Third Places

We are attempting to locate third places in our community – so that we can infiltrate our community relationally. The problem with me is thinking of places. Any suggestions?

Be Fruiful and Multiply

The guys that I lead with and I are reading a new book bt Bob Logan called Be Fruitful and Multiply. It is about starting church multiplication movements – a goal that is a great deal more fruitful for the Kingdom of God that just church growth. I am sure that it will be an interesting read. I will post insights as I read.

+ Oh Lord may we start a multiplication movement.

Simple Church

I have been reading Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger. I thas been a good read. It was not what I expected it to be – just basically a book about church as usual but Church Lite (TM). The basic gist of it was to formulate a mission statement  – then hone in on that statement and make everything that occurs in the church’s life correspond with that mission. Whatever does not should be eliminated – the fat should trimmed from the church so to speak – so that the church is lean and accomplishing what the mission has set forth. Overall good book – just nothing new to me. I think that one of the most important things that the emerging church has brought to the table is its insistence on intentionality in everything that it does. Now maybe there is a difference – but if there is, it is a small one.

Critical Mass

Critical Mass

To get a gigantic movement, first bombard a small group with the vision and call

The first atomic bomb was mostly TNT packed around a tiny bit of U235. The TNT imploded into the U235 causing an “atomic reaction” which then exploded outward into the effect of Hiroshima and Nagasaki .

This awful and destructive science is also a model for movement creation. If you want something big, set off a pile of TNT. But if you want something really big, use your TNT to implode on a small bit of “Critical Mass” and let that do the exploding later.

Some say this is what Jesus did. He imploded His teaching, vision, burden, and call on a relatively small group of disciples for three years. Later, in Acts 2 we begin to see the chain reaction explosion which still continues today. Critical Mass argues for starting with a core not a crowd, a small group not a congregation, leaders not the masses. This model argues that people who really want to leave behind a massive chain reaction “spend more time with less people for greater results.” (c.f. Robert Coleman)

The Critical Mass observation is taken as a universal truth by some. Do you? How much is it true? How often does it apply? Are there exemptions? If you really believed it, what would change in your ministry?

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You are free to duplicate or publish this article without permission.
Keith Drury (kdrury@indwes.edu)\teaches practical ministry courses at Indiana Wesleyan University.
His other writing is posted at http://www.indwes.edu/tuesday/

Beginning

This is the beginning of my experiment to collect and dialogue with the best in missional thinking. I hope to glean and learn and from the best.