons of reaping crops. In all of this, keep UP / IN / OUT in mind. As we move OUT in finding or cultivating People of Peace, we must also be gathering UP and IN to pray and process together about what God is saying to us, as well as to be a family together. ... (And) remember that your rhythms aren't set in stone once you establish them. Staying flexible is really vital, because you'll want to be able to respond to what God is doing and saying. It's OK to experiment and find out that something doesn't work. It's OK to change your rhythms if you find you need to adapt to a situation that has changed or simply if you tried something that didn't work. You have permission to fail. Just get up and keep going." – pg. 62

Five Signs of Oikos: These five markers give us an indication that we are functioning well together as an extended family on mission.

1) Eating together: There's something inherently community-fostering about sitting down at a table together, or hanging around a barbecue grill, or just talking with snacks and drinks around.

2) Playing together: It should be fun to belong to the family. Make sure you're playing as hard as you're working. All purpose and no play make for a dull MC!

3) Going on mission together: Make sure people know why you exist as a community. Engage in mission together, in organized events as well as informal conversations. All play and no purpose make for a pointless MC!

4) Praying together: Our connection to Jesus and one another is what makes our MC something worth belonging to. Pray and worship together regularly, reading Scripture and listening to God together.

5) Sharing resources: There is something about economic sharing that fosters a sense of family. This might be people sharing a lawnmower, or pitching in to help someone pay an unexpected medical bill, or simply bringing food to share when we eat together." – pgs. 63-64 

"Make things simple, begin living in the rhythm of it, and simply invite others to join you. Change things up if it's not working. Be careful to be consistent for long enough to give the rhythms enough time to take effect. Sometimes the key to breakthrough is simply to keep being consistent, because the most important changes can be the subtlest. Engage in the rhythms that seem best as you pray and listen, and be patient with the process. Sometimes MC leaders tend to get bored with the regularity and repetitive nature of food, fun, mission, prayer, and sharing together and are tempted to 'spice things up' for the sake of variety. We urge you not to succumb to this temptation! Families are built on rhythm and routine, not shock and awe. Create simple, repeatable, lightweight, low-maintenance rhythms and then simple work the plan. Engage consistently in the rhythms and build a sense of oikos – being an extended family on mission. This will be quite counter-cultural to our 'quick-fix, instant' society, where we expect everything to be astonishingly successful in just a few months! Take your time and grow your MC slowly, deeply, and authentically." – pg. 65  

Sowing, Reaping, and Keeping: The overall progression is fairly simple and can be seen in Jesus' parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9):

1) Sowing Stage: The seeds of the gospel are sown to many people with varying degrees of depth.

2) Reaping Stage: In some people's hearts, the gospel seed sprouts and grows, and they respond and decide to follow Jesus and step more into life in God's Kingdom.

3) Keeping Stage: The people who have decided to follow Jesus continue to grow deeper roots as they join the discipleship rhythms of the MC, becoming more mature, and they begin to sow and reap with the others in the community.

... They meet people who know Jesus, they see God's power at work, they experience the overflow of Christian community, and eventually, they hear the good news of Jesus and respond to it." – pg. 66

1) Sowing 1 (S1): "People of Peace generally interact with you and the MC on a purely relational level. They probably know you are Christians and perhaps that you 'go to church together' (you never want to be secretive about your faith). In this kind of environment, there isn't any official, programmed gospel/spiritual content (unless someone asks, of course). You want people to walk away thinking:
 

• 'I like those people!'
• 'Maybe God is good.' 
• 'These Christians are fun to be around. There is something different about them.'

Our friend Hugh Halter has said, 'Sometimes I wonder if evangelism is simply defying people's expectations of Christians.' That's often what S1 is all about. People of Peace are simply rubbing shoulders with your oikos and are surprised that they actually like hanging out with you and your 'friends from church,' and would love to do so again sometime in the near future. ... the best S1 moments are simply the organic times your MC is just 'hanging out.'

• Dinner with you and a few friends from the MC
• Watching basketball or football with a few people from the MC
• A trip to the park with folks from the MC
• Catching a movie with a few people from the MC

One of the simplest but most powerful things you can do to welcome People of Peace is to bring others from the MC into your interactions. ...  Essentially, S1 is about creating space where people can connect relationally in low-key ways." – pgs. 67-68

2) Sowing 2 (S2):The second stage of sowing is still very heavily relational, but adds a little bit of gospel/spiritual content. ... Here are a few examples of S2 moments.

• A meal with the MC and People of Peace where, before eating together, all share something they are thankful for and then say a prayer for the food.
• Watching a movie and talking about the spiritual implications with a few people – everyone can join in, nothing is off-limits, and people can say whatever they want.
• A meal with the MC and People of Peace where everyone shares their 'highs and lows' from the day. People from the MC can share what God has been doing in their lives lately.

