The document outlines the simple church model of Grace Church of Philly, which is focused on making disciples. It describes the church's values of being transformational, relational, incarnational, and missional. The church's discipleship commitments are to gather, grow, give, and go. Metrics are used to measure movement in these areas and ensure ministries are aligned to the process. The church aims to keep the model clear, focused, and simple to effectively help people grow as disciples.

1. Simple Church Model Grace Church of Philly 2009

2. Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

3. How do we intend to carry out the Lord’s command to “make disciples” of all the nations of the world? By having biblical values and practical discipleship commitments.

4. Our Values (TRIM) Transformational Relational Incarnational Missional

5. Our Discipleship Commitments (4G)

6. Biblical Basis for 4G 1 Peter 2:4-10 - 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

7. Gather – Grow – Give - Go 1 Peter 2:5, 9 …you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house (WE GATHER), to be a holy priesthood (WE GROW), to offer spiritual sacrifices (WE GIVE) acceptable to God through Jesus Christ… 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (WE GO).

8. The ‘Simple Church’ Approach

9. Clarity Clarity is the ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people.

11. GCP exists to Gather in Christ, to Grow like Christ, to Give to Christ,and to Go for Christ.

14. Clarity of Values Empowers Our Commitments TRIM Transformational Prayerfully depending on the power of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit to transform any life.

15. Clarity of Values Empowers Our Commitments TRIM Transformational The grace of God means that there is no one alive who is beyond the hope of redemption and transformation in Christ Jesus.

16. Clarity of Values Empowers Our Commitments TRIM Relational Joyfully offering love and grace to everyone regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey.

20. Clarity of Values Empowers Our Commitments TRIM Incarnational We want to be deeply involved in our communities. “We don’t back away from godless people but instead embrace godless people because we understand the hearts of lost people conquered by the lordship of Jesus builds the Kingdom.” –Ed Stetzer

21. Clarity of Values Empowers Our Commitments TRIM Missional Intentionally committed to engage those who either do not know or misunderstand Jesus.

22. Clarity of Values Empowers Our Commitments TRIM Missional Being intentional about and absolutely committed to adapting everything we do in worship, instruction, community, and service so as to be meaningfully engaged with the non-Christian society around us.

23. Clarity of Values Empowers Our Commitments TRIM Missional Being missional, we understand that we are co-citizens with non-Christians and seek to build redemptive relationships in the culture instead of totally separating ourselves from the culture.

24. Clarity of Values Empowers Our Commitments TRIM Each of the TRIM values undergirds and empowers every aspect of the 4G commitments.

27. Our Growing is Transformational, Relational, Incarnational, and Missional…

28. Our Giving is Transformational, Relational, Incarnational, and Missional…

30. Clarity – Measuring the 4G’s “What gets evaluated gets done.” Q: Will evaluation aid progress? A: Seriousness and urgency will be encouraged and the right things will be focused upon, if evaluation occurs.

31. Clarity – Measuring the 4G’s We should measure horizontally not vertically, i.e. we cannot measure one’s relationship with God; we can only measure levels of involvement. We should measure at each level in our process, i.e. the entire 4G (gathering, growing, giving, going).

32. Clarity – Measuring the 4G’s

33. We Must Have a Decongestant Attitude Congestion is anything that hinders the sequential movement of people to greater areas of commitment.

34. Movement To Commitment Movement is the sequential steps in the process that causes people to move to greater areas of commitment. We NEED a simple process that moves people. We want to relieve congestion!

35. Movement Patterns What are our patterns of movement? 1 Peter 2:5-9 Becoming a spiritual house >>>>> being a holy priesthood >>>>> offering spiritual sacrifices >>>>> showing forth His excellencies.

36. Movement Patterns Gathering>>>>> Growing>>>>> Giving>>>>> Going>>>>> Transition Transition Transition

37. Movement We are interested in both qualitative and quantitativemovement. Quantitatively we are concerned about the number of people in the 4G’s. Qualitatively we are concerned about deepening the quality of our values (TRIM).

38. Alignment Alignment is the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process. Alignment maximizes the energy of everyone involved.

39. Alignment “When a local church body is not united in the same direction, the body is ineffective. The world watches this confusion... A simple church is a congregation designed around a straight- forward and strategic process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth.”

40. Alignment Unite around the process Unity is important in the values (TRIM) that empower the commitments (4G) and in the commitments themselves.

41. Alignment New Ministry Alignment How to check the fit of new and existing ministries: 1. Does it align with our 4Gdiscipleship commitments? (Ministry additions must fit the 4Gsto be launched.) 2. Will this ministry accomplish one of the 4Gs and express our TRIM values?

42. Alignment @ GCP

44. Second Segment – Small Meeting. Meet in four teams with Leadership Team member directing the four separate meetings, i.e 4G. Actual planning and work should be done in this segment.

45. Third Segment – Large Meeting. Leadership Team member gives a short synopsis of what was discussed - issues raised and suggestions given. *In the pre-launch stage, the leadership team is the Ministry Forum.

46. Ministry Forum GCP Organizational Structure

47. Ministry Forum Eight Key Questions We should always ask the following eight questions at each meeting. Even if it seems redundant, we should do it each week. Are more of us gathering as His Church? Does our gathering reflect our values? Are more members of the church involved in intentional growth environments? Do our growth venues reflect our values?

48. Ministry Forum Eight Key Questions We should always ask the following eight questions at each meeting. Even if it seems redundant, we should do it each week. Are more of us giving of ourselves and our resources to serve others? Does our giving reflect our values? Are more of us involved in reaching into our community and the world with the gospel? Does our going reflect our values?

49. Focus “Focus is the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process.”

50. Focus 1. Eliminate non-essential programs Ephesians 5:15-16: Pay close attention to how you walk – not as unwise people but as wise – making the most of the time because the days are evil. Be wise stewards of time. Be wise stewards of money.

51. Focus 2. Limit Adding We must be careful not to add. We must have the “less is more” approach. We must provide options, not more programs.

52. Focus 3. Reduce Special Events Use special events strategically so that they serve one of the 4Gs (gathering, growing, giving, going).

54. It must be our conviction and who we are.

56. Growing – strengthen and expand Grace Groups and other venues for growth that reflect our values.

57. Giving – developing service and stewardship opportunities in the church, the city, and the world that reflects our values.

58. Going – develop means to model and encourage glocal outreach that reflects our values.*TRIM Values – Transformational, Relational, Incarnational, Missional.

60. How do we move more people from gathering into growing (i.e., Grace Groups)?

61. How do we move more people from growing into giving?

63. Bridges to Growing

64. Bridges to Giving

67. Complexity “Church complexity is costly. The cost is beyond time and money. The kingdom is not expanding. Lives are not being changed. Transformation is not happening. Churches are not growing” (Simple Church, p. 228).

68. Committed to Simplicity May we gather in the name of Christ, reflecting our core values. May we grow in the likeness of Christ, reflecting our core values. May we give to the glory of Christ, reflecting our core values. May we go for the sake of those who do not know Christ, reflecting our core values. Core Values: Transformational, Relational, Incarnational, Missional.