As many of you know, I have transitioned from working with 3DM full time and back into the local church, helping to lead at Summit Church in Ft Myers, FL. (You can read about that transition here.)

In my next post I’ll talk about the overall strategy we are using the build a discipling culture at Summit so that we mobilize all of God’s people into mission. All I can say is that I’m having a blast…more on that later.

But for today, I wanted to throw some ‘boots-on-the-ground’ notes about what I’ve been toying around with for Missional Communities in this local context (as we prepare for Pilot MC’s and MC’s in the future). A little while ago, Mike and I wrote an article on The 5 Essential Ingredients of a Missional Community. You’ll notice that one of those ingredients is UP/IN/OUT.

Specifically, that a MC “intentionally lives out the three dimensions of Jesus’ life. UPward dimension of life with the Father, INward dimension of life with the Body of Christ together, OUTward dimension of fully stepping into a broken world.”

As I’ve been reflecting on this and the various Missional Communities I’ve led or coached, I think I’ve started to see a simple principle emerge: A Missional Community will always do UP, IN and OUT, but in each season of the life of the family, it will be weighted more so towards one of the three.

In other words, as we pray about where God is taking this family on mission, he seems to be saying during different seasons, “Hey, you really need to lean towards UP right now.” Or, “Guys, the family life is feeling thin; I really need you to attend to IN right now.

Again, it isn’t that all three aren’t present and happening, but each season seems more weighted. This is the BEAUTIFUL THING about Missional Communities. They are so freaking flexible, lightweight and low maintenance. They need to have the flexibility and malleability to respond to what the mission context requires in that season. (usually a season lasts 4-6 months)

The second thing that’s really been impressed on me is the need for simple, repeatable rhythms for Missional Community life. If you have been following 3DM at all for the last year, you’ve undoubtedly read about this idea. In giving simple, repeatable rhythms for family life, we help people live into a three-dimensional life (the life of Jesus) so that the Gospel can be made visible…and it doesn’t have to be made difficult. What this does is create some rails for people to run on, but still gives them tremendous freedom. Build from something that works and innovate off of that.

And if there is a season that’s more weighted towards one of the three dimensions, we should have a simple, repeatable pattern for each of those three seasons. (examples further down.)

The third thing that’s really stood out is the absolute necessity for people to see their Discipleship Community (Huddle, Small Group…or whatever you call the 4-8 people you’re discipling) as part of the larger Missional Community. It’s not a separate reality…it’s a sub-group of the same reality. As such, for the most part, when people meet in their smaller communities for intentional discipleship, it will normally be after the whole extended family has gathered for even 5-10 minutes together, and then split into the various groups. It’s vital people find their communal identity in their MC.

It’s ALL part of Missional Community life. It’s not separate.

As such, here are some of the monthly Missional Community patterns we are going to explore that are simple and repeatable, based on the idea of ‘being weighted.’ (Note that I reference a New Testament night…a basic explanation and instruction for that is also included below.)

OUT Weight
Week 1: Discipleship Community
Week 2: New Testament Night w/ OUT focus
Week 3: Discipleship Community
Week 4: MC OUT

IN Weight
Week 1: D-Ship Community
Week 2: New Testament night
Week 3: D-Ship Community
Week 4: Meal and OUT training

UP Weight
Week 1: D-Ship Community
Week 2: New Testament night
Week 3: D-Ship Community
Week 4: New Testament night

Hopefully you can see there is a lot of similarity, it would always starts at the same time (though this only shows ORGANIZED family life and not the ORGANIC side of it outside the ‘timeslot’ of organized family life) and even when it varies in its’ weighting, it still is using similar patterns.

NEW TESTAMENT NIGHT INSTRUCTIONS

*Principle: Everyone brings something to the table (1 Corinthians 10-14)

*Ahead of time, make sure people know to bring enough food to feed their family + 2 people. You’ll be having a communal meal together.

*Make sure someone in the group is providing paper plates, cups, napkins and cutlery.

INSTRUCTIONS

• BREAKING BREAD. Gather all the food and drinks in a central location in the house and set it up so people can serve themselves
  • Before eating, have everyone cram into the kitchen (and adjoining rooms if necessary) and, one-by-one, have everyone (including kids) share something they are thankful for
  • Give instructions for getting food/eating, house rules, etc. Pray for the food and eat!
• BIBLE. After 15-20 minutes, gather everyone together in a central place (people may still be eating, that’s fine!):
  • • Have people reflect on a passage of scripture that’s really impacted them in the last week or two (1-2 minutes)
    • Have 5-10 people share what God’s been doing, using this simple format (15-20 minutes):
      • Read the scripture that God used
      • What did you sense God was saying to you out of it?
      • What did you do?
      • What happened?
      • After a good number of people have shared, as the leader of the group, is there a theme that’s emerging? Is God showing the group something? Is there a scripture passage coming to your mind?
      • Give a closing thought to this time, something that wraps it together (use a passage from the Bible as necessary) and encourages the group of believers.

• PRAYER. Break into prayer group of 3 (no more than 4!) around the house, preferably gender specific. Use this simple format to pray in groups (15-20 minutes):
  • Is anyone anxious or worried?
    • Each person shares as necessary, then the group prays for them. So the model is “discuss, then pray.”
• Is anyone sick or not feeling well? (keep it to you/nuclear family)
• Each person shares as necessary, then the group prays for them. So the model is “discuss, then pray.”

• Is anyone spending time with someone who might be open to the Gospel this week?
  • Each person shares as necessary, then the group prays for them. So the model is “discuss, then pray.”

• BENEDICTION. Bring everyone back into centralized part of the house.
  • Are there any BIG prayer requests the whole group can pray for?
    • Gather around that person(s) and pray as a group
• Share any closing thoughts and/or announcements
  • Make sure everyone knows that everyone helps clean up the host home
• Give a closing prayer
• Dismiss/hang out longer