a sober-curious community in seattle
Hangouts, not hangovers.
Where: Fremont, Seattle.
Why: We are building a core team of people who are mission-minded, Jesus-loving, and city-oriented. We are driven by the reality that the gospel changes everything.
We are not a church split, nor are we independent. We are part of the Washington Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and sponsored by the Volunteer Park SDA Church.
How: We are approaching church planting in innovative ways, namely, by catalyzing a sober-curious community.
Most importantly, we are doing this through prayer, expecting a move of God in our time.
planting
a new church
in seattle
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Email “I’m interested!’ to abner@volunteerpark.church.
Why should we plant more churches?
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Non-practicing Christians are reached better by church plants than established churches. Established churches successfully reach some, but not all.
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Seattle is arguably the most influential cultural center in the PNW, with many people passing through as they chase careers, partners, and dreams. Churches must reach people where they are and when they are—in their life stage.
Church planters and missiologists recommend one church per 25,000 people. Seattle currently has 1 English-speaking church per 100,000 native American-born persons.
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For English speakers, the Adventist Church presence is virtually non-existent north of International District, West of I-5, and South of Green Lake
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Jesus believed the opposite. Matt. 9:37-38, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” The problem is not a lack of hungry seekers, but a lack of workers.
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Jesus told us to “Go and make disciples.” Church planting is faithfulness to God. It is also the most exciting thing in the Christian life! Those who commit to church planting are in the front lines of mission and will see God work in miraculous ways.
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Call Pastor Abner at 952-688-1760 or email at abner@volunteerpark.church
phase 1:
Sober-curious community
We want to reach Seattle socialites who are doing well in life but are poor in spirit, who wonder if there’s more to life, and who are considering a life of sobriety.
Many people have reached the “crystallization of discontent,” realizing there has to be a better way to live. We want to lean into that while offering a beautiful community and alternative social life.
We intend to make meaningful connections through pop-up sober bars, community socials, and dinner parties. And a food truck!
phase 2:
life groups
We are keen on creating spaces for deep spiritual formation and discipleship. Before navigating worship, we want to build a sustainable rhythm of meeting for training on missional living, prayer, and learning the spiritual disciplines in small group-type spaces.
It is important for us to first focus on deep discipleship and formation rather than expend our resources on corporate worship, which is a much bigger lift.
phase 3:
worshiP
After 12-18 months, or as God leads, of missional living and focus on spiritual formation, we will assess what resources exist within our group to launch corporate worship gatherings.
We place corporate worship third in our phases of mission because we want to primarily reach those outside of the church. Launching with a corporate gathering would attract ‘churched’ folk, which is not our primary mission.
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Email “I’m interested!’ to abner@volunteerpark.church.
pop-up sober bars
pop-up sober bars
Why this matters
A sober-bar environment provides the environment for sobriety while offering community and the opportunity to belong.
As cultural ethnographer Johann Hari observed, “The opposite of addiction is not sobriety, it’s connection.”
Third spaces are on the decline in America. With the uptick in digital communication there’s been a natural slope downwards in places for community connection. In a society of “going out,” a sober-bar enters an undersaturated market.
our missional approach
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The key tool for interacting with the Fremont community and surrounding neighborhoods will be by hosting a sober-bar experience.
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The pop-up sober bar will create a hospitable and unaggressive environment for the Group to connect with guests, or to develop deeper bonds with those who help us host the sober-bar experience.
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Drinking with people will allow us to make friends with those who we’d like to invite to Alpha and other future gatherings.
As our core team learns mission, and builds relationships with those who attend our events, it will quickly grow a list of contacts for follow-up.
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Email “I’m interested!’ to abner@volunteerpark.church.
The Way of Jesus for the Renewal of Seattle.
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Description text goes here
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Click here for PDF of Church Plant Proposal.
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Prayers don’t have an expiration date. We need your prayers, whether you live far or near. We need you to contend for a fresh move of God in Fremont. Please take a moment right now for this effort.
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Click here to donate. Under “Local Offerings” look for the Church Plant line item. Please consider giving here to fund this mission.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
—Missionary to ecuador, Jim elliot
“Love the city,
as christ has loved you.”
—missionary to nyc, Tim keller
“Upon all who believe, God has placed the burden of raising up churches.”
—missionary to
N. america,
ellen white
“I have found that there are three stages in every great work of God: first, it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done.”
—Missionary to china, hudson taylor
