Building Community Through Relational Discipleship in Christ
Summary
In our journey of church planting in Valley Ranch, we have embraced a model that prioritizes relationships and community over traditional structures. Our vision is not to be a church with small groups but a church of small groups, where the gospel is shared most effectively through deep, authentic relationships. We believe that the gospel moves powerfully along the pathway of relationships, and our gatherings are designed to feel like family meals, fostering a sense of belonging and community. This approach requires sacrifice and intentionality, but it has cultivated a culture where we live as a family in Christ, sharing meals and lives together.
Our mission is grounded in the vision of Revelation 5, where people from every tribe, tongue, and nation worship Jesus. We are committed to reaching the nations by reaching our neighbors, recognizing the unique opportunity we have in this diverse community. Our journey to Valley Ranch was marked by a season of burnout and brokenness, which God used to open our hearts to His calling. We realized the importance of being where God is already at work and joining Him in His mission.
Our church plant model is less traditional, focusing on long-term relational discipleship rather than starting with a large team and a formal service. We aim to fill the city with people who love Jesus, making disciples who will, in turn, birth a church. This process is slower and more relational, but it allows us to engage deeply with those who have no context for Christianity. We invite people to belong before they believe, creating spaces where they can encounter the gospel through our lives and community.
Key Takeaways:
- Relational Discipleship: Our church model emphasizes building deep relationships as the foundation for sharing the gospel. We believe that the gospel moves most effectively through authentic connections, where people can see and experience the love of Christ in action. [01:12]
- Vision of Revelation 5: Our mission is inspired by the vision of every tribe, tongue, and nation worshiping Jesus. We are committed to reaching the nations by engaging our diverse community, recognizing the unique opportunity to introduce people to Jesus. [04:18]
- Journey of Obedience: Our path to Valley Ranch was marked by a season of burnout and surrender, where God used our brokenness to guide us to His calling. We learned the importance of being open to where God is already at work and joining Him in His mission. [07:38]
- Belonging Before Belief: We invite people to belong to our community before they believe, creating spaces where they can encounter the gospel through our lives. This approach allows us to engage with those who have no context for Christianity, showing them the love of Christ through our actions. [22:18]
- Community Engagement: Our strategy involves engaging with the community through ordinary activities with gospel intentionality. By meeting people where they are, in parks and recreational spaces, we build relationships that become bridges for sharing the gospel. [39:45]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:11] - Introduction and Busy Day
[00:56] - Church of Small Groups
[01:27] - Family Meals and Sacrifice
[02:11] - Discovery Bible Study
[03:14] - Vision from Revelation
[05:02] - Journey to Valley Ranch
[07:38] - Season of Burnout and Surrender
[10:06] - Finding God's Work in Texas
[13:40] - Valley Ranch Calling
[15:54] - Praying for Clarity
[19:22] - Church Plant Model
[22:18] - Belonging Before Belief
[26:42] - Impact of EVC Go
[29:17] - Growth and Multiplication
[34:03] - Future Goals and Vision
[39:45] - Community Engagement Strategy
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Revelation 5:8-12
- Matthew 28:19-20
- Acts 17:26-27
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Observation Questions:
1. What is the significance of the imagery in Revelation 5:8-12, and how does it relate to the vision of every tribe, tongue, and nation worshiping Jesus? [03:14]
2. How does the sermon describe the church's approach to community and relationships, and what are some specific practices mentioned that support this model? [01:12]
3. What role does the concept of "belonging before belief" play in the church's mission, and how is it implemented in their community gatherings? [22:18]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the importance of being where God is already at work, and what examples are given of this principle in action? [10:06]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. In what ways does the vision of Revelation 5 inspire the church's mission to engage with a diverse community, and how does this align with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20? [04:18]
2. How does the church's model of relational discipleship challenge traditional church structures, and what are the potential benefits and drawbacks of this approach? [20:01]
3. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between personal brokenness and openness to God's calling, and how might this apply to individual spiritual journeys? [07:38]
