Sending missionaries... across the street.
Most churches understand and practice the concept of sending missionaries overseas. And, now, there is a growing understanding that we also need to send missionaries across the street.
Reggie McNeal, noted author and church consultant, made this startling comment to a large group of traditional church pastors, "Probably most of the people in your city who are interested in coming to your church are already there." What this means is that tradition churches that truly want to reach the unchurched in their cities (in Denver, that's 94% of the city) will not do so by tweaking their current programs and hoping that people will show up on Sunday mornings.
Rather, traditional churches will need to develop a revolutionary missionary mentality within their own cities (ie, across the street). The very best way to do this is to send out (apostelo) men and women to start independent (but connected) house churches.
One group that is leading the way in this innovative strategy is the San Antonio Baptist Association led by Dr. Charles Price. (Charles' son and daughter-in-law are LK10 Coaches and church planters on Colorado's Western Slope. See http://storiesfromtherevolution.blogspot.com/2011/08/church-planting-18-months-or-1-day.html ) I enjoyed "hanging out" with Charles at the National House Church Conference in September. He tells the story of the San Antonio House Church Movement in the video below.
(Send this post on to a traditional church leader that you know.)
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