Discipleship

TMCC is focused on Discipleship.
For the Pastor, for the Elders, for the Leaders, for all attenders, and for those not yet connected.
This is the Core of what we do.
We will do our best to limit weekly Church activities that will preclude the ability of people to be in real discipleship each week.
Then service, fellowship, witnessing, missions, care giving, and the like will come from those disciples within those groups.
We are such a busy culture, that if we promote “good” activities throughout the week, they tend to then keep people from being able to commit to a good weekly discipleship group.
We must pick and choose how we set things up so we do not work against our main goals- to grow as disciples and develop leaders.
This is not easy to establish… but we are committed to this as our DNA Core.

Too many models create self defeating incentives to do maybe what is “good”… but not what is “best”. We believe discipleship is the best, and we aim to focus intensely on this.

Some models are indeed set to focus on small groups in a similar manner… yet sometimes appear to do this only to create an “easier” non-involved ministry lifestyle. This is exactly opposite of what it should promote. It should actually promote in depth ministry within real lives of real people as we connect deeply, progressing together, maturing as disciples.

We desire to make disciples. In this, the most “excellent” worship experience is not the main priority. Too many churches are currently competing to have the most “amazing” 1.5 hour worship experience… this promotes the idea that “this” is “Church”. Wow. The biggest stage, the most awesome worship band, amazing lights, multiple giant video screens, multiple “site” locations, an extremely costly ministry team,… all done quickly and done well… Compared to Church history… this is a very odd anomaly only possible in our fast pace, rich, impatient society.
We tend to want our “Church”, want it to produce goose bumps, want it to be quick, and want beautiful people to give it to us. Meanwhile… not connecting to too many people in the process as we race off to our favorite restaurant. Meanwhile… much of the world goes to bed hungry. More martyrs die for the faith now than ever. More congregations begin in mountanous Asia than any multi-site excellent contemporary church in North America.

All in love. All filled with self indictment. All from an imperfect author.
For His Kingdom…
Mark

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