4. How does the church's strategy of community engagement through ordinary activities reflect the principles found in Acts 17:26-27, and what impact does this have on their mission? [39:45]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own community involvement. How can you incorporate gospel intentionality into your everyday activities, similar to the church's approach at Simmeron Park? [39:45]
2. Consider the idea of "belonging before belief." How can you create spaces in your life where people feel welcomed and valued, even if they don't share your faith? [22:18]
3. Think about a time when you experienced burnout or brokenness. How did that season open you to new directions or callings from God, and how can you remain open to His guidance now? [07:38]
4. Identify a diverse group or individual in your community. What steps can you take to build a relationship with them, and how might this relationship become a pathway for sharing the gospel? [04:18]
5. How can you contribute to a culture of relational discipleship in your church or small group, and what specific actions can you take to deepen relationships within your faith community? [01:12]
6. Reflect on the vision of Revelation 5. How does this vision shape your understanding of worship and mission, and what practical steps can you take to align your life with this vision? [03:14]
7. Consider the sermon’s emphasis on being where God is already at work. How can you discern where God is moving in your life and community, and what actions can you take to join Him in His mission? [10:06]
Devotional
Day 1: The Power of Relational Discipleship
Building deep, authentic relationships is the cornerstone of sharing the gospel effectively. In a world where connections can often be superficial, the church in Valley Ranch has embraced a model that prioritizes genuine relationships over traditional structures. This approach allows the gospel to move powerfully along the pathway of relationships, where people can see and experience the love of Christ in action. By fostering a sense of belonging and community, the church creates an environment where individuals can encounter the transformative power of the gospel through the lives of others. This intentional focus on relational discipleship requires sacrifice and commitment, but it cultivates a culture where believers live as a family in Christ, sharing meals and lives together. [01:12]
1 Thessalonians 2:8 (ESV): "So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us."
Reflection: Who in your life can you invest in more deeply this week, sharing not just the gospel but your life as well?
Day 2: Embracing the Vision of Revelation 5
The mission of the church in Valley Ranch is inspired by the vision of Revelation 5, where people from every tribe, tongue, and nation worship Jesus. This vision drives the church to engage with their diverse community, recognizing the unique opportunity to introduce people to Jesus. By reaching their neighbors, they aim to reach the nations, understanding that the gospel transcends cultural and linguistic barriers. This commitment to diversity and inclusion reflects the heart of God, who desires all people to come to know Him. The church's mission is a reminder of the global nature of the gospel and the call to be a part of God's redemptive work in the world. [04:18]
Revelation 7:9 (ESV): "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands."
Reflection: How can you actively engage with someone from a different cultural background this week to share the love of Christ?
Day 3: Journey of Obedience and Surrender
The journey to Valley Ranch was marked by a season of burnout and brokenness, which God used to open hearts to His calling. This experience taught the importance of being where God is already at work and joining Him in His mission. It is a reminder that God often uses our struggles and weaknesses to guide us to His purposes. By surrendering to God's leading, the church found clarity and direction in their mission. This journey of obedience is a testament to the transformative power of surrendering to God's will and trusting Him to work through our brokenness. [07:38]
2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Reflection: What area of your life do you need to surrender to God, trusting Him to work through your weaknesses?
Day 4: Belonging Before Belief
The church in Valley Ranch invites people to belong to their community before they believe, creating spaces where individuals can encounter the gospel through the lives of believers. This approach allows the church to engage with those who have no context for Christianity, showing them the love of Christ through actions and relationships. By prioritizing belonging, the church creates an environment where individuals can explore faith at their own pace, experiencing the gospel in a tangible way. This model challenges traditional notions of church membership and emphasizes the importance of community and acceptance in the journey of faith. [22:18]
Romans 15:7 (ESV): "Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God."
Reflection: How can you create a welcoming space for someone in your life who is exploring faith, allowing them to belong before they believe?
