What do we do when there is no group to join?

One of the common themes threading through Simplechurch.com is, "I've stepped away from the institutional church! Can you help me find a group nearby?" Or, sometimes the self-introduction of new members to this site includes a descriptor such as, "Looking for like-minded followers of Jesus, to experience organic life together." My wife and I are among those who wanted to be a part of a group of Jesus followers who desire to be aligned more deliberately with principles of the Kingdom community, but we did not have a ready-made group to move into. Now we're glad that no such group was available! It left us with even greater motivation to learn how to engage people in our neighbourhood and see what God would do with that, to bring people into His life.

Our motivation and direction came from what we see in scripture as the call to "Go". Starting "from scratch" has brought us more quickly into being a community with a missional lifestyle than what we're seeing more broadly in the simple church movement. The orientation of the group that has developed on our street, especially that of the newly-baptised, is to engage other neighbours and co-workers so that they can enter life too! I'm suggesting that being without a ready-made group may be just the opportunity that God is providing to learn more of Him than we ever expected!

This is a brief synopsis of a primarily NT call to us, and to any who belong to Him:

A lifestyle of engagement:
In Scripture, the words “go” and “send” speak the urgent love of a longing Father. Perhaps the most frequently quoted missional charge is the post-resurrection injunction of Jesus, “Go … make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). Before he uttered the words, He had modeled their meaning. The predominant missional practice demonstrated and taught by Jesus was going, engaging people on their turf, in the places where their lives were unfolding. It’s also the practice generated and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus, incarnate God, did what He calls us to do. He became flesh and dwelled among us, so that we might see the Father. We find Him in Matthew’s house, “eating with tax-gatherers and sinners” (Matt 9:10-11), and in the house of Zaccheus, a chief tax collector (Luke 19:1-10). His scandalously gracious initiative toward a Samaritan woman leads Him into a harvest within her village (John 4). The pattern of deliberately engaging people where they live is crucial to God. Love embraces people wholly. People generally experience the Truth through God-lovers before they understand verbally expressed truth. So Jesus discipled the twelve to seek extended engagement within a household rather than flit from house to house (Luke 9:1-6). He did the same in sending out seventy followers in pairs (Luke 10). He works through relational networks!

The Holy Spirit constantly speaks “Go”! Mission consists of the Holy Spirit sending followers into situations and relationships that He has already been developing! That’s the central aspect of mission! After an angel gets Philip onto a particular road, the Holy Spirit tells him to “Go and join this chariot” of an Ethiopian traveler. The travel talk results in a baptism (Acts 8:25-40)! In a vision, Ananias is told to, “Go … inquire at the house of Judas … for a man named Saul (Acts 9:10-19). There is another baptism – of the apostle to nations and kings! When the Holy Spirit tells Peter to venture into an uncommon social setting, the house of a Gentile, the visit results in not only an entire household of believers (Acts 10), but also in new abandon among the larger church, to follow God into the Gentile world (Acts 11). Before very long, Paul and Barnabas are “being sent out by the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:4) on an amazing journey of extending God’s kingdom where they had never dreamed.

The kingdom of God was coming on earth through His people! They were so captivated by the compelling account of Jesus that they could not keep quiet about it wherever they were! They possessed a prayer-nurtured discernment of the Holy Spirit’s prompting and presence. They exhibited a wildly bold confidence to go wherever He directed, even when it was unconventional and puzzling. Their engagement with people was more “along the way” than rehearsed. Their compassion shaped their encounters, so that they extended God’s grace toward personal needs (Acts 3:1-10; 8:7, 18-24; 9:36-43; 16:27-34) as well as proclaim what God had done to open the way to Him.
As faltering and flawed as we are, His missional program of choice and the source of His greatest impact seem to be such things as our unique kingdom-shaped worldviews, our lifestyles, our relationships, our dispositions, and appropriate words spoken in timely moments! (e.g. Deuteronomy 4:6-7; Ruth 1:14-18; 1 Kings 10:1-9; Isaiah 62:2; Daniel 4:19-35 and 6:16-28; Matthew 5:16; Acts 2:47;1 Peter 2:9-12)

Tags: church, go, group, missional, starting

Comment by Kelli Nicole Bounds on June 18, 2010 at 4:36pm: I like it. Thank you for sharing and for your encouragement! I would like to know more about how "your" church "looks". Does that make sense?