Often in the S2 phase, stories and personal narratives are the most compelling gospel/spiritual content, because they don't feel contrived or programmed. People simply share about what God is actually doing in their lives, what He has been saying to them lately, etc. The People of Peace walk away thinking, 'Wow! Their faith actually means something to them, and it's actually affecting how they live their lives and the kinds of people they are. Interesting!' ... The bridge between S1 and S2 is trust. When people go from S1 to S2, they need to know they are doing so. In other words, you don't want to surprise them with the spiritual content of the gathering you are inviting them to. If they have been to a S1 event and are expecting the same kind of thing, hearing gospel/spiritual content will often feel like 'bait and switch' if you're not careful, and you will have burned the 'bridge of trust.'" – pgs. 68-69  

3) Sowing 3 (S3): "If we think back to the Person of Peace framework in Luke 10, we realize that People of Peace don't hear an explanation of the good news from the very beginning. First, they simply experienced the good news ('heal the sick who are there'), and then they were given the explanation ('the Kingdom of God has come near to you'). People experienced and tasted the goodness and power of God, and then the gospel was shared. ... They are experiencing the goodness of God through community and enjoying some of the 'fringe benefits' of Christian community simply by being around a Kingdom-seeking community. ... S3 is where they hear the explanation of the experience they've had. They simply hear the gospel, but generally are not asked to give a response (yet). They are given an opportunity to hear the good news and process it, ask questions, and let the implications sink in more deeply. Once again, there must be a bridge of trust from S2 to S3 so people know what they are walking into and aren't surprised by the level of spiritual content.

Here are some examples of S3 moments:

• A Christmas Eve service. Often, these quite moving, beautiful services end up preaching the gospel without an awkward or forced response time afterward.
• A conversation you have with a Person of peace that naturally leads to talking about the gospel because of the questions he or she asks. 'Always be ready to give the reason for the hope you have' (1 Peter 3:15). Incidentally, sharing the gospel informally is a great skill to train your MC in.
• A neighborhood vacation Bible School that your MC hosts at someone's house during the summer." – pgs. 70-71

4) Reaping: "... the Reaping Stage is about actually inviting the Person of Peace to respond to the gospel and become a disciple of Jesus. Usually at this point, the Person of Peace is a regular attendee and participant in your MC and knows what you are all about and won't be surprised by this invitation. He or she has already heard it and is still coming back for more, which should tell you something!" – pg. 72

5) Keeping: "It's not enough to have someone make a 'decision' for Christ or pray a prayer. Our commission is to make disciples, so this is always our goal in proclaiming the gospel. We want these People of Peace to become disciples of Jesus. This means they simply join in the MC as we 'do our thing.' They learn to follow Jesus as they join your family on mission and do what you do (because you have a discipling culture at the core of your MC). They'll begin to discern their own People of Peace and walk them through the same process, while growing in their character and competency as disciples of Jesus as they serve and lead in the MC. In other words, 'getting across the line' isn't enough. We want to keep them in the Kingdom and grow them to maturity as disciples of Jesus so they are fruitful, 'attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.' We are making disciples who can make more disciples, not simply seeking converts." – pg. 72

"The beauty of doing evangelism this way is that everyone in the MC plays a role. There's a place for the extrovert, the introvert, the eloquent, the stuttering, the social butterfly, and the awkward. Some people will be amazing party planners. Others will be great at leading others in a short meditation on Scripture. Others will be wonderfully gracious hosts for dinners. Still others will be excellent at attending to all the details that need to happen to pull off a great barbecue. Others will be great networkers, inviting many people into the community. Growing the family (which is all evangelism is) becomes a community endeavor! We take the People of Peace we have as individuals and introduce them to an entire community, and people have a chance to experience 'church' as a network of relationships instead of a meeting to attend. One person might start a relationship with neighbors, but as she builds relationships with them and invites them to meet the whole MC in formal and informal ways, someone else entirely ends up sharing the gospel with them. Cool! Some people may be great at planning and hosting incredible parties (S1); others may not be as good at that but are very sensitive to knowing when people may be ready to hear an insightful spiritual remark (S2) or perhaps even sharing the gospel in a warm, welcoming way (S3). Everybody gets to play a role in an MC when we attend to the various phases of sowing, reaping, and keeping." – pgs. 72-73  

