Category: missional community
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Group Formation Process Graphic
I’ve written in the past about the different stages of formation and growth that groups tend to go through on their way to becoming missional communities. The chart below summarizes the process and provides a few points for those of you who are more visually oriented. I hope it serves you well!
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My Doctoral Thesis on Missional Communities
This past few years, I have had the joy of participating the Doctor of Educational Ministry program at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. I participated in a cohort of five executive pastors under the supervision of my friend Dan Dumas, and the product of that time was a thesis entitled “Missional Community as a Model for Integrated Discipleship…
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Aren’t Missional Communities Just Small Groups?
Recently I was asked by a reader on this blog and partner in our church: Is the bar so high in missional community that no one can reach it? Or, only a few groups can reach it? In the end, don’t you essentially have a small group ministry with different terminology? In healthy churches, aren’t…
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Groups Matter Initiative
Regardless of how you think groups ought to be practiced in the local church, almost everyone would agree that groups matter. In the context of smaller communities, people are known, loved, taught, challenged and led towards obedience to Jesus. I am passionately convinced of the missional community strategy, but love groups in all shapes and…
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A New Year, A New Direction
Although we’re already almost a month into the new year, I’m just now getting my ducks around the blogosphere. Looking back, I focused a great deal of time and attention on the practical aspects of missional communities. In this coming year, I’m going to continue writing content in the theological, philosophical and practical world…
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Where Do We Do Third Place?
Recently I was asked: As I am trying to lead our small groups toward missional communities, my people are starting to get the concept of third place. One thing that would be really helpful is if you could give examples of what several different missional communities do in terms of 3rd place, frequency of different…
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Multiple Third Place Environments
Recently I received the following question on Third Place: We planted our church in ’07. Currently, our Gospel Communities meet for a meal together and Bible discussion twice a month (every other week), and people meet in tripods (LTG’s) the other two weeks. While our GC’s have certainly done “Third Place” gatherings, that is not…
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Gender Specific Missional Communities?
I recently received this question from a partner at The Austin Stone, and I thought it would be beneficial to address here: Hey Todd, thanks for your faithfulness to getting this information to us. It’s proven to be a great resource for myself in regards to leading my MC and coaching others. A quick search…
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Institutionalizing the Change to Missional Communities
The Austin Stone didn’t begin as a church committed to missional communities. Through several years, we have transitioned our church from a traditional community/small group model to our current model of missional communities. This series of posts will help you understand how we made that transition over time: Transitioning Your Church to Missional Communities Two Ways to Transition…
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Building on the Change to Missional Communities
The Austin Stone didn’t begin as a church committed to missional communities. Through several years, we have transitioned our church from a traditional community/small group model to our current model of missional communities. This series of posts will help you understand how we made that transition over time: Transitioning Your Church to Missional Communities Two Ways to Transition…