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theCHOICE Why Snohomish and why not _______________ (enter city)? Regardless of the time or location, more people will ask WHY vs. WHY NOT? At the core of this are many fears, all of which are combated with faith. It would be easy to cite statistics or identify the 10 different reasons why Snohomish (or another city) is more strategic than other cities. The truth is that Snohomish has been on the heart of several elders for many years. The majority of our church is divided over the communities of Marysville and Lake Stevens. We also have a growing contingent of people coming from Snohomish and Arlington. Our hope is to be able to reach many more communities someday, God willing. Submitted to the Spirit, we must evaluate our people, our church, our culture, and then decide to “go” into a particular communities. And while one of the communities might appear more strategically located than another, and even make a lot of sense “on paper”, the Holy Spirit has been known to ask His church to do things that don’t make sense. We are convinced that we must continue to take gospel risks. Therefore, the elders have decided to go forward with our first site in the South, toward Snohomish (Lake Stevens). We continue to move forward with prayer and fasting, trusting that the Holy Spirit will direct us in the way we should go.

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“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

- JESUS Matthew 28.18-20

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TABLE OF CONTENTS THE MISSION - What is the mission of the church? THE CALL - What does it mean to be a “sent” church? THE FORM - What is a multi-site church? THE WISDOM – What is the rationale behind this? THE REQUIREMENTS – When should we launch a campus? THE LOCATION – How do you decide where should we go? THE TEAM – Who and what do we need? How can I help? THE TIMELINE – When is all of this going to happen? THE CHOICE – Why are we going to __________?

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theTIMELINE When is all of this starting? Below is a tentative timeline. Most dates are subject to change or adjustment. The provided timeline is ONE option. Ideally, a new launch should occur in the Fall or Spring. With the holidays, Winter is difficult time to launch anything new. June 2012 – Announce Vision to Church The initial stage will include a careful evaluation of the ministries of Damascus Road Marysville. This is an effort to ensure the mother church is healthy. Visions will be refined, leadership teams solidified, and new staff hired. This will continue to be a time of praying and fasting for the elders and the entire church. Though this stage signals a decision and initiates announcements, and informational meetings, there are many details to figure out. July-August 2012 – Informational Group Gathering During the month of July there will be several informational meetings for the community within our church and for those outside our church. These informal meetings would serve as a place for individuals to ask questions, learn about the details of the mission, and evaluate their own future involvement. September-November 2012 – Core Group Gathering These three months will begin a progressing ramping up of plans, systems, and leaders. This stage will include a more visible public promotion of the upcoming launch date. The key leaders will be identified, and the core team will begin to unify around their shared mission to Snohomish. A location will be secured and any necessary equipment will be acquired. November 2012 or January 2013 –Launch Damascus Road | Snohomish September 2013 – Transition to AM

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theNEED The new church campus will need a dedicated set up team, worship team, hospitality team, and children’s team to manage the gathering. Not all of this will be needed immediately, but the core group of volunteers must be prepared when we do. Most campus will begin as evening service. While the lead pastor will serve as the “point man” for the campus, whatever pastor preaches at the Marysville campus will preach the same sermon in Snohomish for a time. The hope is that, within a year, the plan would be to transition the campus to Sunday mornings, with its own dedicated preacher/pastor, and to begin to work on a third campus in or around another city. We are calling for volunteers to PRAY and FAST for the few weeks about the following items: 1. THE HOLY SPIRIT’S LEADING 2. THE LEADERS 3. THE TEAM

4. THE VOLUNTEERS 5. THE LOCATION 6. THE MUSIC 7. THE CITY

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theMISSION WHAT IS THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH? We believe our mission is to live out the Great Commandment as we fulfill the Great Commission. In other words, we love one another as we make disciples and plant churches. The gospel forms us into a family of families and sends us on mission into the world. Specifically, we believe we are called to make disciples and plant churches. This commitment requires a conviction that the Great Commission can be accomplished and will be completed. Furthermore, it requires that pastors and churches view themselves not as the end of the mission, but as a means to mobilize and equip people for mission through the local church. As God saves us by the power of the gospel, believers are gathered into a FAMILY where we grow in the gospel together—taking it deeper into our own hearts as we share it in one another’s lives. But our family is not only a collection of maturing brothers and sisters who love one another; we are a team of ambassadors who are SENT on mission into the world. Genuine faithfulness requires that we both gather AND scatter. This is how the disciples understood the Great Commission as demonstrated in the expansion of the church seen in the book of Acts.

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theTEAM The following plan is flexible and open to change depending on how the Spirit leads and provides (or not) . The written objective of the plan is to launch a separate campus in or around downtown Snohomish called Damascus Road | Snohomish.