" ... the only way to truly multiply an MC is by raising up leaders with vision to launch new Kingdom ventures. ... The MCs need to be led by leaders with vision, and the way to get leaders with vision is to disciple them into being able to do the things you're doing. Since it takes a while to really disciple someone well, you need to think about multiplying a long time before you need to multiply. If you're thinking about multiplication only when it's time to multiply, it's too late. We consistently hear from leaders that they are surprised at how much time and effort it takes to disciple and raise up new leaders. One MC leader remarked that she knew discipling new leaders is the right thing to do but was challenged by how long it was taking. She has to continually remind herself of the vision of making disciples and remember to invest in the process at God's pace! She actually developed a few key phrases and Scriptures to rehearse when she is tired or frustrated. That's the kind of intentionality it takes to truly multiply an MC. Kingdom leaders don't just appear the moment you need them, and they don't emerge from a six-week class. They have to be cultivated through discipleship, and it takes a while to disciple someone well. Part of building a discipling culture is having multiplication in the DNA of the community from the very beginning." – pgs. 73-74

"Without a process of discipleship for raising up leaders within the MC, your vehicle might look good, but it's going nowhere. Having a process of discipleship that actually works is vital for Kingdom multiplication. So during the entire process of launching and leading an MC, you're always doing two things at once:

1) Doing it, and

2) Training others to do it.

This is the pattern of Jesus. He was always training his disciples to do the same things he did. So as you lead, you're always raising up new leaders. As you engage in mission, you're always raising up new missionaries. It means always having an eye on training others to do the things we're learning to do ourselves. Healthy multiplication happens only if you have quality leaders, and you get quality leaders only by being intentional about raising them up. They don't get it simply by osmosis – you need to train them. Having a healthy, accountable leader with vision is the rate-determining step for multiplication. This means that multiplication will never go faster than leadership development. You will never multiply your MC faster than you raise up new leaders who can do what you do." – pgs. 74-75

  
"When it does come time to multiply your MC, make sure that vision is the reason for multiplication. MCs operate and multiply best in a low-control, high-accountability environment, where leaders listen to God themselves and come up with a vision but are well supported and equipped to lead in an accountable and responsible way." – pg. 75
 
Part 3 | Practical Tips: Chapter 9 | Why MCs Fail

1) The MC leader doesn't know how to disciple the other leaders in the MC: "One scenario is the leader doesn't know how to disciple people to be missionaries to a culture; therefore, they never truly learn how to be 'in the world but not of it.' Instead, they are 'in the world and of it,' more influenced by the culture than influencing and redeeming the culture (there is a lot more cultural relevance than there is Jesus). ...  (Or) Doctrine is used as a weapon of defense instead of something that helps to describe the reality and inherent goodness of God's Kingdom." – pgs. 79-80

2) The MC lacks a clear mission vision: "The point is finding a 'crevice' of society where a gospel presence is lacking and forming a Jesus community there. It's not generic and broad – it's specific and focused. If you never truly identify the specific neighborhood or relational network God has called you to, or if you don't do the things necessary to incarnate the gospel in those places, it'll be very difficult to sustain, grow, or multiply the MC." – pg. 80

3) The MC is not launched with enough people: "Mission works so well with at least a 12-15 adults-sized group because new people who don't know Jesus are welcome to hang out, observe, and form relationships, but they can also be semi-anonymous if they choose. Because the group is larger than a typical small group, new people don't feel uncomfortable if they don't fully participate or are simply in observation mode when the 'family' has spiritual time together. There is a kind of 'gravitational pull' to groups this size that tends to bring people in. If you have fewer than 12-15 adults, you'll almost inevitably default to the social dynamics of a small group (six to 12 people total). In this kind of group, everyone shares, things get very personal, and it tends to be focused inward. This is not a bad thing in and of itself, but the problem is that it's not generally a comfortable environment for someone who doesn't know Jesus. We've found that when the group gets to 12-15 adults, there is a shift in these dynamics toward a more 'extended family' atmosphere. It's very difficult to grow into this kind of atmosphere if you start with a 'small group' atmosphere." – pg. 81 

4) The MC isn't part of a larger worshiping body: " ... it's important for MCs to be connected to a wider church body, accountable to and supported by others, and regularly cycling in to a worship service with a larger group at least once a month. This is where MCs will be reminded that they are part of a bigger story, hear how God is working in other places, hear teaching and preaching for the wider community, take communion together, and worship with one unified voice. The scattered church gathers so that is can scatter well. One of the reasons we gather together is to keep mission sustainable. A church that only gathers and never scatters tends to get 'overweight,' not working off the spiritual calories they are taking in. But a church that only scatters and doesn't gather enough tends to get faint and out of breath, because it isn't taking in enough calories to sustain the energy they are pouring out. In our experience, MCs that operate alone eventually wither and fall off the vine because it's generally too hard to sustain apart from a wider community." – pg. 82

