How to Decentralize the Local Church for Community Impact | Jonathan Evans

In other words, you notice Uber, all of that has decentralized it to the people so the people can be blessed by the people and needs can be met all the time. If the church stays centralized, people are going to be waiting. Tell me, how is it that we have all these churches on all these corners with all these preachers and all these programs and all these Sunday mornings and all these youth groups and all these youth conferences and all these men's conferences and all these women's conferences and all these pastors and all and we still got all this mess. >> ((applause)) >> Because the people are in the church >> but are too idle.

((applause)) Jethro said that's not going to work ((music playing)) by itself. Yes, Moses is still there, but it can't be only that. We've got to move beyond that. So the world has figured it out, but you need to understand Christ figured it out first. >> As soon as Jesus said, "Go make disciples."

He decentralized the ministry to the people, which means it's your job and your opportunity to do so. Okay. So now let's talk about the Jethro model for the church and for us to advance the kingdom agenda. Kingdom agenda is THE VISIBLE DEMONSTRATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE rule of God over all of life.

It starts with you individually. It moves to the family. It moves to the church. And then it bursts out into the society. Last one. ((music playing)) We are the presence of Christ in the world. The world is supposed to see the king and see the kingdom through the church. The culture IS TO BE BETTER OFF BECAUSE OF THE PRESENCE OF THE CHURCH.

MATTHEW 5 SAYS YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH. MATTHEW 5 SAYS YOU ARE THE LIGHT of the world. That is the world is a piece of meat that is decaying. It desperately needs to be preserved by salt, illuminated by light. And he tells the church, you are it.

The church is the nursery of the kingdom, nursing this world with the goodness of God. THINGS SHOULD BE BETTER OFF WHEN there is a church in the neighborhood. ((applause)) And just in case you were unaware, there is a church in this neighborhood. ((cheering)) >> So things should be different because there is a church here. >> And we talked about the kingdom agenda since the 70s. the comprehensive rule of God over every area of life.

And so today we're going to discuss that vision of how we can impact the individual. The individual is connected to a family. That family is connected to a church and then it broadens and goes out to the entire community. And we got to do that as a kingdom community.

And you are a part of that. You are not called just to come sit and listen and just praise as a community. We are called to do that, but we're also called to go beyond that. >> And so, we're going to talk. Are y'all ready for a vision?

((applause)) >> Now, I want you TO KNOW HOW VITAL YOU ARE TO it because it's all of us. My dad would say it this way. If you're a messed up person >> and you belong to a family, >> you going to help contribute to a messed up family. If you're a messed UP PERSON THAT'LL CONTRIBUTE TO A MESSED up family and that family is a part of a neighborhood. >> That's right. >> And that messed up family just made its contribution to a messed up neighborhood. >> So if you're a messed up person which will contribute to a messed up family, that family contribute to a messed up neighborhood.

And that neighborhood is a part of the church. >> Then that messed up neighborhood just made its contribution to a messed up >> church. So if you're a messed up person, which will contribute to a messed up family, that family contributes to a mess messed up neighborhood, that neighborhood to a messed up church, and your church is supposed to be the light to the city, >> then your messed up church just made its contribution to a messed up city.

So if you're a messed up person which you contribute to a messed up family and that family contribute to a messed up neighborhood and that neighborhood to a messed up church which messes up the city and your city is a part of a state >> then your MESSED UP CITY JUST MADE ITS contribution to a messed up >> so if you're a messed up person which you contribute to a messed up family that family CONTRIBUTE TO A MESSED UP NEIGHBORHOOD neighborhood to a messed up church to a messed up city city to a messed up state and your state is a part of a country, ((cheering)) >> THEN YOUR MESSED UP STATE JUST MADE ITS CONTRIBUTION TO a messed up.

((cheering)) ((applause)) >> So if you're a messed up person, >> which will contribute to a messed up family, that family contribute to a messed up neighborhood. neighborhood to a messed up church, church to a messed up city, city to a messed up state, state to a messed up country, and your country is America and is a part of this world. >> THEN YOUR MESSED UP COUNTRY JUST MADE ITS CONTRIBUTION TO A messed up world.

