After driving around with Michael for a few minutes, the guys said they wanted to use their $10 to feed someone. They started a conversation with a man pushing a grocery cart and asked if he was hungry. Not long after, they purchased a meal for him.

Michael said part of his role as pastor of families with students at Westpoint Church in Winter Garden, Fla., involves counteracting the brainwashing his students–most of whom come from “well-to-do” families–receive from their relatives and society. In this instance, one of the teenagers was hesitant to talk with the homeless man.

“He said he was afraid the guy was going to beat us up because he had a bat in his shopping cart,” Michael said.

Before the group parted ways with the man, however, the student’s opinion changed and he felt compelled to offer the homeless individual his hat.

The girls used their money to purchase Valentine’s cards, which they handed out to people who were alone. Michael said they came back telling about a man who they initially were hesitant to approach because of his multiple tattoos and piercings. Yet they were excited about his gratitude upon receiving their card.

“He said it made his day because that’s probably the only Valentine he’d get all day,” Michael said.

Michael wants to teach the younger generation how to reach out to those in need through following the examples of others with their own hands-on experiences. He said “little steps” like the Valentine’s Day challenge “get students to interact on a more face-to-face basis” with the broken, hurting and oppressed. In the process, Michael also is influencing the students’ families and their perceptions of those in need.

Currently Michael and other Westpoint pastors are working toward more involvement with the Maxey Center, a government-run community center in a lower-income, drug-infested area. The church leadership hopes to help develop programs that would allow believers to be a part of the lives of people in the community. Michael said he and his wife are seriously considering moving to the area in order to “do life” with the inhabitants of this neighborhood on a daily basis.

“We’re really praying through what we should do,” Michael said. “I’m drawn to the overlooked and forgotten. It’s who my heart breaks for, and who I think you see Christ in the most.”

Michael said segregation of communities within an area discourages interaction with the oppressed.

“We need to start living more in those communities, or at least spending a lot of time in there, listening to what are (their) needs.”

Another pastor’s wife is hoping to teach Zumba classes at the Maxey Center, while Michael is in the process of setting up a sports program that would enable Westpoint students to serve and minister there.

Michael said it’s crucial for students and adults alike to see the examples of their pastors challenging them to make a difference in the lives of the lost outside of their church walls. He said true leadership at his own church involves more than talking about impacting the lost, but taking action in doing so.

“We need to do it or shut our mouths,” Michael said. “(All pastors) can be great at teaching what we should do, but horrible at living that out. I feel we need to focus on doing more than teaching. The Bible becomes a living, breathing Word, and you can use your own personal life experiences instead of … telling about an example of someone else you read about in a book.

“Believers will do what they see, but it has to start with the pastors,” he said. “(They) are the ones who lead the masses. As they go, so their fellowship goes.”

Michael said acts of kindness to the hurting require selflessness, but don’t have to be magnificent feats involving large clothing drives or complicated programs.

“Let’s get our heads up from our rat race of life and start small by giving a cool drink of water to someone who’s thirsty,” he said. “It’s not hard to get a basketball and interact with students; it’s not hard to get a kid and take him out to get ice cream.

“A kid might need a father figure, not shoes.”

He said these simple acts at first may not seem adequate, but they “might be huge to someone who might not have a hot meal when they go home tonight, or someone who never plays basketball with an older person because he gets beat up by older people all the time.”

Michael knows he cannot stand alone in his work to teach students through experience, and asks for intercession on behalf of these efforts. He also asks for others to be living examples.

“Please pray with us in how we can engage the students more in reaching the hurting, oppressed and broken,” he said. “Let’s live radical and really see what Christ will do if we lay down our lives for others. He said that’s the greatest love we can show others.

“Let’s just do it.”

Written by Natalie Bunch. Natalie is a freelance writer for The Upstream Collective and lives in North Carolina. She served as a missionary writer based out of Prague, Czech Republic, from 2007-2009, and plans to return to full-time international mission work with her husband in a few years.

As the planter of Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, Kentucky and a catalyst for the Sojourn network, Daniel Montgomery is an innovator and contemplative voice on all things church. During a video interview in Paris, France, Montgomery shares some of his passion for seeing all of the Great Commission obeyed and proclaimed throughout the world.