5) The MC leaders aren't accountable: "MCs are built on the principle of low-control and high-accountability. Some MC leaders love the low-control part, but don't really like the high-accountability part. If MC leaders aren't willing to be held accountable to the vision God has given them, it is a spiritual problem, a discipleship issue. MCs are not an excuse for rebellious renegades to finally have a chance to do things their way. The Great Commission is simply too important for us to be weak on this point. If someone you are discipling refuses to be accountable to leadership, he can't be an MC leader, because eventually, whatever is toxic in that person that refuses to submit to someone in authority will seep into the rest of the group, and the toxicity will spread. Be clear about the expectations regarding accountability and make sure to follow through on those expectations." – pgs. 82-83

6) There is too little mission, particularly at the start of the group: If your MC is just starting out, we recommend you do much more mission (OUT) than worship and teaching (UP) or hangout time for people already in the group (IN). You need to be out in your mission context participating in activities that help you identify and connect with People of Peace, and then spending a lot of time with them. If mission doesn't get into the DNA of your community early on, it is nearly impossible to include later without essentially restarting the MC. This has to be modeled by the MC leaders and core group – you cannot tell people to do what you're not doing and go where you're not going. ... For the first three or four months, every time you do something UP- or IN-focused, do at least two or three things that reflect an OUT-focused mission. This struggle is very common. One MC we know recently disbanded and went back to the drawing board for this reason. They started with conversing, having fun, and building community and figured they'd get to the mission part once they were good enough friends. But their testimony was that the MC 'felt good' but never really had the life in it that they wanted. The MC started 'looking sideways' at each other instead of upward to God and outward to the world. They were all IN, no OUT or UP. They disbanded it to invest in a season of looking upward and outward first." – pg. 83

7) The MC leader does everything: " ... the instructions Paul gives in 1 Corinthians chapters 10-14 are essentially principles for how an MC-sized community would gather, function, and participate together. It's clear from those passages that everyone participating was a big value, and this is one of the main ways MCs distinguish themselves from worship services. In an MC, everyone brings something (food, a word of encouragement, a prayer, a song, etc.). Make sure that everyone in your MC feels like he or she has an opportunity to participate and contribute meaningfully to the community and that you as the leader are not just doing everything for everybody. ... (An) easy way to delegate is to make sure that everyone shares in the 'family chores.' If there is a mess in the kitchen after a community meal, everyone helps clean up. One MC said they had a stated value for the whole MC to leave a house cleaner than how they found it. This way hosting an MC gathering can feel like a blessing and not a chore." – pg. 84

8) The MC mimics a worship service or small group: "Sociologically speaking, worship services are essentially an expression of public space, MCs are an expression of social space, and small groups are an expression of personal space.

• Public space is where people connect through an outside influence, like watching a football game or attending a lecture, or going to a church service. This space generally works with 75 or more people.
• Social space is more like a house party, or backyard barbecue, or art gallery opening, where we can informally interact with others. This space generally works with 20-50 people.
• Personal space is where people connect a little more deeply, like at a small dinner gathering or discussion group. This space generally works with six to 12 people." – pg. 85

9) The MC doesn't do evangelism: " ... evangelicals (lately, though not historically) have lacked an expression of the gospel as it pertains to social justice and inequity. (Thankfully, many evangelicals are re-embracing the rightful place of embodying the good news of Jesus by standing against injustice, etc.) ... Some hope that people will come into the Kingdom purely because of the love they experience in Christian community, touting the phrase 'Preach the gospel at all times; if necessary use words' (which, incidentally, St. Francis never actually said or believed). From a biblical perspective, words are necessary 'And how can they believe in one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?' (Romans 10:14). The gospel cannot only be implied – it must be proclaimed! We need to reclaim evangelism as a vital part of our MC. Part of the task will be training people in what the gospel actually is, and another part will simply be us getting over ourselves enough to stop worrying about how others perceive us ... People in MCs need to have the capability of sharing the gospel with others." – pg. 86

10) The MC doesn't engage with the supernatural: " ...  if your MC is not good at praying, listening to the voice of God, and engaging with the presence, leading, and power of the Holy Spirit, your MC will ultimately fail to thrive. Try to imagine the early church thriving without the Holy Spirit at the forefront. We must be willing to learn how to engage with the supernatural aspects of the Holy Spirit's ministry if our MCs are going to be more than just social clubs or do-gooder societies." – pg. 86

"These are the top 10 reasons we've seen MCs fail. But we want to leave you with one more thought: Not every MC makes it, even if you attended to all of the reasons above. And that's OK. Paul failed as much as he succeeded. Remember the goal is to build a family on mission, an oikos, and MCs are simply the training wheels that help you get there. A single MC that fails is, in and of itself, no big deal. If yours fails, learn as much as you can from what happened, take a season of rest, listen for fresh vision from the Holy Spirit, and have another go at it." – pg. 87