The campus will exist as an extension of our one church, sharing all of our DNA, our leadership, and resources. The campus aims “soft” launch in the next 6 months as an evening service around 5:30pm. the preacher For an indefinite time, the preacher for the evening gathering in Snohomish would be the same preacher from the morning gathering in Marysville. The elders are committed to developing more elders, more preachers, and more planters always. the campus lead The current operations pastor would oversee the pastoring of the Road Groups and all organizational aspects of the campus. This will continue until such time as God raises up a leader from among the core group before or after the soft launch, to help manage the campus. This is not necessarily a pastoral role. the worship We have begun the process of searching for a music lead to help shape the musical identity of our worship over two campuses. This position would begin as an internship and, by God’s grace, transition into a permanent position. Our music volunteers have faithfully served for nearly three years without a paid lead. We believe it is time to hire an individual who can dedicate significant time, energy, and skill into making our music ministry a greater part of our mission. the core team We will begin building a core team by gathering those we already have in the given location. This is done through Road Groups. We will host several informational meetings throughout the summer in order to connect with local “missionaries” (who leave Snohomish to attend a church), many of whom already have a heart for Snohomish but do not yet attend Damascus Road. We would also plan ways to invest in the community, through various activities, in order to reach the pre-Christians who are not connected with a church at all. Ideally, we will have a core of 40-50 people dedicated to this mission before the actual launch. During this core building stage, we would hope to identify leaders and volunteers for the various needs of the new mission.

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healthy we do not refer to style or contextualization, rather, to the purity of their teaching, leadership, and practice.

6. Is there a reformed church in the area? We should consider the theology that is taught by the present churches. Reformed theology is growing but still somewhat of a minority in the Northwest. If we believe that a reformed perspective of the Scriptures is important to teach, in that it is in fact Gospel Truth, then the absence of such sound doctrine is motivation enough to plant.

7. Is there a gospel-centered church in the area? We recognize that theological reformed churches may be present in both name and belief. Unfortunately, many theologically reformed churches have the reputation of reveling in their theology at the expense of the gospel. We must consider whether those reformed churches present are gospel-centered relative to their understanding of the Great Commandment, the Great Commission, and overall engagement with the world.

8. Is there a contextualized church in the area? Briefly, this is a church that is not functioning as if it is still 1982. Some might argue this is an issue of personal preference or seeker sensitivity. We would view it instead as necessary, sensible, and modeled after the incarnation of Christ himself.

9. Is there a missional church in the area? A missional church is a church that recognizes the living, active, and urgent mission of God. In other words, a missional church understands the modern day value of the Great Commission and is endeavoring to make disciples in all that they do. They believe that, as Jesus taught in John 17, we are disciples who are a sent people, that there is much work to do, and that mission has a church to do it.

10. Is the Spirit leading us to or away from this area? Even if our answers to all 9 questions are such that it strategically makes sense to plant a church, we are committed to being led by the Spirit. Just because a door is open does not mean that the Spirit wants us to walk through it. We must seek the direction of the Lord and be convinced that we will be disobeying God if we do not do this.

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theCALL WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A ‘SENT’ CHURCH? A church that lives out its “sent-ness” is a church that understands the Great Commission to be a call to make disciples AND plant new churches. In other words, Damascus Road Church is a church committed to reproduction. It is our hope that disciples are making new disciples, groups are making new groups, and churches are making new churches. It is our intention to go, preach, gather, and establish new churches in nearby cities. As the Spirit leads, some of us will be called to stay and send, while others will be called to go and serve. Either way, we will all be “moving” as change always brings new opportunities and new challenges. Some of us will be led to go, others to support those who go. And while it is tempting to remain a close-knit family of families, grow old together, and enjoy our community—we are sent to do more. We are not only a family of brothers and sisters; we are a group of ambassadors and missionaries. Before Damascus Road planted our first church plant in Mt. Vernon, we dialogued at length about what kind of church to plant—a campus church or an autonomous church. There were pros and cons on each side. In the end, though there were many tangible advantages to launching a northern campus, the elders felt Mt. Vernon was too north. Ultimately, the proximity and the unique culture of Skagit Valley demanded we plant an autonomous church. Today, Communion is healthy and growing. As Communion has grown, Damascus Road has spent time healing. Like a young mother, it has taken some time to recuperate and be strong again. Over a year has passed. Communion is a growing young toddler and Damascus Road is finally a recuperated mother ready to “send again.” Currently, our church in Marysville reaches multiple cities nearby; cities with boundaries that are somewhat blurred. The communities of Arlington, Marysville, Lake Stevens, Snohomish, and even Everett seem to blend together—it is not perfectly clear where one starts and another ends. In order to reach this particular region (North Snohomish County) effectively, we believe we need to become a multi-site church with a commitment to plant churches AND launch campuses.

This commitment requires a conviction that the Great Commission

can be accomplished and will be completed.