So, >> if you want a better world, >> illuminated by better countries, >> inhabited by better states, enlightened by better cities, illuminated by better churches, inhabited by better neighborhoods because they got better families, then you better take your job seriously and start becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ.

It all starts with every individual in this room. ((applause)) That is the premise of the kingdom agenda where 10 people in 1976 sat around the table trying to figure out how to use the word to impact the world. Yeah. >> And now almost 50 years later, we get the privilege of being a part of that vision and being the people that get to sit in answered prayers.

I need you to know that a long time ago, my mom and dad were walking up and down the streets of Camp Wisdom between Pulk and Hampton. Come on. >> And where you're sitting used to just be grass, >> but they believed Joshua 1:3. Everywhere your foot treads, >> I have already given it to you just like I spoke before.

And so they treaded their feet up and down Camp Wisdom. And they prayed and believed in the vision that God had. And now we get to sit in it. So before I move forward, I have to say thank you to the shoulders that I stand on and for the faithfulness ((applause)) because you can ((applause)) you can start believing that the journey to experience the vision that we're in is easy.

Commitment is you being steadfast in what you said and what you believed >> long after the mood you said it in is gone. >> ANYBODY CAN TALK IT OUT, but we're sitting and walking it out. >> And so I got to say thank you. I need um um Reverend Thomas stand up.

One of our elders stand up. Your beautiful wife stand up. All of y'all stand. Okay. How long have you been at OCBF? 44 years. We're standing on his shoulders. ((applause)) Dr. Mercer is here. Stand up. How long have you been at OCBF? 45 years. ((applause)) >> These are examples of individuals who have been here since I was born.

I was born in 1981. Dr. Mercer showed up in 1980. In other words, I was depending on their faithfulness before I got here. >> There are people who are not here yet who will be depending on the faithfulness of this group. ((applause)) So today we're going to talk about the vision.

Now I need you to understand the vision is God taking you to future when you're standing in the present. >> In other words, he makes you look further than you can see. >> He may even make you a little nervous. How we going to do this and how we going to get there?

But today, we're going to paint a picture just like putting together a puzzle. YOU GET THE PICTURE ON THE BOX, but then you have to have the faith to pick up the pieces. >> It's going to be our job to get the picture, but to pick up the pieces as a community and start placing them appropriately so that we can see the picture in time.

That's what a vision is. So, what we're going to do is we're going to make it plain. Okay, >> we have to write the vision down >> and make it plain. >> Is that not what the word says? >> Now, I want you to put that up there so that they can see it.

Write the vision down and make it plain. >> Let me go back. There it is. We We in there. Now, the reason why Habc 2:2 tells you to write the vision down and make it plain is because as it continues in that verse, it says so that the reader can run with it. >> The goal is not for us today to hear a vision and then nothing happens. >> It's to hear a vision that's plain enough that we can understand so that we can run with it.

So, let me start by just making it plain. Are are y'all ready? First of all, >> y'all still Okay, you got your anticipation up? >> Okay, here we go. LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW TO MAKE IT PLAIN and who we are as a church. This is who we are as the church.

Our mission is to disciple the church to impact the world. >> Or as I like to say, building people for kingdom building. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Our job is to build PEOPLE FOR KINGDOM BUILDING. YOU ARE NOT HERE JUST TO BE SUCCESSFUL in the marketplace. >> God didn't create you just for you to get your shine on. >> HE DIDN'T CREATE YOU JUST FOR YOUR PERSONAL COMEUP. >> He is the king and this is his kingdom. >> Our job is to serve his purposes.

And you always know whether you're serving God's purposes is always determined by the impact that is there and that that you have. And so our job is to do that and to do that in a way that is biblically sound. And it's everybody's job in the room, not just me or not just my or not just the ushers or not just the parking lot.

It's everybody's job because at the end of the day, don't you two want to hear well done my good and faithful servant? ((applause)) >> If it's not plain enough, let me just give you some Bible. Matthew 28:19 says, "Go make disciples." Amen. >> Matthew 5:13-4 says, "You are the salt of the earth, and you are the light of the world." >> Mark 16:15 let you know to share the gospel throughout all creation. >> Yeah, y'all don't get it.