Chapter 10 | FAQ of MCs

1) What if we can't find people of peace? "One issue we have identified is the willingness to 'out' yourself as a follower of Jesus by identifying yourself with him as his disciple. When Jesus sent the disciples out in Luke 10, he sent them out to represent him. They were to go into the villages in the name of Jesus, under his banner, as his representatives. ... He made it clear that to go out on this mission was to 'out' yourself as a follower of Jesus, and see how people responded. Some will receive you. Others will reject you. Or worse. Until we're ready to face that, we won't find a Person of Peace. In other words, to find a Person of Peace you need to be willing to risk finding a Person of Unpeace. There's a difference between being sent out with the authority of Jesus and just hanging out with people. ... Jesus didn't send the disciples out as undercover agents. They were openly proclaiming that God's Kingdom had come near in Jesus. There was nothing subtle about why they were in town. ... When we hesitate with people, we are happy to show kindness and demonstrate the love of Christ to others in many ways, but we become tongue-tied and quiet when it comes to sharing the content of our faith, because we don't want to be lumped in with 'those people.' We have allowed their 'proclamation without presence' to push into 'presence without proclamation.' We need presence and proclamation for effective witness.

• Low Presence / Low Proclamation: Don't Show, Don't Tell

• Not embodied or explained
• No words, no way of life
• Spiritual apathy

• High Presence / Low Proclamation: Show, Don't Tell

• Embodied but not explained
• Way of life with no words
• "Nice" community, no transformation

• Low Presence / High Proclamation: Tell, Don't Show

• Explained but not embodied
• Words with no way of life
• Hypocrisy, judgmental

• High Presence / High Proclamation: Show & Tell

• Embodied and explained
• Way of life matches words shared
• Kingdom breakthrough

When you go out representing Jesus (in his name, with his authority), then what Jesus says is true of you: 'If they welcome you, they welcome me. If they reject you, they reject me.' If you are ashamed of Jesus or the gospel in any way, if you are unwilling to experience the same kind of scorn and opposition that Jesus faced, you won't be able to perceive the Person of Peace, because that person is primed and ready to receive Jesus, and you won't look like Jesus to him or her, because you are essentially going out 'in your own name.' Not on behalf of Christ. There seems to be a line we must cross, a death we must die before we can see People of Peace. When we die to ourselves and embrace being identified as a 'fool for Christ,' we will find People of Peace, and we'll also find rejection and opposition, because you don't get one without the other. The good news, though, is that if we embrace this and truly go out in Christ's name, then his authority will clothe us, and his power will protect us and flow through us." – pg. 89-91

2) What does a typical gathering look like?

"Your OUT times will be dedicated by your vision for mission, so the following suggestions and ideas are mainly aimed at UP / IN type gatherings, where the people in your MC meet together to grow closer to God and one another and pray into their missional context. A gathering might include the following:

• Food (sharing a meal together is best)
• Socializing, having fun, laughing, playing
• Sharing communion together
• Storytelling (testimonies), particularly about things we are thanking God for
• Praise and worship to God
• Prayer for healing or for other needs in the MC
• Reading and reflecting on Scripture together
• Praying for the mission context you are reaching out to
• Planning upcoming priorities

... We encourage you to go on mission together from the very outset of the MC's life. Don't wait until group members get to know each other better. Our experience is that if you don't start with mission right away, it's difficult to add it later. Moreover, the MCs that gel the fastest are actually the ones whose members go out on mission together right away, because they share common 'battle stories' from the missional escapades they have been on together (the successful and the not-so-successful)." – pg. 92

3) What about kids? " ... we're trying to build a family. And families have kids in them. In a family, sometimes the kids and adults are together doing a 'grown-up thing,' such as dinner or evening devotions. Sometimes the kids and adults are together doing a 'kid thing,' such as a birthday party or decorating Christmas cookies. And sometimes the kids and adults are doing separate but related things, such as kids playing games in the basement while the adults talk upstairs after dinner. ... the question really shouldn't be, 'How are we going to deal with the kids?' It should be, 'How are we going to disciple our kids well?' ... The question for parents in the MC needs to shift from 'Who will disciple my kids?' to 'How will I disciple my kids?' The kids who are part of the community are just as much in need of equipping and discipling as the adults are. There are various ways to accomplish this, but we must remember that we are not figuring out what to do with kids in an MC. We are intentionally raising them as disciples of Jesus. ... Each form of learning (classroom, apprenticeship, immersion) has strengths and limitations, but what sociologists have discovered is that the best learning happens when there is a dynamic interplay among all three at one time: What is being taught in the classroom environment is being modeled in the apprenticeship environment, with all of it being reinforced and given depth and meaning and nuance through immersion in a culture that is congruent with what is being taught and modeled. The most powerful formative environment for kids (and adults, of course) is one where faith is both taught and caught. As you think and pray about how to form the kids in your MC as disciples of Jesus, think about what you could do in these different environments.

