"What if church wasn't just a building, but thousands of doors? Each of them opening up to a different concept or experience of church so that whoever knocks might find a journey to call their own. Would you come?
RETHINK CHURCH is the evolution of OPEN HEARTS, OPEN MINDS and OPEN DOORS welcoming platform of The United Methodist Church. It encourages a global spiritual dialogue both within and outside the church. RETHINK CHURCH seeks to redefine the church experience as one that is individualized and extends beyond our doors and seeks to transform the world.
The grand hope of RETHINK CHURCH is to spark a global conversation about what it means to live as a person of faith, a disciple of Jesus Christ, in the 21st century. If we are successful, it will be the catalyst for a radical return to understanding of what the gospel means to us today."
The concept of RethinkChurch isn't new:
- It's rooted in our Wesleyan heritage.
- It's defined by our social principles.
- It's part of what makes United Methodists unique.
The new part is
- how we make scripture relevant today
- how we appreciate diversity and welcome everyone to join us in putting our beliefs, spiritual gifts, and talents into action in ways that are individualized, and
- how we bring inspiration and meaning to each of our lives
as we share God's grace and love with others.
This is the heart of transformation via discipleship to make the world a better place.
RethinkChurch at Prospect -- Moving Forward TOGETHER
As part of Sunday Service on Jan 27 to kick off 2019 and our future as a church, Rev. Ken introduced a new ministry and welcoming platform for Prospect: RETHINK CHURCH.
Rev Ken's underlying message was that we must commit ourselves to making Prospect the best church we can be today and in anticipation of its future, with a shared commitment of moving forward TOGETHER making (and being) disciples of Christ to transform ourselves and the world.
We build upon all of the good things that are happening at and through Prospect today, and move forward – embracing new thinking (such as RETHINK CHURCH) and change / evolve. “Can't go back and can't stay here.”
Invite Your Neighbors -- Help Get the Word Out
Our outreach encompasses the original local communities and our lake-based communities: families with children, young adults, retirees and seniors. Pick up a RETHINK CHURCH door nob hanger from church and use it to make a connection with new people that are moving to the area – and great way to introduce yourself.
We ask everyone to help get the word out. Please reach out personally to folks you already know and in particular those who are no longer active to invite them to RETHINK CHURCH at Prospect – to reengage to be part of our church family again and help move Prospect and its mission forward.
Are you called to get involved? Help in a leadership capacity?
Reach out to anyone you may know from the church or contact Rev. Ken.
More about Rethink Church from the RethinkChurch website.
What does it mean to rethink church?
- We think the church is more than a place to go to Sunday Service.
- We think it's important to live our faith both inside and outside the church walls, serving our neighbors and those around the world.
- We think putting our beliefs into action can create systemic change and transform the lives of others.
The primary audience for RETHINK CHURCH platform is seekers and in particular looking for a different and more relevant way of engaging with church that is more personalized and meaningful — those who are either outside a faith community or dissatisfied with their current one, and are looking for a different spiritual experience – and can use the support of a caring church family is their lives.
People seeking a church community can become involved at various entry level — many of them non-traditional — such as volunteering with groups outside the church building and even through making online connections.
At the same time, RETHINK CHURCH seeks to connect with the people in the pews of The United Methodist Church. It calls us to see our local church in a much broader way — not solely as a building in which we worship and come together as a church family, but as a conduit into our communities through which we may live out our faith by touching people's lives.
As the awareness created by the RETHINK CHURCH platform draws seekers to congregations, local churches have an opportunity to actively show what rethinking church looks like.
