Today we interview Eric Sarwar, church starter in Fresno, California.

 BDGT churches are led by a team of gifted people who share a vision for new people joining the family of God in large quantities. They are cultivating a new kind of growing community that they hope will revolutionize the Church.  They don’t need much to get started, just a large enough space to gather the church, plus space to spare for newcomers. They might share a sanctuary with an asset-based church or rent out a school gym to hold worship gatherings. Their rate of growth means they keep outgrowing their gathering spaces. Because of this tension, they often do not last long as a BDGT. Many BDGT churches are on their way to developing stronger assets as ADGT churches, or they slow their growth and become more stable BDCT churches.

To take your Church Shapes assessment, head to Cyclicalinc.com/church-shapes

Today Nick and Brendan reflect on what they learned from various guests of this season.

Today we interview Katie Nakamura Rengers about the church she started called The Abbey.

 ADCI churches are highly resourced for missionary endeavors. These churches have an abundance of leaders who are tightly connected and passionate about transforming the way the particular church is expressed. They make significant investments in running lots of experiments, welcoming failure and being able to quickly adapt. Ministry tends to happen in nodes of interdependent smaller groups, each with a unique mission and with autonomous discerning leadership.

Take your Church Shapes assessment at Cyclicalinc.com/church-shapes

Today we interview Matt Yount, pastor at Victory Point Church in Holland, Michigan.

 APGT churches are led by a point leader with strong shepherding and teaching gifts who gathers many people into a large centralized worship service and excellent programming for the sake of reaching many people with the good news of Jesus. Some have called APGT churches the “launch large model” because in order to start, these kinds of churches need many people to commit upfront. APGT churches are staff-driven, culture-changing organizations that are seeking to develop and reproduce new ways of doing and being church.

 BDCI churches are led by a decentralized team of people who want to practice living on mission together. They have the feel of a missionary team. They understand themselves as sent by God to be a blessing in their community. They usually meet in homes or public spaces, and they usually operate with no formal budget. They provide strong support for one another. They are not concerned with growing their numbers, but with faithfulness in following Jesus. They do not want to be governed by a larger church, but prefer to exist “under the radar” in a specific niche where they can experiment in mission.

Take your Church Shapes assessment at Cyclicalinc.com/church-shapes

Today we interview Yosam Manafa about the church he started in the San Fernando valley.

 BDGT churches are led by a team of gifted people who share a vision for new people joining the family of God in large quantities. They are cultivating a new kind of growing community that they hope will revolutionize the Church.  They don’t need much to get started, just a large enough space to gather the church, plus space to spare for newcomers. They might share a sanctuary with an asset-based church or rent out a school gym to hold worship gatherings. Their rate of growth means they keep outgrowing their gathering spaces. Because of this tension, they often do not last long as a BDGT. Many BDGT churches are on their way to developing stronger assets as ADGT churches, or they slow their growth and become more stable BDCT churches.

Take your Church Shapes assessment at Cyclicalinc.com/church-shapes

Today we interview Debbie Bronkema, the founding pastor of Connect.Faith.

 BDGI churches are highly apostolic in leadership. They are content to start with little to no resources. They decentralize leadership in order to leverage a variety of gifts necessary for their innovation. They have their eyes set on growth, envisioning an organic movement that they can catalyze. They are inspired to start a church that can express itself in ways that presses the boundaries of what we understand church to be. BDGI churches have the feel of an experiment, seeking to transform the Church. Leaders are pioneering, shrewd, and entrepreneurial. Starting this kind of church involves a unique kind of risk; they are called to incarnate the gospel in a niche part of culture where there is not yet a witnessing community.

To take the assessment head to cyclicalinc.com/church-shapes today

Today we interview Sheila Bojorquez about the church she started with her husband in Los Angeles. Campaign Churches (BPGT) are startup churches with a charismatic leader who has a big vision for a large gathering of worshippers. The point leader is a highly motivated individual who catalyzes the energy of the church. The church scrapes together any resources it can get its hands on to invest heavily in a large gathering. The point leader is willing to take big risks early on and it pays off. They are able to gather groups to fill whatever space they are in to demonstrate and proclaim the gospel. They are often focused on a specific subculture and are looking to scale very quickly.

Take the assessment at Cyclicalinc.com/church-shapes

For over a decade now we've been joining leaders of all kinds in starting churches of all kinds. Big churches with staff and banners orchestrating a launch Sunday. Small churches that emerge out of the blue in a coffee shop. Business owners that wonder, “wait… is this business actually a church?” It’s been a joy to see how many people the Holy Spirit calls forward to gather God’s people into this weird collection of humans we call Church. God is gathering churches of all different shapes in every corner and crevice of our 21st century world. If we want to be part of that, we need to be able to imagine a more diverse ecclesiology.

Church Shapes is our attempt at putting a bit of language to the various shapes that we are seeing Church taking. The goal is not to box you into one shape or another, but to broaden our ecclesiological imagination by providing a more detailed language. 

In this season we will be exploring the different shapes that church takes by interviewing church starters and pastors. Take the assessment for your church at Cyclicalinc.com/church-shapes.

Today Candice and Nick interview Jonathan Williams to talk about the intersection of faithful innovation and anxiety. Jonathan was the founder and CEO of Forefront, a faith and justice-focused organization in Brooklyn, NY. Jonathan’s role included overseeing community growth, developing strategic giving partnerships, and operating as a project manager for various community development initiatives.
Jonathan’s fundraising work centered upon diversity, equity, inclusion, and community justice advocacy. His sharp vision and construction of strategic narratives led directly national recognition for his organization.
Jonathan is currently a Senior Director at CCS consulting and fundraising in New York City

In today's episode, Nick and Candice have a dialogue with Brandon Wrencher. Brandon Wrencher (MDiv, North Park Theological Seminary) is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, the founding minister of Good Neighbor Movement - an alternative faith community based in Greensboro, North Carolina - and Senior Community Organizer with Carolina Federation, a statewide, multiracial, multiclass, power-building political organization. 

He is the author of Liberating Church: A 21st Century Hush Harbor Manifesto (Cascade Books) and Buried Seeds: Learning from the Vibrant Resilience of Marginalized Christian Communities (Baker Academic). 

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Make sure to visit our website, cyclicalinc.com.