1. Planting theSIMPLE ESSENCE of the Body of Christ... The Churchin every overlooked relationship group

2. Consider using this slideshow asthe basis for a group dialogue among a few Christian friends whowant to be part of a grassroots revolution that naturally touches and transforms the unreached livesin their own daily traffic-patterns! 3. Ask Gods Spirit to guide each dialogue whether you view it all at once, or break it up into multipleshare times. As you talk together consider questions such as: 4. 1. Are there groups of friends or dailyrelationships that come to mind as I ponder these ideas?2. Has Gods Spirit made me hungry to be a part of something like this? 3. How would I reshape one of these ideas forthe group God has put on my heart? 4. Whats holding me back from taking the firststep? 5. Who might partner with me in praying aboutthis for the next 30 days? 5. Micro-clusters of friends 6. Micro-clusters of friends (andtheir network of unchurched relationships) can become life-changing vibrant churches. 7. Each cluster can become His Hands, His Heart, His Voice, HisCompassion, His Toucha complete Body of Christ, by living out the 5 basics ofchurch life. 8. Many passionate Christiansare making the choice to birth these relevant church-bodies that totally transform every friend-group. 9. They support themselvesentirely by a personal career, as part of a revolutionary movement to follow Christ. 10. A living example :: Ben 0 11. Ben radiates as he shares about the church-body of young couples and families that gather in his home. They begin to arrive about 10 a.m. and sometimes stay well past the noon meal together. 12. During their few hours togetherthey flow, almost without direction, through fellowship,discipleship Bible study, prayer,worship, and ministry projectsusually in a different sequence each week often taking a snackor play break with the kids. 13. He says it is the most engaging church most have ever experienced. It is easy to bringfriends to such a group. 14. Everyone has time to listen, to laugh, and to encourage oneanother. Not only are people coming to know Christ andmaturing in their faith, it is transforming how they live! 15. Ben challenges them regularly to grow spiritually to the point of beginning such a church in theirown homes for another circle of friends. 16. Radically elemental & contagiously powerful! 17. 1. Are there groups of friends or dailyrelationships that come to mind as I ponder these ideas?2. Has Gods Spirit made me hungry to be a part of something like this? 3. How would I reshape one of these ideas forthe group God has put on my heart? 4. Whats holding me back from taking the firststep? 5. Who might partner with me in praying aboutthis for the next 30 days? 18. An Elemental & Biblical viewof church church boiled down to its very essencehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/indi/2391675917/ 19. Defining Church :: a group of Christ-followers who fullyfunction, believe, and understand themselves to bethe Body-of-Christ in theirsphere of influence. 20. Five Basics of Church life (recurring patterns, or defining traits) ::worship.evangelism.discipleship.ministry. community. 21. some add missions, church planting, etc you read Scripture and trust His Spirit to guide you in defining the essence of church. 22. When your group begins living true to those Bible basics thencall it the Body-of-Christ, The Church! 23. The five basics restated as: rhythms of the Body-of-Christ:http://www.flickr.com/photos/frenchy/24642440/ 24. Blessing Others with sacrificial help, encouragement, or prayer 25. Openly Sharing about Christs influence in our life and journey today 26. Worshiping, listening to, talking with being personal with God 27. Learning & Living by Christs truth following Him as Lord of our actions and attitudes 28. Seeking to Be Therefor each other in the ups & downs of lifeoften over a meal 29. 1. Are there groups of friends or dailyrelationships that come to mind as I ponder these ideas?2. Has Gods Spirit made me hungry to be a part of something like this? 3. How would I reshape one of these ideas forthe group God has put on my heart? 4. Whats holding me back from taking the firststep? 5. Who might partner with me in praying aboutthis for the next 30 days? 30. What makes the most difference in transforming an unreached group? 31. Paul went around sharingthe Good News and planting churches among new groups 32. these faith gatherings lived onand impacted lives after he moved on. 33. The most life-transforming touch we can humanly providean unreached group is 34. a simple Body of Christ plantedin their midst to live-out all ofthe basic functions or life- rhythms of a church! 35. As a group of Christ-followersbecome His Hands, His Heart, His Voice, His Touch, His Compassion within an overlooked group, persons are contagiously drawn to this everyday faith-living 36. they see it making a difference in peoples lives! 37. Pastors can mentor spiritually healthy Christians (2 Tim. 2:2) asservant-leaders of an on-site Body of Christ to reach overlooked friends(in every micro-culture)who have mentally distanced themselves from a regularchurch building. 38. 1. Are there groups of friends or dailyrelationships that come to mind as I ponder these ideas?2. Has Gods Spirit made me hungry to be a part of something like this? 3. How would I reshape one of these ideas forthe group God has put on my heart? 4. Whats holding me back from taking the firststep? 5. Who might partner with me in praying aboutthis for the next 30 days? 39. Why Bother? 40. Why would a regular church and Pastor bother with something like mentoringhealthy Christians (Timothys) to plant the Body-of-Christ, on- site, all around the community? 41. Why cant people just come to the regular services on Sunday? http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwona_kellie/3198044940/ 42. Well, if you can get themthere, thats great.but consider these realities too: 43. In most towns from 90% to 95% of all residents are currently not involved in church on a regular basis.Churched Unchurched 44. Worship trends, big namespeakers, and even in-depthdiscipleship programs really havent changed that fact very much over the years thougheach has born some fruit. 45. You do the math for your town: Whats the population? What is a close estimate ofthe total number of people who are in all churches in thearea on any given Sunday? About what percentage isthat? 46. This quick math is generallystaggering.http://www.flickr.com/photos/acidwashphotography/2967752733/ 47. To borrow a concept fromInternational Missionariesmost towns are overwhelmingly full of Unreached People Groups on Sundays 48. usually these are micro- clusters of friends & relativesthey arent coming in our church buildings, they are sleeping, playing or working! 49. God clearly gives us permission in Romans 16:3-5 tohave real church in a very elemental manner 50. greet the church that is in their house is Holy Spirit inspiredwording that affirms Prisca & Aquila type churches whereverthey are needed. 51. International Missionaries havebeen planting churches in homes and apartments, by riverbanks, and even at underground secret locations (somewhat like the ancient catacombs) with great successfor many years now. 52. and many lives have been transformed by Christ. 53. Every servant-leader of such a group needs the on-going wise-counsel of a Paul to lead such a gathering.And, most Christian leaderswant to invest in others whatGod has built into them. 54. No funds are needed. Servant- leaders willingly volunteer, and by their very nature these groups gather in free places like homes, apartments, and parks. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dborman2/3258378233/ 55. If your church could reach 5 to 10 times as many persons bypenetrating their environmentwith an on-site Body-of-Christ(one in each micro-culture) 56. and then celebrate their lives as part of your yearly spiritualfruit 57. it would be worth the prayer, mentoring, andyes, even some problem solving, as you follow the Lord into all the world! 58. 1. Are there groups of friends or dailyrelationships that come to mind as I ponder these ideas?2. Has Gods Spirit made me hungry to be a part of something like this? 3. How would I reshape one of these ideas forthe group God has put on my heart? 4. Whats holding me back from taking the firststep? 5. Who might partner with me in praying aboutthis for the next 30 days? 59. MICRO TOOLS & VIDEOS on how-to-begin, available freely atwww.coffeehousechurches.com For more information visit www.coffeehousechurches.com This presentation licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States.