The document discusses four essential questions about reality, the good life, and what it means to be a good person in the context of seeking the 'kingdom of God' as emphasized by Jesus. It critiques the decline of Christianity in England and advocates for 'inclusive communities' that engage practices of love, hospitality, and support among individuals, prioritizing relationships over traditional church structures. The path forward is framed as living joyfully and authentically within these communities while focusing on meaningful interactions rather than institutional agendas.

2. What is OUR
“Bullseye?”

3. Four great questions with which everyone
must wrestle...
1.) what is reality?
2.) what is the good life?
3.) who is a good person?
4.) how do you become a good person?
We must not stop wrestling with these
questions.

4. • The key understanding, as Disciples of
Jesus, is HIS PRIMARY TEACHING…
“The Kingdom of God.” (list the many references he gave)
Matthew 6:31-33
– 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we
eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall
we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all
these things, and your heavenly Father knows
that you need them. 33 But seek first his
kingdom and his righteousness, and all these
things will be given to you as well.

5. “The Kingdom of God.” defined…
• So what does it mean to “Seek first the
Kingdom of God”???
– Where is He?
– What is He up to?
– Where is His heart?
“God’s activity in our World. It is His
“reigning”… His “ruling” and His
ACTIVE and LOVING involvement in
the World.”

6. Word #2 = AMONG.
John 1:14
14 The Word became a human
and lived AMONG us. We saw his
glory -- the glory that belongs to
the only Son of the Father -- and
he was full of grace and truth.

7. 20 So he got up and went to his
father. “But while he was still a long
way off, his father saw him and was
filled with compassion for him; HE
RAN to his son, threw his arms
around him and kissed him.
Luke 15:20

8. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of
Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth.
“Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up
and followed him. 15 While Jesus was having
dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors
and sinners were eating with him and his
disciples, for there were many who followed
him. 16 When the teachers of the law who
were Pharisees saw him eating with the
sinners and tax collectors, they asked his
disciples: “Why does he eat with tax
collectors and sinners?” 17 On hearing this,
Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who
need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come
to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Mark 2:14-17

9. 35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples,
“LET US GO OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE.” 36 Leaving
the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in
the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A
furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the
boat, so that it was nearly swamped…1 They went
across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When
Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit
came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the
tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even
with a chain… 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he
ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at
the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus,
Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture
me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man,
you impure spirit!”…18 As Jesus was getting into the
boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged
to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go
home to your own people and tell them how much the
Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on
you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the
Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the
people were amazed.

10. Structure MUST follow Values.

12. Results from the
2011 census
showed that the
total number of
people in England
and Wales who
described
themselves as
Christian fell by 10
per cent from
2001.

13. Those who say they have no
religion number 49 per cent of
the population.

14. “In 1851 between 40% and
60% of the British
population attended
church, falling to 12% in
1979, and a figure of 7.5%
in 1999.”

15. “The effect of secularisation
has put us as an institution on
the fringe away from the centre
where our time worn
methodology has been
designed & honed.”

16. “We cannot dig a hole over
there by digging this hole
deeper.”
- Alan Hirsch

17. “He who rejects change is
the architect of decay. The
only human institution
which rejects progress is
the cemetery.”
- Harold Wilson

18. “The dogmas of the quiet past are
inadequate to the stormy present.
The occasion is piled high with
difficulty, and we must rise with the
occasion. As our case is new, we
must think anew and act anew.”
- Abraham Lincoln

20. Most non-Christians (67%) in England know a
practising Christian – and that person is most
likely to be a friend (40%) or family member
(34%).

21. "What our friends need is “flesh.”
(Not “church” but “The Church.”)
John 1:14
14 The Word became a human and lived
AMONG us. We saw his glory -- the glory that
belongs to the only Son of the Father -- and he
was full of grace and truth.

22. "Nothing is more difficult to carry out,
nor more doubtful of success, nor
more dangerous to handle, than
achieving a new order of things."
-- Niccolo Machiavelli

23. Church separate from Society…

25. “The” Church “AMONG” Society…

27. What are the non-negotiables that need to be re-
interpreted for our context?
• Community is the witness to the Gospel.
• Breaking down individualism.
• … fishing with Nets not Lines.
• “AMONG” is the key missional value &
structure around which CV rotates
• Breaking down consumerism.
• Sunday = Refuel. Reconnect. Re-envision.
• “Provoking Spiritual curiosity thru “Hearing
& Doing” NOT pursuing agendas or
“building church.”
• Hospitality and Generosity as tools to dismantle Materialism.
– Listening, Living Among & Loving without Strings
• Planes have two wings.
• “A congregational network of incarnational Inclusive
Communities.”
• Friendship not project.

28. The Path Forward…
• “Inclusive” Communities… ‘AMONG.’
Your Typical Church Small
Group
-- Connection
-- Growth
-- Support
A Good Thing!!
BUT not The Goal.

29. The Path Forward…
• “Inclusive Communities”
These ADD the rhythm
of eating, celebrating,
Supporting, loving and
“Doing Life’s Journey”
with One Another’s
Friends/Family who do
not Know God or Do
Church.
It is a MOBILISED and
INCLUSIVE Small
Group Community!!
5-20
people
15-45
people
(up to 70)
e.g. CV Gospel Choir!

30. The Path Forward…
• “Inclusive Communities”
5-20
people
15-45
people
(up to 70)
For this to work
Circle 1 needs to
be accessible to
Friends who
become
“Curious”… Are
ours?

31. • A beautiful picture of “HOW”…
Joy.
“a pervasive sense of well-being.”
What if we ‘knew’ Joy? What if while we lived
“among” our friends and neighbours we oozed a
real, and pervasive experience of Joy?
How?
In His Presence! In the Kingdom!
Learn to live our lives in His Kingdom.

32. 17 …for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking
(rules), but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy
Spirit (The Kingdom of God).
Romans 14:17
 Righteousness = state of one who is as they ought to be
 Peace = the tranquil state of an assured soul and so fearing nothing
from God; one who is content with their lot in life.
 Joy = Gladness.

33. Circle
#1
Circle #2

34. “Christianity is designed to be a
people’s liberation movement, a social
force, a viral idea passing from person
to person through the medium of gospel
and discipleship, creating gospel
communities in its wake.”

35. How?
1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but
do not have LOVE, I have become a noisy gong or a
clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and
know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all
faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have LOVE,
I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed
the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do
not have LOVE, it profits me nothing. 4 LOVE is patient,
LOVE is kind and is not jealous; LOVE does not brag
and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does
not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into
account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in
unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all
things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all
things. 8 LOVE never fails; but if there are gifts of
prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues,
they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done

36. The Path Forward…
• “Inclusive Communities”
5-20
people
15-45
people
“Loving the
City”
Together.