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2)  what do you see as the four (because three is too traditional) to differences between the community of faith you are serving, and those churches in your area?

1.  We meet above a bar.

2.  We don't have clergy/laity.  We have a church family with a few overseers (elders).

3.  We are partnered with a church in Mexico for long term-short term missions (i'll explain) for the purpose of church planting among the unreached Aztec Indians of the Orizaba Nation.  By long term-short term, I mean we are committed to them for the long haul through prayer, financial support, multiple short term mission trips, and sending short term to longer term workers to them - 3 months, a year, or more.

4. We teach generous and sacrificial giving as opposed to tithing.

3)  is the community you serve connected with a denomination?  if "yes," what do you see as the benefits and problems with that relationship, and if "no," what do you believe are the benefits and problems without being connected?

No, we are not connected to a denomination.  However, we are connected to Xpansion ministries which is a church planting network.  The benefits to not being connected to a denomination are freedom to do as the Lord leads with no outside pressure and not having a preconceived box to fit into.  It allows us to just look at the Scriptures for direction without a lot of the tradition hang-ups. The problems in the beginning were a lack of direction, training, and funding.  However now that Xpansion is growing a little older many of those problems are curtailed for new church planters.  I was the guinea pig....and we know what happens to pigs...ouch!  No for real I wouldn't change it - God has taught me so much...a lot of it humbling but all of it for my good.

4)  what would you say are the two hardest things connected to planting an emerging/postmodern community of faith?

1.  Our community of faith is in Athens, GA.  Athens is a college and very transitional town.  Creating stability and continuity are very difficult when 90% of your population changes over the course of 4 to 5 years. We must transfer the D.N.A. each year to keep the church what it was intended to be.

5)  how does your community of faith develop connections with those outside the community?

A secular recording studio shares our space.  We also have ministry to kids in a lower income housing project, and a basketball ministry at the local H.S. next to it.  The ultimate key is that our people are filled with the love of Jesus and overflow to the people around them, at work, at class, or wherever they happen to be.

6)  what do you believe are the key elements in an emerging/postmodern worship service?

keeping the worship focused on God and particularly Jesus Christ as opposed to a band, a preacher, or a style.  Giving time for reflection and partaking in communion as part of the service each week is important to cause us to look back at the cross and resurrection, to look in at our sin, to look for forgiveness through Him, to look forward to His return. 

7)  what two key areas of advise would you give to a person looking to plant a community of faith in your area, or any area?

1.  You are not starting a business.  Your job is to be obedient to Jesus.  Being obedient to Jesus is the definition of success - nothing more and nothing less. 

2.  Ask yourself the tough questions.  Would I do this if no one funded me?  Would I do this if a year from now we have 20 people?  If you can't answer yes to those two I'm not sure you should attempt to plant.

3.  As someone who for the most part started alone, I would highly recommend at least one other committed teammate who really loves Jesus and is willing to sacrifice everything for Him. 

any closing thoughts you would like to share? 

"whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do all for the glory of God