Why Gospel Multiplication? Part III

Over the past two week we discussed what Gospel Multiplication means for individuals and community groups. This week is our final week discussing Gospel Multiplication. Remember we defined Gospel Multiplication in this way: “Vintage Church is committed to our core values of living the Gospel (Truth), loving the city (Love), and being the church (Community) by multiplying individuals, community groups, and gatherings in New Orleans and beyond.”

It is fitting that we will be discussing Gospel Multiplication and the multiplication of gatherings this week. Last week I hope you had the opportunity to be a part of Vintage United at Rock-n-Bowl. Once a month all of our campuses come together to worship Jesus together. Our united gathering was an incredible opportunity as we celebrated Jesus through two baptisms. This weekend is just as incredible as we actually get to experience Gospel Multiplication. This weekend Vintage Church is moving from two campuses (Uptown and Metairie) to three campuses (Uptown, Metairie, and Lakefront). This multiplication of campuses is exactly what we are talking about today. So the question then is why multiply campuses?

The reality is that staying in one location is much easier. Everyone could be together, resources could be poured into one location, a volunteer base could be overwhelming, and we could all gather in one location at one time. That would be easier but would it reach the city around us? Vintage Church believes no. If you look around the greater New Orleans area you see something. What you see are distinct neighborhoods all over the city. Think about it: if someone rarely leaves their own neighborhood for shopping, entertainment, and eating why would they leave it to go to church? The answer is that most wouldn’t. Rather, someone would attend a worship gathering in their neighborhood.

So take a minute to think about Gospel Multiplication. Think back to multiplying individuals. As we as Christians go back into our neighborhood we share the Gospel of Jesus with our neighbors. We live the Gospel, love the city, and be the church in our neighborhood. Because of this our neighbors begin to experience the love of Jesus and ultimately give their lives to Jesus. After coming to faith in Jesus they need community. Then a community group starts meeting in our neighborhood because we want to connect and disciple our neighbors. So then we and our neighbors start attending a worship gathering in the neighborhood next to us. After a short time our community group multiplies several times. All of a sudden there are fifty to sixty believers connected to Vintage Church meeting in our neighborhood. Why would we continue to tell our neighbors to attend the gathering in the neighborhood next to us when they never leave their own neighborhood.

Think about it this way: why would your lost neighbors want to go to a worship gathering in another neighborhood. You and your neighbors are sharing the Gospel and inviting your neighbors to worship gatherings, but they do not want to go that far (even a neighborhood over). Why not start a worship gathering in your neighborhood? This is exactly what it means to multiple campuses. Vintage Church multiplies campuses because of the Gospel. When the Gospel multiplies into individuals and community groups, a small group or “church” is meeting in a neighborhood. That group wants to gather in their neighborhood to worship Jesus and share the Gospel with their neighbors. So Vintage Church multiplies campuses to live the Gospel, love the city, and be the church in every neighborhood of the city.

This is what we are experiencing and celebrating this weekend. Vintage’s Lakefront campus is multiplying out of the Metairie campus. Fifty to sixty individuals have been coming from the Lakefront area to Metairie. Community groups in the Lakefront have formed and are multiplying. So now is the time to multiply a campus in the Lakefront area so we can be the church even more in the Lakefront area. This is Gospel Multiplication.

What are you doing to live the Gospel, love the city, and be the church in your neighborhood? How are you multiplying individuals, community groups, and gatherings? Let’s come together as the church to multiply the Gospel in every person, every neighborhood, and ultimately in the city of New Orleans.