Benefits For The Kingdom The Advance Of The Gospel

Benefits for the Kingdom The Advance of the Gospel and the Future of Rolling Hills

By Chris Nye with John Finnerty, Alex Landers, and Susie Faist

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1) Preface: You must read this part first. 2) Introduction: A call to arms for the Church in America (specifically RHCC), and the proposal statement. 3) “The Urgency of the Gospel”: How this proposal links to the mission of Christ’s calling of his bride the church, and why this must happen now. 4) “Reaching this Generation”: The challenges seen in post-modern evangelism and how the proposed effort will help RHCC reach young adults. 5) “One Church, Many Expressions”: The challenge for RHCC to be one church with both an urban and suburban campus and congregational expression. 6) “The Importance of the City”: Why the city is such a crucial place to bring the good news of Christ. 7) “The Necessity of Reaching Portland, Oregon”: An outline of Portland verses Rolling Hills/Tualatin area. 8) “Two Cultures, One Church”: A vision for how two cultures can be both edified and effected by one church body. And why Rolling Hills must be a part of the proposed mission. 9) “The Downtown Campus”: The specific nature and the details behind the vision for a Rolling Hills Downtown Campus. Government, location, philosophy, and membership are all discussed in detail. 10) “Benefits for the Kingdom to the Glory of God”: The final plea for the vision to see a type of fulfillment, and an outline for how this will benefit.

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PREFACE “Seek ye first the Kingdom…”

I love Rolling Hills Community Church. And amidst the intense changes and transitions that are about to take form, I wish to say that this church must push for revolutionary change for Christ’s kingdom and not its own. I am writing this only because I cannot run from it. I am Jonah. I would be totally fine with not writing this. I am afraid of division, accusation, and pride. God hates divorce and loves unity. I write this out of total respect and love for the unity of Rolling Hills, and in order to make myself more clear, I must outline the following before anything begins: 1) I love the Church. Beyond my love for Christ’s church, I love Rolling Hills in specific. When I left the church to study in Seattle, I was completely restless. This is not only home, but now work. It is soil. I am a gardener. Planting seeds and assisting in their growth is a joy to me, and I thank Christ verbally every Sunday for the privilege to pastor and preach, especially at Rolling Hills. This church set me on a straight path and equipped me theologically and emotionally to wrestle with my convictions in order to, in the end, worship Jesus. God used this church to shape me. While in the end I praise God and God alone for this effort, I know Rolling Hills was the instrument for His glory. Because of this past, I believe the future of Rolling Hills will be unconventional, innovative, and ultimately effective not for its own glory, but the glory of God. 2) I love the Gospel. I know nothing more powerful, nothing more transforming, and nothing as epic as the gospel of Jesus Christ. The story and work of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is more than a narrative. The gospel is genius. There are no holes, no mistakes, but just paradoxes that break down the fragile and weak human might. I deeply believe in the power of the gospel for the salvation of souls and reconciliation to God. Beyond this, I believe the gospel is not just for me. I believe it must be preached and it must be proclaimed. It should be preached and proclaimed above being explained or dissected. Christ brings life. Ultimately, we are saved by the gospel, but in the end it is not about us, but rather the furthering of God’s glory and His renown. 3) I love the lost. People are going to hell. This makes my heart heavy. We have the gospel and we have the Church. The rescue operation for the death of humanity is happening right now, and God chose me and God chose you to proclaim the message of salvation to the darkest parts of humanity. We have been empowered with the Holy Spirit and armed with the Word. I have the deepest love for those who do not know, simply because of their tremendous potential for the Kingdom of God and the glory of Christ. Above all of these loves is Jesus, the King. This is my heart. I am praying that God would smite the pride in me. There are not words for how conflicted I am, yet so confident in the work of the Spirit. Forgive me and may we turn our eyes to Jesus.

2 In addition, I must make clear that I am not in any way proposing this as a way to liberally critique what is currently happening at Rolling Hills. I hope that the following honestly and humbly represents that I am only pushing for change and reform because I believe both are totally healthy and needed in God’s Church, and specifically Rolling Hills. I do not believe I am being disloyal, nor do I wish to be viewed that way because of this step of faith. Instead, please see me as incredibly loyal and over zealous about the original purposes of God’s Church and RHCC. I see incredible potential and I do not believe proposing change is a sign of disloyalty or disunity. I deeply believe in Rolling Hills and the people who stand by Christ through this great church. I so deeply believe in this community, that I have faith that we can make a monumental modification in order to bring about the greatest glory to God. Once again, I love this church, I love the gospel, and I love the lost, but above all I love King Jesus. I stand confidently in this vision, as well do four other young people who call Rolling Hills their home. Together, we have prayed more than ever – both individually and corporately – and have come to the conclusion that this is what must be presented. Our only conflict is with how we are viewed. We ask that whoever reads this to be slow to judge, speak, and/or scoff. God must be given glory in all of this. Our God loves unity and hates divorce. So in this, let us seek unity in God’s kingdom and his righteousness. In utmost confidence and caution,