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theFORM WHAT IS A MULTI-SITE CHURCH? (the form) A multi-site is defined as one church that meets in more than one location. Multi-site churches take numerous forms, come in different sizes, meet at various times, and gather in all kinds of locations. Some use videos of a pre-recorded sermon (others live), some use one live preacher, some use a team of preachers, and others use a combination. Some churches create unique contextualized campuses while others template their format. Regardless of the form a specific church campus might take, the predominant strength of any multi-site model is the power to use existing resources, processes, and structures in order to reproduce more quickly and securely. Essentially, the multi-site model helps the mission, relative to planting new churches, become more efficient and effective. We envision all Damascus Road Campuses sharing the following: 1. Shared Family Traits: Campuses share the same mission statement and core

values. The campuses understand that our mission statements should not change as they are all re-statements of the Great Commission. Moreover, since the core values are Gospel-centered, a campus should will not change its values dramatically though the same values can be communicated and even manifested differently in a given cultural context.

2. Shared Leadership: The campuses will each maintain their own local staff while

under the oversight of the one Damascus Road Church board of elders. All campuses will be equally represented within the elders that will counsel together about management, budgeting, theological, or philosophical decisions, etc., that impact all current and future campuses.

3. Shared Finances: The multiple campuses will share one bank account that is managed by the same financial team overseeing all of Damascus Road Church. All campuses are equal in value but create independent budgets representing their unique needs. Sharing finances will allow for easier borrowing, group benefits, resource management, and shared purchasing. In other words, you can do more for one by having two.

4. Shared Resources/Ministries: The campuses will be expected to share all resources produced by the church. These resources include, but are not limited to, music, sermon booklets, various curriculums, marketing materials, etc. Additionally, the campuses will plan, serve, and participate in events and various gatherings for the mutual edification of the one Church. This may also include shared regional ministries (e.g. retreats, classes, youth, etc.).

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theLOCATION WHERE SHOULD WE PLANT A CAMPUS? Below are 10 Questions for leadership about where to plant another church or campus. These particular questions are an attempt to determine whether we should even plant a church and/or whether we should plant a church in a particular area. Some of the implications from our answers may be helpful in determining WHEN this should occur, but not definitively. 1. Is there a command to plant churches? Yes.

2. Is there a need to plant churches (anywhere and in this area)? The

question of need is both a general question about the invisible church of God as it relates to the Great Commission in the world. It is also a specific question relative to the need for a visible expression of His church in this particular area. The first question is spiritual and biblical, determined by a prayerful examination of the Scriptures. The second question is material and pragmatic, determined by a prayerful examination of the culture.

3. Is there a man to lead this church plant? There must be a lead pastor for any church plant or campus. Depending on any number of variables including time of gatherings, location, and resources, a lead pastor from one campus can serve as a lead pastor of another. In the long term this is not ideal, but in the short term this is acceptable and necessary.

4. Do we have people living in or near this area? We believe we are primarily (not exclusively) called to plant churches in the areas to which we can reach our arms. When an indefinite (but growing) number of people live in a recognized community, but must drive out of that community to attend one of our churches, we must make an effort to help them remain in their community. If there is a healthy, reformed, gospel-centered, contextualized, missional church present, they should be encouraged to attend there. If not, we should consider planting a church and building a core team out of those people.

5. Is there a healthy evangelical church in the area? Healthy is not a relative term. Healthy means biblical. There are many churches that would describe themselves as healthy and yet they function with an unbiblical ecclesiology. By

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4. A committed CAMPUS LEAD & ADMINISTRATOR: There must be a point man

to lead in managing the flock. The responsibility to shepherd the spiritual needs of all of the campuses rests with the elder board. It is important, however, to have an onsite pastor, in addition to the preacher, dedicated to managing the spiritual and practical needs of the campus. This does not preclude the preacher from shepherding, but serves to help him in his primary work. Specifically, this means that before a site can launch, an individual must be committed to oversee some of the practical needs of the Road Groups and their leaders for a given campus.

5. A committed CORE: There must be a committed group of members ready to attend the campus. Geographically, this means there must be well established Road Groups present in the given location. Numerically, these Road Groups must represent 25-30 people. Spiritually, these individuals need to demonstrate their commitment through a history of serving, giving, and participating in the life of the body.

6. A committed LEADERSHIP team: Following the decision to plant a campus, and before the actual launching of the campus, there must be several different leadership roles filled. Ideally, these are filled by new leaders, though some of them may be filled by current leaders desiring to go on mission. In addition to the roles already identified (*), the essential roles to be filled for any campus include:

a. Preaching Lead* b. Campus Lead* c. Set Up/Tear down Lead d. Music Lead e. Hospitality Lead f. Children’s Lead

7. A committed volunteer staff: Finally, there must be a solid group of volunteers

committed to serving for a minimum of 6 months. This group will exist as the lead missionaries on the ground, forgoing being ministered to so that they can minister to others. More than any others, this group will dedicate themselves to being present and on mission at the gatherings, all the time; every time; in thought, word, and deed.

