"We are a church for anyone but not a church for everyone." That's how church planter Scott Whitaker described his plant, StonePoint to me. Anyone is welcomed, but not everyone will want to be a part. What a great quote! I take the same position as it relates to the New City Church plant. That is why I post things about mission and vision and how those things will likely come to be.
For example, if New City looks like a church you would enjoy, BUT you want your children involved in a lot of church children's activities throughout the week, we are probably not the church for you. If you like the way New City looks, but you strongly believe that the church should teach/preach abstinence from alcohol, New City may not be the church for you. If you like a choir - you are welcomed at New City, but we will not have a choir - and you are not going to change that.
I had a great conversation today over coffee with someone who is prayerfully considering being a part of New City. They had some great questions on leadership, direction, accountability, and other things. To which, I sometimes had to answer, this is who we are, and where we are heading, and if you are not in agreement, maybe this isn't the place to plug in (there are after all, plenty of other churches to be a part of).
This may seem harsh to some, but I believe it is essential as we begin this new church. "Protect the vision God has given you" has been an often repeated battle cry from church planters I have spoken with and read. Again, it may sound harsh, but I am unwilling to sell out the vision that God has given me for New City Church in order to have someone be a part of what we are doing - there are plenty of other churches in Macon.
So, thanks Scott Whitaker - while New City Church will be a church for anybody, we will certainly NOT be a church for everybody.