Second Timothy 2:2 says, "What you have heard, >> I need you to give it to faithful people so that they can teach others also." >> Acts 18, when the spirit comes upon you, You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and all over the earth. >> So our job is not just to take from God. >> Our job is to receive and then give from that which we have received. >> Is that plain enough? >> Now, we're going to talk about how are we going to do that?

Taking the kingdom agenda philosophy forward for the future of our church. The way that we're going to do that is through two primary anchors, church and school. >> I'm going to make it plain and I only want you to think about two things because when you have families, churches, and schools, you have a community.

And I don't know about y'all, but I grew up right here. So I I used to grow up going to Redbird Mall. There's something called at every mall anchor tenants. Anchor tenants are the big stores that have the signs on the outside that let you know that we got something for you.

When you come in through the anchor, then you experience everything else in the mall. So if we focus on the anchors, everything else will come. >> Amen. >> Okay. What are the anchors at Red Bird Mall? We had Sears. Y'all remember Sears? We had JC pennies. Don't add an S.

I said S. Why are we adding S's to stuff? [laughter] I'm about to go to Sonics. What's a Sonics? JC Pennies. What else do we have? Anybody know? What other anchors do we have? >> Foley's. >> I was young for that one. We had Dillards. In other words, in North Park, they got Neman's, they got >> Nordstrom's. >> In other words, they have these anchor tenants through which you get to come in and experience so much more.

These guys are going to be our anchor tenants that we're going to discuss today. We're talking about a vision and talking about how we're going to get it done. And it's going to come through our school and our church. Now I want to start today talking about our school.

In 1984 we started Fellowship Christian Academy which is known now as Kingdom Collegiate Academy. Kingdom Community. This was the thinking. Remember Disciple the Church to impact the world. If we can get kids from 18 months to 18 years old where they have the formidable mind and use English, math, science, and history as a tool to disciple the child 5 days a week, 10 months a year, we're on to something. >> ((applause)) >> 5 days a week, 10 months a year.

If we can get the kids in here and we can use the education system as a tool, not an endall, but as a tool for disciplehip, then we are starting with the formidable mind so that we can send them into the marketplace to make the money. But they got to have the master. >> Now, let me let me kingdom agenda you on this so that you understand what the thinking was.

If you're a doctor, you're not just a doctor. You're God's representative in the medical field so the medical field can see what God looks like when God helps hurting people. If you're a teacher, you're not just a teacher. You're God's representative in education so that the education system can see what God looks like when God teaches kids.

If you're a businessman or woman, you're not just a businessman or woman. You're God's representative in business so that the business world can see what God looks like when God cuts a deal. If you're a lawyer, you're not just a lawyer. You're God's representative in the bar association.

So the bar association can see what God looks like when God tries a case. In other words, you go into the marketplace, but if you GO INTO THE MARKETPLACE without the master, you still don't get no well done. IT DON'T MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY you make. So the goal in 1984, over 40 years ago, when we started the school, was to make sure that we're educating students with a kingdom frame of reference so that the kingdom can go into the marketplace when they go in there. >> So we weren't interested in just having teachers.

We were interested in having disciplers who teach. >> I call them diseducators. Like what's a diseducator? It's a disciper who brings their giftedness into that area of the marketplace to teach the kids. >> In a school, you have kids and kids have >> families. Kids and families make up a >> church. >> A church or yes, and a community.

When you have that every single day, 10 months a year, you have an opportunity to make an impact from a biblical perspective on kids gaining access to parents, gaining access to aunts and uncles, gaining access to to grandparents. And this school is connected to a church who which is another anchor to bring them into so much more.

And so it's a it's a catch for the community in the school. It has fellowship, Christian education, outreach, worship. All of those things are happening in our school. Do you know this year we had kids in the school cuz we can proilitize. It means share the gospel that accepted Jesus Christ and are ready to be baptized.

This is happening in a school. ((applause)) This is where kids spend 80% of their time is in school. So if 80% of their time is disciplehip, if 80% of their time is learning about Jesus Christ, if 80% of their time is taking prayer walks while they're getting their education and they're getting um that their parents are getting backup from the teachers, then it's not 80% of their time being educated, but experiencing foolishness.

