"Small communities of people meeting throughout the region, redeemed through the Gospel, being formed by the Gospel, living in community as a display of the Gospel, serving together on mission to declare the Gospel throughout their area."
In a broad sense Gospel Communities are a church, within a church, within The Church. What we mean by this is that each Gospel Community functions in many ways as a church in the original sense of the term. Church (ecclesia in the greek) are the people called out by God, gathered together, for the cause of Christ, and that is what each Gospel Community is at it's core. So each Gospel Community is a church. But every Gospel Community is unified together within E3 as one church. So every Gospel Community is a church, within a church (E3), and E3 is just one local community within The Universal Church which consists of all who belong to Christ.
More specifically Gospel Communities are communities of believers growing in the Gospel together, ministering to each other, learning to do life together in light of the Gospel, and living on mission together to display and declare the Gospel where they live, work, and play.
Simply put, Gospel Communities are the place where we grow in and live out our faith with others in a community formed by a growing understanding of the Gospel.
What are Gospel Communities?
Core Practices.
Every Gospel Community will be unique because each community will be shaped by the people that make up the community. But as each Gospel Community will look different, each Gospel Community will share some similarities because they will all share the same core practices. How these practices are lived out will be shaped by the members of the community, but each community will be living out each of these practices.
The Core Practices are realities that will be practiced as a regular part of the Gospel Community's life together.
Core Gospel Community Practices:
- Mission: Shared mission focus and plan to engage our mission field with the Gospel.
- Listening: Listening to God's story (scripture), each other, and the stories of the people God has called us to.
- Praying: Regular prayer for each other and those God has called us to engage.
- Serving: Serving each other and the people God has placed in our midst.
- Gospeling: Reminding each other of the Gospel and applying the Gospel to the hearts and lives of each other.
- Celebrating: Eating, partying, and enjoying God's goodness together.
- Recreating: Playing, going out, and hanging out together.
- Accountability: Building one another up as we spur each other on toward good works, bearing each others burdens, pointing each other toward Christ and His Gospel.
- Reproducing: Opening our lives to others, inviting them into our community, and pouring our lives into them with the goal of forming new Gospel Communities out of our Gospel Community.
When do Gospel Communities Meet?
Gospel Communities will meet weekly. The day, time, and length of the weekly meeting will be determined by each group. Also the weekly meeting is just the starting point. True community does not occur by merely participating in a weekly meeting, but comes about by doing life together through out the week.
Most Gospel Communities will meet in the home of the Gospel Community leader or in the home of one of the members of the Gospel Community. Some Gospel Communities may decide to meet in a public space (coffee shop, bar, etc.) Where each Gospel Community will meet will be determined by the members of that Gospel Community.
Where do Gospel Communities Meet?
How to join a Gospel Community?
Since true community is relational by nature, the best way to join a Gospel Community is to connect with members of some Gospel Communities to determine which Gospel Community will fit best.
Note: Because we are just starting as a church we have not yet launched our Gospel Communities. Currently we are shaping a team of people through our Saturday study. Out of that team we will begin forming multiple Gospel Communities. Also Eric and Coleen Phillips are hosting a "pilot" Gospel Community every Thursday. If you are interested in participating in the formation of one of our Gospel Communities please visit our Saturday evening study or contact us at info@eastendecclesia.org.
Articles on Gospel formed missional community and E3's vision for Gospel Communities.
Articles coming soon!
