Denver Network Meeting 11/13/09

Meeting took place at Denver Seminary with about 25 people. After pizza (thanks, Susan!) we broke up into three regional groups – west, north and east. We checked in with each other (SASHET) in our groups and then spent time listening to the Lord. “What do You want to say to us about Denver?” After the listening time, each person shared what they had heard. As they shared, a picture began to emerge like the pieces of a puzzle coming together. The following is a compilation of what we heard. Perhaps this is a sort of prophetic message about Denver. Please weigh this (question, add to, change, etc.).

Comment: No one came to the Meeting with an agenda for Denver. The agenda (or picture) emerged out of a group of people connecting with each other on the heart level and out of listening to the Lord together.

The unifying picture was of the city of Denver covered with beautiful flowers. The picture and the flowers were marked by being very fresh, crisp and clear.

Currently the seeds for those flowers are under the ground but they are beginning to pop up. A few at first but then more with increasing regularity. Like popcorn beginning to pop. The seeds will multiply 30, 60 and 100 fold. Small and simple but result in viral multiplication.

The sense was that the flowers were not just house churches but regional networks of house churches. That tonight as we break into three groups for the first time is just the beginning of the multiplication of these groups. The day will come when there will be groups like this all over the city.

Some of the regional networks (flowers): Golden, Thornton, Commerce City, Aurora, Parker, Centennial, Arvada, Wheatfield, Highlands Ranch, Five Points, University Park, Littleton, Englewood, Glendale, etc.

Next step.

Sean had a strong exhortation to us about this. See his notes. Genuine honest heart level sharing. SASHET as a spiritual discipline to help with this. Each regional group (North – Hobby, East – Sean, West – Nick) will plan to meet monthly for the next two months (Dec and Jan). Quarterly meeting in Feb (Susan).

What would seminary and leadership training look like done the “house church way?” Listen to co-founder Jan Cowles talk about “School on the Way.” It exists to train and release teachers for the purpose of equipping house churches for the spontaneous expansion of healthy homes of Jesus within walking distance of every person in Colorado. Click here to view their website.

People of every age, race, and class. Leaders from Virginia, Denver, Chicago, Oregon, Boston, Colorado Springs, Ottowa, L.A., Maryland, San Francisco, and… Southeast India.

“I don’t want to plant churches. Jesus said ‘I will build my church’ and he’s a lot better at it. I would rather build families, because we know the church is not somewhere we go, something we do…it is who we are.”
That is my quote/paraphrase of the opening remarks of the facilitator.

I have long desired one family under our Father, yet have seen divisions along racial, theological, denominational, and class lines.

Father, thank you for work in simple churches, small communities of faith…families which are laying aside the old divisions under the headship of Jesus Christ.

Brian