Having planted several churches personally, been a part of assisting in other plants, and having coached a number of influential pastors, Brian Howard has consistently lived out his commitment to see disciples of Christ made in unreached, secular societies. Now leading Sojourn Community Church’s global church planting efforts, Howard continues to be a leader and learner in taking the gospel to the peoples of the world. In this piece, Howard encourages churches to be involved in international church planting.

“House Blend reached out to me, and it was like family,” he said. “Instead of just saying, ‘I’ll be praying for you,’ … they took action and have supported my family. It’s been an experience that’s hard to describe.”

Josh Taylor, pastor of families with children at Westpoint Church in Winter Garden, Fla., founded House Blend four years ago with such a purpose in mind—connect with people “to see community happen,” and love and serve others.

“A cafe provides unique opportunities to hang out with people and do life together,” he said. “In the process disciples are made. Unfortunately, people often find a better sense of community in their local bar than they do in church culture.”

While its focus is evangelical, House Blend stays away from advertising itself as a Christian-based business, to draw people who may be hesitant of anything to do with a church. It desires to reach people where they are–primarily in the workforce—where, according to Josh, a large percentage of the population spends 40-80 hours a week.

House Blend “exist(s) to be God’s church in the marketplace,” and hopes to be an influence in the business world while demonstrating how to manage its finances. Of the cafe’s net profit, 100 percent goes back to the community, as team members (employees) as well as guests (customers) regularly unite to serve the local area.

“We try to get involved in things where we’re not just writing a check, but creating a relational connection,” Josh said.

These outreach events have included helping with home renovations, landscape projects and public school endeavors, as well as bringing meals to low-income, inner-city residents. House Blend offered a Thanksgiving meal, set up a shower trailer and had hairdressers give free haircuts to homeless individuals last November. Josh said they try to participate in a ministry event several times a year, if not once a month. Often it involves partnering with service organizations.

House Blend also hosts one of Westpoint’s SENT (small/community) groups every-other week that invites attendees to dream about how they can serve together. The group members jointly volunteer in the community on the weeks they don’t meet at the cafe.

Josh’s most valued aspect of managing House Blend involves helping people live in community in a way that honors God and sees individuals choose Jesus.

“My heart and passion has always been to see people who at one point didn’t have life, now have life. Any time we get to see somebody give their life to Christ, no question, that’s my favorite part.”

The cafe hires both believers and non-believers, an intention God has blessed.

“We’ve definitely seen fruit from that,” Josh said. “The first person we saw choose to follow Christ because of this ministry was one of our own team members.”

Maria Sorrentino said working at House Blend “rejuvenated (her) relationship with God.” Others impacted by the cafe include Gary Oakley, a member of the Westpoint SENT group that bi-weekly meets at House Blend. Gary has cerebral palsy, which has limited his mobility. The cafe community was there when his physical health took a nosedive for two years.

“We were able to walk with him on a deep level through that time, praying and picking up and taking him to the doctor,” Josh said. “He’s at a place where he’s come a long way physically.” Gary is planning on running in the New York marathon for his third time in November.

House Blend’s two-block distance from a hospital allows its staff to minister to people who are hurting emotionally when they come through its doors. Josh said he has received e-mails from individuals thanking the cafe community for praying with them. He sees these everyday situations as key chances to serve others and glorify God. To him and the House Blend family, evangelizing is more than fundraisers or food drives.

“We (people in church culture) do a lot of dreaming and scheming and planning of how to serve … the least of these,” Josh said. “What I’ve learned is, it’s much more important to just take the time to simply walk across the street and do life with somebody than to plan a big outing or mission trip. Just do life with people…. That’s so much more valuable in my opinion.”

Josh personally learned this life lesson through a homeless man who regularly visited the cafe for about a year. He would come in wearing the same clothes and toting a laptop, looking to use House Blend’s wifi. Josh said no one really got to know him very well, as he usually came in during the cafe’s busiest hours. Then one day the House Blend crew spotted a police car and ambulance through their windows. The man had been living in a homeless community across the street, and was murdered.

“Here we are, we’re supposed to be about serving the community, and we don’t even know about a homeless camp right across the street from us,” Josh said. “That was a big conviction for me on the importance of walking across the street and saying, ‘We love you, you matter.’

“It’s not about us who have, providing for those who have not, it’s about looking into the face of God, and allowing the Holy Spirit, once the relationship is made, to prompt our hearts with, ‘This is what you need to do, this is what you need to give.’”