Chris Nye

Alex Landers

John Finnerty

Susie Faist

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INTRODUCTION “Go, therefore…”

The first word of the Great Commission is “GO.” The word is a verb. In all of its origins as an English/Anglo-Saxon word, it has always appeared as a verb. The Great Commission’s first requirement is that we GO; we must move, innovate, and travel. In fact, angels of God rebuked the first apostles for simply standing there after watching Christ ascend into heaven.1 Furthermore, we are told to make disciples, teach, and baptize. All verbs. It appears that there is no room for the stagnant in the furthering of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Over the last century, the Church has lost this urgency for the world. Eternity is at stake. Hell is real and millions are in need of rescue of the only remedy: Christ. Slowly, churches are aging into museums instead of functioning as hubs for the movement of the kingdom of God. Just travel or read about Europe. The churches that paint the streets of the major cities are now subject to tourists and countless students studying the historical art and architecture within the walls of the once holy construction. The Church has moved from a movement to a museum. And don’t think that this is only a European problem. While it may be most visible in Western Europe, I will argue that if it weren’t for small circles of conservative evangelicals, we would mirror the United Kingdom. This is a problem that, if not acted against, could happen throughout every culture in the future, and America is next. In fact, I would argue that this future is already happening in downtown Portland. The Church has lost it’s place in society, and what used to be a small movement that affected a large culture, has slowly morphed into a massive movement that does nothing about the culture it barely survives in. I do not think the Church does not know her mission, but rather we simply made it a more comfortable mission. More than ever, I now see an incredible need for the Church (specifically Rolling Hills) to reform yet again and take a careful, Biblically orthodox look at where it is and where it is going. This document is not a suggestion on how the whole body can be fixed, but simply a way one part of the body (Rolling Hills Community Church) can contribute to the need of the furthering of the Gospel in a lost world. It is my proposal, under the grace and providence of God, that Rolling Hills Community Church ceases strategizing to bring the lost (specifically younger peoples) into our Christian sub culture/community and begin moving into their lost communities, specifically, working to plant a Rolling Hills community in the center of Downtown Portland. 1

Acts 1:11

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THE URGENCY OF THE GOSPEL “Men…why do you just stand there?”

From the moment the Son of God set foot on the earth he created, he was on the move. The book of Mark records Jesus and his disciples constantly moving from city to city and village to village preaching repentance and the kingdom of God. In all of Jesus’ words, we can see through the Greek language and the English punctuation that there was a sense of urgency to his message. People are dying to their sin, falling from God, and worshipping idols. And they need a way to God. Our pro po sa l i s not ju st th at of a se rvi ce or a Su nda y pr og ram, b ut r athe r o ne of a missi o n to t he c ity o f P ortl an d with a p rog ram a nd me mbe rshi p a spe ct.

The campus would be a place where the word is proclaimed in addition to the work administered. It would service as a sort of hub and center of activities. At the genesis of the Church recorded in the book of Acts, Christ tells his apostles that they will be “witnesses.” While the role of a witness in a courtroom may seem quite passive (sitting on the stand and answering questions), God makes it clear to us that his church is not to be stagnant, but a movement. After Christ’s supernatural ascension into heaven, angels visit the apostles and tell them to stop just “looking into the sky” because “the same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way…” Jesus is coming. People are dying. We must be moving. The Urgency of the Gospel and Mission Mission was everything in the early church. The church everyone wants to be is the early church and the description of it in Acts 2:42. However, before recognizing how we get there, we should look at why they are “dedicating themselves” to teaching, fellowship, prayer, etc. Why would a group of poor young men dedicate themselves to this? It was mission. The apostles had a mission to go and make disciples and be witnesses to the gospel. They had purpose and meaning. Furthermore however, the men of the early church operated in the fear of the Lord. In verse 43 of Acts 2, we learn that “fear came upon every soul.” These men were put in a position where they were completely dependant on God. They were not comfortable, they were panicked. The apostles were a part of a movement that was started by a “blasphemous” rabbi who was crucified under Roman rule. Why did these young men devote and dedicate themselves to such a cause as the Kingdom of God? They needed to. They had nothing else. No buildings, no programs, and even no congregation.