Comment by Bonnie Jaeckle on July 9, 2010 at 6:04am: What a wonderful reminder, Jim! Thank you!

Comment by Sandy McCoy- Foust on July 9, 2010 at 12:11pm: Hi Jim...I so agree... we as well, had no group to join into...other then immediate family. I wanted to get with other like minded people in this journey... but just BEING the church...wherever....without the rehearsal is what I have seen to be effective......jumping right in ..or starting a living room church to soon...could easily end up just another repeat performance of what we came out of...& I dont know about you ...but my mind is still being unlearned from "the way it always was" mentality." I like the "along the way" engagement with people....Do we trust Him to direct our path?....He promises to do so... :)..Prov.3 v.5,6

Thanks!
Sister Sandy

Comment by Cynthia Wardlow-Sylvan on July 21, 2010 at 4:49am: Thank you for commenting to my posting. I read your blog and it did give me the direction for the way the Lord will lead me.

Comment by Fiona Linford on August 6, 2010 at 1:12pm: Hello Jim!
Yes I had to get my daughter to upload my photo, I am definitely technology challenged but that's why our precious Lord gave us children :) I enjoyed Threshold 2010, except that there were only four of us from the great state of Texas. I was overwhelmed when four young couples testified to their house church in Gainesville, FL. Very wonderful, made me want to move back to Florida!
Jim I just read your article on 'Where do we go when there is no group to join' ...I wish I had your passion! I love Jesus sooo much and do share Him, but I am the only one who seems to bring Him up, so I admit I have become alittle tired and jaded, especially in light of reading Pagan Christianity and not seeing much transformation in His people. I have had a small group at my house before, but because Church is passive I believe the group members learned to be passive, it was like trying to pull teeth sometimes for people to participate and share.
It has been on my heart along time to adopt a child, and last year God really pressed on my heart to get my citizenship. I would not have been able to start the adoption process unless I was a citizen, anyway it looks like this all may be a reality soon, hopefully by Christmas. It would be so wonderful to have simple church folk, to share this with, lean on when I need advice, and share the joy. I don't have all the answers, never will, but sure would be nice to have that community :)
Thanks for sharing Jim, makes me ponder.

Fiona

Comment by Stephen Rigg on October 12, 2010 at 12:00pm: I'd like to hear more about your neighborhood, and how it has gone with you and your wife reaching out to your neighbors, and what has come from it?

I would like to reach out to my neighbors as well. I am thinking of organizing a neighborhood cookout or block party to get to know people better, and actually find out who all of my neighbors are, I know a few of them. I live in a fairly small community, my family owns the local grocery store, I am the manager, so I know a lot of the people in the town, but I really do not know who a lot of my neighbors are, I did not grow up in this community, we have just lived here for about 4 or 5 years now, however, I have run the grocery store for about 14 years now.

Anyway Jim, I like the way you write, and look forward to reading more from you.

Comment by Jim London on October 12, 2010 at 9:49pm: Hi, Stephen. I can make a start on responding to your inquiry about our engagement within our community.

About 5 years ago, we chose a building lot within a new housing development not far from where we had been living, with the desire to be among folks as they would be starting up in a new location. Our thought was that it would be a natural setting for developing a social network among people who were just finding each other as neighbors. We did, as we have long done, a lot of hospitality in our home, and embraced new residents with whatever seemed appropriate -- help moving in, lending furniture and stuff until they got their own, meals, friendship intro events, etc., etc. We asked God to bring about His desire that everyone on our street come to know Him, and continuously offer ourselves to Him to play whatever part He would want us to play. It also seemed good to us that we not be the only social hub, but that there be significant lateral intercourse among neighbors; so we did/ do what we could/can to support social-relational initiatives by others. That approach was motivated by the sense that, if there was a signifcant level of appreciation and trust among neighbors, then that would be a healthier environment within which a kingdom community might grow.