Josh said House Blend is interested in franchising or partnering, and has had interest not only from locals, but also from people as far away as Italy and Brazil. However, he said many people don’t realize how much work must go into maintaining such an operation, and recommends those interested have a familiarity with the restaurant business before diving in. Josh has 16 years of restaurant experience, and has worked in jobs as basic as washing dishes to as involved as bar tending.

Yet Josh also said he and his staff are more than willing to help train individuals who wish to do a residency at House Blend in order to learn the ropes of running the cafe. To him, the effort is well worth it.

“I don’t know of a better way to connect with people and create community than around coffee and great food and a great mission.”

Written by Natalie Bunch. Natalie is a freelance writer for The Upstream Collective and lives in North Carolina. She served as a missionary writer based out of Prague, Czech Republic, from 2007-2009, and plans to return to full-time international mission work with her husband in a few years.

A Westpoint member sets up microphones in preparation for Sunday morning worship at Whispering Oak Elementary. The church has been meeting in the school since 2005.

The pastors at Westpoint Church in Winter Garden, Fla., are focused largely on “living sent.” They believe this call on each follower of Christ involves impacting those around him/her for the sake of the Gospel while going through daily life. For the congregation as a whole, this translates into meeting in a local school.

During the summer of 2005 Westpoint was outgrowing its current location–a neighborhood community center–as Whispering Oak Elementary was preparing to open its doors. A church member connected with the school’s principal and the two parties worked out an agreement that allows Westpoint to use the academic facilities on a weekly basis.

Co-pastor Jim Collins oversees Westpoint’s worship gatherings, small groups and community service projects, and believes planting in schools is something all churches should look into as a key opportunity to connect with a “ready-made mission field” in the surrounding area.

“A school is part of the heart of a community. There are over 1,100 students who attend (Whispering Oak),” he said. “Our church meeting there gives us a great chance to build lots of relationships with administration, faculty, staff, students and families.”

Jim also pointed out how this location choice comes with financial benefits.

“Meeting in a school can be the most economic way for a church to host a weekly worship gathering,” he said.

Westpoint has no building management or maintenance concerns to eat up time or money. The church gathering is easy to find, since nearly everyone in the community is familiar with the school’s location, and it’s reproducible.

“We are finding that meeting in schools can be one of the most effective ways to establish multiple churches in a community, and one of the fastest,” Jim said.

Whispering Oak transforms from a school to a church setting for Westpoint's weekly worship service.

Westpoint is six months into discussions with another local school regarding planting a church within its walls. The pastoral staff dreams of believers gathering for worship in every school in West Orange County, throughout Orlando, and eventually in all of Florida.

“Being in the school isn’t a stepping stone until we find our own spot,” Jim said. “We see how in many ways this is an opportunity to be involved with a touch-point in our community. This is much bigger than trying to find a space (to meet). It’s, ‘Let’s see how we can engage missionally and transform a community.’”

Jim admitted setting up for worship each week can drain resources. If a teacher needs a room the church typically uses for worship, or if the person who unlocks the school doors arrives late, those with Westpoint quickly have to adjust their plans. However, while these setbacks can be realities, Jim said they are “very minor compared to the payoff for us.”

Jim recommends churches looking to plant in schools allow a large amount of time for the transition to occur, beginning with establishing a positive relationship with the school’s principal months in advance. This may involve presenting a written proposal that includes not only the needs of the church, but also how the body of believers wants to actively be a healthy and positive presence in the educational community. He suggests asking what the school’s needs are, noting they may have many volunteer opportunities. Earning credibility will help make the idea of the church not being there a displeasing one for the school administration.

“Let them know you’re looking to make the school a better place, not just to rent out the spot and have no other interaction with the school,” he said.

But first, Jim said, to pray, asking God to allow a good connection with the school faculty and staff. The relationship with the principal, especially, will largely determine how the church and school get along.

In Westpoint’s case, the Whispering Oaks principal was supportive from the beginning, and Jim said church members make sure to maintain that trust in the way they conduct themselves on school property. If the school leadership is hesitant to consider hosting a weekly gathering, Jim said suggesting a probation period would allow the church to demonstrate how it wants to serve the faculty, staff and families of the school.

During the week Westpoint members host small fellowships called SENT Groups that meet in locations throughout the surrounding community.