5 The Need for Dependence Rolling Hills needs to be dependant on God all the time. Over the last year, I have tried to place myself in uncomfortable circumstances; circumstances that force me to pray, repent, and place total faith into a God I cannot see. I believe that when we get on mission, when we understand the urgency of a city dying and the gospel restoring, or of resources and people being stretched beyond what they could imagine, we will become a place of vast dependence on Christ alone. I believe to do this we must constantly be reinventing our strategy. Mission and Dependence Practically This is all very vague and difficult to measure. How do we implement this into a suburban congregation? I believe this means constantly reinventing our body. We must never think we are doing everything right. The other week, in an Extended Leadership Team meeting, I heard one of our Pastors say, “I look at what we’re doing and I think, We’re doing pretty good, why change?” I believe that in this idea could lead to the complete destruction of our body. If we produce the same thing, we will produce the same results. Great things are happening in this Church, but the minute we get comfortable, the minute young people like myself stop rising up in faith with vision is when the body begins to operate out of confidence in tradition rather than faith in vision. To live every day in complete dependence of God means to be constantly placing ourselves into risk; saturated in prayer and vision. I found this to be biblically true when preaching through the book of Ruth this past year. I found Naomi and Ruth incredibly dependant of God, but I had no idea why. I found that it was because throughout the first three chapters, both Godly women are in risky situations. They did not have to move out of Moab and back to Bethlehem, but they obeyed God, going back to their home town with nothing but the clothes on their back. Lo and behold, God became the providential provider. Moving Missionally Paul moved constantly (1 Corinthians 16:5-9) and instructed his churches with steadfast instructions. Always encouraging them to press on and fight the good fight. His letter to the Thessalonians, Galatians, and Corinthians shows the importance of keeping the gospel on the move to the lost. “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm…Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” -1 Corinthians 15:56-58

6 Paul (as well as other writers in the New Testament) always makes it clear that this intensity to press on preaching Christ is not mustered up by their own devices, but rather supplied by the very person they preach: Jesus Christ. “We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” -Colossians 1:28-29

And because he never tires, this urgency of the gospel will always be there. People are feeling the sting of death and they desperately need the victory of Jesus. The question then is, how can we be most effective?

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REACHING THIS GENERATION “One generation will commend your kingdom to one another…”

How did this happen? We hear reports that somewhere between 70 and 80 percent of young people fall away from church when they move off the college. This has been called many different things, but is agreed amongst evangelicals at large as troubling. And it’s not just happening inside of Rolling Hills; it is an inclusive problem that I see many churches struggling with. What do young people want? While I would suggest that question is the wrong one, it is what runs through the heads of those who experience the loss of seventy percent of young people in their own church. What are we doing wrong? Why do they leave? Is there something we’re missing? These questions are the first step in understanding the nature of the seventy percent. Recognition: National It must be first recognized that this problem is occurring. First, on a national scale, and secondly on a local scale it must come to the attention of church leaders that college students and young adults are simply disassociating themselves with any form of organized Christian spirituality. They feel as though they do not need it. Furthermore, during the beginning stages of independence, twentysomethings feel a need to explore and experiment with their newfound freedom. They try different religions, philosophies, and substances in their years. The church at large cannot simply wait for these “experimenting twentysomethings” to grow up, mature, have kids, and come back to church after they realize their life actually means something. These young people make significant life decisions that determine patterns and preferences of their spiritual reality. The church cannot sit on the sidelines during this stage of life. In fact, I argue that the church should be most aggressive towards these individuals. The Barna Group from Ventura, California has conducted staggering research on this age group in the U.S. and their involvement in church and personal faith. They came up with the number that only “one-fifth (20%) of twentysomethings have maintained a level of spiritual activity consistent with their high school experiences.”1 This leaves 80% of young people drifting away from church after high school. Furthermore, these young people are sometimes starting families in their early twenties. The Barna Group also pointed out that only one-third of these twentysomething parents regularly take their children to church, compared to the two-fifths of parents in their thirties and half of parents 40 years and older. So the local church must offer an environment for these people. Recognition: Local Our own church body is losing young people as well. In the most recent survey provided by J. David Schmidt & Associates, it was reported that we diminished almost 10% in young singles in our congregation since 2000. While most of the 1

The Barna Group, “The Barna Update: September 11, 2006.” www.barna.org

8 singles got married, it is now evident that RHCC is not constantly tapping into the young singles ages 19-29. The percentage has always been low, but now it is shrinking. What further worries me is that our median age keeps growing. This means that we are servicing the same people, instead of constantly reaching new young people. Young people are important because in order to “form” these focused followers, we must plant the seed young so that they can grow old in our body and become influencers in the local church and, more importantly, the community. Reaction: Strategy Rolling Hills has been playing with a response to this problem for years. Within this proposal, I hope to provide insight into a solution to this problem. Over the last 10 years, there have been countless efforts to provide some sort of program or ministry to bring young people in. We have tried a college ministry over and over again and it has failed repeatedly. We have to think about ministry to young adults in a totally new way. While I was studying in Seattle, I heard a forum on Cancer Research at the University of Washington. At this lecture, the prominent doctor said something staggering. He said that all the research for cancer that is happening right now will never cure the disease. We will prevent it and fight it off, but in order to eliminate cancer entirely, someone has to come along and completely rethink how to cure cancer. It must be a totally new idea, they have to think about it at a new angle. I believe that is where we are with young adult ministry right now. We have tried and tried to make something where we bring them into our church. My proposal is that we go to them. In the section entitled, “The Necessity of Reaching Portland, Oregon,” I have outlined the statistics of where young people are: Portland verses Tualatin. The statistics are not surprising, but they lead me to believe that our idea of trying to pull the un-churched youth into a churched suburban community is somewhat ludicrous (especially since it has failed numerous times). With Portland State, Portland Community College, Lewis & Clark, Pacific Northwest College of Arts, a brand new University of Oregon campus opening in the fall1, and not to mention the thousands of young professionals that live in the city, there will be an overwhelming harvest in the downtown area of Portland. The Scriptures are becoming all the more real: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” Will Rolling Hills stand up in faith to work the harvest of the thousands upon thousands of lost young people in Portland? 1

