Chick-fil-A Church: North Point’s Ministry Model
[This is the first of two posts -- both are rather long, but I felt it necessary to address some of the criticism that North Point and its Strategic Partner churches have come under of late, much of which is out of ignorance, from my view...]
I’m a big fan of Chick-fil-A — and of North Point Community Church (where I’m a member and community group leader). Apparently this makes me evil in the eyes of many.
This conclusion is drawn from perusing the comments relating to a recent article by Andrew Park over at Slate.com, entitled: “The Chick-fil-A Church: How “video venues” are helping megachurches franchise.” This follows on the heels of an earlier post from the Out of Ur blog back in February: “McChurch: I’m Lovin’ It,” which was inspired by Eddie Johnson’s original post here (fyi, Eddie is the campus pastor for Cumberland Church, a North Point strategic partner in Nashville — he created an additional post in response to the McChurch post here).
So what’s all the fuss about? Apparently Eddie’s original post, and the Out of Ur and Slate posts that followed, have struck a nerve. Or multiple nerves.
Which makes me wonder — of the folks who are critical, I wonder how many of them are actually familiar with North Point’s approach or ministry model?
In case you’re not familiar with North Point (www.northpoint.org), here’s a quick run-down….
North Point’s mission is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
Their seven core values (or missional motives) are:
- Biblical Authority – God has spoken to us through the Bible and we recognize it as the final authority for our lives. Are your priorities consistent with Scripture?
- Intimacy with God – God desires an intimate relationship with each of us. Is your relationship with God growing?
- Relevant Environments – Every environment should be designed to effectively connect with its target audience. Are your environments appealing, engaging, and helpful?
- Relational Evangelism – God’s message of forgiveness through Christ is most effectively conveyed within the context of personal relationships. In whom are you investing?
- Authentic Community – Accountability, belonging, care, and spiritual growth happen best with relationally-connected believers. Are you in a small group?
- Strategic Service – Our spiritual gifts have maximum impact when exercised in support of our strategy. Where are you serving?
- Intentional Apprenticing – We are responsible to pass along to others the knowledge, skills, and opportunities that have been entrusted to us. Who are you apprenticing?
North Point’s strategy (or missional map) is to create environments where people are encouraged and equipped to pursue the three vital relationships (missional measures), namely:
- Intimacy with God
- Community with Insiders
- Influence with Outsiders
The overarching metaphor they use to describe this strategy is “Foyer to Kitchen” (you can go here for a video explanation of this by Andy Stanley.
The strategy has three distinct environments, each representing a step in a process that leads folks into a deeper level of relational connection and intimacy:
- The Foyer - (Guest) It’s the place in your home that serves as the welcome area for guests and new friends. It’s the first step, and it’s often your only chance to make your guests feel comfortable enough to return. That’s exactly how we’ve designed our entry environments at North Point Community Church. Our Sunday morning worship services are “foyer” environments. We want our guests to come back, so we do everything with them in mind. These environments are where most people will experience NPCC for the first time, and they serve as the perfect place to introduce newcomers to the life of North Point Community Church. Each area of our church also has its own foyer: middle school has Xtreme, high school has Rush Hour, families have KidStuf, and singles have 7:22.
- The Living Room - (Friends) Once your guests arrive and are welcomed into your home, you invite them into the living room. Everyone finds a comfortable place to sit, and the interaction begins. This is where you connect with people like yourself. Smaller and more interactive than the foyer environment, this is a real-life, genuine opportunity to begin friendships… just like you would in your home. Married adults have MarriedLife Live — quarterly events designed to encourage your hearts, draw you closer together and offer you the essentials for a healthy marriage… all in a casual, fun environment. Single adults have FUSiON gatherings. These are monthly or bimonthly social events held in various locations around Atlanta. Each of our student ministries has this type of environment.
- The Kitchen - (Family) What’s the most popular room in your house? Where do you end up when friends and family come over? That’s right. The kitchen. And that’s the kind of environment we’re striving for in our small groups: community groups and Starting Point. These groups consist of six to eight individuals or five to six couples who meet regularly for Bible study and prayer and commit to accountability, friendship, and support. This is a safe place to open your heart and share your feelings. It’s a safe place to ask tough questions. This is where lasting friendships are made. It’s about commitment and strength and security. And we want to help you get there.
This is a high level overview of the model that North Point, as well as its Strategic Partners churches follow. How does North Point’s model compare with your own approach to ministry?
