What is the connection between the community and preaching/worship leadership? The Asbury group visited Willow Creek Community Church to study with LaVerne Weber regarding their new effort in community connection. “Neighborhood Life” is a response to busy lives that revolve around demanding work hours, long commutes and jam-packed schedules. The goal is to develop neighborhood communities where people will:
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Belong: Start by connecting with church members — developing a contagious community where even spiritually unconvinced neighbors want to belong.
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Stretch spiritually by launching small group Bible studies and personal growth plans.
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Serve: Join hands with neighbors to share the love of Christ and serve local, national and global causes, as well as church-wide needs.
Neighborhood Life is a place for life change similar to the experiences of the early church where spiritual development and outreach happened right where each person lives. Recognizing that building community is a full time job, Willow Creek appointed Randy Frazee as Neighborhood Pastor to provide study materials, interact with each group, and encourage spiritual development and outreach. Each small group is organized around their local high/middle/elementary school, so people who already know each other are drawing others into their groups for a meal, study and relationships.
As the Asbury group left Willow Creek, with Community Groups on their minds, they traveled to Hawaii for the New Hope Christian Church Leadership conference. New Hope began to connect with Willow Creek as the group heard Wayne Cordeiro speak on the importance of knowing your community; how important it is to connect with the lives, hopes, dreams and challenges of the community before they will be able to hear what a pastor has to say. As he prepares his sermons, he always begins with a question or connection from his community of faith. One of the ways Cordeiro connects with his congregation is through the Life Journal. Every person at New Hope is given a Life Journal designed to be used with a year-long Biblical reading program. Journaling is an excellent way to both record and process what God has spoken. LIFE =
- LISTEN: “I will teach you and instruct you in the way that you should go …”
- INQUIRE: “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”
- FAITH: “Discipline yourself for the purpose of Godliness.”
Acting upon knowledge builds faith! Applying the lesson God is teaching brings a blessing. The journal connects each reading with everyday life and encourages members to write about their responses to what they have read. Members share their entries in small groups and mid-week services.