http://pdx.uoregon.edu/index.php?p=about/about. Also, please note there are several other colleges in the downtown area of Portland, OR.

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Reaction: Philosophy This generation has been called many things; I thought a pastor in Seattle coined the most interesting one. He says that this generation is a “joiner” generation. They love to belong to something before they believe in anything, as Pastor Mark Began has said before. Ask any youth in America, or any youth pastor, young people want to feel like they are a part of something and that they are valued and challenged by peers. Relational ministry is needed in this age. Currently, this is very difficult to do in a church with 9% young singles. Therefore, creating a new community that supports the young urban life and places Christ at the center would be perfect. Because most of the members of this downtown campus would live in the downtown community, this would provide a completely new way for Rolling Hills to reach the world. We would adapt the same philosophy of people first and apply it to the downtown area. A building would help center and identify this, but it would also be evident with the congregation roaming the streets of the lost city, living missional, gospel centered, and Holy Spirit-driven lives.

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ONE CHURCH, MANY EXPRESSIONS “…to the Jew I became like the Jew…”

Over the centuries of Christian expressions through the Church, we have seen vast arrays of expressions in worship. Closer to home, as I have mentioned before, we see suburban and urban churches. We see small churches and large churches. But what if Rolling Hills could reflect the diversity of God’s children just within 20 miles? Because in all actuality, Rolling Hills is an expression of a culture that worships the God of the Bible and his Son Christ. Even within Rolling Hills we see different expressions of youth, children’s, singles, families, and so much more. But I believe the body of Christ is much bigger. The body goes past race, class, and social status. What if a suburban church could begin to express itself in many different forms? Why Start in the City? I will outline the importance of reaching the city later (starting on page 11). Different Expressions in the First Century This is true for Paul and the early church. We notice that Paul planted in multiple major cities that were completely different culturally. Each church had different expressions of their own culture and worship to Jesus. We see this in the problems they had. The Galatians had different problems than the Corinthians, and suburban churches have different problems than the urban churches. This is all because they have different issues to address within the Kingdom of God. I believe that this is a healthy and beautiful illustration of God’s redemptive work. What if the same church could rejoice in the homeless homosexual and the staunch skeptical suburban businessman coming to Jesus? Such examples would not just edify the body, but also bring the greatest glory to God. Why different expressions? We must begin to invest in the kingdom and not Rolling Hills. No matter what, within 200 years, it is most likely that no one will know who any of us are. But it is promised that they will know who Jesus Christ is. Therefore, because of this and because of the our Biblical call, the soil we work on should never be the legacy of Rolling Hills, but the legacy of Christ. The best way to do this is to open our Church and spread amongst multiple races, classes, and cultures. The city is the perfect place to begin.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CITY “…in Jerusalem, Judea…and to the ends of the earth…”

In 1950, New York was the only city in the world with a population of over 10 million people. Now, just half of a century later, there are over twenty such cities, twelve of which have passed the 10 million person mark in the last ten years. There is no doubt that we are, just like the early 20th century, seeing staggering evidence of what is called, “urbanization;” more people in more cities. The Meaning of the City I believe that God created cities in order to draw out resources of his creation and thus build his kingdom through his children. He uses them to gather his children together. We see the biblical narrative begin in a perfect garden (Eden), but end in a restored city (The New Jerusalem). The city is obviously something of God and not something of human creation. The New Jerusalem was in God’s plan before he created the world and we see our purpose with an urban end! What Cities Do Cities develop culture. They drive and foster what is new, cool, and relevant. Cities draw together overwhelming human talent and resources that bring out human potential like nothing else. How Cities Create Culture 1. The city has been a refuge for the weak. Just walking the streets of the city verses the suburbs shows you that it is a place that houses “the least of these.” This has always been true and will always be true, especially in America. Even when Christ walked the earth, most of the lame and injured he healed were in the cities. And today, people such as the homeless, new immigrants, the poor, and those of different lifestyles seek the refuge of the diversity of the city. You can blend in. The density and development of the city breeds its diversity. Generally, the middle-class views the city as hostile. However, if one finds themselves not part of the dominant middle-class, such as the poor or minorities, they have an easier time making a move to the city as opposed to the suburbs. 2. The city has been a cultural development center. Look at the wicked city of Babylon. We see, even there, a place that draws out resources of the human. Revelation 18 shows the city as a place of music and art (v.22), trade (v. 23), technological advance (v. 23a), and family building (v. 23). Furthermore, we are told that prophets blood will be found in the city, seeing that God will plant missionaries and prophets in the world’s cities. The Sin of the City and the Power of the Gospel Because the city is so diverse and so intensely filled with human diversity, there is much sin seen in the city. In the city, your views are challenged, and your worldview is put into the perspective of many others. This type of lifestyle becomes very self-focused and leads to the mother of all our sins, as Augustine would say, pride.

