I'm writing a little later today because we just got back to Goldsboro. It's great to be home!

Now, back to stategic environments... To create environments where...

...people are challenged to grow more like Christ through continuing service and discipleship. The bottom line in many churches is that people are evangelized (or told the good news of Christ). Not to downplay evangelism, but if all we do is inform people about how to know Christ, we are doing Him a disservice. We must also create environments where those who have come to know Christ, learn to grow more like Him. Gateway has and will continue to provide two separate environments for discipleship. The environment of voluntary service and the life group setting. The volunteer environment is our attempt to live out Jesus' words that the greatest among his disciples would be the servant of all. Unfortunately, many churches are peopled with those who want to be served, not those who want to serve. Shame on them, but shame on the church that tolerates such behavior. No one has ever grown to be more like Christ by doing nothing. Therefore, we will provide a volunteer environment where people can be the servant leaders God has called them to be in whatever area God has gifted them for--preschool, children, students, hospitality, clerical, etc. Providing this environment requires vision, training, follow-up, accountability, and appreciation. This can be tough, but the rewards will pay huge dividends for the Kingdom--through Gateway--in the the future. We want to produce such visionary, dedicated, and appreciated volunteers that are not only growing to be more like Christ through their service, but are "infecting" those around them with the volunteer spirit. Don't you wanna be an "infectious" volunteer?

In addition to the volunteer environment for growing disciples, Gateway also provides the life group setting. One of the primary goals of Gateway Community Church is to have all of our members involved in a life group. More about that later...

...we grow disciples, not converts; followers instead of spectators; contributors rather than consumers. Now a lot of that statement speaks to what we covered above and what will follow in our life group discussion, but here is another aspect. The last phrase reads, "contributors rather than consumers." "Contributors" includes, but is not limited to, finances. Let's be honest for just a moment about some of your financial statements. You're struggling. Statistically speaking, 70% of you live paycheck to paycheck. Some of you are not only floundering in debt, you're drowning in it! These facts have tremendous ramifications for the church. Churches struggle financially because their members struggle financially. Well instead of telling you to merely have more faith in your stewardship, what if we told you that Gateway is committed to helping you with your financial troubles? To do what our church is planning on doing will require your financial support and the first step to Gateway's financial health is taking care of your financial health. Therefore, in 2008, one of our environments will address your need, desire, dream (whatever you want to call it) of financial stability. Some of you have struggled with this for some time. 2008 will be the year that Gateway does something to help you end that struggle. Think about it... Your financial peace and the church's? It truly can be!!

That's enough to chew on for today... We'll talk about our kids and life groups tomorrow...

Thayer