• Classroom: Teaching Bible stories, basic Christian doctrine, the story of Scripture, etc.
• Apprenticeship: Watching how the adults in the MC live out the story of Scripture, learning from parents and other adults in the MC how to pray, express thanksgiving, forgive those who hurt you, pray for the sick, lead in worship, clean up afterward, serve others in the MC, etc.
• Immersion: It is crucial that the MC fosters and sustains a discipling culture in which the community actively believes (and therefore practices) the things they talk about. Kids pick up a lot by simply being part of a vibrant Christian community.

Some very interesting research shows that this kind of environment actually provides kids with the very best chance of maintaining a lifelong vibrant faith into adulthood. In a decades-long study, researchers examined the factors that went into kids growing up with and maintaining a vibrant faith. The highest two correlations had to do with observing parents living out their faith, which we might expect. But the third highest correlation (far higher than youth group and Sunday school) was simply whether kids had an opportunity to observe their parents living out their faith with other adults. Kids who observe real faith in their parents and other adults in the community tend to grow up with the same faith. ... The goal is never to have a smooth meeting with no interruptions; it is simply to cultivate an extended family on mission. Families are messy (especially when they involve kids), so don't worry if a particular gathering doesn't seem to go smoothly. Think about the bigger picture of whether the kids are learning to follow Jesus with the rest of the community. We have often been surprised by how deeply the experience of being consistently included in a family on mission imprints itself on a child's soul." – pgs. 93-96

4) What about money and offerings? "We think about giving through the lens of tithe and offering. The tithe is the regular, rhythmic, consistent giving of 10 percent of our income to the work of the Kingdom. We use it as a general rule of thumb when talking with people about their plan of giving. An offering, then, is anything beyond the tithe that we want to offer to God in some way. We recommend that the tithe go to the central church, because this is what creates the space, training, equipping, and support for the MCs to exist and thrive. This helps to foster an attitude within an MC that says, 'we're all in this together,' instead of, 'it's all about us.' Giving to a central church reminds us that our MC is part of a larger whole. ... Beyond the tithe, offerings can happen within the MC as needs and opportunities come up." – pg. 98  

5) What about food? "When you eat full meals together, have everyone bring something to share, enough to feed their family plus a little more so there's an abundance. Remember, hospitality is different from 'entertaining.' You are not putting on a show or providing a service – you are part of a family having a meal together. Also, ask and expect people to help you clean up afterward. Again, this is a family on mission, so everyone has 'chores' that help the family function. A common tactic we use is to simply ask a specific person to do a specific task: '(Name), could you put the chairs back in the garage? Thanks! (Name), can you help me load the dishwasher? Thanks!' ...  make sure you have people show up early to help you set up and stay after to help you clean up. These things are just as much a part of the gathering as any other part." – pgs. 99-100  

6) How big should a missional community be? " ... urban MCs tend to be smaller than suburban MCs, mainly because the spaces they are meeting in are smaller. In the United Kingdom, MCs tend to be more in that 18-30 person range. ... Part of your responsibility as an MC leader is to discern where the lid for the MC is, and make sure you are discipling people into leadership so you can multiply once you hit that lid. ... A general figure to shoot for as a minimum would be 12-15 adults, plus any accompanying kids." – pg. 100 

7) What about missional communities in the inner city? "Find the Person of Peace. Who is the person embedded in the neighborhood you are seeking to reach who lives there, who is trusted by people there, who can serve as the gatekeeper to the neighborhood? When you find this Person and Peace, they should be fully involved in the life of the community as they are in relationship with you and journeying toward Jesus. ... Don't plan what your MC will look like ahead of time. You don't know what the MC is going to look like until you find the Person and Peace. Don't try to come up with a silver bullet plan to save the community. Ask questions of people – don't provide answers. Stop, look, and listen to the people and the neighborhood. Find out where God is already at work. The Person of Peace and those close to him or her, with your coaching, will be the ones who shape the rhythm of the MC. Be consistent and commit for the long haul. Communities in poor, urban areas do not change overnight." – pgs. 101-102 

8) How does my fivefold gifting (Ephesians 4) affect missional communities?