A year after we moved into our home, a new family moved in next door who were so appreciative of the support they received, that they wanted to know more about us almost immediately. John, the husband/father, took me to a world junior soccer game as a gesture of appreciation. On the way home, when he heard my personal God story, he expressed interest in reading the Bible. We did so together, reading aloud 2-3 times a week, for 2 years. To shorten the story, he slipped into life in Christ during the reading. Last summer, we baptised him in his daughter's inflatable wading pool -- with his friends, family, neighbors there to be a part of the event. Subsequently, he has taken a single fellow on the street under his wing, and has become involved in serving weekly in a homeless shelter.

That connection to a shelter was a quick answer to an inquiry my wife and I had been making toward God as to how we could allow the people on our street to see the compassion of Jesus. A few weeks after John began helping there, we were in a discussion after a winter movie night in our home, about how we as neighbors could do something for people living on the margins. John had the answer! So, each month, our street forms a group and we prepare and serve a meal at the residential shelter, which is sponsored by one of the larger churches nearby. It is a very comfortable setting for people to observe how God's people interface with people in difficult circumstances.

My wife and I are partnered with a young family right next to us, followers of Christ, who, like us, want to learn how to live by principles of NT Body life that we had not been free to exercise in our past denominational church experience. We meet with the couple each week for Bible reading/reflection , prayer, practical-life support. On Sunday mornings, we meet together with their young children for breakfast, and in a family style gathering we practice 1 Corinthians 14:26, enjoy the Lord's table, disciple their children in a diversity of ways,etc.

There's much more, but this may give you a bit of the flavor of what God has graciously led us into. We want only what He gives birth to and develops. It's a challenge to be submissive to that approach, but it is the only way that there is the right kind of fruit -- His!

Comment by Stephen Rigg on October 13, 2010 at 12:33am: That sounds great Jim, thanks for sharing that.

God has really been working with me in the patience department. I can be quite impatient. Because of my impatience, I can at times be overzealous. I am feeling that a little at the moment. I am very excited about finding this website, and revisiting the idea of being the Church as demonstrated in the NT. Part of me wants the "insta-version" of the simple church. I do know though that in actuality, it takes time to build relationships as you have done with your neighbors. That is what I will do as well, as the Lord leads.

Comment by Jim London on October 13, 2010 at 8:12am: Stephen, you acknowledge that, "I can be quite impatient. Because of my impatience, I can at times be overzealous." That has been one of my struggles as well -- to be attentive to what God is doing in people's hearts, and giving opportunity for that to be nurtured, rather than trying to accelerate things out of eagerness for His purposes to be promoted. I think, for me, it's been a matter of learning to trust God, rest in Him. But trusting and resting in Him is not being passive toward people, but rather being active in attentiveness, praying, nurturing what seems to be taking root, experimenting by opening doors, being readily available, etc. There are times when there are spurts of seemingly quick progress, and then times of wondering if anything is happening. My wife and I also believe that there is great wisdom and strength in being partnered with others in functioning this way. We had to wait a while (over 2 years!) for that to emerge with the young family with whom we have integrated our lives. The botttom line seems to be that patience is necessary for the right kind of things to develop faster! Staying in that mode is not easy for me either, but God has shared more of Himself with me than I believe would have happened if I was operating more out of my own bright ideas and willing energy. We carry the perspective that God is ALWAYS active toward people to turn their hearts toward Himself, and to bring them into the maturity of Christ, so that He is demonstrated in them. The trick is to let that perspective carry us!

For what this is worth, I'd offer the encouragement to nurture or move within a natural social circle, but invest more in a couple of friendships, and stay for the long haul with them, while at the same time learning to listen to Him and being personally obedient to EVERYTHING that He conveys to you.

Comment by Shelley Koozer on October 31, 2010 at 7:22pm: Thank you Jim for taking the time to respond to our journey. Your perspective is encouraging. We have a dear, 79 year old friend who has a heart for the home church and so often he has reminded us that we can be used right here, in our own neighborhood. I think often that my husband and I feel like Moses, but we know the great work that God planned for his life, and we are confident that He has great plans for ours too. He has already proven that time and time again. I am going to read this blog to my family tomorrow...it will be refreshing to them as they have been wondering what is going on with our worship/church life in general. God bless you and yours! We certainly covet your prayers!

What do we do when there is no group to join?

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