Written by Natalie Bunch. Natalie is a freelance writer for The Upstream Collective and lives in North Carolina. She served as a missionary writer based out of Prague, Czech Republic, from 2007-2009, and plans to return to full-time international mission work with her husband in a few years.

Shiloh Lohmann's family and neighbors gather around a shared picnic table in their cul-de-sac after collecting Easter eggs this year. Fifteen children from six families live in this concentrated area.

They wanted to know how to be more effective in sharing Jesus with those around them. So they went to Shiloh.

Shiloh Lohmann developed Fellowship Project after learning about international church planting through his family’s time as missionaries in East Africa. When they returned to the United States and saw the status of the Protestant Church, they recognized their new mission field.

Shiloh developed 2×2 Training to lead people through a deconstruction or disorientation process–similar to what his family experienced before going overseas–of how they view the purpose of the church and what it means to be a follower of Christ. The goal is to teach how to “Love God, Love Others, and Live Sent.”

“It is about redeeming the opportunities we already have and listening for God’s voice in our everyday situations,” Shiloh said. “In John 20:21, Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ We believe He meant that for every person who chooses to follow Him. Fellowship Project is our attempt to live that in front of others and then invite them to live it wherever they are.”

Former roommates Cassi Carr and Kim Monday were looking for ideas on how to begin a Bible study for their friends who wouldn’t step into a church, but would come to their home. When the two women heard about Fellowship Project’s 2×2 Training, they wanted in. Since going through the four-month course, however, plans have changed–Kim married and is now preparing to move overseas with her husband.

“Since I am no longer going to be able to do a Bible study in my home here in the States, I see now that God may have planned all along that I do this training so I am equipped to lead a study in my home on base, in Japan, as a ministry to military wives,” she said. “God always has a bigger plan!”

Cassi also sees how the deconstruction process of the course has made its mark on her.

“This training has called a whirlwind of changes in my life. I have left a very unhealthy church … my personal walk with the Lord has gotten stronger, (and) I am more aware of listening to (God’s) will.”

Cassi is looking for a new church home with a “healthy DNA, meaning that they preach the divine truth from the Bible, they are able to build nurturing relationships and … they don’t just preach about mission, they are out there doing it in the community.”

Dan Harris said he is always looking for effective ways to witness, evangelize and church plant. When he heard about 2×2 Training, he knew “this was something (he) had to do.”

The course allowed Dan to connect with others passionate about sharing the Gospel and diving into Scripture. Through this new network he has been able to witness on a broader scale.

“2×2 can be exciting and challenging,” he said. “I am working with family units in several areas of Central Florida that I would not have had a chance to before.”

While Dan believes everyone should go through the training, Kim said it especially is for individuals looking for a missional study that will challenge them to evangelize and grow in their faith.

“I have gotten a lot of good information from the training–a world missions perspective, and other ways to do missions and evangelism,” she said. “Missions is relational, definitely not a canned program. People who are sick of complacency would benefit greatly from this training.”

In addition to leading the 2×2 course, Shiloh, a home inspector by occupation, and his family demonstrate the impact of “living sent” in their own lives through their interactions with neighbors in their cul-de-sac. The spiritual fruit is evident.

After hosting their annual community Easter devotional, Shiloh’s family saw a neighbor ask if they could have another family Bible study, which turned out to be a success. Another neighbor voiced her desire for it to be a bi-weekly event.

“I am so excited,” Shiloh said. “Fellowship Project is my passion. God is raising up believers all across Florida and the United States to ‘Live Sent’ and plant His kingdom.”

Written by Natalie Bunch. Natalie is a freelance writer for The Upstream Collective and lives in North Carolina. She served as a missionary writer based out of Prague, Czech Republic, from 2007-2009, and plans to return to full-time international mission work with her husband in a few years.

Lohmann family

Shiloh Lohmann had been working as a youth pastor in Central Florida for eight years. His wife, Kim, was a public school teacher and children’s ministry co-leader at their church. For years they had been seeking God’s open doors for their young family of five to serve as international missionaries, and it finally happened. They expected the Lord to work mightily, but could not foresee all that lay ahead.

“We sensed … God was going to do some great things in us …. What we didn’t realize at the time was how much this experience was going to change us and our relationship to the Church.”

Shiloh and his family served as missionaries in East Africa, where they fell in love with the people of their city and learned to take their faith to a whole new level. While the Lohmann family saw their time there as a “wonderful experience,” they knew they were to return to North America.