• Apostles are future-oriented. "Their fundamental question is, 'Are we leading the people of God to their destiny?' Apostle-led MCs usually are highly magnetic to many different people, orbiting around the leader, who typically has a lot of charisma and the ability to gather others. ... Mature Apostles should put their energy and effort into discipling new leaders well ... " – pg. 103
• Prophets are integrity and justice-oriented. "Their fundamental question is, 'Are the people of God hearing His voice and actually responding?' ... they and their groups tend to be quite radical, with high demands placed upon members. For example, if you know an MC in a tough urban context where there is lots of talk and action about reclaiming the city by their very presence and engagement with the people out on the streets, it is probably an MC with strong prophetic leadership." – pg. 103
• Evangelists are new-life-oriented. "Their fundamental question is 'Are more people entering the Kingdom of God?' ... Evangelists identify the gatekeepers to that place and stay with them to invest in them. You often see Evangelists literally going out in pairs, finding some People of Peace, building relationships, and through them reaching a whole neighborhood that was previously unreached." – pg. 104
• Teachers are truth-oriented. "Their fundamental question is, 'Are the people of God immersing themselves in Scripture and incarnating it?' ... They will give themselves in modeling how to live the Christian life, whether in worship, community, or mission. Mature Teachers do this with a great deal of humility, so it won't even feel like teaching much of the time. They tend to stay for a lengthy season, but many will eventually begin to look for a fresh context requiring their help and then hand over their group." – pg. 104
• Pastors are transformation-oriented. Their fundamental question is, 'Are the people of God seeing transformation, healing, and redemption?' Pastors long to bring transformation to people and communities by establishing and building on long-term relationships. Pastors highly value the integrity of becoming fully embedded in their context." – pg. 104  

9) How do we do a prayer walk? Prayer walking is one of the most transformational activities you can do for a neighborhood. It is also an excellent low-bar OUT activity to get your MC moving in the direction of mission. We have heard story after story of God's Kingdom breaking into a neighborhood after people from an MC had faithfully prayer walked it for a few months. It's almost as if God actually heard and answered prayer! One neighborhood-focused MC began by prayer walking their neighborhood for a few months before starting any kind of public activity. Interestingly, after prayer walking a few times, they all had a strong sense to focus their energy on one half of the neighborhood (around 90 homes). They figured this was from God, and as they did it, incredible breakthrough followed. People were inexplicably open and ready for the gospel, dozens of people came to faith, and they eventually multiplied into two MCs. It all started with a commitment to walk and pray in a neighborhood. Here are some tips on how to do a prayer walk in your neighborhood. Take a walk around your neighborhood, either in small groups of two to four people or by yourself, and:

• Ask God to give you a sense of what He feels for the people in the neighborhood.
• Pray that the Spirit will make the Father known to the people who live there.
• Ask: What would it look like if the Father's Kingdom existed in this place like it does in heaven?
• Ask God for insight into how you can serve and love the people here in ways they can understand.
• Ask God to provide opportunities for conversation and interaction with people while you're out walking around the neighborhood.
• Stop and talk to anyone you see while you're out walking. Not, 'Hey, I'm prayer walking, can I pray with you?' More of a 'Hey, how are you doing today?' kind of thing.
• Ask that God give you People of Peace in the neighborhood.
• Ask for grace in everything you do as an MC.
• Most of the time, simply talk and listen to God quietly.

Afterward, take some time to either write down or discuss with others anything you noticed or heard from God as you walked. Make sure you take action on those things, and plan your next prayer walk!" – pgs. 105-106

Conclusion | Small Things with Great Love

" ... Dionysius, the Bishop of Alexandria, wrote in an Easter letter around 260 A.D., during the second epidemic (after the first epidemic swept through the Roman Empire in 165 A.D.): 'Most of our brother Christians showed unbounded love and loyalty, never sparing themselves and thinking only of one another. Heedless of danger, they took charge of the sick, attending to their every need and ministering to them in Christ ... Many, in nursing and curing others, transferred their death to themselves and died in their stead ... Death in this form ... seems in every way the equal of martyrdom.' These early followers of Jesus weren't trying to do anything heroic or significant. They were expressing simple obedience to Jesus' command to 'do to others what you would have them do to you,' and living out his word that 'it is more blessed to give than to receive.' Because they did these small things with great love, they gave sufferers hope that stretched beyond the grave and a compelling vision to root their lives in from that point on. It is likely that many of the sick who did recover simply became Christians and joined the communities that had nursed them back to health. Because of these kinds of dynamics, Christianity went from a marginal sect on the fringes of Jewish society to the most dominant faith of the entire Roman Empire within a few hundred years. All because of small things done with great love. This is ultimately what starting an MC is all about. As we learn to become an oikos together, our job isn't to try to do big things. It's simply to do the small things we see around us with great love, trusting that God will take our small things and all the other small things we don't see and weave them all together into a tapestry that announces His love for humanity and calls all people to new life under God, who is making everything new." – pgs. 109-110 

Appendix 2 | You Go First: Starting a Pilot MC

Family-Friendly Out Suggestions

• Get a video projector and some speakers and project a family movie on the back of your house. Have everyone invite their friends.
• Take a prayer walk around the neighborhood with the kids.
• Find people in your neighborhood who could use some help around the house and invite People of Peace to help you bless your neighbors.
• Have the people in the MC divide into groups of several families each, plan a dinner, invite People of Peace to the dinner, and just hang out.

