{"id":303,"date":"2010-09-04T23:26:37","date_gmt":"2010-09-04T23:26:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.brianmashburn.net\/?p=303"},"modified":"2010-09-04T23:26:37","modified_gmt":"2010-09-04T23:26:37","slug":"here-is-what-we-are-doing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brianmashburn.net\/?p=303","title":{"rendered":"Here is What We are Doing"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cPour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 Jesus<\/font> <\/p>\n

The church family I run with is making a profound change. Like right now.<\/p>\n

We are mo\"White<\/a>ving from pews to living rooms. From one big room to dozens of small ones. From one large central location to numerous small ones all over town. From a single centralized gathering to many scattered out gatherings.<\/p>\n

As my new friend John in Atlanta says, we are moving \u201cout of rows and into circles\u201d.   \"Circle<\/a><\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

A circle calls for more participation from everyone. A circle invites more authentic interaction with people. A circle meets more people where they are at. A circle is more personal. A circle can address a broader spectrum of subjects custom fit for a broader number of people.  A circle is more intimate. A circle is less consumeristic. A circle notices when someone is missing. A circle ask \u201chow are you doing?\u201d and exists to have time for a real answer. A circle is more relational. A circle is more likely to live out the dozens of \u201cone another\u201d instructions in scripture. A circle is less likely to fall into a mind numbing religious routine.<\/p>\n

Now\u2026read that last paragraph again replacing the words \u201ca circle\u201d with the name \u201cJesus\u201d.<\/p>\n

You see it?<\/p>\n

A church of circles needs more leaders developed. A church of circles goes out into all the world rather than needing the world to come in. A church of circles trusts the Holy Spirit to move and act through more people. A church of circles represents the Kingdom in more and varied places, in more and varied ways. A church of circles is agile and able to plant churches from it\u2019s own number for more people groups where those people groups live. The ministry of a church of circles is definitely more messy than a church of lecture hall and classroom, but it is also less constrained by anything or anyone that would stand opposed to it\u2019s mission. A church of circles is to it\u2019s city what leaven is to bread\u2026it makes the whole thing rise.<\/p>\n

Now\u2026read that last paragraph again replacing the word \u201ccircles\u201d with \u201cChrist\u201d.<\/p>\n

Isn\u2019t it obvious\u2026why we are doing this, I mean?<\/p>\n

Our church family feels commissioned to make disciples of Jesus Christ through relationships<\/em>. For too long we\u2019ve been trying to make disciples through a meeting on Sunday mornings. We\u2019ve even tried to use the meeting to develop relationships\u2026with some success, I might add. <\/p>\n

But if we can do it better, we should. We must. And now we are. We\u2019ve been talking about it<\/a> for a long time. Both our duty and our love compels us. So every single one of us in our church family is being asked by our leaders to circle up \u2013 with a few friends \u2013 and gather weekly for the purpose of relationally helping each other become more like Christ.<\/p>\n

When we do\u2026<\/p>\n