Day 5: Engaging the Community with Gospel Intentionality
The church's strategy involves engaging with the community through ordinary activities with gospel intentionality. By meeting people where they are, in parks and recreational spaces, the church builds relationships that become bridges for sharing the gospel. This approach emphasizes the importance of being present in the community and using everyday interactions as opportunities to demonstrate the love of Christ. By living out their faith in practical ways, the church creates opportunities for meaningful conversations and connections that can lead to spiritual transformation. [39:45]
Colossians 4:5-6 (ESV): "Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."
Reflection: What is one ordinary activity you can do this week with gospel intentionality to engage with someone in your community?
Quotes
So for us these these groups that meet in homes really are kind of the lifeblood of our of our church planning strategy of our discipl making process um really do believe firmly that the gospel moves most effectively on the pathway of relationships and so we want to we want to build deep relationships where uh the gospel rubs against our unbelief. [00:00:56]
Our heart is that as we engage people with the gospel here that there would be people from different tribes tries and different tongues uh and different nations that worship Jesus and so that really grounds us it's like we want the Nations to be introduced and to worship Jesus um and so we we believe that Jesus is Worthy of the worship Jesus is Worthy to be named. [00:04:23]
Our journey to Valley Ranch has been crazy um again it started really with a desire uh long ago over a decade ago now to just follow Jesus into unreached places and so that started in Portland Oregon like I thought maybe God was calling us to Portland, um and then uh I married a Filipino who grew up in Korea and then spent her teenage years uh in America. [00:05:06]
We live right now in a time when the nations are flooding to us and so that command in Matthew 28 where Jesus says like Go Make Disciples of the Nations like we live in such a unique time that there are there are people in this community right here who can get on a plane from an unreached people group and they can fly to Dallas Fort Worth and they build their lives here and we have an opportunity to tell them about Jesus. [00:06:00]
The Lord really used this season of burnout and Brokenness to like pry my hands open and to say okay Jesus like our yes is on the table wherever you take us and so that led us to like the least expected place which is Dallas Fort Worth I literally told a large group of people uh we we were doing an internship in Portland but we had to come to Dallas for a conference. [00:07:44]
Our church plant model specifically like we we kind of came to the area with the philosophy that the mission determines your methods and so um we just realize that there's a distinct need for like Long View relational discipl making and so the way I would describe it is like um instead of like starting a church service starting with a team of 50 people or whatever whatever it may be. [00:19:56]
We want to create U not really create uh we want to we want to invite people into our everyday spaces um and and the way we like to say it is we want to call people to belong before they behave like we want them we we want our our discipl making to start with really what Jesus said like the the world will know that you're my disciples by your love for one another. [00:22:18]
We believe that change and transformation comes from um yeah not not calling people to behave in a certain way uh but to belong to Jesus and if we're going to call people to belong to Jesus um we want them to see how they can belong to this community of of faith. [00:26:42]
We want to see gospel saturation like we we want every man every woman every boy every girl to encounter the good news of Jesus Through the people of Jesus as they love their neighbors and as they bear witness verbally to Christ and so I would even want it like to the point where like all of my neighbors can't get away from the message of Jesus and the people of Jesus. [00:36:40]
One of the ways that we've just wanted to do the work of sharing the gospel is that we just go to like places we're already going to go and that we just we're intentional with the gospel uh we're intentional to build relationships so one of those places is like simmeron Park where I first landed when we got here and now I live across from it. [00:39:45]
Recreation is where you get to really build friendships and friendships really become the bridges that you can move the truth of the Gospel across so we've done things like uh somebody from our our home group says hey we're going to go play volleyball and we're going to invite some of our neighbors to play volleyball um do you guys want to come with us. [00:41:17]
We don't just build relationships to build relationships um we really want these people to know Jesus but at the same time we don't want to build relationships with like alterior ulterior motives like we we want to love people as they are where they are like Jesus did like Jesus met people where they were he saw them as human beings not as projects and then he loved them specifically and that's that's really our heart. [00:49:57]
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