How did The Gathering come about? We started The Gathering because we have always found small relational settings super life-giving. There used to be “parish churches” where people from a walkable distance would go to the same small church and do life together; they knew and were known. Those churches now, for the most part, are a thing of the past. But we believe doing life together is extremely valuable. It is especially important now when people are more disconnected and relationally deprived than ever. So, we choose the sometimes chaotic mess of micro church over the convenient composure of "western church."
We started a simple micro church because we need Jesus and each other but we do not need all the other stuff. We believe some of the “extra stuff” can be a distraction and diversion from Jesus’ call to sacrificial discipleship. Church is not about coffee and convenience, it’s about worshiping Jesus and being shaped into His image. We also believe in replicating micro churches, we always want to be about the mission Jesus has given us; we don’t want to be a mere “holy huddle.” The “huddle” happens so we can better love the world that needs Jesus’ love.
How did The Gathering get its name? The Gathering is called The Gathering because the church gathers to encourage one another and remember the good news of Jesus. The church is not the building, the church is not the service, it’s not an hour and a half on a Sunday. The church gathers, yes. But the church is a body of people, people in relationship. People are the church Sunday through Saturday. The church gathers to remember and encourage, it scatters to love and bless.
What is “micro church”? Micro church is an intentionally simple approach to church that's often small and informal in style. But we do believe there are certain requirements a micro church must meet to be a biblically faithful church (e.g., qualified leadership and teaching, preaching the good news of Jesus, regular singing and reading of God’s word, celebrations of baptism and communion, discipleship and purity, and sharing the good news of Jesus and loving the world).
What do you do when you meet? We eat a meal, sing, have a time of teaching, celebrate Jesus through partaking of bread and juice, talk together, and pray. Then we normally hang out for a while and maybe play some games.
What is it like? It’s not perfect. My singing will be off-key most of the time, for example. We value relationships and simplicity. We want everything we do to be reproducible so we can keep our focus on Jesus and easily replicate in other communities.
Who is this church for? If you have questions and you’re exploring who Jesus is, we’d love to have you join us! If you want to love and labor alongside fellow apprentices of Jesus, then this church might be a good fit. If you hurt and need to be loved, then this church might be for you. If you have questions and want to explore answers, then this church might be for you. If you love the Lord but also lament, then this church might be for you. If you are a fellow struggler looking for others to hopple along with in pursuit of Jesus, then this church might be for you.
Who is this church not for? If you are looking for a church to hide in and not know people, this is not the church for you. If you want to stay on the sidelines, this is not the church for you. If you want convenience, this church is not for you. If you have all the answers, we’ll disagree with you. And this church may not be for you.
What about kids? We have childcare for kids ages 1 to 6 during the teaching time but we love to have kids involved! We believe families, singles, retirees, under-employed, and over-employed all journeying together to pursue Jesus is the ideal. Seeing each other authentically loving Jesus through the thick and thin of life blesses the whole church. We learn from each other and grow to understand and love each other more. So, we have childcare partly as a service, but we also care about kids learning and seeing the whole church body love Jesus.
What do I wear? Casual dress is great. We’re big fans of t-shirts, hoodies, and flannels.
How can I get connected? We’re all about authentic connection. The best place to start is meeting up for coffee or food. You can text or call this number and we can set something up: 419-528-8675.
Where do you meet? The simple answer is that it depends. We have various places (e.g., Madison, Mansfield, Shelby, Shiloh, Lexington, Ontario). We truly want to connect with you and see you love Jesus and love like Jesus, but we’re not trying to grow the church through people coming to a “church service.” So, again, the best thing to do is text or call us: 419-528-8675.