The Stuff I Dream About (and some thoughts on "church size")

Hey friends,

I wanted to jot down some highlights of the things I dream about as we move forward with our ministry in Freeland and beyond. Also, I want to echo some thoughts by Rick Warren in a video that was shared by Vineyard USA.

First - why church size comparison doesn't work. Consider this: The population of the city (not county) of Midland is 42,000 (ish). The population of the city of Freeland is around 7000. Currently, that means that relatively speaking, our reach (people who call us their church) is very close to NLV (around 1% of the population). Yet, NLV is significantly larger - see why these numbers aren't the main thing? Then, this number gets further confusing when you look at number of people within reasonable driving distance and then -  consider the myriad of cultures and communities within that circle. This is why size comparison just doesn't work. It shouldn't. Church size and church comparisons aren't things I'm all that concerned about. 

Sure, we don't know the limit of our reach and we are barely getting started here. We're seeing a nice, slow addition of folks as more systems are put into place. It's not like we're ever going to stop inviting people. However... what matters to me is people, relationships, and ultimately - folks experiencing the joy of a life shaped by Jesus. I want to be faithful to my King AND be a add value to His bride, the global Church. A crowd is nice, but relationships are where its at.

Things I dream about -

  • House groups/mini-church experiences (formerly known as small groups/connect groups). Not necessarily as a replacement for Sunday main gathering, but an extension of it.
  • Supporting an Area church planting network in Northern/Central Michigan.
  • Acquiring our own building offering multiple worship opportunities on Weekends (Sunday morning and keeping the Sunday afternoon).
  • Raising up the next generation of pastors and leaders to plant churches (of any size) and take up the mantle of ministry leadership locally.
  • Hosting our own Kingdom Ministry School, further equipping our folks to duplicate Jesus' ministry in their homes, communities, schools, and workplaces.
  • Opening up prayer & healing rooms, a food/clothing shelf, and other outreach ministries.
  • Opening our facility to various recovery and support groups - being a place that is doing "the stuff" every day, not just on Sundays.
  • Hosting conferences on a regular basis to expose our community to fresh ideas and experiences with God.
Those are just a handful of things that I dream about. Are we going to grow as a church - yes, numerically the pattern is looking good. Is there a number I'm aiming for - no. That's not the stuff that keeps me up at night. What matters is that we're on mission, on target, and on the path that King Jesus is leading us on.

Have a blessed day,
Mike


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