The video is here.
Micro church is the concept of extending the ministry of traditional church into the 7 mountains. What makes a great life? First we find our purpose (in the desires of our heart), then we find our people (micro-church). The distinctions are simple:
- Traditional church has the role of equipping the saints and making disciples by laying a spiritual and Biblical foundation. It’s information oriented and lends itself to teaching and preaching.
- Once our disciple is mature enough to discover the dream God put in his heart, then it’s time to move toward that mountain. This doesn’t mean we leave “church,” but it does mean our heart makes a healthy shift in emphasis from receiving in church to ministering in our mountain.
- Micro church is wherever two or more are gathered together working on a Kingdom initiative in a mountain. Instead of just fellowship, it’s a relational bond with people who share the same dream, vision, calling, goals and mountain.
Now we have some new definitions that go with this concept of church in a mountain.
Discipleship – Now the goal is to connect people with the desires God wrote in their own hearts. We are not just maturing them spiritually. Now we’re adding a practical dimension in a real mountain: The wisdom of finding a vocation, creating wealth and ministering to others 40 hours a week.
Mentoring – Apostolic fathering now includes a practical apprenticeship in a real occupation, managing cash flow. We are no longer just creating followers of Jesus; we’re trying to create leaders that will change nations. Jesus is now the King of kings. We’re releasing kings!
Leadership – The primary difference between church and micro-church is that pulpit ministry flows in one direction and seldom “hears” what’s in the heart of the disciple. The micro-church style of leadership is premised on a foundation of knowing what’s in a disciple’s heart and leading that person toward the realization of their dream or Kingdom purpose (Mountain). When God created us he took something unique out of the desires of his own heart in put it in our hearts. Those desires are holy ground… gold that leaders mine and refine to release the hearts of those they lead. They don’t teach people to “die to self.” Instead, they are helping people become themselves.
Fellowship – My relational connection with people is now focused on those who have the same or similar dreams and calling in their hearts. Introverted fellowship transitions to working together in the Kingdom with a vision to bless a nation. The sweetest fellowship starts when 2 or more do what the Father is doing.
Heart connections – The DNA of micro church isn’t the initiative; we’re not selling the importance of a program or a purpose. We’re working with people who share the same motivations at a heart level. We move from superficial relationships to heart connections. We naturally gravitate to our tribe… those who have the same writing on the walls of their hearts. Whatever I’m hearing from God is also resonating in the hearts of other brothers and sisters. It’s fun to find them and it feels like we already know one another.
Missions – Instead of traditional missionaries sent to the 3rd world to plant a brick and mortar church with a lifetime of monthly support from the home church… suddenly everyone is a missionary. We’re planting micro churches in every mountain. We’re prophetically connecting every heart with his/her unique Kingdom purpose in a mountain, a vocation and a destiny.
5-Fold – There are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers in every mountain. They don’t use the titles, but those ministries came from their equipping in the local church. These ministries are not in a hierarchy governed by a local church. Leaders in these various mountains of culture collaborate toward the common purpose of blessing nations. The church mountain is not more spiritual or closer to God than any other mountain. Jesus himself is the head!
What it feels like – The first love of meeting Jesus, experiencing God’s presence in worship, and feeling the anointing from great teachers who make God’s word come alive… we’re not abandoning traditional church concepts. We’re just saying that what God has written in all of our hearts goes beyond the walls of every local church. We don’t just sit forever; we graduate! God is giving us permission to pursue the desires He wrote in our hearts and to make a difference in the Kingdom…. “commanding us to go.” Ecclesia (church) is not “gathered in;” it’s “called out.”
