who we are
about ecclesia
Ecclesia (“ekk-la-SEE-uh”) is built around the idea that church is more than a place Christians go, more than a 1 ½ to 2-hour event on the weekend and possibly midweek. The church is a dynamic community of believers who participate in the way of Jesus and the work of Jesus in the world.
our assignment
For centuries, we have had an attractional model of church. (“Come to our worship service, Come hear our special speaker.”). Thankfully, over the years, many have met Jesus in this way. Yet, it is agreed that the most popular forms/models of church we have today (to address the decline of church attendance and faith confession), can only reach about 40% of people in the US population. A compounding problem is that most of our churches have fundamentally the same model. We have 90%, if not more, of our churches, with the capacity to reaching 40% of the population. What about the other 60%? Our current model of church will not reach the 60%. More of the same will not accomplish the great commission in the US.
What would it look like if a group of people shared life together such that church was not a location or an event, but a way of life, a series of relationships, firstly with Jesus and then with each other? What if these groups were small enough to obey the “one another’s” of the New Testament-to love each other, bear one another’s burdens, teach and admonish one another etc. They were intentional to understand and obey God’s Word in their daily practice. They were small enough to care but large enough to dare…large enough to go into a context and impact it in kingdom ways.
God always intended for his church to go-to be missional. He is a sending God. Mission is at the very heart of the Godhead. The Father sent the Son, the Father and the Son sent the Spirit, and the Son has sent us (John 20:21).
So what if these groups of people decided that church was not an event… it was a community and that mission was also not an event…but a lifestyle and actually lived that way?
All over the world God is using intentionally small and rapidly multiplying families of his people to bring extraordinary numbers of people into the Kingdom.
This is our assignment: we are a Spirit-empowered, worshiping family of God, following Jesus, loving our neighbors, making disciples, in community, on mission.
sons and daughters
We are sons and daughters of God who live and care for each other as a family. We are God’s grace-formed people—His children—set apart to display to the world around us what He is like. The Bible tells us that through our being born again we put our faith in Christ and are adopted into God’s family. Simultaneously, we become children of God and brothers and sisters with one another. As God’s family, it is our responsibility to personally care for the needs of one another—both physically and spiritually. (Genesis 12:1-3; John 1:12-13; Romans 12:10- 16; Ephesians 1:3-14)
servants
We are servants of God who serve others as a way of life. Fully God and fully human, Jesus took on the posture of a servant. He gave his life, even unto death, so that others could experience salvation, peace and restoration. Jesus said, I am among you as the one who serves (Luke 22:27). All those who follow Jesus are called to serve with the same humility. For us this means joyful submission to God, to each other, as we serve whomever God brings into our lives. (Matthew 20:25-28; 25:31-46; John 13:1-17; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Peter 2:16)
disciples
We are disciples of Jesus who take responsibility for our own development and the intentional discipleship of others. As a young man Jesus grew in both height and wisdom. He learned from local religious teachers, by living in community, and through regular times of listening to God. Jesus called others to follow his ways, to be his disciples and live in obedience to all that God commands. He then sent these followers out to make new disciples. We believe we are also called to be followers of Jesus who take responsibility for our own development and the intentional discipleship others. This includes both our personal time with God as well as involvement in our microchurch where we are discipled and disciple others. (Luke 2:52; Matthew 28:18- 20; Ephesians 4:11-13; 2 Timothy 2:2)
ambassadors
We are sent by God to restore all things to Himself. God sent His Son, Jesus, to Earth to take on human form and live within the culture. He lived among the people, working and eating — living in such a way that those around him could see and experience what God was truly like. Jesus came so that all people, places and things could be restored to a right relationship with God. In the same way, we believe we are ambassadors sent into our culture to restore all things to God through Jesus. We live this out individually and with our microchurch. (John 1:14; 20:21; Colossians 1:19; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
worshippers
We worship God in all of life and seek to honor and obey Him in all we do. We extravagantly celebrate Him individually and when we gather. God freed the people of Israel from the bondage of Egypt such that they would go and worship Him. We also being freed from the bondage of sin, death, and the grave, gratefully give Him praise and worship for what He has done in our lives and what He is doing in our church and community. We proclaim God’s work in the world as He rescues, restores, redeems, reclaims, and reigns. (Exodus 7:16, 8:1, 9:1; John 4:24; 1 Cor 10:31).