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5. Shared Teaching: Those pastors gifted in preaching will participate in a weekly preaching cadre to plan sermon series and study for sermons together. Initially, as campuses are launched, the pulpit will be covered by one pastor who preaches both AM and PM services. Campuses will typically preach the same things at the same times, though flexibility will be allowed for shorter series that are contextually necessary.

6. Shared Assets: The multiple campuses will function as one economic organization with shared assets including, but not limited to, buildings, technology, vehicles, etc. Largely, this is to ease the financial burden of having to duplicate things such as a website, social networking, equipment, etc.

7. Shared Name: There is nothing magical about a name; but a name is a sermon that does preach something. Adopting the same name for all campuses preaches stability, consistency, and trustworthiness. Providing familiarity allows for those going to another church of the same name to easily invite or suggest friends in closer proximity to attend. Pragmatically, one brand is easier to market than two.

Regardless of the form a specific church campus might take, the predominant

strength of any multi-site model is the power to use existing resources,

processes, and structures in order to reproduce more quickly and securely.

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theWISDOM WHY SHOULD ANYONE CONSIDER MULTI-SITE? Multi-site methodology takes many forms. No matter the form, what is certain is that the commitment to reproduce oneself in a different location has proven effective within many different contexts. Though the original churches who moved this direction experimented with multi-site out of necessity, the practice itself has been employed in the secular culture for some time. Part of the reason that multi-site appears to work is that it engages the culture where it is already at. But we don’t just adopt something because “it works”. At the same time, though the church is counter-cultural by nature, it would be unwise to dismiss the culture entirely when it comes to reaching it. Specifically, today’s culture evidences that people value:

- Brand Recognition - I know who you are. - Security in Familiarity - I know what to expect from you. - Contextualization - I know who we are. - Part of something bigger – I know I can play a role in something larger.

WHY SHOULD WE GO MULTI-SITE? As stated earlier, the most common reason to launch an additional option (be it campus, service, etc.) is overcrowding. When a church meets or exceeds its building’s capacity, it naturally finds a way to accommodate growth, usually in the form of an overflow room. Even though we have our peaks and valleys, right now, Damascus Road Church is NOT overcrowded. This is a good thing as it ensures our motivation for this discussion is not reactionary, and any decision, is not simply a pragmatic attempt to meet a felt need. What other reason should Damascus Road consider for moving to multi-site? Mission. 1. Campuses provide more opportunities for members to lead by serving on mission. 2. Campuses provide more opportunities for members to serve by leading on mission. 3. Campuses meet needs of those travelling distance and equip them for local mission. 4. Campuses reach new people in a new place with newly impassioned missionaries. 5. Campuses leverage current resources and capitalize on cooperative efforts. 6. Campuses minimize cost and risk while they maximize scope and impact of mission 7. Campuses stimulate members, individually and corporately, to live out the Great

Commission where they live.

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theREQUIREMENTS WHEN SHOULD WE LAUNCH A MULTI-SITE? There are several qualities required to launch a successful multi-site in a particular location. The presence of all these qualities often signals that a church is ready, able, and willing to start a new site. The absence of some of these qualities does not necessarily signal that a church is not ready, able, or willing and should not be decisively used to delay a decision to explore. While it may inform the ultimate timeline, making and publicizing a decision about mission is often used by God as a catalyst for potential leaders to join the mission. 1. A committed elder board: The elder board must be unified in their sense of call

to plant a site in a particular location. This sense of call may come before clarity on questions of whom, when, and how. The Holy Spirit’s leading, in answering these questions, is confirmed through praying and fasting.

2. A committed “MOTHER” church: The sending church must agree with the elder’s sense of call and commit to supporting the mission. Without a committed and healthy mother, a new child will not survive. After confirming their mutual sense of calling, the elders will publicly present the vision to the congregation for input and feedback. The church will seek to confirm through prayer and fasting. *It should be noted that committed also includes “healthy.” That being said, the first priority is to strengthen and secure the sending church BEFORE launching a new mission. This can change the timeline dramatically depending on current needs.

3. A committed PREACHER & VISIONARY: There must be a proven live preacher for the campus. In time, each individual campus will have its own dedicated preacher for public services who functions as the lead pastor for the campus. He will be required to submit to the Acts 29/3Strand assessment before official affirmation. Depending on the time and locations, one preacher can serve two different campuses. With a third campus, a team of preachers would share the needs of a third campus until such time a new preacher is trained, affirmed, and released.

What other reason should Damascus Road consider for

moving to multi-site? Mission.

