ReNew DC represents a group of church bodies that started with Church of the Resurrection on Capital Hill. Resurrection meets in the same rented historic church building, near the Library of Congress, that it began in seven years ago. Two additional church bodies have grown out of Resurrection, with two more on the way.
Dan Claire began his planting when he moved to Washington D.C. in 1999 with his family. Claire realized that many of the churches in the city seemed “asleep or dead.” He even ended up traveling 45 minutes to the suburbs with his family for worship. Claire also noted the “neighbors seemed unmoved by a Christianity largely absent from the city and its spiritual and social concerns.” He knew that something needed to be different. He sensed that God was calling him to do something in the city. This call was to find renewal in D.C. by establishing smaller churches throughout the city.
ReNewDC’s simple website may follow their theory that they are all simply Christian. They note that simple means that they are giving priority to the beliefs and practices that unite all Christians. They note that to be missional is to be simple. If you are curious what it means to be missional or the missional church, check out this video that I posted earlier.
Dan Claire began his planting when he moved to Washington D.C. in 1999 with his family. Claire realized that many of the churches in the city seemed “asleep or dead.” He even ended up traveling 45 minutes to the suburbs with his family for worship. Claire also noted the “neighbors seemed unmoved by a Christianity largely absent from the city and its spiritual and social concerns.” He knew that something needed to be different. He sensed that God was calling him to do something in the city. This call was to find renewal in D.C. by establishing smaller churches throughout the city.
ReNewDC’s simple website may follow their theory that they are all simply Christian. They note that simple means that they are giving priority to the beliefs and practices that unite all Christians. They note that to be missional is to be simple. If you are curious what it means to be missional or the missional church, check out this video that I posted earlier.
We often think that to be the church it mean to be difficult or complex. We may not use that language, but think of all the things that churches do in order to have people hear the story. My list covers a lot of things that members of the congregation think sound great, but the reality is they are not taking the time to think of the needs of the community. And they are often very complex.
ReNewDC made it a priority to look around at what does the community need. They do not need another mega church. The community needs simple. Simple supports the churches focus on what can we learn from the gospel that is essential — worship, discipleship and community. Simple also means that they are giving priority to beliefs and practices that unite all Christians.
Simple enough? Maybe. It is the simple word simple that I cannot wrap my head around. It could be that I am the furthest thing from simple. Those who know me agree. So what is about being simple?
I thought it maybe helpful to begin to define what it means to be simple. It was not the definition itself that was helpful but the origin of the word. The origin of simple is Middle English. In the noun sense, simple was originally referred to as a medicine made from one constituent, especially from one plant.
Now the idea of the church being simple makes sense.
I’d like to think that the church is made from one constituent, the life, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. In theory we can say it is simple, but how do we keep it simple. Or better yet, how do we keep the church missional.
I think it is hard. Okay, I know it is hard. Claire shares a really interesting point that it would be much more efficient for there to be one congregation, instead of three smaller ones. One congregation would mean one person preaching, instead of three or just one nursery team instead of three. He then makes an important point, “But healthy churches are inefficient, because relationships are inherently inefficient.”
So maybe our goal is to be simple but inefficient. It is completely crazy but Claire has realized that the efficient way to do church does not work. The church in the city is unique. But it’s uniqueness does not call for complexity. It is a call for something we all need — worship, community and discipleship.
Why would I visit:
I’d initially be drawn to one of the churches from ReNew DC because they are small, I’m a serious skeptic of community within larger congregations. Claire says that there are things that Resurrection cannot do because they are small. The ReNew DC network allows for some more dreaming and ministry to happen. This really resinates in my current position. I work in three congregations with Children, Youth and Families. I think we all realize that there are things we cannot do on our own because we are limited by size. But what does ministry look like if we begin to do some of this together.
I am also be intrigued by the fact that they did not just decide to plant a church, but spent time in the city to realize the needs of the community. ReNewDC is not sitting silently in a church building. They have partnered with other organizations, including Capital Hill Baptist, to have a voice in the political realm.
I have been very naive when it comes to church plants. I have lived in this reality that people plant churches in order to take people away from other churches. This could be because they want to save souls or they think they are better, but Claire said something that is really important for those who are unaware of plants to know — “If you are coming from another church here in D.C., please have your pastor give me a call first,” Claire says. “Our relationship with other churches here in the city is more important than where individual Christians worship.” It shows that that relationship piece is not just inside of the church doors. It allows us to see that we cannot be Christian on our own. We need each other. This simple community also includes others of different congregations and bodies.
What can they tell us about urban community in five words/phrases:
1. simple
2. missional
3. small-intimate community
4. diverse
5. assessing the needs of the neighborhood
Information was taken from:
Church of the Resurrection - Washington, DC
The Gospel Coalition— TO Renew D.C..: Church Planting in the Nation’s Capital
ReNewDC: Seeking the City to Come
Simple enough? Maybe. It is the simple word simple that I cannot wrap my head around. It could be that I am the furthest thing from simple. Those who know me agree. So what is about being simple?
I thought it maybe helpful to begin to define what it means to be simple. It was not the definition itself that was helpful but the origin of the word. The origin of simple is Middle English. In the noun sense, simple was originally referred to as a medicine made from one constituent, especially from one plant.
Now the idea of the church being simple makes sense.
I’d like to think that the church is made from one constituent, the life, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. In theory we can say it is simple, but how do we keep it simple. Or better yet, how do we keep the church missional.
I think it is hard. Okay, I know it is hard. Claire shares a really interesting point that it would be much more efficient for there to be one congregation, instead of three smaller ones. One congregation would mean one person preaching, instead of three or just one nursery team instead of three. He then makes an important point, “But healthy churches are inefficient, because relationships are inherently inefficient.”
So maybe our goal is to be simple but inefficient. It is completely crazy but Claire has realized that the efficient way to do church does not work. The church in the city is unique. But it’s uniqueness does not call for complexity. It is a call for something we all need — worship, community and discipleship.
Why would I visit:
I’d initially be drawn to one of the churches from ReNew DC because they are small, I’m a serious skeptic of community within larger congregations. Claire says that there are things that Resurrection cannot do because they are small. The ReNew DC network allows for some more dreaming and ministry to happen. This really resinates in my current position. I work in three congregations with Children, Youth and Families. I think we all realize that there are things we cannot do on our own because we are limited by size. But what does ministry look like if we begin to do some of this together.
I am also be intrigued by the fact that they did not just decide to plant a church, but spent time in the city to realize the needs of the community. ReNewDC is not sitting silently in a church building. They have partnered with other organizations, including Capital Hill Baptist, to have a voice in the political realm.
I have been very naive when it comes to church plants. I have lived in this reality that people plant churches in order to take people away from other churches. This could be because they want to save souls or they think they are better, but Claire said something that is really important for those who are unaware of plants to know — “If you are coming from another church here in D.C., please have your pastor give me a call first,” Claire says. “Our relationship with other churches here in the city is more important than where individual Christians worship.” It shows that that relationship piece is not just inside of the church doors. It allows us to see that we cannot be Christian on our own. We need each other. This simple community also includes others of different congregations and bodies.
What can they tell us about urban community in five words/phrases:
1. simple
2. missional
3. small-intimate community
4. diverse
5. assessing the needs of the neighborhood
Information was taken from:
Church of the Resurrection - Washington, DC
The Gospel Coalition— TO Renew D.C..: Church Planting in the Nation’s Capital
ReNewDC: Seeking the City to Come
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment