Why Plant Another Church in Christian America? Part 2

As I’m writing this, I’m thankful to have made it over the mountain passes of Western Montana and Northern Idaho tonight!  We've just come over from Missoula for the weekend.  After waiting for work crews to unblock the pass (due to wrecked semi trucks, not due to too much snow) we finally made it.  While the weather isn't exactly great today, my anticipation is!

This trip will not only have us staying with good friends in Post Falls but also meeting with local pastors in Spokane, connecting with others interested in being a part of this new church plant, and even connecting with Dave Hensen and Tim Heath, two Newfrontiers church planters working in Hope Church in St Petersburg, Russia.  Spokane has a significant Russian population as well so their insight could be really helpful.

No matter the ethnic origins of people in Spokane this is the first of four things we want them to encounter in the people of Spokane Grace Church.

·        We desire to be a come-as-you-are, welcoming community offering a fresh challenge to live life to its fullest purpose found in Jesus Christ. 

Come As You Are: 

This means people who come to check out the church community don’t have to put on a “Sunday Best” façade to hang out with us.  This is bigger than being free to wear jeans or flip-flops to church, although that’s fine.  It means people who have addictions don’t have to pretend like they don’t, and people who have questions can ask them.  People who don’t have life figured out at all can come.  People who think they have it all figured out can come.

A Welcoming Community: 

People should feel welcome when they get together with the people of God!  There should be a sense of “coming home.”  While there are many examples in the Bible of what the church is like, one of them is that of family.  We want people to find that with us.

A Fresh Challenge: 

The call to serve Jesus is not new, but the challenge to each new generation and every people group to embrace the call to live in Christ must be delivered in the context of that people’s cultural understanding.  We are called to speak the language of 21^st Century Northwestern America – Spokane style.

Purpose Found in Jesus Christ: 

Jesus and His mission will be our focus, not only in theory but in actual life experience as well.  There is no greater mission in the world than Jesus’ call to carry the good news of salvation by grace through faith in Him!  Every believer is called to join in this purpose, not just by going to church meetings but by bringing the power of the gospel into every area of life – work, school, home, the gym, the coffee shop and the street.

Everyone should have the opportunity to join with a church community that embraces this.  Next time we’ll talk about developing passionate worship within the context of this community!