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Starting A Movement at Your Church

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In recent months, we've been spending a TON of time talking Digital/Meta Movements. As many of you know, we're starting up the Digital Church Network, focusing on helping people create movements in Digital, Phygital and Meta spaces. Think of it like a microchurch network in the metaverse or digital community! There has been so much excitement in recent weeks, but an interesting conversation has started. (BTW, if you're interested in starting your personal movement, check out our Movement Events coming up and let's get you plugged in.)

Here's the plan. Working with NewThing Network, we're bringing NewThing's Movement System to the Metaverse! NewThing has resourced thousands of individuals, churches and networks with this understanding globally. Doing this digitally isn't as much a "new thing" as a "new opportunity" to leverage the Movement System in new environments. Working with NewThing & Digital Church Network we want to see INDIVIDUALS and EXISTING CHURCHES start Movements. So what could this look like for your church? Here we go.

Your Church Needs to Focus on Creating Disciples

Is your church really creating disciples? Discipleship means so many things. It's time to boil it down. What if making disciples for your church really meant disciples who make disciples? What if it really is more about multiplication than knowledge? Obedience-based discipleship shines above knowledge-based here. Evangelism training is so important to the future of the church, and vital to starting a movement. 

Focus on Reproducing Leaders

Movements are not about Professional Christians, but about normal people. Can we empower normal people to lead out in disciplemaking? Can we move past paying people to do ministry? Money kills movements, oftentimes before they can even start. As the Great Resignation hits our culture, and our churches, what would it look like for your church to start a movement of bivocational/covocational leaders?

Starting Churches that Reproduce Churches

I've been told: "The church's job is not to grow as big as possible. The church's job is to grow to the place where it can multiply, and then grow again to the point that it can multiply."  In digital and meta spaces this is even more important. So many environments, so many platforms, so many communities. In Digital and Meta spaces I don't think there will ever be a million person church. Instead it will be more like 100,000 churches of 10. We've got a lot of ground to cover. Time to multiply.

Growing Networks that Work Together

I love NewThing's strategy here. Networks are small-ish, typically 4-6 churches. Small enough to be relational, accountable. But with these networks continue to emphasize reproducing. Newer churches or church plants struggle to multiply. In their infancy it's easy to lose sight of multiplication. Let's be honest, it's very difficult to get that multiplication view back. But a network of digital or meta churches? Share resources, leaders, and effective disciplemaking processes. Create your own network and get it multiplying. Digital allows for nuances and contextualization that will allow smaller networks to flourish.

Building Movements that Reproduce

A Network of Networks? What seems overwhelming in physical space doesn't seem as daunting digitally? Can we connect Digital, Meta and Phygital churches together under a unified purpose, and release these churches to start movements on their own? Will it take time? Sure. Will we need fervent prayer? Definitely. Can God move in these unique environments? He already is.

NewThing's Already On the Journey. TCD & DCN Are Joining Them.

Here's the fun fact. NewThing is already on this journey. NewThing is currently supporting movements in five continents, forty countries. Let's get started adding digital and the metaverse to their list! One of the things I've loved about NewThing's Movement System is that it is adjustable. NewThing's modular system is adjustable to you and your church. If your church is strong in making disciples and reproducing leaders, then let's help you with the church planting approach.

Are you or your church ready to start a Movement? Grab some time with Jeff and let's talk about how Digital Church Network and NewThing can help you start a movement.

 

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About Author

Jeff Reed
Jeff Reed

With about 20 years experience serving the church in the digital/technological realm, Jeff loves working with churches. As passionate about Discipleship as he is Technology, Jeff uses his passion to help Churches develop technology systems to bring people far from God closer to him. Oh, and he loves Digital Church & Church Online.

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