12 The suburbs hold different types of sin. Because of its robust familial population and rich residents, many of the sins that haunt the suburbs are sometimes more hidden. Due to the visible nature of sin in the city (prostitution, drugs, etc), the church must be all the more visible as a beacon of light; we should be the city on a hill, within the city. Also, the city as a refuge can be viewed as not only a refuge from persecution but also from God and his law. Some cities can be built like Babel, on human defiance of God and giving glory to themselves and not God. This spiritual restlessness makes the city a breeding ground for cults and extremist religious groups. Every city worships some god. Cities should be the home to the best ministries, theological resources, and churches. However, Protestant Christians have recently been abandoning the city and therefore making it easier for the city to follow and worship their false god. Because of God’s design of the city, this can be used for both good or bad. When used for good, we see intense growth and impacting ministry, but when left to our own devices, idolatry is enhanced. This was the fate of the Enlightenment. Cities need to be the place for the new vision of the Christian church. So sin arises and the city is always seen as a dark land filled with sinners of the worst sins. In understanding this parallel to the understanding of the urgency of the gospel, we can conclude that the city should be of first importance for missionary activity. If we plant the message of the gospel to the heartland of the broken, there could be massive repentance on a large scale. The Reason for City Ministry So the city goes, to the culture goes, and so the village goes, and so the world. 1. Cultural cruciality: In the suburbs, you can win an individual, say a doctor. But if you want to win the medical community to Jesus, you need to go to the city where there are medical schools, publishing medical journals, and advanced hospitals where research and development is taking place. 2. Global cruciality: In the suburbs, it is easy to reach the middle-class or one specific people group. In the city, you can spread the gospel across numerous ethnic groups and languages at one time. They then become mini-missionaries to their own cultures and families. 3. Personal cruciality: The suburbs are home to very stable and comfortable lifestyles. They are wary of major change. Because of the pace and diversity of the city, urbanites are very open to new ideas, even the gospel! Historical proof. By the year 300 AD, 50% of the urban populations of the Roman empire were Christian, while over 90% of the countryside was still pagan. (The word “pagan” comes from the Greek word paganus which refers to a farmer or man of the country). Because early Christians like Paul captured the cities, they were able to win entire societies.

13 The Strategy of Paul It is important to note Paul’s (and other apostles and early church planters) church planting philosophy seen in his (and their) missional journey. At the ascension of Christ in Acts 1, the apostles were told to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and all of the earth. He gave them the cities to begin in. He told them to start in cities and go outward. But how? That’s my question. Jesus never told them to specifically plant churches or fellowships, but in the outpouring of the Spirit and the birth of the Church, the apostles became radical reformers. In the apostle’s early traveling ministry, they tackled the Israeli coast and stopped at every major city. The apostles did not plant in the rural areas but in the bustle of the city. They did this because they new that as the city went, so the culture went. They were interested in making a large impact, and it was through the cities that it would be possible. Paul’s four missionary journeys show incredible proof of the city planting strategy. Paul’s second missionary journey

http://www.bible.org/assets/netbible/jp2.jpg

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Paul’s Fourth Missionary Journey

http://www.bible.org/assets/netbible/jp3.jpg

Furthermore we see Paul pay most attention to these churches by his letters. Paul wrote large cities such as Caesarea, Philippi and Corinth. These churches were of most importance because Paul understood the impact of the city and I would say that the massive growth of the first century church had a lot to do with urban central planning. Therefore, planting at the center of the city and working outward to the villages could prove to be of massive success in winning the lost. Both City and Suburb But Paul did not ignore the village. In his letters, we see that Paul had both urban and village churches. His city churches were large with formed governments and leaders while his village churches were held in houses (1 Corinthians 16:19-20). This shows a potentially exciting model for today’s modern church. We have thriving suburbs and large cities. Rolling Hills began ministering to the “village.” But what if they could also plant an influential and innovative gospel-centered urban campus. Then, one church could minister to the lost of the city and the suburb. We have a city only twenty minutes away. Communication could be made constantly and freely and the gospel could go further than we could ever imagine. In addition, Paul did not have as many resources or as much freedom as the Lord has blessed the American church with today. The possibilities are much larger. And to those who have been given much, much is expected.1 1

A portion of this section was adapted from Tim Keller’s “The Importance of City Ministry.”