So we wanted to create that environment. That was the thinking in 1984. You say, "Well, Jonathan, we already have that." That's what I said when the Lord put this on my heart. I said, "Lord, we already have that. I love it because we can impact lives every day and gain access to our whole community." >> Amen. >> With kingdom thinking.

So I watched a video that I'm about to show you and the Lord made me watch it three times. You're going to watch it once. And he said, "What do you see?" That's the question. ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) >> ((music playing)) >> Thank you. Have a wonderful field day. Jesus pray. Amen.

((music playing)) ((music playing)) I said, "Lord, I see impact. I see happy faces. I see teachers praying. I see coaches coaching. I see people um learning about Jesus Christ. I see education happening. I I see it." He said, "No, you don't see it." So he made me watch it again and I'm looking and I say, "I I see the same thing."

He said, "No, look at it again and then look deeper. Look past the people because I want to show you what the previous generation handed you." And so I looked past the people and then I saw a 100,000 square foot education center. Watch. That has engineering and robotics and scientific labs already in it.

That was already given to us. Built in 1999. It's been there. I said, I see 45 acres at the Dotto campus with three facilities, a baseball field, a soccer field, and room to build a football stadium. I said, I see a 150 acre golf course. Do y'all remember that little part of the video where the dude hit the golf ball? >> That's all he gave me.

And he said, um, most schools have golf teams. I gave you a golf course. >> ((applause)) >> And now I'm starting to think, look at what the faithfulness of God has brought you. >> Okay. ((applause)) I saw five full basketball gyms. I saw seven stages on our campus with full backline for creative arts.

I saw an amphitheater we just built last year. I saw a media center for internships and for kids to learn how to use media as if we aren't in that generation. >> I saw a credit union where they can learn finance and banking. ((applause)) >> I saw shopping centers for other internships and jobs during the summer as new businesses come in.

God said, "I've given you a school, >> and I've utilized the generation before you to give you resources for you to maximize the school you have." >> Okay, y'all don't. >> We have what no one has. What Christian school do you know connected to a church in the South? >> ((applause)) >> that can bring kids in to all of these resources. >> At that golf court, what went through my mind at that golf course there's a pool.

I said, "Yeah, these kids need to we need one of our classes need to make sure everybody can swim ((applause)) >> because we have the ability to teach in all of the details with the resources that he gave. He said, Jonathan, you have 500 kids, but you should have 2500 kids. >> Amen. >> In other words, he said with anchor number one to expand your impact and use what I gave you. >> And it's going to take the whole community of us in order to put the puzzle pieces together to experience impact of children, which means impact of parents, which means impact of families.

Because once they come through that anchor and get to know us, they're brought into so much more. >> He gave us the canvas. He gave us everything we need. And all he's telling us to do is have the faith to pick up the paintbrush and color between the lines. >> That's all I need you to do is have the faith to color between the lines in what I've already given you.

So he said, "What I'm calling you to do is go to a 5 to 6A Christian private school, utilizing all the resources I've given you, becoming the beacon of light in the south, making sure Christian education is brought to your community so that they can experience everything else that's in the Mall of the Kingdom, giving them the best in Christ character, the best in curriculum, the best in Christian culture, the best in competition and creativity, utilizing everything we have.

This is this is where we're going. Why is this a big deal? Cuz right now we've been given all the resources and we are a 1A. >> In other words, we are have yet to maximize and he's calling us to go up four points >> to our five or six to impact our community through Christian education.

Are you with me? Yes. >> Okay. This is why we're going to start the kingdom club because there are some of you in this audience that are like, "That's my thing." So, we're going to start the kingdom club where members of Oakliff Bible Fellowship cuz it's going to take a community can use their time, talents, and treasures to come alongside and say, "I want to see this vision all the way through." >> It can't just be a person given an idea.

It has to be a community of people deciding we're going to go do it and we're going to impact our community so that we can have these kids five days a week, 10 months a year and give them Christian education. That is time. Utilizing your time, reading to kids, organizing the library, using your time in order to serve in extracurricular activities or follow our sports teams.