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theCHOICE Why Snohomish and why not _______________ (enter city)? Regardless of the time or location, more people will ask WHY vs. WHY NOT? At the core of this are many fears, all of which are combated with faith. It would be easy to cite statistics or identify the 10 different reasons why Snohomish (or another city) is more strategic than other cities. The truth is that Snohomish has been on the heart of several elders for many years. The majority of our church is divided over the communities of Marysville and Lake Stevens. We also have a growing contingent of people coming from Snohomish and Arlington. Our hope is to be able to reach many more communities someday, God willing. Submitted to the Spirit, we must evaluate our people, our church, our culture, and then decide to “go” into a particular communities. And while one of the communities might appear more strategically located than another, and even make a lot of sense “on paper”, the Holy Spirit has been known to ask His church to do things that don’t make sense. We are convinced that we must continue to take gospel risks. Therefore, the elders have decided to go forward with our first site in the South, toward Snohomish (Lake Stevens). We continue to move forward with prayer and fasting, trusting that the Holy Spirit will direct us in the way we should go.

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“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

- JESUS Matthew 28.18-20

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TABLE OF CONTENTS THE MISSION - What is the mission of the church? THE CALL - What does it mean to be a “sent” church? THE FORM - What is a multi-site church? THE WISDOM – What is the rationale behind this? THE REQUIREMENTS – When should we launch a campus? THE LOCATION – How do you decide where should we go? THE TEAM – Who and what do we need? How can I help? THE TIMELINE – When is all of this going to happen? THE CHOICE – Why are we going to __________?

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theTIMELINE When is all of this starting? Below is a tentative timeline. Most dates are subject to change or adjustment. The provided timeline is ONE option. Ideally, a new launch should occur in the Fall or Spring. With the holidays, Winter is difficult time to launch anything new. June 2012 – Announce Vision to Church The initial stage will include a careful evaluation of the ministries of Damascus Road Marysville. This is an effort to ensure the mother church is healthy. Visions will be refined, leadership teams solidified, and new staff hired. This will continue to be a time of praying and fasting for the elders and the entire church. Though this stage signals a decision and initiates announcements, and informational meetings, there are many details to figure out. July-August 2012 – Informational Group Gathering During the month of July there will be several informational meetings for the community within our church and for those outside our church. These informal meetings would serve as a place for individuals to ask questions, learn about the details of the mission, and evaluate their own future involvement. September-November 2012 – Core Group Gathering These three months will begin a progressing ramping up of plans, systems, and leaders. This stage will include a more visible public promotion of the upcoming launch date. The key leaders will be identified, and the core team will begin to unify around their shared mission to Snohomish. A location will be secured and any necessary equipment will be acquired. November 2012 or January 2013 –Launch Damascus Road | Snohomish September 2013 – Transition to AM

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theNEED The new church campus will need a dedicated set up team, worship team, hospitality team, and children’s team to manage the gathering. Not all of this will be needed immediately, but the core group of volunteers must be prepared when we do. Most campus will begin as evening service. While the lead pastor will serve as the “point man” for the campus, whatever pastor preaches at the Marysville campus will preach the same sermon in Snohomish for a time. The hope is that, within a year, the plan would be to transition the campus to Sunday mornings, with its own dedicated preacher/pastor, and to begin to work on a third campus in or around another city. We are calling for volunteers to PRAY and FAST for the few weeks about the following items: 1. THE HOLY SPIRIT’S LEADING 2. THE LEADERS 3. THE TEAM

4. THE VOLUNTEERS 5. THE LOCATION 6. THE MUSIC 7. THE CITY

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theMISSION WHAT IS THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH? We believe our mission is to live out the Great Commandment as we fulfill the Great Commission. In other words, we love one another as we make disciples and plant churches. The gospel forms us into a family of families and sends us on mission into the world. Specifically, we believe we are called to make disciples and plant churches. This commitment requires a conviction that the Great Commission can be accomplished and will be completed. Furthermore, it requires that pastors and churches view themselves not as the end of the mission, but as a means to mobilize and equip people for mission through the local church. As God saves us by the power of the gospel, believers are gathered into a FAMILY where we grow in the gospel together—taking it deeper into our own hearts as we share it in one another’s lives. But our family is not only a collection of maturing brothers and sisters who love one another; we are a team of ambassadors who are SENT on mission into the world. Genuine faithfulness requires that we both gather AND scatter. This is how the disciples understood the Great Commission as demonstrated in the expansion of the church seen in the book of Acts.

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theTEAM The following plan is flexible and open to change depending on how the Spirit leads and provides (or not) . The written objective of the plan is to launch a separate campus in or around downtown Snohomish called Damascus Road | Snohomish.