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THE NECESSITY OF REACHING PORTLAND OREGON “The Son of Man has not come for the righteous, but the unrighteous…”

In our understanding of the crucial nature of reaching cities, we can only think of Portland as the most accessible mission field. These concepts can be easily put into perspective of our home state. Oregon is the most un-churched state in the Union. Portland, in specific, is the most un-churched city in America, and even furthermore, the Northwest is the most un-churched region in the United States. We are living in the most unsaved region of America and it is the time to make an incredible effort for these lost cities. Portland is Un-Churched The latest studies of the Christian church’s presence in the Portland area are frightening. Often we hear about being the most “un-churched state,” but that includes Mormon and Catholic churches. A more staggering statistic was conducted by Glenmary institute saying that there are only 1.34% Presbyterian church goers in Portland and only 0.58% non-denominational Christians.1 With these low Christian numbers, we can see that the city is more than just unchurched, it has been de-Christianized. Furthermore, with the growing young person population in Portland, 35% of them claim no affiliation with any faith system (NOTE: the U.S. average of this claim is 7%).2 They are simply floating in agnosticism or atheism. Portland is Growing Portland has always been a slow-paced, somewhat small city rich with character and expression. But growing housing costs and lifestyle restriction such as gaymarriage is leading people to the temperate, low-costing, and liberal region of Portland, Oregon. It is a progressive city by many standards. Each year the census grows dramatically. According to the U.S. census reported in 2003, Portland is growing by almost 10% every ten years, and the state of Oregon grows by over 20% in the same amount of time. Furthermore, of people moving into households in the Portland city limits, 56% of them had moved there in the last five years. People are coming to this state quickly, and in large numbers.3 Even more so, the University of Oregon plans to open its new Downtown Portland Campus this fall right off of the Burnside Bridge. This will add thousands to the downtown population every school year.

1 2 3

Glenmary Research Center. Cincinnati, OH U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 American Community Survey; ePodunk Ibid.

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Portland is Young The national problem that faces the evangelical church today is the problem of reaching young people. There seems to be no formula or “right way” to do it. However, I am beginning to see that reaching young people is not about creating a great new program to try and draw them out of their culture into ours, but to move us to them. With Tualatin being predominately families, our strategy then should be to find where the most young people are, and move in with them, showing them the way of Christ. In the Portland area, 34% of people have never been married. In Tualatin, 52% of people are married and most of those with families. In the Tualatin-TigardWilsonville area, there are roughly 6,000 persons between the ages of 16-24. In Portland, there are 41,000 in that same age range. Of those in that age range, 98% are unmarried.4 Beyond this, the city of Portland is home to Portland State University, the largest state school in all of Oregon with close to 25,000 students with the median age being 23.5 Plus, the above mentioned U of O campus will bring much larger numbers. Tualatin has no colleges and a low number of single students living in the area. Young people flock to the city to find acceptance and excitement. While the village has much to offer in religious contexts, little is offered for entertainment and education; two things that are of great importance to the young person. Instead of trying to get them out of what they know (their culture) the church should get back to its roots of stretching out in faith and meeting people where they are doing life. With Portland’s vast young population and collegiate prominence, people are open to new ideas. And with the resurgence of positive living for the environment (Al Gore, Fast Food Nation, etc) and social justice (Bono, AIDS relief, Darfur, etc.), the church has an opportunity that may never come again. This can be a time where the church is not behind the clock, but moving with the culture and putting Jesus Christ is the center of everything instead of Bono and Al Gore. This can be done because people are consciously thinking about living and purpose. And helping the environment is not bad, nor is helping Darfur, but the church has the possibility to put Jesus at the center as to why we are doing that. I believe the only way to do this is the biblical way of the local church. We cannot minister by simply driving 20 miles every week to feed homeless people. It is time some to rise up in faith and come alongside a hurting and lost culture. Rolling Hills is Churched I believe that one major reason the Church of God exists it to reach the lost. In evaluating Rolling Hills on whether I needed to write this proposal or not, I found some staggering statistics. 4 5

U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 American Community Survey; ePodunk www.pdx.edu

