Quick Reminder of Prayer Circles
At 7:30PM, TONIGHT, we again meet for prayer circles hosted on ZOOM. This is a video conferencing platform, however, for those who are unable to video conference, you may also call in. Please see instructions below, and join others for this time of prayer and praise! You are encouraged to join others in a time of fellowship, faith, prayer, and testimony. Beginning today, we will join together as one group, led by Yvette Akar, one of our elders.
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Special Update
This past Sabbath afternoon the leadership, with open audience to all church members, met with the Arlington senior pastor, Kevin Wells, and executive pastor, Tom Grove, to discuss further the district alignment proposal between the two churches. It was a productive meeting, with much accomplished. On Sunday, after review of the meeting and the confidence it gave the leadership of LSDA, the vote was taken, and passed, to accept the updated proposal for district alignment with Arlington, and become a multi-site campus of the Arlington SDA Church.
Tonight the Arlington leadership team will review from their end, and if they pass it, it will move to the conference for approval. Upon that approval, it will be official, and the search for a new campus pastor will commence, with the hopes it becomes completed by December 2020. The leadership of LSDA will be fully involved in this decision, to be sure the campus pastor candidate will be a good fit for the campus, as well as transmit the values of Arlington effectively.
One thing that became very clear through the discussions on Sabbath is that the ethos of both churches is a good fit. Furthermore, the leadership of Arlington wants to always be aware of what is best for the Lewisville campus, not leave it as a second thought. One way to insure this happens is to start on the right foot, but hiring the correct campus pastor, and integrating them well with Arlington church, and empowering them to lead, disciple, and develop the Lewisville campus.
This is perhaps one of the most momentous decisions the Lewisville church has made in during its existence, and I feel confident will bring results in growth, community impact, and spiritual growth not possible before. The resources which will be shared by the Arlington church are immense, being people, finances, programs, and more. I ask you be in prayer this evening as the Arlington church meets, and also pray for God’s continued leading through the process.
Some have expressed surprise that I will not be part of this next adventure and chapter for Lewisville. While I am approaching 23 months as your pastor, it has always been viewed as an interim until God brought the right pastor to you for a long-term solution. Not only will God be bringing you the right pastor, He is bringing a whole church to you, as a multi-site opportunity. I love all of you, but you need a pastor who lives in the community, not commutes. One who integrates in your lives, but also in the life of the community, making a commitment to our school, church, and neighborhood.
I will be the transitional campus pastor while the search begins, as we begin the process of becoming a multi-site campus. So you don’t have rid of me quite yet, but almost. I am excited for your future, and thankful I could play a small part.
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F.A.Q
What is multi-site?
The principle idea of multi-site is one church, multiple locations. There are approximately 13,000+ such churches in the United States and Canada, and they allow the focus of resources and leadership to be shared in locations that might not otherwise be able to do the same on their own. Some churches have a dozen or more campuses, all doing the same work, but unique to the context of their community.
If multi-site is so popular, how many SDA churches are doing it.
Not enough, sadly. At present, I can think of only two. Beltsville Church in Maryland, and Crosswalk, out of California. I had the opportunity in 2011-2012 to launch a multi-site initiative in Northern Virginia, and learned much from it. I wish more Adventist churches would do this, and more Conferences would learn the possibilities of multi-site and encourage their churches to work together for effectiveness.
Why is multi-site / district alignment a plus for LSDA?
The sharing of resources - people, finances, programs - as well as the power and influence of the second highest tithe-paying church in the Texas Conference. The training and programs available for children, youth, and young adults is quite strong from Arlington and will be shared with Lewisville. Financial resources will be available as well when needed, as all that is done in Lewisville reflects on Arlington as campus of the primary church.
Why would Arlington want to do this? What will they gain?
They are able to share what God has blessed them with, and share the resources and influence in a broader section of the DFW area. They love to do this, and this is a concrete way to affect another congregation in a positive way.
Also, there are many who live close to the LSDA campus who go to Arlington for the experience and activities. Some may choose to give their talents to the campus and stay closer to home, knowing witnessing to their neighbors and co-workers is much easier when the church is closer. They will also have a campus that reflect much of what they love about Arlington, right there near them!
In many ways this is about going, just as commanded by Jesus. The temptations are always to build bigger and grow larger, asking people to come. But in this case, Arlington is making a strategic investment of resources and people to take what has made them a blessing to so many, further than just one location can do.
Is LSDA surrendering property to the Arlington Church?
No. For the purposes of this alignment, Arlington and Lewisville keep their finances, and property separate. The property is all owned by the Texas Conference at the moment, only marked according to the church which occupies the property. In the event an exit strategy takes place, the respective property remains the same which each individual congregation.
Will LSDA give up their identity?
Yes and no. While the name fo the church will change, hopefully, and the senior pastor will be Kevin Wells, much of the culture and beauty of what makes LSDA will remain the same, as it matches closely with Arlington presently. The new name, to be chosen soon after the approval of the alignment, will reflect the multi-site aspect with Arlington by being noted as Arlington SDA Church, _________________ Campus. For all practical purposes Lewisville will become part of the Arlington Church, and share branding, mission, vision, values, and more. This is the beauty of multi-site.
However, the context of multi-site works best when the campus reflects the community it exists in, and the people it is reaching. This is how the campus pastor becomes effective, bridging the ethos of Arlington with the culture and context of the South Denton County area LSDA ministers too.
Will the entire worship service be on the screen, like watching a movie?
Nope. And there in is one huge misconception of multi-site. Everything on the campus will be liver and unique to the context of the congregation and community, but the sermon will be streamed from the main campus, primarily Kevin Wells, the senior pastor of Arlington Church. But all else, be it music, announcements, etc, will be live and done with excellence by the congregation and participants at LSDA.
Why should I attend in person if I can watch the same sermon at home?
You could, but you can’t. Make sense? Ha! You could watch the sermon in your own home, it is true, but you wouldn’t get the live worship experience, and fellowship of others within the congregation and campus. Many express doubts of watching a sermon streamed on a screen, but it is working for 13,000+ churches, and the doubts are erased after the first couple times viewing.
If you have other questions, share them, and we will add to this FAQ!
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