Making the Wiki Church Practical
I can't help but write a few more thoughts on this idea of a Wiki Church and how to make it practical. We have had the opportunity to see some amazing ideas from churches around the world that puts this idea into practical action.
It's not just about offering a place for people to complain or offer unsolicited suggestions. It's rather about coming together, delegation, sharing leadership, making leaders and ultimately multiplying ministry efforts. Secondly, it's not just about sharing information, but rather about allowing more powerful ministry to happen.
Here's some practical ways this might happen. Weigh these ideas with what God is putting on your leadership's hearts, your Church strengths and your local community needs.
Free Market Small Groups - Seattle, WA, one of the greatest ways I've seen this done is at The City Church in Seattle. They host "free market" small groups based on three criteria. Season of Life (or age), Common Interest (everything from snowboarding to evangelism), and Curriculum Based (book of the Bible or book). Some of these groups go on for life, others last a few months or more. They are various times and days and some are weekly, others monthly or so on. It allows small groups to be very fluid, and allows all sorts of leaders to create "within their church" what they want their church to be. The leadership training is very thorough and intense to be allowed to lead one of these groups. But essentially, if God gives one of the leaders/members an idea, most things are a go. They are expected to gather their own crowd of interested people for the duration of the group.
G-12 Vision - Bogata, Columbia, G-12 is a ministry vision that began in Bogata, Columbia. The parent
church is now several hundred thousand people. Basically, they start an initial G-12 group with the pastor and twelve others. The pastor trains them to be strong Christians and leaders in many areas. These in turn disciple and train twelve, many times leading others to Christ and initiating them into the process. It continues and grows, creating strong Christian disciples and challenging each parishioner to be leading others to Christ and discipling them - with accountability. While you don't have to copy exactly the way it's been done, much can be caught from this idea of expectation and training for every believer.
Ministry Groups - Kenosha, WI, My brother's youth ministry gives student leaders the opportunity to start their own ministries. One student started an evangelism group, other student leaders have started other types of groups. He even gets behind them to the effect of giving them a small budget!
Crowd Response - Minneapolis, MN at our home church Emmanuel, this idea of Wiki church is put into effect in ways as simple as asking for individual responses from the congregation, to a question in the sermon . We do this regularly in a crowd of thousands!
Congregational Representatives - North Central. At the college we attended, the President kept relevant to the student body by seeking out student representatives, including the student body president. They were asked to share views and opinions of students. Sort of like a focus group.
