_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On Thursday evening Mark Beeson announced the three sites for our initial multi-site launch strategy. It was an exciting evening with high energy, lots of questions and eager anticipation.
Before announcing the sites Mark reminded the 1,200 people present of the "so what" for this next chapter in our ministry. We could assume that everyone remembers, everyone understands, everyone's still focused. But when vision is cast, it must always include the "why", the "so what."
- The Kingdom of God has come.
- We're invited to join God in his work of bringing up there, down here.
- We live in a community of people who need desperately to know they matter. To God. To us.
- Beyond our community is a world God desperately loves.
- We are called. We are compelled. We are the Church through whom Christ loves, cares, and redeems.
This isn't just another good idea. This is a responsible conviction to a great agenda, an agenda that is God's. We'll continue to do all we can and trust God to do what we cannot.
The delivery system for these sites will be all video. Yes, all. 100%. The prelude, the site pastor's welcome/comments, the message, the singing - all the singing, the drama, the media, the offering...everything. To the best of our knowledge no one's doing this. Some have experimented with it for short-term reasons. But we believe there are tremendous advantages to this strategy long-term.
Tim Stevens summarizes the eight characteristics of our delivery plan here.
By the way - we're going to:
- South Bend, Indiana - Kerasotes Showplace 16 Theaters
- Elkhart, Indiana - Carmike Encore Park 14 Theaters
- Niles, Michigan - Wonderland Theaters
- ...and we'll still meet in Granger, Indiana - 630 E. University Drive
One church...Four Locations.