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The most recent survey in 2007 compiled by J. David Schmidt & Associates showed that as a church, Rolling Hills is struggling to reach the lost congregationally. The survey shows that a remarkable 87% of our current congregation already decided to follow Jesus before ever coming to Rolling Hills. This means that we are not reaching the lost, but rather getting people from other churches or Christian backgrounds. So in the end, we are doing really well in equipping the saints, but failing at reaching lost people for Jesus. Our church is predominantly churched and Christian. Furthermore, our teaching is geared to this group with series’ on correcting church issues and starting spiritual disciplines. These are very Christian concepts but have little relevance to the lost. In order to truly reach the lost, my proposal (once again) is not to try and attract them, but to try and go to them, preaching and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ with no reservations. Rolling Hills is Shrinking While the survey showed many aspects of the church, the one that is simply not ignorable it that our numbers, in general, are down. People are not tithing, they are going to other churches, and finding new spiritual fulfillment. Our Adult Ministries is doing quite well, and I do not mean to say that we are shrinking at an intense rate with terrible consequences. However, I will say that it is clear that our young adult congregation is shrinking more and more. This is an urgent issue. We have even seen many young staff members leave to pursue other churches. I believe that right now there is a solid group of young people that have a vision who are fiercely committed to Rolling Hills. I also believe that this church may not see this type of opportunity ever again. Rolling Hills is Older In the 2007 survey, it was reported that 85% of our congregation has known Christ as Savior for 11 or more years. This is very telling. Furthermore, the median age at Rolling Hills is 40-48. Young people love their own kind because they love to blend in. On any given Sunday, or in any community group at RHCC, a young person sticks out. Young people are very communal, and wish to belong before they believe or behave. They want to feel like they are at home. I want to be clear, we should not change what Rolling Hills is doing in the suburbs. By the survey, we are reaching young families and old individuals/couples. However, as the Bride of Christ, we must reach the lost and the young. Therefore, the best idea is to create a new expression of Rolling Hills – a young and urban expression.

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TWO CULTURES, ONE CHURCH “There is no Jew or Greek…slave or free…”

Growing up in the city and going to church in the suburbs gave me specific insight which I believe will be beneficial in this proposal. I saw two kinds of living: the fast pace of the city, and the comfortable ease of the suburbs. Both need Christ. In being so busy, we forget to slow down and make ourselves some time, but if we have everything at our fingertips by just going down Tualatin Sherwood Road, we forget about “the least of these.” Both of these lifestyles are home to specific people groups of vastly different cultures. In my experience, I see that the local church only ministers to one of these lifestyles/people groups. You either see an urban church or a suburban church. The urban church is downtown and works vigorously for social issues within a small congregation. The suburban churches are larger and minister to families with rich theology and a focus on worship. Both are wonderful displays of the kingdom of God. Each group ministers to the lost and equips the chosen while doing their best to glorify God. However, amidst this dichotomy, I am thinking about this question. What if one local church could minister to both the city and the suburb? Furthermore, why are we just ministering to the city? Or, why are we just ministering to the suburbs? Both groups of people must be reached and equipped. With the resources of Rolling Hills, I not only see this as possible, but profitable to the Kingdom of God. Why Rolling Hills? Why not another suburban church? In my understanding, Rolling Hills began as an experiment to see how God could change an area by the gospel of Christ. Many have come to know Jesus through the humble efforts of Rolling Hills. But at the end of the day, it is not about Rolling Hills. It never has been, and it never will be. Rolling Hills is an instrument. It’s about Jesus saving the world. Rolling Hills is an extraordinary instrument. Much has been given to Rolling Hills and much is expected. With the urgent call of the gospel and the cure for death in our hearts, I see no better, more experienced church than Rolling Hills to carry out the message of the gospel to the city as well as the suburbs. The experience brought to the table by the numerous pastors and directors will be essential. Furthermore, this church’s robust theological nature and compassionate congregation leads me to believe that this operation will be impossible RHCC. The church knows how to talk about Jesus and how to love people. Also, the young people at Rolling Hills right now are ready for action.

19 The Genesis of Rolling Hills and the Vision for the Downtown Campus When praying and thinking about the potential of Rolling Hills building out rather than up, I realized I was thinking just as Pastor Dale and the founding families were thinking. They were thinking BIG. Why? Because they were serving a big God. I realized after Luis’ sermon at the Men’s Conference from John 14, that I have not been praying great prayers. I realized that I was praying for what was possible. But God is a God of the impossible, and I believe he wants us to pray for huge things to be done. I find myself often praying for things I can accomplish all by myself. When Pastor Dale was praying for the church that now holds 3,000 people, he was not praying small prayers. This is the same way I think about this idea. I see God doing great things in our ultimate dependence on him. I think that when the whole of the congregation (not just some of them) are put in a position where the only way out is through the grace of God, people start taking leadership and rising up in faith. This idea is ludicrous. It is unrealistic. It is impossible. Considering the position that Rolling Hills is in now with debt and transition, this seems absurd for me to even propose in such length. Yet this will not let go of me, and I believe that this change and dream and vision is exactly what the church needs in order to bring new life to the body for years to come! I believe in a God who can conquer – because that is the gospel of my life. I have no way of getting to God. Reaching him is an impossible feat for a sinful human, an effort that is not worth attempting. But God, who is rich in mercy and grace, has provided his Son Christ as an atoning and justifying sacrifice in order to bring me to Himself. What a God! That is my God! My faith, now, must operate in the power that raised Christ from the dead and brought the sinner to life!

