I would like to discuss the DNA of The Pier 59 Project. I know that many of you reading this must be thinking, “What on earth is this guy talking about? How can a Church have DNA?” To clarify, when I mention the DNA of a Church, or any organization for that matter, I am referring to the basic principles that a Church or organization is built upon. But to better understand why it is called DNA lets first look at the role of our biological DNA.
Most of us know the important role that DNA plays in shaping who we are individually. DNA acts as the carrier of our genetic material. The sequence of the bases on the strands of our DNA predetermines many of the characteristics that we inherit and carry for the rest of our life. I am not saying that DNA completely influences who we become; but it can certainly prohibit someone from being the next LeBron James. As I stated earlier, when I mention “the DNA of a Church”, I am referring to the basic principles (or bases) that a Church is founded upon. The DNA of a Church, or Church movement, is constructed in the early stages of life, just like the DNA of a person. And I believe that, like the DNA of a human being, the “DNA” of a local Church body is very influential in determining that particular Church’s future identity (or better yet, ability to be molded).
Therefore, we believe that the DNA of The Pier 59 Project is very important. The Lord has directed us to instill three basic principles to incorporate into this Church Plant movement. They are as follows,
1) We are centered on God and the Bible.
2) We provide fellowship and support for others within the group.
3) We are going to remain focused on the communities we live in.
Those are the principles that we want instilled into the DNA of The Pier 59 Project. We feel that these three principles are all that is needed to keep us grounded in the faith and allow the Holy Spirit to move us in whatever direction He deems necessary. I would like to expound upon each one of these principles, to give more insight into why these are the principles we feel lead to use, as well as show what these principles may look like in action.
Principle 1 – We are centered on God and the Bible
In other words, God is the focus of the entire project. And we at The Pier 59 Project believe that God has revealed Himself and how He relates to us in the Bible. We plan on staying centered on God and the Bible by meeting regularly around it in Bible study. This way, each person who comes into The Pier 59 Project will form all of their theological beliefs straight from God and the scriptures. We have a doctrinal statement that we agree with that is on our webpage, and everyone is free to look at it. But honestly, how many people in our society know the Bible well enough to say that a certain doctrinal statement represents the whole of scripture most accurately? Doctrinal statements are for people who have already studied the Bible themselves. We don’t want someone to agree with our doctrinal statement just to fit in with us, or just because that is what they have always been told. Therefore, we will encourage each other to study the Bible directly and let God teach us. Because as well all know, when God teaches you truth, he gives it meaning in a way that only He can.
Principle 2 – We provide fellowship and support for others within the group
The members of the groups will not only be focused upon the Bible but also on caring for others within the group. We do this through prayer, words of encouragement, and most importantly, actions. We believe that the small group setting is the most conducive for deep and meaningful fellowship and support. People in a small group are going to get to know each other better and find it easier to bare each others burdens, edify and serve one another, confess sins to each other, and hold each other accountable (which are all commands given to the Church). By providing this support around God’s word, we will be discipling each other.
Principle 3 – We are going to remain focused on the communities that we live in
We think it is important that we as a Church realize that we are to be on the offensive, not the defensive. Too often we get the mentality that we must protect what we have, while in reality we need to share what we have. We need to share the truth of the sacrifice of Christ! We need to share the love that He has given us! And we need to do this right where we live. We believe that this should happen naturally from within the groups. People in the groups should share what they believe that the community needs and how we can provide for those needs. Whether we are caring for the community as a whole by participating in a community project event, or simply helping the neighbor next door, we will always stayed focused on the community around us. After all, it is in the community that we plan to multiply our groups.
These are the principles that we adhere to because these are the principles that make up a Church. You don’t need a ton of money, a building, or an extensive plan. All you need is Christ at the head (principle one), a gathering of a few (principle 2), and a mission to reach out to the world around you (principle 3). God takes care of the rest.