And some of you may be uh trainers who can do different things like that. And so we're going to give an opportunity for the community to come alongside the only Christian private school with these resources in the South to give them to our kids for generations to come.

((applause)) But not only that, ((applause)) there's talents. We got some of you who are coming to church, but you're grant writers. We got more diseducators. We've got people who understand finance to the degree that they can start a financial club for our high school kids to teach them how to use money.

How do you graduate from school and you we don't know how to use money? Culinary classes that's already in the community where people can use their gifts to come teach these kids and give the gospel freely. >> And then there's treasures. My dad would say, "Make sure you say over and above tithes and offering.

These are for for businesses and individuals that say, "We want to see this through." Why? Because we want to make sure that we supplement to the degree that it is valuable yet affordable for the community you're trying to serve. We want to make sure that you can bring in when the when the need arises, you can honor your teachers with the best pay, but when the need arises, you can go get the best teachers cuz you have the best pay.

((applause)) >> And I don't believe in living in a box. God didn't create me that way. I want to be 10% better than every school in the metroplex cuz we're the kingdom. ((applause)) And so this gives us an opportunity to serve in this vision for generations to come because church, school, and family working together creates a community.

And 2500 kids equals another 1,500 parents, another thousand grandparents, another 2,000 extended family. And where do you think they're going to think about going to church >> to the people that are serving them? It all is an ecosystem of the kingdom. Our goal is to bring the kingdom to the community through Christian education for generations to come.

Did you get is that plain enough? >> ((applause)) >> Okay, now I hope you're ready because we have one more anchor to discuss, the individual family, the church, and the community running through these two anchors. We talked about the school, >> now let's talk about the church. ((cheering)) ((applause)) >> Okay.

Okay. Um, the church is not a building. ((applause)) >> That is the temple where the church goes to worship. >> You are the body of Christ. >> And the church has the same make it plain mission. Disciple the church to impact the world. Build people for kingdom building. That's why we're here. >> Okay.

This is the goal here. Here we go. Here we go. This is the goal. Every individual in the church should be known, loved, valued, spiritually developed, and commissioned. ((applause)) >> Let me say that again. ((applause)) Everybody >> in the church. >> That that means all of y'all. >> That's right. >> A church is supposed to know you, love you, >> value you, spiritually develop you, >> and commission you.

((applause)) >> That is the job of the church. >> John 13:35 says, "You will know that you are my disciples if you love one another." You can't love people you don't know. >> So, I have to know you in order to love you. To value you means not entitlement.

It has to do with the utilization of gifts. That you're able to bring your gifts to the table. THE CHURCH IS NOT JUST you coming to hear my gift. >> I am one gift as a part of the entire body of Christ. Everyone is supposed to utilize their gifts.

Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12 talks about the giftedness of the body where you bring your gifts to the table to edify the body and to go make disciples. It's not just to hear Myron's gift. He can sing a little bit or the other gifts when you arrive when people who are being ushers and all of the other gifts when you arrive.

It is for you to use your gift in order to experience your value as a part of the kingdom. Did you get that? >> Spiritual development. That's why we're here. Colossians 1:28 talks about teach everyone, presenting everyone in full maturity in Christ. >> The goal is spiritual development for purposes of God commissioning you to your leadership and what he's called you to do.

How in the world are we going to know everybody and love everybody when it's about 5 to 8,000 of y'all? How in the world do you not just do corporate worship when it's so many people? How in the world do people experience being known, loved, valued, spiritually developed so that they can be commissioned?

Okay. Um, can I take y'all to the Bible? >> The Bible tells you how you're supposed to do ministry. When the people were walking through the wilderness, >> Moses was judging the people all day and all night by himself. >> And then he ran into his father-in-law named Jethro.

And Jethro told him what you're supposed to do with a large congregation to make sure everybody's known, love, valued, spiritually developed so that all of their needs are met and they're able to be a part of what you're trying to accomplish. >> On their way to the promised land, on our way to a vision, we're going to have to talk about the Jethro model. >> Are y'all ready? >> Are you really ready? >> Okay.

Here we go. They put it up here big for me. And it came about the next day that Moses sat and judged the people. And the people stood before Moses from the morning until the evening. Now when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What are you doing?