The campus will exist as an extension of our one church, sharing all of our DNA, our leadership, and resources. The campus aims “soft” launch in the next 6 months as an evening service around 5:30pm. the preacher For an indefinite time, the preacher for the evening gathering in Snohomish would be the same preacher from the morning gathering in Marysville. The elders are committed to developing more elders, more preachers, and more planters always. the campus lead The current operations pastor would oversee the pastoring of the Road Groups and all organizational aspects of the campus. This will continue until such time as God raises up a leader from among the core group before or after the soft launch, to help manage the campus. This is not necessarily a pastoral role. the worship We have begun the process of searching for a music lead to help shape the musical identity of our worship over two campuses. This position would begin as an internship and, by God’s grace, transition into a permanent position. Our music volunteers have faithfully served for nearly three years without a paid lead. We believe it is time to hire an individual who can dedicate significant time, energy, and skill into making our music ministry a greater part of our mission. the core team We will begin building a core team by gathering those we already have in the given location. This is done through Road Groups. We will host several informational meetings throughout the summer in order to connect with local “missionaries” (who leave Snohomish to attend a church), many of whom already have a heart for Snohomish but do not yet attend Damascus Road. We would also plan ways to invest in the community, through various activities, in order to reach the pre-Christians who are not connected with a church at all. Ideally, we will have a core of 40-50 people dedicated to this mission before the actual launch. During this core building stage, we would hope to identify leaders and volunteers for the various needs of the new mission.

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healthy we do not refer to style or contextualization, rather, to the purity of their teaching, leadership, and practice.

6. Is there a reformed church in the area? We should consider the theology that is taught by the present churches. Reformed theology is growing but still somewhat of a minority in the Northwest. If we believe that a reformed perspective of the Scriptures is important to teach, in that it is in fact Gospel Truth, then the absence of such sound doctrine is motivation enough to plant.

7. Is there a gospel-centered church in the area? We recognize that theological reformed churches may be present in both name and belief. Unfortunately, many theologically reformed churches have the reputation of reveling in their theology at the expense of the gospel. We must consider whether those reformed churches present are gospel-centered relative to their understanding of the Great Commandment, the Great Commission, and overall engagement with the world.

8. Is there a contextualized church in the area? Briefly, this is a church that is not functioning as if it is still 1982. Some might argue this is an issue of personal preference or seeker sensitivity. We would view it instead as necessary, sensible, and modeled after the incarnation of Christ himself.

9. Is there a missional church in the area? A missional church is a church that recognizes the living, active, and urgent mission of God. In other words, a missional church understands the modern day value of the Great Commission and is endeavoring to make disciples in all that they do. They believe that, as Jesus taught in John 17, we are disciples who are a sent people, that there is much work to do, and that mission has a church to do it.

10. Is the Spirit leading us to or away from this area? Even if our answers to all 9 questions are such that it strategically makes sense to plant a church, we are committed to being led by the Spirit. Just because a door is open does not mean that the Spirit wants us to walk through it. We must seek the direction of the Lord and be convinced that we will be disobeying God if we do not do this.

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theCALL WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A ‘SENT’ CHURCH? A church that lives out its “sent-ness” is a church that understands the Great Commission to be a call to make disciples AND plant new churches. In other words, Damascus Road Church is a church committed to reproduction. It is our hope that disciples are making new disciples, groups are making new groups, and churches are making new churches. It is our intention to go, preach, gather, and establish new churches in nearby cities. As the Spirit leads, some of us will be called to stay and send, while others will be called to go and serve. Either way, we will all be “moving” as change always brings new opportunities and new challenges. Some of us will be led to go, others to support those who go. And while it is tempting to remain a close-knit family of families, grow old together, and enjoy our community—we are sent to do more. We are not only a family of brothers and sisters; we are a group of ambassadors and missionaries. Before Damascus Road planted our first church plant in Mt. Vernon, we dialogued at length about what kind of church to plant—a campus church or an autonomous church. There were pros and cons on each side. In the end, though there were many tangible advantages to launching a northern campus, the elders felt Mt. Vernon was too north. Ultimately, the proximity and the unique culture of Skagit Valley demanded we plant an autonomous church. Today, Communion is healthy and growing. As Communion has grown, Damascus Road has spent time healing. Like a young mother, it has taken some time to recuperate and be strong again. Over a year has passed. Communion is a growing young toddler and Damascus Road is finally a recuperated mother ready to “send again.” Currently, our church in Marysville reaches multiple cities nearby; cities with boundaries that are somewhat blurred. The communities of Arlington, Marysville, Lake Stevens, Snohomish, and even Everett seem to blend together—it is not perfectly clear where one starts and another ends. In order to reach this particular region (North Snohomish County) effectively, we believe we need to become a multi-site church with a commitment to plant churches AND launch campuses.

This commitment requires a conviction that the Great Commission

can be accomplished and will be completed.

