Taking our cue from JESUS His core DNA His Strategy His disciple- making culture

Jesus’s core DNA 3 relationships in balance UP –Luke 6:12 IN –Luke 6:13-16 OUT –Luke 6:17-19 How balanced are we ? His core DNA

We share over 97% of our DNA with Gorillas

Jesus’s core DNA 3 relationships in balance UP –Luke 6:12 IN –Luke 6:13-16 OUT –Luke 6:17-19 How balanced are we ? His core DNA

Taking our cue from JESUS His core DNA His disciple- making culture His Strategy

6 Our Current Strategy Before thinking about Jesus’ strategy let’s think clearly about our own. Summary: –Come to us, do our thing, our way 6

Our Current Strategy Overwhelmingly attractional and event orientated –Key Components Sundays (B) Small Groups (S) act of Service (T) (serve the organisation) Text Come to us, to do our thing, our way

Our Current Strategy Overwhelmingly attractional and event orientated –Other Components Puzzling Questions Other church groupings Come to us, to do our thing, our way

Our Current Strategy Overwhelmingly attractional and event orientated –Shafts of light Tiddlywinks/Toy Library Community Engagement Come to us, to do our thing, our way

CURRENT context SUNDAYS - Come to us - Join our thing SERVICE - Help us do our thing SMALL GROUPS - Come to us - Join our thing OUTREACH - Attract people to our thing

CURRENT context SUNDAYS - Come to us - Join our thing SERVICE - Help us do our thing SMALL GROUPS - Come to us - Join our thing OUTREACH - Attract people to our thing Making disciples Some observations about this strategy: - it’s not very effective - it’s very labour intensive - puts disproportionate pressure on key roles

Taking our cue from JESUS His core DNA His disciple- making culture His Strategy

Jesus’s Strategy (Principles) Incarnation not attraction –John 1:14 Relationships not programmes –Mark 3:14 Apprenticeship (learning through doing) –Mark 1:16 Life together not events together –Mark 8:27 Meeting felt needs first –Mark 2:8-10 His Strategy

Jesus’s Strategy (Principles) Incarnation not attraction –John 1:14 Relationships not programmes –Mark 3:14 Apprenticeship (learning through doing) –Mark 1:16 Life together not events together –Mark 8:27 Meeting felt needs first –Mark 2:8-10 His Strategy

Jesus’s whole approach Connecting with people where they are –Connecting with those who come to us Staying with people where they are –Staying with those who come to us Meeting their needs where they are –Meeting the needs we tell them they have Proclaiming the kingdom where they are –Proclaim the kingdom where we are Burlington ….

DIFFERENT context Incarnational not attractional Engaging with & within community*; not calling people out *Neighbourhood & networks Going to them; not calling them to us Proclaiming in their context not ours Making disciples Meeting their needs first not imposing our own

Taking our cue from JESUS His core DNA His disciple- making culture His Strategy

Jesus modelled: support & challenge support or challenge? –Matthew 16:13-25 –Mark 3:13-15 cf. Mark 1:17 Relational proximity required! His disciple- making culture His leadership was –H–High Support –H–High Challenge

Taking our cue from JESUS His core DNA His disciple- making culture His Strategy

To reach those NO-ONE ELSE is reaching we need to do what no-one else is doing.

Taking our cue from JESUS His core DNA His disciple- making culture His Strategy

22 So We need a new balance We need a different strategy We need to create a different environment 22 How?