GARDEN CHURCH - Norfolk, UK
Garden Church
Contact: Dave Lloyd, david.lloyd@garden-church.org
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Website: garden-church.org
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At A Glance:
The Garden Church is a network of missional communities in Norfolk UK that is focussed around 5 core values (Devoted Worshippers, Loving Families, Equipped Disciple Makers, Suffering Sojourners and Spirit Filled Missionaries). We are part of the Church of England and so we have a particular interest in working alongside and in loving partnership with existing inherited or traditional models of church to provide fresh pathways to discipleship or to be a catalyst for growing lay leaders and new contextual worshipping communities. We want to see heaven on earth with every home, village and street in Norfolk worshipping the Lord in the way that they can. We believe that small is the new big. |
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OUR MISSIONAL STORY:
1. What’s the story of how your church was planted, replanted, or revitalized? |
I used to lead an HTB resource church in Norwich, planting and revitalising other churches in the City. My wife and I went on sabbatical and explored We Are Church with Francis Chan. We were looking for a simple way of doing life, planting, sharing the gospel and being family that was low cost, closer to the picture in Acts 2 and healthier for us as a family. The Garden begun as part of a vision on returning to Norfolk in May 2019 after that sabbatical. We felt a call to "re-disciple the disciples for when the Church of England closes its doors". To encourage simple, replicable, deep discipleship in the home.
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2. Where did your vision and conviction to be a Missional Church come from? |
The vision and conviction came from the Holy Spirit speaking into "casualty, context and character". I had seen how burn out can happen through striving and planting large scale churches with budgets, bands and buildings. I saw the context in Norfolk, which is often scattered, rural villages with hundreds of ancient buildings and not a lot of money to repurpose them. I saw how Jesus calls us to follow him and grow in character and the best place to learn this is in simple communities and relationship focussed on love and Scripture. The main conviction and clarity came from We Are Church and it was 'boosted' and encouraged by Todd Moor.
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3. What is it about your church that you believe makes it a Missional Church? |
We seek to integrate our everyday lives into the source of life, Jesus by reading Scripture daily, and focusing on the Acts 2 values of D L E S S (Devoted Worshippers, Loving Families, Equipped Disciple Makers, Spirit Filled Missionaries and Suffering Sojourners). If we grow in these things we will be fruitful.
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4. How are you structured/organized to accomplish your Missional vision? |
We are a decentralised collaboration of missional communities in varying contexts that have no building and no budget. We operate as a family or network of missional communities. We are united by core values and relationship.
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5. How are you training and coaching your people to live with Missional intentionality? |
I am still learning how to do this! Using videos, apprenticeship, raising up and releasing leaders. Sending experienced leaders to accompany new leaders. By living it and sharing it.
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6. What are the most important lessons you’ve learned as a Missional Church? |
Communication for a scattered network is a real challenge. We need poly centred leadership - so some people leading on network gatherings, some leading on local gatherings, some focussing on encouraging mentoring and training, some on missional and outreach and so on. If it all points to one couple we hinder growth but if it is all flat level collaboration it also stagnates. Helping people co-lead a scattered network is key. Gathering as a large network and as small houses is key too. Resisting the 'normal' props and patterns of ministry is key too or we may as well just all do more of the same!
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Missional Progress
Coming Soon...