“For the two years we spent in Africa, we were forced to walk intimately with Christ, and we relied primarily on Him as our Protector and Provider,” Shiloh said. “When it was time to decide if we were going to return, we felt God leading us back to the U.S. to use many of the things we had learned in ministry (in Africa), here in the States.”

As they adjusted to living again in Florida, Shiloh began to realize one of the reasons why the Lord had them come back.

“After returning to the States, we looked around us and realized that most Americans (Christian or otherwise) don’t have an intimate relationship with Christ, and rely primarily on themselves for their needs.”

Shiloh said it seemed as though churches were more focused on their programs and buildings than on meeting people where they are.

“God confirmed in our hearts that He used our time in Africa to prepare us for our mission in Florida,” he said.

Shiloh partnered with Ronnie Walker, pastor of First Baptist Church in Belleview, Florida, and began Fellowship Project, with the focus of equipping and encouraging followers of Jesus to “Love God, Love Others, and Live Sent.”

“If we can get those three things right, I believe we will see spiritual reproduction on a scale we haven’t seen before,” Shiloh said.

Therefore he developed resources like “2×2 Training” to lead people through a step-by-step deconstruction or disorientation process of how they view the purpose of the church and what it means to be a follower of Christ.

“God designed us to reproduce spiritually just as much as physically, and in fact gave us a personal responsibility to do so,” he said. “It is intended to be a very natural process or journey, not something difficult or uncomfortable.”

Shiloh and his family began their own ministry back in America by focusing on the families in their neighborhood. A picnic table in their cul-de-sac serves as a community gathering spot where Shiloh’s family has had opportunities to develop relationships and hold impromptu spiritual discussions. Together these neighbors share life through holiday celebrations and spontaneous cookouts.

“We have earned the trust of our neighbors enough that they come to us with many of life’s difficult questions,” he said.

Easter 2009 allowed the family to host a brunch and time of worship at its home, which led to bi-weekly devotional meetings. One neighbor requested he and Shiloh meet weekly to read and discuss the Bible. The two men have been getting together for about a year.

Shiloh also has been able to partner with local churches to provide seminars and training to individuals who want to reproduce spiritually. Thus far he’s led four cycles of training, each lasting four months. The results have been varied.

“Some of those who have gone through the training have had their lives changed, similar to Kim and I in our experiences overseas. Others have really struggled stepping out of their church buildings to walk like Jesus wherever they go,” Shiloh said. ”It is so easy to coast spiritually here in the States and let the ‘professionals’ do the ‘ministry.’”

Some of the ideas the training emphasizes include seeing the church as a “who” and not as a “what” (or place); not needing programs to lead others to Jesus; needing to play a continuing role in a new believer’s life after he/she prays a prayer of salvation, which only marks the beginning of his/her journey with Jesus; and practicing good stewardship as a church, which may mean getting rid of a number of things, including programs and buildings.

Written by Natalie Bunch. Natalie is a freelance writer for The Upstream Collective and lives in North Carolina. She served as a missionary writer based out of Prague, Czech Republic, from 2007-2009, and plans to return to full-time international mission work with her husband in a few years.

A few days ago my fiancé moved from Florida into what will be our first apartment together near Wake Forest, N.C. I’ll join him after our wedding in March.

While I’ve done my share of moving within and without the United States, I wonder what it will be like to relocate from Texas to this East Coast state. I’ve visited Wake Forest only once and found it pleasant, but didn’t get to explore the area much. My fiancé has been there many more times than I, and tells me of the little coffee shop around the corner to which he wants to take me and how wonderful it will be to live in a smaller community.

I’m thrilled, yet still I wonder. What are the people like? Do they hold to the “southern hospitality” way of life or lean more toward the cooler, independent, stereotypical northeastern stance? What English words will they say that will sound funny to me? (I.e. How do they say, “pecan” and “roof?”) What do they consider barbeque and what do they call carbonated cola beverages?

These may not be the most serious of issues to question, but they remind me of Dr. Thom Wolf’s thoughts on cultural contextualization. A few weeks ago we looked at the effects of geography and history on how one might share the Gospel in Prague, Czech Republic. What about a smaller town outside North Carolina’s capital?

