The Shift

Since 2019, Graceway has been leaning into deeper community, seeking what it might look like to hone in on the pillars that the Scripture emphasizes over all.  In our effort to be and make disciples, we realize that discipleship happens in community rather than in a seat.  The truths imparted from God's Word need a place to be practiced, wrestled through, and experienced, both by and in the community of believers. 

With this perspective, in early 2020 we made a huge shift in hour expression of being the church.  We moved from Sunday service-centric church to a number of smaller community based groups.  It was a major transition in that gathering this way is neither a cultural norm, nor is it born out of necessity.  We simply felt the Spirit prompting us in this direction, and so we went for it.  The small group gatherings are built upon what we see in Acts 2:42, where it clearly states the pillars of the early church: devotion to Scripture, Partnership, Sharing Meals, and Prayer. Because our small group gatherings are built on these four  simple pillars, they are easily practiced in various ways, locations, and times.  Through a process of learning and adapting, we have come to realize that deeper community and discipleship is not the only reason we have been led to gather in this way.  

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Mobile Church

Gathering in smaller groups has also created opportunities to rethink where we meet and how we meet.  Put simply, it has challenged us to think more missionally.  Because our small group gatherings are built on four  simple pillars, they are easily practiced in various ways, locations, and times, and numbers of people.  For this reason, we have given these gatherings the name "Mobile Church."  We seek the Lord as he raises individuals up with a burden to start new mobile churches in new areas.

Jesus said that when the world sees Christians loving one another, they will be drawn to Him and come to know Him as their personal Savior.

So when someone is prompted to begin a mobile church, we identify a location based upon where the individual is being called to reach the area.  The question becomes, "Where is God prompting us to gather and thus expose our love for one another to our neighbors in that place?"  

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Depending upon the personality and gifting of the leader, and the context of the location, each mobile church has its own unique look and feel, yet maintains the same Spirit and Biblical pillars.  The intent of the mobile churches is to worship in community, and extend Christ's invitation to surrounding the neighbors.  We love engaging new people and hearing testimonies of how God continues to work in peoples lives!