Empowering ordinary churches to become disciple-making communities 

We have found more and more leaders and churches wondering about how mission, evangelism and discipleship might be more effective if things were a little simpler, smaller - and more scattered around everyday life, write Chrissy Remsberg and Alex Harris 

This is why we've created a new resource for those seeking to endeavour something new in mission and discipleship 

Within ecosystems a tardigrade is known as a keystone species. These species are small, microscopic even, species that have the ability to not only live and thrive in inhospitable environments where life has ceased to exist, but they also bring with them the essential building blocks of life that allow new ecosystems to form and for new life to emerge once more.
 

“We believe a microchurch model of the Church in all its many forms and varieties is akin to a spiritual tardigrade, bringing life to spiritually dead areas and allowing faith to grow and thrive again. These varying ways of being the Church bring with them the building blocks of spiritual life that enables a spiritual community to exist and thrive.” (Scattered Not Small, p. 22)

We have found more and more leaders and churches wondering about how mission, evangelism and discipleship might be more effective if things were a little simpler, a little smaller, and a little more scattered around everyday life. That church might not only thrive as a Sunday morning experience, but also springing up in all sorts of other places, days, and ways. The questions we’ve heard are about how a church might release that sort of contextual, scattered way of gathering; how it fits alongside more conventional church; who leads; how does safeguarding and compliance work; what’s the minister’s job in it all; and how on earth do you even make a start?

Thus, over the last year we set out to try to answer some of these questions and to provide a practical resource that would help churches and leadership teams that are seeking to endeavour something new in mission and discipleship.
 

“We wanted to write this book as a practical tool ... If you are already leading a scattered church, we hope in this book you find validation that you are not alone … If you are planning to be involved in or lead a scattered-model but have not yet started, we hope this book will be a practical tool to help you as you begin … If you’re interested in scattered models of church but still just exploring, we’re glad you’re here … If you are a more conventional or traditional church that meets together on a Sunday, in a church building, but are wondering about new ways of being disciple-makers we expect this book to be a good start on that exploration …” (Scattered Not Small, p. X-XI)

We love the Church in all her forms and are full of confidence that God’s Spirit works in traditional and non-traditional churches. In Scattered Not Small we seek to champion what God is doing in whatever form church takes, while also raising constructive questions (and suggestions on ways to find good answers) about how ‘scattered’ church might be something to consider.

In Scattered Not Small we open the Bible and help you to see the basic building blocks of church and the huge array of ways those blocks can be arranged for church when, where and in the way it might be needed. The book discusses how church can be accessible, inexpensive, simple and resilient. It also looks at the variety of scattered models of church, considering leadership, transition, and ways of relating.

Chrissy leads Beacon Church in Stafford which is now ten microchurches networked as one church. Alex is at the early stages of a collaboration of scattered, small churches in the centre of Leeds. Alongside our own experiences, the book is full of quotes, insights and real-life stories from half a dozen other churches and leaders at all sorts of stages of exploring more scattered ways of being church.

Throughout the book the question of ‘effective discipleship’ leads the way. We aren’t blindly advocating a standard model of church that everyone should follow, but rather encouraging curiosity to think about how we gather as Church. Each chapter is packed with input from on-the-ground practitioners, practical and easy-to-access lessons about leading a scattered model of church and a section to invite groups to discuss and learn together. It is short and easy to read.

You can find out more about Scattered Not Small or order a copy for yourself at our website www.firestartersuk.com. There you can also find other resources, including a free evangelism training resource and the Firestarters Network Podcast where this book and our first book, On This Rock, are more fully explored in conversation with other Baptist ministers.

You can also join us onsite to learn and discuss more about scattered church at our upcoming Firestarters Conversation 3-4 September, which can also be booked from our website. 
 

Chrissy Remsberg is the co-leader and pastor of Beacon Church, a Baptist church in Stafford. She co-leads the Firestarters Network with Alex Harris

Alex is the Regional Minister for Pioneering and Church Planting in the Yorkshire Baptist Association and the Director of Baptist Church Planting at St Hild Centre for Church Planting

Do you have a view? Share your thoughts via our letters' page.