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theFORM WHAT IS A MULTI-SITE CHURCH? (the form) A multi-site is defined as one church that meets in more than one location. Multi-site churches take numerous forms, come in different sizes, meet at various times, and gather in all kinds of locations. Some use videos of a pre-recorded sermon (others live), some use one live preacher, some use a team of preachers, and others use a combination. Some churches create unique contextualized campuses while others template their format. Regardless of the form a specific church campus might take, the predominant strength of any multi-site model is the power to use existing resources, processes, and structures in order to reproduce more quickly and securely. Essentially, the multi-site model helps the mission, relative to planting new churches, become more efficient and effective. We envision all Damascus Road Campuses sharing the following: 1. Shared Family Traits: Campuses share the same mission statement and core

values. The campuses understand that our mission statements should not change as they are all re-statements of the Great Commission. Moreover, since the core values are Gospel-centered, a campus should will not change its values dramatically though the same values can be communicated and even manifested differently in a given cultural context.

2. Shared Leadership: The campuses will each maintain their own local staff while

under the oversight of the one Damascus Road Church board of elders. All campuses will be equally represented within the elders that will counsel together about management, budgeting, theological, or philosophical decisions, etc., that impact all current and future campuses.

3. Shared Finances: The multiple campuses will share one bank account that is managed by the same financial team overseeing all of Damascus Road Church. All campuses are equal in value but create independent budgets representing their unique needs. Sharing finances will allow for easier borrowing, group benefits, resource management, and shared purchasing. In other words, you can do more for one by having two.

4. Shared Resources/Ministries: The campuses will be expected to share all resources produced by the church. These resources include, but are not limited to, music, sermon booklets, various curriculums, marketing materials, etc. Additionally, the campuses will plan, serve, and participate in events and various gatherings for the mutual edification of the one Church. This may also include shared regional ministries (e.g. retreats, classes, youth, etc.).

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theLOCATION WHERE SHOULD WE PLANT A CAMPUS? Below are 10 Questions for leadership about where to plant another church or campus. These particular questions are an attempt to determine whether we should even plant a church and/or whether we should plant a church in a particular area. Some of the implications from our answers may be helpful in determining WHEN this should occur, but not definitively. 1. Is there a command to plant churches? Yes.

2. Is there a need to plant churches (anywhere and in this area)? The

question of need is both a general question about the invisible church of God as it relates to the Great Commission in the world. It is also a specific question relative to the need for a visible expression of His church in this particular area. The first question is spiritual and biblical, determined by a prayerful examination of the Scriptures. The second question is material and pragmatic, determined by a prayerful examination of the culture.

3. Is there a man to lead this church plant? There must be a lead pastor for any church plant or campus. Depending on any number of variables including time of gatherings, location, and resources, a lead pastor from one campus can serve as a lead pastor of another. In the long term this is not ideal, but in the short term this is acceptable and necessary.

4. Do we have people living in or near this area? We believe we are primarily (not exclusively) called to plant churches in the areas to which we can reach our arms. When an indefinite (but growing) number of people live in a recognized community, but must drive out of that community to attend one of our churches, we must make an effort to help them remain in their community. If there is a healthy, reformed, gospel-centered, contextualized, missional church present, they should be encouraged to attend there. If not, we should consider planting a church and building a core team out of those people.

5. Is there a healthy evangelical church in the area? Healthy is not a relative term. Healthy means biblical. There are many churches that would describe themselves as healthy and yet they function with an unbiblical ecclesiology. By

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4. A committed CAMPUS LEAD & ADMINISTRATOR: There must be a point man

to lead in managing the flock. The responsibility to shepherd the spiritual needs of all of the campuses rests with the elder board. It is important, however, to have an onsite pastor, in addition to the preacher, dedicated to managing the spiritual and practical needs of the campus. This does not preclude the preacher from shepherding, but serves to help him in his primary work. Specifically, this means that before a site can launch, an individual must be committed to oversee some of the practical needs of the Road Groups and their leaders for a given campus.

5. A committed CORE: There must be a committed group of members ready to attend the campus. Geographically, this means there must be well established Road Groups present in the given location. Numerically, these Road Groups must represent 25-30 people. Spiritually, these individuals need to demonstrate their commitment through a history of serving, giving, and participating in the life of the body.

6. A committed LEADERSHIP team: Following the decision to plant a campus, and before the actual launching of the campus, there must be several different leadership roles filled. Ideally, these are filled by new leaders, though some of them may be filled by current leaders desiring to go on mission. In addition to the roles already identified (*), the essential roles to be filled for any campus include:

a. Preaching Lead* b. Campus Lead* c. Set Up/Tear down Lead d. Music Lead e. Hospitality Lead f. Children’s Lead

7. A committed volunteer staff: Finally, there must be a solid group of volunteers

committed to serving for a minimum of 6 months. This group will exist as the lead missionaries on the ground, forgoing being ministered to so that they can minister to others. More than any others, this group will dedicate themselves to being present and on mission at the gatherings, all the time; every time; in thought, word, and deed.

