An Update On Thrive

It’s time we provide a serious update on the happenings of Thrive.  Last September we promised an updated Leadership Manual.  And as many have seen, we haven’t released it yet.  There is a good reason for this and I wanted to take the time to communicate why.

Much of our work in Thrive has been developing a process for engaging God’s mission of restoration using what we call the Jesus model.  As we explored the journey, we were continually listening to the story about how God’s solves the problem but also what is the root problem God is solving.

Over the last three or four months, we realized a significant un-covering of what we think is a better way of communicating the root problem, one that is simpler and easier to understand.  Naturally this affected everything, including the leadership manual.  For this reason, it meant delaying the release of the Leadership Manual and doing some significant work on the workbooks to reframe the problem in a more instinctive way.

It also gave us an opportunity to explore the way we operate as a ministry.  So over the next six months we’re going to be making some significant changes to simplify and transform as a ministry.  We’re going to rebrand as a church planting organization because we feel it best represents who we are. We’re also going to be uploading the workbooks to a print-on-demand system through Amazon, making it easier to order and ship.

Please know that if you request the Leadership Manual, we will put you on the list and send it to you when it is complete.  Thanks for your understanding.

I’m also working on the release of my first book, which explores the theology behind Thrive.  It will provide a helpful gateway into what we are doing.  More information about the book will be forthcoming.

Much love

Jonathan

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The Missional Church Video

(ht) Very simple and very good.

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Ecclesiology

I’m not a big fan of big words, but some really do matter. Ecclesiology is one of them.

Over the past couple of years I have been engaged in conversations with a lot of pastors who seem to be saying the same thing.  Over and over I hear, “The most important question for me is ecclesiology.”  Pastors are consistently asking how churches should gather.  It’s an important question to ask.  If our gatherings produce little fruit, is the problem the message or the structure.

Thrive is built on the Jesus Model.  Jesus gathered twelve people together to engage the Way of Jesus.  He made it very simple but highly effective.  He assumed that we needed a support group to do life together, to practice love together, to pray together, and to wrestle through our obstacles together.  He assumed we needed people who had developed a high level of trust together.

This type of gathering is not traditional.  It’s not a small group that gathers together to study a book.  It’s a highly intentional way of gathering.  If your church is looking for a very different, but effective way of gathering, consider the Jesus Model.  And we can help you with that.

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The Core Of Missional Community

Many have asked for a primer on Thrive and what makes up the heart of missional community.  Attached is our six core elements.  You can download it here.

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Ed Stetzer On Missional Communities

This is a fascinating conversation by Ed Stetzer on missional communities.  In it he discusses the shift in culture from a stage model to a community model.  Very much worth the time.

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Excerpt - Cheap Grace

The following is from the updated Leadership Manual, which is expected to be finished NEAR the end of this month.

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“The common concern with grace is that if we offer it freely it becomes cheap. But intentional grace was never cheap. It always costs something. To offer grace meant someone had to absorb the cost of someone’s brokenness.”

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Coming Soon - New Leadership Manual

Over the last three months, we’ve been reworking the Leadership Manual to better communicate the “what”, and “how” of Thrive.  It’s been a thrilling experience to say the least and represents the culmination of so much research and learning over the last seven years. Much of the changes will cover the ethos of Thrive and what really makes the Thrive experience work.

If you have requested a leadership manual in the past, don’t sweat it.  We’ll send you the updated one as soon as it’s finished.  If you have requested a manual in the last couple of days, we’ll send you the new one as soon as it’s finished.  It should be out this month.

Much Love

Jonathan

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