S2/E1 - Community Groups

As we begin a new season of the Church Plant podcast, The Fields is entering a new season of ministry with their launch of community groups.  It’s the summer of 2025, The Fields is 2 ½ years old, and this is going to be a significant change.  To open the second season of Church Plant, Pastors Mike and Chris sit down to discuss some of the reasons for this change, some of the challenges community groups often face, and the vision for the first iteration of these groups.  Follow us as this season unfolds.SHOW NOTES:"Contemplation" - a sermon by Tim Kellerhttps://podcast.gospelinlife.com/e/contemplation/

Every church designs their worship services differently.  Some feel very "high church" with a lot of readings and movement, while others feel very casual.  As Mike and Chris launch The Fields Presbyterian Church, key decisions have to be made on how this new church will worship together.

Often we think of building community as events centered around the institution of the church.  But scripture calls us to have margin in our lives to show brotherly love to others.  This isn't something you can manufacture, but must be done out of a heart that has been transformed by God's hospitality--his love for us when we were strangers and outcasts.  Today, Mandy McBride joins our conversation as we talk about the importance of authentic community in a church plant.

The gospel commends certain aspects of our culture, but challenges others.  Through the gospel, people who once found their self-worth in their performance or success are transformed to find that they are immeasurably valuable because of who God says they are.  This is an important reality for every person, even for pastors who preach this week after week.

Launching a church in the suburbs means kids... and lots of them!  But how does a new church care for kids and families when resources are limited?  What does the Bible say about the role of kids in the church and how does this affect the way we should handle ministry to kids?  In today's episode, Kids' Ministry Director Amber Lotz joins Mike and Chris to talk about the Fields Presbyterian Church's philosophy for kids and family ministry.

As the launch team of The Fields Presbyterian Church approached their target launch date, they still had not yet secured a location in which to meet.  But like every other need, the Lord provided the perfect place for this new church to worship together just in time.  Today, Mike and Chris talk about what happened as they began to meet together in their new space.

Every church ought to be discipling people, but how its done can vary.  At The Fields Presbyterian Church, discipleship has been on Mike and Chris' minds since day one and they want to launch the church with a strong discipleship program in place.  But this discipleship program seems to go against the grain of what most evangelical churches are doing right now. This episode is largely for the members of the launch team of The Fields, but it also has wider application for the evangelical Christian church as we consider together how best to fulfill the great commission in our culture and context.

A new church must give its prospective congregants a picture of what the church will be like.  Typically this is called "Vision Casting."  But instead of casting a vision for a new church, what if we gave people the gospel and let God's Word do its work in people's lives?  Wouldn't that paint a better picture of what the church should be about?  In this episode, Mandy McBride joins Mike and Chris to talk about the "Gospel In The Heart" Bible studies we've been using to gather people and help people to see the focus of this new church.

Few things are more daunting or paralyzing than coming up with a name.  This week, Mike and Chris talk about the process of naming the church plant and finally reveal the new name.

Everything costs money. While the gospel is free, starting up a new church comes with a cost. Where did Mike and Chris find funding for their new church? What does the need for funding teach the people of a new church about dependence on God?