Seedbed – October 2016
What is the New Room Network? It’s a question we’ve been asking ourselves since we announced the New Room Network would be launching at this year’s New Room Conference.
We knew the church didn’t need another corporately structured “network” built around loose affinity or associational ties. We knew people didn’t need another automated email system bombarding their inboxes with the latest call to action. And we knew the church didn’t need another organization asking them for donations and dues and constantly beckoning them to buy something else.
As we prayed and conferenced together week after week, the Lord brought us an obvious insight. The word “network” came alive for us as it came apart: “net” and “work”. We began thinking about an actual net; not like the internet but like a fishing net. A fishing net is made up of hundreds of small squares tied together by thousands of knots. It is many small things that make up one big thing. The thousands of small squares that make up a fishing net came to symbolize for us thousands of people bound to one another in the deep work of relational discipleship that would be needed for the coming awakening.
The more we thought about it, the more we realized this kind of net-work was the genius of our Wesleyan-Methodist movement. Remember George Whitfield’s famous remark about his “Brother Wesley?”
My brother Wesley acted wisely—the souls that were awakened under his ministry he joined in class, and thus preserved the fruits of his labor. This I neglected, and my people are a rope of sand.”
Wesley wove people together into the kinds of relationships that would not only awaken them to the depths of the holy love of God but— through the distinctive quality of their bond—would win others into the same life-saving faith.
A net works through the tightly bound constellation of thousands of squares tied together by tens of thousands of knots. We call them “micro-communities,” and they are our take on Wesley’s discipleship bands.
As it was at the genesis of our movement, if you wanted to be a “Methodist” the only way in was to join a Class Meeting—so it will be with the New Room Network—the only way in is to start or join a New Room Band.
That’s our invitation. No fees. No dues. No “special offers.” And for God’s sake, no spam. It’s going to be all about weaving ourselves together into a net that works. If you would like to walk this way with us and learn more about it, register your interest at newroom.network.
There’s much more to say about the what’s and the how’s but this is enough for now. This will be extraordinary and we want you to join us. The net work has already started.
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