When we (Soma Communities) train around the world, one of the most asked questions after training on The Story Formed Way is this: How do you get your neighbors to come to the Story? While this question is pretty natural, we need to be careful in how we handle the Story and "getting people to...
The term "missional" and the term "missional community" has taken on many definitions and lived out in many different ways. In this video, put out by New Frontiers, Jeff Vanderstelt seeks to answer the question with the way that Soma Communities would define both of these terms with the gospel...
One of the questions I'm asked most is: "How do you keep missional communities healthy?" "How do you help them grow?" At Austin City Life, we've learned this one the hard way. Some of the mistakes we've made include: Installing (unqualified) leaders too fast Multiplying without vision or a...
The Porterbrook Institute provides training for church leadership with a strong missional edge. It's the sister of the acclaimed Porterbrook Learning programme and forms a natural next step for those who have completed Porterbrook Learning. The programme Director is GCM co-founder, Tim...
Here's the final post in our series expanding the GCM distinctives. 7. The goal of teaching and preaching is gospel transformation that equips for ministry Gospel teaching and preaching are not ends in themselves. Our goal is not simply to have good Bible teaching, but for the Bible to shape...
Here's the latest in our series on the GCM distinctives: 6. Discipleship, shepherding and leadership development happen primarily in community on mission The Christian community is the God-given context for pastoral care and leadership development. In the Christian community the gospel...
The GCM Collective has identified some of our key distinctives and are working an explanatory paragraph for each one. Here's the fifth ... 5. Everyone exercising gospel ministry Mission is communal. Gospel ministry is not the preserve of a professional elite or people in full-time...
The GCM Collective has identified some of our key distinctives and are working an explanatory paragraph for each one. Here's the fourth ... 4. Sharing our lives as extended family The church is the community created by the gospel. So Christians are not individuals who gather for meetings...
Last year the UK publishing group Authentic Media went bust before being bought out by Koorong Books. One of the casualties in this process was Andrew Baughen's book Therefore Go. It was released around this time and so received very little publicity or attention. This is a big shame because...
The GCM Collective has identified some of our key distinctives and are working an explanatory paragrpah for each one. Here's the third ... 3. All community is missional and all mission is communal The Christian community is created by the gospel for the gospel. So its defining purpose is to...