(Below are frequently asked questions that have been asked of us as we're preparing for this church plant. Hopefully it'll help you understand more of what we're planning, however, we realize that the Holy Spirit will direct this.)
What is a missional church?
It is a group of Christ-followers who organize their lives individually and corporately around the two-fold mission of spiritual and physical redemption in the world.
Why are missional churches like Infuse needed?
American culture has undergone major changes in relation to Christianity over the last fifteen years. There are about 100 million unchurched Americans, and the church only reaches about 35% of the demographic range of the population.
As Jim Peterson says in Church Without Walls, "We must take into account the fact that we live in a society that is, in many ways, reverting to paganism. Biblical beliefs and values are becoming increasingly foreign to popular thought."
In the past people have come to the church for guidance, relationships, and spiritual insight. For many, this is no longer the case. The United States is following in the footsteps of other Western countries, such as Australia and England. Those countries are now considered to be largely spiritually dead.
What are your hopes and dreams with Infuse?
Our hope is that the Holy Spirit will move in a mighty way through our efforts to bring people into a relationship with Jesus Christ that will result in lifelong discipleship. We desire that out of this movement there would be three primary outcomes:
--A missional church planting movement would be spawned that reaches outside of Aurora. Many other networks similar to this are being formed all over the country.
--That the prayer Jesus told us to pray, "Your kingdom come," would be increasingly answered as we change our world by serving and loving people in practical ways.
--We would foster true discipleship that leads people back into their own world as missionaries.
What will you be doing through Infuse?
Much of what we do will center around cell groups. We view these as a cross between a house church and a small group. They will be given a great deal of freedom to self-organize around the values of worship, community, and mission. We want them to take a unique shape based on the people participating in them and the segment of culture they wish to reach. We do not see them as being controlled by a centralized leadership, rather they will be networked to each other through open communication and bound together by the common values.
When we have more than a couple groups, we’ll also start a weekly gathering for all those involved in the network. This gathering will not be used as a front entry to the church—that’s what the cell groups are for. This will be a place to worship together, communicate our vision, and hear stories of life transformation.
Are you working with a church, denomination, or church planting organization?
Yes, we’re partnering with Christian Resource Ministries and their missional branch, Missio. They’ll provide training and lead us through these beginning stages. You can find more information at these links:
http://www.crmleaders.org and
www.missio.us. We’ve also established a board of directors that will guide and support us, and provide accountability. Finally, we are setting up missionary-type relationships with a number of existing churches.
Where can I get more information about what you’re doing with Infuse?
We will consistently be updating our church website and our blog. You can find more at these links:
http://infusechurch.com. Or, of course, give me a call or send me an email.
How will your day-to-day life change?
My day-to-day life won’t change a lot. I’m still working full-time at Christianity Today, but my time away from work will be focused on Infuse. My service will focus on meetings and strategy, practical community service, and relationship-building.
What are your financial needs?
Trevor will be spending the most time with Infuse. We’re praying that he’ll only need a part-time job and the rest of his family’s needs will be subsidized by support that we raise together. In addition, our support will go to community service and outreach in Aurora. An example of this might be a tutoring program at a local housing complex. There will be some overhead, like office supplies and a computer. In total, our goal is to raise $100,000 the first year with that decreasing as people join us and tithe to the church network.
I want to learn more about the missional church movement. Do you recommend any good books?
Yes, definitely! Here are a few of the books that have shaped what we’re doing.
Church Without Walls by Jim Peterson.
The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch
The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church by Reggie McNeal
Also, Leadership journal recently dedicated an entire issue to missional churches. You can
find a summary here.
