What is CHURCH?

What is church?

Is this a question you have ever asked or are you one who says, “I can’t define it, but I’ll know it when I see it”?

As I travel, I ask this question and listen as Christian leaders define church.

What I hear most is that church is beautiful and amazing. Jesus made church so adaptive that she can go into absolutely any situation, meet needs, and thrive. The church is Jesus’ great gift to us.

All well and good, but what IS church?

Called Out and Committed

Not every assembly of believers is a church. The difference between a group of people doing a Bible study and a group of people being a church is easily and perhaps best defined by their commitment to the 3/5 focus.

In this 2-minute video, I present the 3/5 focus of church: who church is and what church does.

What is GSE?

by Matt Frazier-VUSA Field Team

At Vision USA, we have adopted the GSE Process to plant new churches. GSE looks different in almost every church we plant. This reflects the creative nature of God. He allows palm tress to grow well in Florida, but not in Maine. Kentucky Blue Grass flourishes in, well, Kentucky. There is so much amazing beauty in the diversity of GSE Process churches because they reach different people.

Gatherer, Shepherd, Elder

GSE stands for Gatherer, Shepherd, and Elder. This simple process is what we train and focus on when planting and coaching church planters. Our network has continued to thrive as we pray for and work toward a movement of new churches in the U.S. and beyond. With this simple process, we have been able to unleash the power of gathering and teach the simple and natural process of pursing Jesus’ mission for His church.

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Planting Churches using GSE

GSE is Great because it’s Simple

by Jon Baker, VUSA Field Team

“As regional leaders in Mexico working to encourage and equip pastors and leaders, we have struggled to create a culture of church planting. There are so many tools and forms, that one can easily get bogged down with the details and forget the simplicity of what Church is. GSE has helped to clarify, simplify and enable us to teach a method that just works.

In the last year and a half we have held several training sessions on GSE in Spanish (JCG), and have developed a team of regional leaders and field team members who are excited about starting new churches.

People who were stuck in the mode of building a single church full of programs are now reaching others with a real and genuine form of church.

Lives have been changed by making connections with people because of Jesus. We are seeing new disciples, not just rearranging God’s furniture by wooing people from another church.

The first 3 years we were here, we started 2 churches using different methods, which was not bad. With GSE, we have seen 5 new churches born in the last 18 months. Many more churches have been born in the hearts of leaders, which are still working to get going. Our network of people is growing and the excitement of the movement is building.

GSE, has been a blessing in our lives by who they are, how they approach people and ministry, and the things we have learned from them over this journey. It’s great to know we are never alone in this process. Of course we have God with us.

Also we have Coaches who care about us and walk us through the hard times in starting a church. The fellowship among the GSE network is also growing, and we know there is help around the corner. We feel so loved by the GSE international community, and we are so happy with the success God has given through GSE.”

GSE IS GREAT BECAUSE IT’S SIMPLE.

First it defines church at its essence – being and doing – and nothing more.

Second it builds upon strengths and assets that you already have – relationships and connections where you live and work.

Next it creates a process to replicate success over and over again with quick wins that encourage the leaders and attenders alike.

Ultimately, it puts all the focus on Jesus. Without Him nothing is possible, and if He doesn’t show up, everything could fall flat – but He always does.

Training

Online Training

In Person Training