My rough notes from the 1st session of Exponential:

When talking about movements we have to ask ourselves, what exactly we are trying to move.

To plant a church you have to consider what space you inhabit.

Acts 17:16f -
Paul takes us through 3 spaces:
1. Paul goes to the synagogue which seems odd.
–It was a familiar place
–We end up creating better spaces for Christians.
–the reason we only reach people just like us is that we really just like people like us.
–we need a movement that is not self directed
–Love covers a multitude of irrelevance.
–The current expression of church is that we create spaces and invite people in.
–They do “10 minute” parties where they invite nonxians to
–”If I can’t answer you questions well enough it’s not because there’s not a god, it’s because I’m stupid.”
–”Jesus is the best in the world at creating community where you can bring your atheistic friends.”

2. Marketplace – where we live
–saying “I’m a pastor is like saying “i’m a cannibal, do you want to have lunch?”
–you have to find a different nuance of language
–you can’t say people aren’t open in the marketplace. They just don’t know who to have a conversation with and trust.
–People are looking for people with “presence.”
–If we don’t learn how to reach the real world we won’t make a real difference.

3. v. 19 – a place you cannot go unless you are invited – Areopagus
–a place you have to earn the right to be invited into
–living in such a way that people ask what makes our lives so different.
–We stop trying to be popular in the world and we go after the Dionysus (those who don’t fit, those on the fringe)…who risk the disdain of the 1st place to reach the 3rd place.