What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand before you from morning until evening? Okay, watch. Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God." In other words, Moses said, "Because I'm the pastor."

So, the people come to me with their issues. when they have a dispute, it comes TO ME AND I JUDGE BETWEEN SOMEONE and his neighbor and make known the statutes and the laws. In other words, I I make known how this is supposed to work. And I do that myself.

Watch this. Moses father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good. You will surely wear out." >> Okay, let me just say what what I thought when I heard this. Y'all ain't going to kill me. That's That's what I thought. ((applause)) ((cheering)) ((applause)) I was reading the Bible laughing like, "Yeah, yeah, I agree, Jethro.

I agree. You will wear out. Watch both yourself and these people. >> The people will wear out waiting for their need to be met. Wear out waiting for the church to call. Wear out waiting for an opportunity to serve. Wear it out trying to wait for a call back because we're waiting for this one entity to do all of the work that's actually supposed to be given a lot further than just Moses.

Okay. Okay. Let's keep going. Y'all still with me? Listen to me. I WILL GIVE YOU COUNSEL AND GOD BE WITH YOU. You will be the representative before God and bring the disputes to God. Then admonish them about the statutes and the law and make known to them the way which they are to walk and the work they are to do.

That means Moses STAND IN FRONT OF THE GROUP AND tell them. WE DO THAT EVERY SUNDAY where you get the word from the preacher who's preaching and you understand the law and WHAT HE'S CALLING YOU TO DO. Watch this. Jethro did not give a problem without giving a solution.

He said, "Furthermore, watch, you shall select out of all the people, able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain, and you shall place these o as you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands of hundreds of 50s and tens." >> I said, Jethro, is this network marketing?

Jethro said, "What you're doing, Moses, is not good. >> You're taking all the burden from yourself. You're supposed to be watch finding leaders who you can develop in the congregation and place them over the people." ((applause)) >> The body of Christ is supposed to be a community work, >> not an individual work or a choir work or a singer work.

It is a community work where leaders come out of the congregation and then go help administer disciplehip to the people and as people are being discipled new leaders are turning out >> so that they can disciple more people which is how you impact the world. Jethro gave this model of ministry a long time ago. >> Okay.

Okay. Now let me go to the next one. Put it up. This means that Jethro was saying, I need you to put it up. I want everybody to see it. I want everybody to see it. Jethro was saying you need to teach >> other leaders. >> Okay. Is it up there yet?

Good in the congregation. I need you to teach other leaders. I need you to give them a roadmap for disciplehip. Send them to the people and let the leaders bear the burden with you. >> ((applause)) >> We can do corporate worship and we'll always do corporate worship. But if we don't go beyond that, we will get stuck at the capacity of Moses.

You won't be able to go beyond a person or church's capacity because the people have not been engaged. Once the people get engaged, it turns into something else. What he was saying is you have to have kingdom leaders who are coached by kingdom coaches and all of it is overseen by kingdom pastors. >> You have to decentralize yourself in order for the kingdom agenda to proliferate.

What he was saying is simple, okay? Let's make it plain. You have to move from centralized ministry to decentralized ministry. >> Okay? Are y'all still with me? >> Yes. You have to move from centralization to decentralization. Now, just so you can I can bring this down for you.

The world figured this out. >> They have decentralized almost every centralized form of business that we're used to. Do y'all know what Turo is? Some of y'all don't know. Y'all like, "What is a Turo?" Yep. Okay. If you go somewhere in Enterprise and Herz runs out of cars, you'll think you're stuck because the centralized entity ran out of capacity.

Not anymore. Turo means somebody in that community that you just flew into will just bring their car to you, drop off the keys, and walk away and let you have their car. So now the centralized rental car business decentralized it to the people so that someone can be blessed with a car and another one can get paid >> because the community got involved.

And when the community got involved, you didn't get stuck waiting in a Herz line. >> Okay, I know y'all know what Door Dash is. Y'all hungry? Know y'all know what Uber is? Do y'all know what Popppllin is? Poplin is dry cleaning. They come get your stuff and bring it back.