"A small community had been dreaming of living out the mission of Jesus in the downtown area of our city for several years. In March 2013, we started a Missional Community that met in a homeless day center in the heart of downtown. After a couple of months establishing rhythms, building relationships with People of Peace, and serving various needs in the city, we felt called to center our mission on an urban park ... The neighborhood around the park is socially and economically diverse, with rich and poor, college students, a large population of skaters, as well as many homeless. Moving into the summer, we moved our MC gatherings into the neighborhood around the park at a local church, as well as throwing a party in the park every other Sunday night in order to meet and engage our neighbors in the city. So far, this has done wonders to help us engage people outside our MC with free food and conversation, as well as provide a non-religious environment to invite our People of Peace. Our vision for the fall of 2013 is to multiply into two to three MCs in the downtown area, while starting our first weekend service toward the beginning of 2014. We're excited to see what God has in store for our family on mission in the months ahead, as we seek to be good news to our city's downtown area!" – pgs. 122-124

Appendix 4 | MCs and Church Planting

" ... MCs are a vehicle that helps us re-form oikos (extended families on mission together), which is a pretty good description of what the New Testament calls church. So you could think of launching MCs as lightweight/low-maintenance church planting if you want!" – pg. 134

"The key to success for any church hoping to use MCs is building the DNA of multiplication into the church from the start. We want to see multiplication on every level: multiplying disciples, vehicles for discipleship and mission, campuses, and even churches. Multiplication results in exponential growth, while addition results in only linear growth. ... It is always easier to grow by addition than by multiplication. It will always be easier to simply attract more people to a meeting than it is to train someone to multiply what you're doing, because the results are quicker and more easily quantifiable. But if you choose addition, you limit your rate of growth in the long run. Multiplication is what we're after, and while it's a difficult thing to learn with MCs on the front end when planting a church, it's worth it in the end when you hit the tipping point of the exponential process." – pg. 135

"Start with the thing you want to multiply (one MC) instead of starting something different (a 'church service') and trying to launch MCs later. The worship service will come later, but when you are gathering your core team, cast vision for and recruit them into being a family on mission. In essence, start an MC. This will help you to have the right DNA from the outset." – pg. 135

"An MC is really just an extended family on mission where everyone is able to participate out of their Holy Spirit gifting for the building up of everyone else, allowing people to become spiritual initiators who don't just come to church and hear the Word (and so deceive themselves) but those also who do the Word, those who really put Jesus' teachings into practice in community and mission." – pg. 137

"Start a worship service when you have at least 75+ adults. Resist the urge to start a worship service until you have at least 75 adults (and probably more like 80-90). This means you will have multiplied your original MC and probably have at least three MCs (though this is not a hard-and-fast rule). Again, the temptation will always be to start it sooner, but if you don't have the mass needed to make it a true 'public space' gathering, the social dynamics of a smaller group of people will quickly feel insular and stale. Before you start a weekly worship service, you may want to start doing a worship service once a month for your core team once you've multiplied into two MCs. You'll want to do this in a space that's appropriate for the size of your group. If you have 50 adults, you'll want a room that feels appropriate for that size group. This will give your core team hope that you are moving toward a worship service (which is an important part of a church expression) as well as giving you a chance to explore what it looks like to lead a worship service in a way that is true to your cultural DNA. It also allows you to learn how to make a worship service lightweight and low maintenance." – pg. 138

"Choose to live in tension. What we need to do is live in the tension of embracing the Temple experience (the worship service) and the Home experience (Missional Communities), learning to lean into one or the other based on how God is leading you and what is needed at the time. If you're doing this well, you will never escape the need to navigate the tensions of time and energy once you start a centralized gathering. The worship service will inevitably pull time and energy away from MCs and the organic life happening there. However, we argue that the healthy organic life of MCs cannot be sustained for the long haul apart from the regular celebration service. What we need to do is establish a 'low center of gravity,' so we can keep our balance, spreading our weight across the continuum of Temple and Home. When we do this, we can respond to situations and the Spirit's leading appropriately, leaning one way or the other without losing our balance. Maturity means that we are able to lean into Temple without abandoning Home, and vice versa. We need to learn what is necessary and sufficient for each, knowing how to do a 'full-fledged' and 'bare-bones' version of each." – pg. 140

Next post: Sully Notes 12 | Launching Missional Communities: A Field Guide Part 1 of 3 

– Sully

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