“If we can reach the popular kids like star quarterback or a cheerleader, than we would have big numbers.”

Unfortunately one of the leaders who felt this way was also an elder.

I can’t really describe my frustration at that whole mindset. Not that I didn’t want to reach quarterbacks, but talk about your “attractional” mindset.

Good post Doug.

tim

Greg that is so helpful and fascinating. I love to hear how it is actually working in the real world because so much I hear is philosophy.

Here’s where we are at right now: we have gone simple. Really simple. We don’t have the lights & the flash of a traditionally EXTRACTIONAL church…but we do it well. Sunday is really a Gathering & we’re highly participatory.

We have gone with the mindset of if we want to reproduce – we have to make it easily reproducible & highly mobile. We want our people to be able to start a Gathering wherever is natural for them (bars, restaurants, the YMCA, etc) So where we put most of emphasis is equipping people to live missionally – which means for me: lots of coffee & texting. Instead of hiring a worship guy – I hired a community pastor. Instead of throwing a bunch of money @ advertising (which we may end up regretting) – we have underwritten neighborhood parties that our people throw where they live.

As a pastor – I have approached this thing the Eugene Peterson way from Contemplative Pastor. It’s slower. It’s not as sexy. And it’s going to scare away a good chunk of churched folks (believe me – I know that well)…but what we have found is that this way is connecting & our people are becoming their neighborhood chaplins.

Wow that was long – but that’s where I am in on this wrestling match.