I know y'all like this is informative. This is ((applause)) ((cheering)) Let me take a picture. This is what I'm talking about. Do y'all know what Rover is? And we had Gail Gail Harrison. I put her name out there. She said, "What's Rover? They come and get your Range Rover." I said ((cheering)) I said, "Oh, Gail."

Wow. This is where they groom your pets and come take care of that for you. In other words, you notice Uber, all of that has decentralized it to the people so the people can be blessed by the people and needs can be met all the time. If the church stays centralized, people are going to be waiting.

Tell me, how is it that we have all these churches on all these corners with all these preachers and all these programs and all these Sunday mornings and all these youth groups and all these youth conferences and all these men's conferences and all these women's conferences and all these pastors and all and we still got all this mess ((applause)) >> because the people are in the church >> but are too idle. >> ((applause)) >> Jethro said that's not going to work >> by itself.

Yes, Moses is still there, >> but it can't be only that. >> We've got to move beyond that. So, the world has figured it out, but you need to understand Christ figured it out first. As soon as Jesus said go make disciples, he decentralized the ministry to the people, which means it's your job and your opportunity to do so.

Okay. So now let's talk about the Jethro model for the church and for us to advance the kingdom agenda. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Every Sunday you come to the hub. This is the place where you worship. It's the place where you have conferences and training and people are able to worship together and we'll always have that.

The assembling of the saints is biblical when we come together and see we're a part of something bigger. >> But after you leave church, church is not supposed to stop. >> Okay, so here it goes. Each one has received a special gift. employ it and serve one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. >> Okay.

So when you leave the church, where do you go? >> Home. Then this is where our church lives. This is where we go when we go home. Okay, I hope you see where I'm going. >> This is where everyone goes once they leave the hub and have been equipped. >> This is also where our leaders already live. >> That's right. >> And where future leaders live. >> So our kingdom community, which is the hub, must start breaking out into kingdom communities where people live.

We have to train our leaders and we have to just get our leaders to go home >> and minister to the other. Some of y'all don't know you're sitting next to your neighbor. You have no idea. >> And in Acts 2 and Acts 4, they were able to meet each other's needs because they were in community with each other.

And so when these leaders who are already here take on people who are right in their neighborhood and start discipling and we start getting people connected, you can be in a big church like this and never feel connected. >> That's right. >> That's right. >> You could feel like you're lost in the shuffle.

But when we decentralize ourselves, you can go through membership, go through spiritual growth, and just go back home to a kingdom community leader and get connected immediately. Amen. >> Okay, watch. Watch. Because this is not just where our leaders live. This is where you live. >> Look [snorts] at Dodto.

Dotto should be off the chain. >> That's a thousand of us that live in Dotto. >> That that that's a potential 10 leaders with 10 kingdom communities. If you just do by tens like Jethro said, people who were being developed in Dotto, 1,600 in central and north Dallas, 200 in Fort Worth, that's another 20 groups, the kingdom groups, 15 uh um 115 in for 168 in Mosquite.

In other words, we're all over the map. And growth can happen right where you live. Connection can happen right where you live. Leaders are already there. and more leaders will be trained. >> Amen. >> So that we can give to one another. Watch this will be the place of growth once you leave Moses. >> But it'll also watch be the place that you give.

Now when I say give, you start thinking about money. Mm- >> in Acts two and Acts four, they just gave to one another as each one had need. >> This will be the place. See, you'll always have a place to serve if you're in community with people. >> That's right. >> Cuz people get sick and they need you to prepare a meal >> and you're already a part of the community.

People need help moving and you're already there. People have death in their family and you're already there to pray and give bereiement. When you have people, you're always have an opportunity to serve. If you're waiting on Moses, you'll be waiting in line. >> We're going to have to put on an event for everybody to keep serving.

But when you're a part of a community, there's so many things that happen in the lives of people that you'll always have an opportunity to serve right where you live. They said they were giving to one another as each one had need. So, you'll be able to grow together.

You'll be able to give to one another. And this is my favorite part. Watch. Watch. >> Do you hear that? >> Okay. >> Do you see where everybody is? They're growing. >> They're giving to one another because you're just in community and you're building relationships. You're always serving. >> And what the hub is going to do is create partnerships where all of our kingdom communities are so that these kingdom communities can go serve with one another. >> Amen.

