Helping Start Churches

It may seem strange (or more likely, even crazy) for an infant church to talk about (let alone, value) a pursuit such as Helping Start Churches. That said, our final value – one that we have adopted since the inception of Process Church – is that of Helping Start Churches. We want to be very careful to define what we’re talking about here. We are not saying that the immediate goal of Process Church is to start other churches. Obviously that would be pretty difficult in our earliest days. But what we are saying is that built in to our DNA is a strong desire to see other healthy churches get started and we will participate in whatever ways possible to that end.

This week we’ll re-visit a concept that Paul touched on previously near the end of his letter to the Romans found in Romans 15:20-21. As we hear Paul’s heart, we are reminded of why (even in the early days) Process Church will also value Helping Start Churches.

1. It has been widely published that starting new churches is the best way to introduce people to Jesus. Why do you think this is true?
2. If you had to guess what % of people in the U.S. consider themselves unchurched?
3. What do the combined answers to #1 & #2 suggest as a solution?
4. Why is it valuable to have all kinds of different expressions of church?
5. How can you tell when an area (community) may need another church?
6. Besides the obvious idea of (literally) starting other churches… what other ways are there to help?
7. What do these verses tell us of the criterion for knowing with whom to partner?
8. What role does planning play in this process?
9. What role does flexibility play in this process?
10. In what good ways does this type of vision force us from only thinking about Process Church?
11. Why is the answer to #10 a good thing?
12. How do we keep from seeing other God-honoring churches as “the competition”?

For some extra insights follow the link to this commentary… Romans 15:20-21.