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5. Shared Teaching: Those pastors gifted in preaching will participate in a weekly preaching cadre to plan sermon series and study for sermons together. Initially, as campuses are launched, the pulpit will be covered by one pastor who preaches both AM and PM services. Campuses will typically preach the same things at the same times, though flexibility will be allowed for shorter series that are contextually necessary.

6. Shared Assets: The multiple campuses will function as one economic organization with shared assets including, but not limited to, buildings, technology, vehicles, etc. Largely, this is to ease the financial burden of having to duplicate things such as a website, social networking, equipment, etc.

7. Shared Name: There is nothing magical about a name; but a name is a sermon that does preach something. Adopting the same name for all campuses preaches stability, consistency, and trustworthiness. Providing familiarity allows for those going to another church of the same name to easily invite or suggest friends in closer proximity to attend. Pragmatically, one brand is easier to market than two.

Regardless of the form a specific church campus might take, the predominant

strength of any multi-site model is the power to use existing resources,

processes, and structures in order to reproduce more quickly and securely.

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theWISDOM WHY SHOULD ANYONE CONSIDER MULTI-SITE? Multi-site methodology takes many forms. No matter the form, what is certain is that the commitment to reproduce oneself in a different location has proven effective within many different contexts. Though the original churches who moved this direction experimented with multi-site out of necessity, the practice itself has been employed in the secular culture for some time. Part of the reason that multi-site appears to work is that it engages the culture where it is already at. But we don’t just adopt something because “it works”. At the same time, though the church is counter-cultural by nature, it would be unwise to dismiss the culture entirely when it comes to reaching it. Specifically, today’s culture evidences that people value:

- Brand Recognition - I know who you are. - Security in Familiarity - I know what to expect from you. - Contextualization - I know who we are. - Part of something bigger – I know I can play a role in something larger.

WHY SHOULD WE GO MULTI-SITE? As stated earlier, the most common reason to launch an additional option (be it campus, service, etc.) is overcrowding. When a church meets or exceeds its building’s capacity, it naturally finds a way to accommodate growth, usually in the form of an overflow room. Even though we have our peaks and valleys, right now, Damascus Road Church is NOT overcrowded. This is a good thing as it ensures our motivation for this discussion is not reactionary, and any decision, is not simply a pragmatic attempt to meet a felt need. What other reason should Damascus Road consider for moving to multi-site? Mission. 1. Campuses provide more opportunities for members to lead by serving on mission. 2. Campuses provide more opportunities for members to serve by leading on mission. 3. Campuses meet needs of those travelling distance and equip them for local mission. 4. Campuses reach new people in a new place with newly impassioned missionaries. 5. Campuses leverage current resources and capitalize on cooperative efforts. 6. Campuses minimize cost and risk while they maximize scope and impact of mission 7. Campuses stimulate members, individually and corporately, to live out the Great

Commission where they live.

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theREQUIREMENTS WHEN SHOULD WE LAUNCH A MULTI-SITE? There are several qualities required to launch a successful multi-site in a particular location. The presence of all these qualities often signals that a church is ready, able, and willing to start a new site. The absence of some of these qualities does not necessarily signal that a church is not ready, able, or willing and should not be decisively used to delay a decision to explore. While it may inform the ultimate timeline, making and publicizing a decision about mission is often used by God as a catalyst for potential leaders to join the mission. 1. A committed elder board: The elder board must be unified in their sense of call

to plant a site in a particular location. This sense of call may come before clarity on questions of whom, when, and how. The Holy Spirit’s leading, in answering these questions, is confirmed through praying and fasting.

2. A committed “MOTHER” church: The sending church must agree with the elder’s sense of call and commit to supporting the mission. Without a committed and healthy mother, a new child will not survive. After confirming their mutual sense of calling, the elders will publicly present the vision to the congregation for input and feedback. The church will seek to confirm through prayer and fasting. *It should be noted that committed also includes “healthy.” That being said, the first priority is to strengthen and secure the sending church BEFORE launching a new mission. This can change the timeline dramatically depending on current needs.

3. A committed PREACHER & VISIONARY: There must be a proven live preacher for the campus. In time, each individual campus will have its own dedicated preacher for public services who functions as the lead pastor for the campus. He will be required to submit to the Acts 29/3Strand assessment before official affirmation. Depending on the time and locations, one preacher can serve two different campuses. With a third campus, a team of preachers would share the needs of a third campus until such time a new preacher is trained, affirmed, and released.

What other reason should Damascus Road consider for

moving to multi-site? Mission.