GARDEN CHURCH - Norfolk, UK
Garden Church
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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...
ORIGINAL TEMPLATE:
Gathered.church - Adelaide, South Australia
Gathered Church
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Contact: Seth - Seth.Emery@PowerToChange.org.au
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Website: Gathered.Church
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At A Glance: We are a church in Adelaide, made up of a network of Micro Churches, with no church building or employed staff.
Each Micro Church is led by a core team (shared leadership) with the mission of blessing and serving both the post-christian friends and the ever growing number of people walking away from "traditional" church. As Ambassadors we create spaces and opportunities for people to experience Jesus and his Kingdom. |
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OUR MISSIONAL STORY:
1. What’s the story of how your church was planted, replanted, or revitalized? |
In 2018 a handful of us, within an existing Missional Community, saw a large need to reach and care for the 72% of Aussies who grew up in the church that we now disconnected and drifting (these were pre Covid stats). We found that many we actively avoiding religious buildings, so we set out to create spaces where we could be the church without buildings or staff.
This led us to forming a small network of Micro Churches, seeking to create spaces and opportunities for everyday people to experience Jesus. We now see the need to reach 3 very different groups within Adelaide. with 3 different strategies. First, equipping and supporting the existing church; Second, caring and loving the disconnected; Third, thinking cross culturally to reach our post-Christian friends and neighbours. |
2. Where did your vision and conviction to be a Missional Church come from? |
Jesus. He lived and breathed a life engaged in the world, eating, celebrating, morning and doing life with those who were far from God. And He didn't do it alone, not only did he have a small group of disciples with him, but he lived with a complete dependence on the Spirit. It only makes sense for those who call themselves followers of Jesus, that we would follow in his footsteps. Life others, intentionally engaging with the world and totally dependent on the Spirit.
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3. What is it about your church that you believe makes it a Missional Church? |
Each Micro Church has an intentionality about it, to connect regularly (2-3 times a week) with each other, and to create spaces where we can listen and encourage those who don't know Jesus. Every member is aware of our call as ambassadors to reflect the Gospel in everyday life, but we don't just talk it, we make it a priority. Regularly we meet and connect with each others friends (who don't know Jesus) and we see the fruit of listening, praying, partnering and drawing others to the Good News of the Kingdom.
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4. How are you structured/organized to accomplish your Missional vision? |
We have Kingdom Families (a core group of 3-6 people) committed to doing family life together. They have a location that is their main missional focus, usually consisting of natural connection and friendships in a specific area. Each Kingdom Family will have 5-10 others floating around them (christians and those leaning in) this forms a Micro Church. Micro churches will meet weekly and ideally with 1-2 other MicroChurchs on a regular basis. At these Gatherings we equip and train one another as Kingdom Apprentices to continue being Salt and Light as everyday Ambassadors of Jesus. All the Micro Churches form one larger church with Elders, a strategic team and a soul care team... each with the purpose of helping the body BE the church - God's People, empowered by God's Spirit for God's Purposes.
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5. How are you training and coaching your people to live with Missional intentionality? |
Weekly training the Body to listen and Obey the Spirit (during our Gatherings and DNAs) and every term we have a half day training time equipping the body in different areas. We also have an intro course called Body.Living which helps normal people understand the Gospel, our Identity and practical ways to be missional.
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6. What are the most important lessons you’ve learned as a Missional Church? |
We have learnt that Mission is not the main point. If we put that first we see People turn into projects. Mission and worship are an overflow of us knowing who God is, what he has done and who we are in light of that. The Good News of Jesus and His Kingdom must be remembered daily/ We simply get to enjoy the Father and intentionally point others to Jesus. If your people don't know that, then at best, "Mission" will become an awkwards script people feel guilted into, leading to more damage than help. And at worse it will become the means of pride, judgement, competition (stats) and spiritual abuse.
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Missional Progress
Coming Soon...