This means that the metroplex is being impacted all the time because we have people who went home and started to feed the hungry. We have kingdom communities who are already in walks of Hatchee and Plano who have opportunity to do clothing drives. We have kingdom communities and the church is going to give you opportunities for evangelism, opportunities for you to show up for people in the community.

And what we're supposed to be doing is impacting the world. >> But if we try to just do it from our church, >> we'll be singing and preaching and praising while we watch the world decay that we go home to. >> Jethro says, "Decentralize yourself out with leaders. >> Put yourself in a position >> where you can grow. put yourself in a position where you can give to one another. >> And he says, you're also going to go, >> okay, are you still listening to me? >> Okay, >> we're also going to create mission trip opportunities.

((applause)) >> So that these people are doing life together to grow. >> They're giving to one another. They're serving their communities. And then they can also sign up to jump on a plane with one another to go build houses. ((applause)) This is where the impact will start flowing. When people get in a kingdom community and be involved, it'll give you the opportunity not just to be a churchgoer, but to be the church.

Amen. >> And so we're going to grow spiritually, give abundantly, and go passionately. >> Amen. >> Is that plain enough? >> Can you see it? ((applause)) Now, it will be the case if you're not involved, you didn't want to be. >> Because you're not even going to have to drive far.

It's going to the growth, the giving, and the going >> is going to be right in your neighborhood. >> And if you can imagine all of these neighborhoods being impacted by members of Oakliff Bible Fellowship all the time, >> people are getting prayed for, people are getting saved, people are getting helped >> because we out there. >> And that's what God has called us to do.

((applause)) So this is what we're going to do. ((music playing)) We're going to launch this on March 29th. Listen to me. On March 29th, on Sunday, we're going to have Kingdom Everywhere. It's going to be Kingdom Everywhere Sunday where you're going to have people in our congregation. That means you if you feel called to it that you're going to open your home or your clubhouse or whatever you creatively come up with with a friend and you're going to host church at your house and this building will be empty.

((applause)) The goal on Kingdom Everywhere Sunday ((applause)) is that when the church house is empty, the church is more full than ever. Yeah. >> And now people from your neighborhood who are members can start to connect. >> It's going to be a potluck. People are going to bring a dish because Acts 2 says you break bread with one another. >> We're going to stream the worship service in there.

We're going to preach the word and then it's going to end with questions so that y'all can communicate with one another another over the word. And then y'all will feast together and start to get to know the people in your communities. On a Sunday, watch. Everyone who hosts will get a sign to plant in their yard that says kingdom everywhere.

Here you go. Everyone who participates, everyone is going to get a sign. And we're going to put you have you put it in your yard all week. Why? Because when the kingdom is everywhere, people will be driving around and they'll wonder why on all sides of town, they keep seeing these signs in everybody's yard.

((applause)) ((music playing)) And they're going to scan the QR code. ((applause)) And when they scan the QR code, they're going to run right into a video of the gospel of Jesus Christ ((cheering)) because the kingdom has been decentralized from the church to the people. And when it goes to the people, ((applause)) what do you think God's going to do when it goes to the people?

It's going to go beyond because in 1976 they said, "How do we use the word to impact the world?" And in 2025, that's exactly what we're about to do. So on March 29th, [music and applause] we get started. ((cheering)) On March 29th, we're going to be everywhere. On March 29th, kingdom communities are about to be formed.

((music playing)) On March 29th, we going to be out here. Whether it's Duncanville or whether it's Irving, whether it's Midlotheian or Watch the Hatche, whether it's Plato or whether it's Ulis, you're going ((music playing)) to have a sign in your yard and the kingdom will be everywhere. Are y'all ready? ((music playing)) I hope you're ready to see the vision through.

I hope you're ready for church, ((music playing)) school, and family because it's time to make an impact. Let's praise the Lord. Let's praise the Lord in anticipation for what he's going to do. It's time to get out there. We're going to praise for a second and we want y'all to join in as we celebrate this moment ((music playing)) because we're here.