Into the Unknown, one year later

 We launched our church plant two weeks ago. I get asked what kind of church it is. My husband is better at describing it in a nice little thesis-like sentence; he did go to school for theology so his words will always sound more eloquent than mine. I describe it as church that is in our house. It’s smaller, more intimate, and neighbor focused. It is intended to be smaller groups of people and a collection of house churches because some people feel more comfortable asking the tough questions within a group that they know and are familiar with. Smaller groups also creates intimate moments. It is all about doing life authentically with your neighbors you see at the park and the mailbox.  

I have had to really unchurch myself this past year. Let me tell you, I was not expecting that to be the hurdle I would be managing. Our house church (hosted at our house) is a group of families with two to three kids each ages ranging from two to twenty three. Trevor and I have the least number of children in this group, so you can imagine how loud it gets. Each house church will take on its own unique group of people. Ours just happens to be families this time around. Have you ever done worship with a two-year-old? It’s insane. They are tiny fast little humans that have a five second or less attention span. I am not kidding, the first time we had house church, our son went up and grabbed the shaker out of our best friend’s hand while he was also playing the Cajon before I could grab him. I have never seen our two-year-old groove so much! He shook that thing so hard and danced his little heart out in the middle of our living room with everyone singing. It gave a whole new meaning to worship for me, but also was different than what I was used to.

I grew up in the 90’s. You drove to church in your minivan, stood in pews, sang the words the choir was singing on the projector screen (no light show or fog machines), and above all, you stayed quiet and reverent. I got taken out of church a few times. You did not cause a scene because we were not at the Pentecostal church my grandparents ended up going to years later. You can bet your mom’s shoulder pads that my dress and tights matched my hair bow on Sundays, and everyday for that matter. I am not saying this version of church I grew up in was bad. It was great. I have fond memories of church. I loved going to church. I still love church. I would not be planting a church with a group of people out of my house if I did not have a passion for church or Jesus for that matter. Church just may need to change to keep up with the ever-evolving world and generations. My son’s generation is not my 1992 payphone, beeper, Lion King, pog, vacation bible school, Wednesday night larger than life youth group games, and Sunday School felt board generation. I do not think I want that for him either.

For me, 2021 is the year of the question “What should church be?” because Jesus never changes, society does. You walk into our house full of our families and it’s loud, it’s a tad chaotic, it’s a bit of a sensory overload. Let me tell you, it has created me into a more authentic person. My child has had melt downs because we do dinner and worship together during the time of the day where he tends to lose it. I am literally parenting during church in front of people as well as running the children’s ministry aspect of church. I used to be embarrassed the first few months of how out in the open parts of my life were and how not put together I seemed because I am managing my emotional toddler. Church is usually where you put forth the best image of yourself that you want out there, especially if you are in leadership. Maybe I have seen too much being behind the scenes of a “typical” church. Maybe it woke me up. It is like a seamless production. Everything from announcements, the paper bulletin, to the singing of four or five songs, to the sermon, to Sunday School Classes; It all runs smooth and it never changes. The sermon might change, but the pattern of church never has. If there are technical difficulties, the tech team is on it and the service goes back to an equilibrium. House church, not the case. If Carson is having a melt down or I forgot to empty the dishwasher and someone is trying to load dishes, it’s all right there. If you are cringing right now, squirming with uneasiness, welcome to where I was mentally Sunday 5pm May-June, 2021.

I love our church. I fell in love with it. We have met neighbors I probably would have never even had the chance to talk to. We have physically served our neighborhood. I have a group of people that really know me, truly know me. From my Type-A-ness to how my week went. It took me a bit, but I have chosen to hold nothing back and because of that, my church knows me. Our church is focused on discipling not just adults, but retired adults, young adults, pre-teens, young elementary, and preschoolers; I need that more than anything. I think God took this group and started something special that I hope the people who come and visit our church really appreciate and find unique too. Yes, my child is running around in sweat shorts and a Spider Man t-shirt holding fruit snacks, but please come in! We look ordinary, but I can tell you, this church and group is anything but ordinary.

There are a couple of things I used to do a few years ago when we went to a church at a building that recently I have stopped now that we do church at our house. I stopped dressing my son and I up so much on Sundays for several reasons. First off, this is our home and I want you to feel welcomed and relaxed when you come over. I do not want you to feel like you must be someone you are not. Also, I sit on the floor with preschoolers and our pre-teens. Some Sundays I am wearing shorts and a t-shirt. Second, I stopped playing the “spectacle” game of church. I am truly attempting to be as authentic as I can because no matter how well-put-together on the outside I look, I am not put together on the inside. I can assure you that. It is a friendly, open, not-stuffy environment that welcomes questions about Jesus, focuses on the foundation of what truly loving your neighbor is, and is creating Christ-like disciples where we live and what this all looks like in our current world.

        Here are some things I have learned from planting a house church this year:
  1.  God is a direction and the only direction of God is forward.
  2. When you live from being centered in Christ, you stop looking to the left and right to get a reference       of direction from other people.
   3. You find through Christ who you truly are when the “stuff” gets stripped away.
   4. There is stress, a bit of disruptiveness, and ambiguity of the new and blazing a path.
   5. There is a sense of freedom and joy that comes with new and following a call.

Trevor and Ryan found a central location for our fifth Sunday gatherings where all the House Churches will meet. We are launching a second House Church this week. Church planting is a huge learning curve, and I am not even in charge. There is a lot of trial and error. It takes a big team; we have a great one. It is a project two years in the making. There are times where I feel like I have no idea what I am doing with Children’s Ministry or what it even looks like in a house. I just know I need to be doing it. I have no idea what The Table, A House Church Network will look like next year, but I am still excited to find out. Our church is different to your typical church go-er. I think it is what our neighbors may need and what others may need. I know I need it.

Shalom,

Rachelle