Introduction

Welcome to Renaissance's Microchurch Start-up Pathway! We DREAM together of God using every kind of person (not just pastors/clergy), to CREATE communities of unconditional belonging, who ENJOY the freedom found in the life of Christ offers us. That's what this journey is all about. Over the next six months you are going to rediscover God's mission, your role in that mission, and what it looks like to build spiritual community as an extension of the mission. Buckle up and get ready for what God has in store! 

Pathway Flow:

Each session happens over two weeks. 75-Minute Zoom calls will happen at the halfway point to check-in and help you as you attempt to work through the material and action items. Each session will take anywhere from an hour to handful of hours to complete. We suggest a rhythm of working through the reading and videos prior to the Zoom calls, and then completing the reflection and action pieces the following week.

A few items you need for the journey:

• Bible
• Journal
• Computer or Mobile Device
• Road to Missional - Michael Frost
• Slow Church - C. Christopher Smith and John Pattison
• New Parish - Sparks, Soerens, & Friesen
• Church as Movement - Dan White Jr. and JR Woodward

Pathway Sections:

• Foundations - In this section we'll establish some shared language around the crisis happening in the church, what mission should look like, and how Jesus is our guide in that mission. Our goal is that you will leave this with a strong foundation of the ancient, future of the church.
• Competencies - In this section we'll introduce a new framework to begin to partner with the Holy Spirit where we live, work, study and play. Our goal is that you will leave this with an increased awareness of your surrounding and have clarity on what it looks like to be rooted in mission there.
• Communities - In this section, we'll walk through the basics of what it looks like to start microchurches in the everyday places/spaces we find ourselves. Our goal is that you will leave this with some tangible steps to create a microchurch community.

Goals:

When you complete our 6-month journey, we hope the following will have happened...

1. You can better articulate what mission is and what it looks like to join God on mission in the everyday spaces of life.
2. To have an increased awareness of the Spirit and that you'll feel more comfortable looking for God in your normal rhythms of life.
3. To have an increased presence where you live, work, study, and play, which will be built around a new missional rule of life.
4. That you feel like you have a roadmap for starting a microchurch community.
5. That you better understand how Renaissance can help you thrive on mission.