I especially am drawn to one of Wolf’s ideas of cultural contextualization as applied to demographics and interpersonal conflicts in an area. Wolf recommends asking a few questions:

Among the people you’re trying to reach (assuming, as a believer, you truly want to live out the call to share the Gospel wherever you are) …

• Who are “Us” and “Them?”

• According to Us, what are we like? What are they like?

• According to Them, what are we and they like?

• Where are Us and Them spatially, spiritually and socially?

While I may not be able to thoroughly answer these questions for myself until actually arriving in Wake Forest, I can use my resources (Internet, my fiancé and friends living in North Carolina) to keep my eyes and ears peeled for answers now.

Wolf says we can pray those in our new environment will accept us as outsiders entering their culture. I’m seeking for my fiancé and I to not only be accepted as outsiders, but then become so much a part of people’s lives that we become insiders who point to Jesus in every aspect of who we are.

Considering Wolf’s suggestions in light of my current situation, I wonder what the “Us” and “Them” concepts look like as applied to my local church and community. According to the students with whom I now work, whom do they see as “Them?” Adults? Another ethnic group at school? Younger siblings? The world?

What is the general view of the adults in our congregation—who is “Us” and “Them” from the church’s perspective? How do we view those outside our body of believers, in other churches and in our realms of work, study and play?

Points to ponder. Join me in wondering, and then prayerfully taking action in understanding our surroundings to best know how to share the Gospel where God has sent us. I can’t wait to get to North Carolina to see what He has in store for my future husband and I, but I know he has great things for me to do here and now.

Written by Natalie Kaspar. Natalie is a freelance writer for The Upstream Collective and lives in Texas. She served as a missionary writer based out of Prague, Czech Republic, from 2007-2009, and plans to return to full-time international mission work in a few years.

Since landing on U.S. soil I’ve sang with congregations in which music was lead by a djembe (hand drum) and an acoustic guitar–no amplifier or microphone in sight. I’ve also participated in Sunday morning services involving concert-like lighting, large screens and band members playing multiple instruments from a stage. Then I’ve experienced worship somewhere in between the two paradigms, entailing a couple plugged-in guitars and microphones.

Was one experience more spiritual than the others? Was I able to focus on being in God’s presence better with more or less electronics involved?

Growing up, the classic piano and organ plus choir combination comprised church music. Overseas, worship transitioned from a Gospel-like choir with piano style to a praise band form–piano, amplified acoustic guitar and djembe plus an occasional electric bass.

Honestly, the lights and presence of my band-on-stage experience once back in the States initially threw me off. Those leading worship seemed focused on our Creator, which in turn helped me remember to whom I was to be paying attention, not the moving bright lights or the performance of the leaders. Yet it definitely required a conscious effort of focus.

Don’t get me wrong, distractions exist everywhere–they can bombard your mind whether you’re in a sanctuary seating thousands or a classroom where 20 is a tight fit.

Caleb Crider says once a church plant reaches a growth point of wanting to add cables and amplification, you face a crucial decision in the Sound System Rule.

“As soon as you do something that requires the use of a sound system, you’re on the path toward an unsustainable attractional form of church” because “the presentation becomes a performance,” he writes.

Personal interaction within the church takes a hike in what Grady Bauer calls the sound system curse. I have to agree. In my larger-church experiences where the lights and electronics seemed of top quality, my interaction with the pastor was brief and shallow. When worshipping with the congregation that required no cables at all, I shared in deep and meaningful conversations with leadership as well as lay members, and felt like a valuable part of the meeting.

Does this mean larger churches are bad? They’re definitely a drawing point for some, and can host larger events that reach the masses in one shot. However, I think they certainly cannot stand alone. Without personal interaction in a non-cable environment, I think the believer is greatly missing out on genuine fellowship and encouragement (Hebrews 10:25).

Crider points out the return of the low/retro-tech movement, driving people to drop the desire for “shiny, new, smaller, faster (and) lighter” to pursue the more environment-friendly and materialism-reducing. Is this the direction in which our churches should be going? Should larger congregations drop their lights and sound boards for multiple one-room circles of weekly gatherings? Francis Chan is seriously considering this option with his sizable congregation.

Let me know what your experience has been with and without sound systems. Which do you prefer? Better yet–which is missional?

Written by Natalie Kaspar. Natalie is a freelance writer for The Upstream Collective and lives in Texas. She served as a missionary writer based out of Prague, Czech Republic, from 2007-2009, and plans to return to full-time international mission work in a few years.