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THE DOWNTOWN CAMPUS “…he came to the city, as he did often…”

My proposal is not a separate church, but a new expression of Rolling Hills: a missional hub for the work of the kingdom in the city of Portland. Because of what has been stated earlier, and with the knowledge of our vast resources, Rolling Hills should plant a downtown campus. The details of this endeavor are completely negotiable, and it would be my preference that the finer points be talked about and reasoned with wisdom and discernment. What follows, is the vision of four young people who are earnestly seeking the Lord and his kingdom. Four young people who are fiercely committed to the truth of the Bible and the validity of the Spirit of God. Furthermore, we all deeply love Rolling Hills for what it does for this kingdom. This vision is one that comes out of much prayer and thought. Once again, writing this has been a struggle, for I do not want to be called a traitor or viewed as disloyal, but rather very loyal to the dream of Rolling Hills to form focused faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Here, then, is the one vision that has been given to four different young individuals, all active members and/or staff of Rolling Hills Community Church. 1. Government The new campus would be under the existing elder board of Rolling Hills Community Church, with one of those elders paying specific pastoral and administrative attention to the Downtown Campus. The staff of the Downtown Campus would have independent creative control but submit not just to the one Downtown Elder, but also the mission of Rolling Hills and the elder board. However, it must be noted that the needs of a Downtown congregation will be much different than that of the Suburban congregation. Therefore, the staff at the Downtown Campus would most likely have very different events and preaching schedules, and in the end would be independent creatively. There would have to be a separate preacher for the Downtown location as well as many other positions as need comes to be. I believe, due to the vision I have, my spiritual gifts, and my complete love for God’s Word in the city, I should be the preacher for this new campus. This, of course, must be approved by the leadership and elders, however I want to communicate my passion and willingness to serve. Women’s director, creative pastor, worship pastor, administrators. Many of these positions can be unpaid at the genesis of the campus. We will all have to sacrifice. Which is exactly why this could be so God honoring. 2. Location It is important that the location of the Downtown Campus (DTC) is not overlooked. However, in the city, location is incredibly crucial in city ministry as well as youth ministry. In downtown Portland right now, there are many buildings available to lease. Currently, the market is not as competitive in the past

21 and the retail business is drowning due to the state of the economy. On the other hand, Portland is being developed rapidly. The downtown area alone is going through a massive overhaul including tons of new housing (to fit the population rise) and a brand new University of Oregon Campus right off the Burnside Bridge. There is an opportunity in the realty market right now that will most likely never come again. We have about three buildings right now that are incredibly exciting. But why a building right now? Again, while it does not seem essential, the more vision that is given to myself and others, there seems to be incredible possibilities for ministry in the city with a functioning building. Again, people are enslaved to their sin and suffering in the city, the sooner we can bring a building about, the sooner work like the following can happen: Community development: Firstly, because we are not planting a service, but more so a mission, the building would serve seven days a week for multiple ideas as the hands and feet of Christ. The idea of development is that we would use the building for needs of the community that Jesus calls us to: Provide for the least of these. In other words, food for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and so on. The possibilities for this are endless and include but are not limited to: food kitchen, café, clothing exchange, dormitory, etc. So many people do not use what they have. With the DTC, we could more easily foster our congregations giving to the downtown area. Instead of holding “clothing drives” or “food drives,” whenever you have extra, you can just give to the DTC. Community enrichment: The idea of enriching the community would be mainly in the arts. Portland is currently a hotbed for culture, we are beginning to see many new bands, artists, and authors coming out of the Portland city area. I believe that having a building to host and promote Christian, Holy Spirit driven artists would do wonders for the community, and ultimately the entire culture. Community involvement: In both of these, the DTC would be an unmistakable and un-ignorable in the community. With a central location and a main building in the middle of the city, people would not be able to ignore the word of Christ: in our word (Sunday service proclamation) and in our deed (serving the community through the week). The DTC will have constant involvement. This will help us being more relationally evangelistic. Start with a bang: A major plus to having a building would be starting off with a bang. I believe in city ministry, and in this visual age, it is essential to begin with a statement. Especially with these resources we have, there is an incredible potential to launch the DTC with a bang. There are small gatherings of Christians in the downtown area that are somewhat hidden. I don’t see signs, I rarely hear about them and they have mediocre attendance and involvement. When visiting them, I found a stale location of a service, instead of a thriving center for the mission of the gospel of Christ. Currently, I have looked at several options for the DTC. One particular building has created much interest simply due to its location and potential. The building is a run down old nightclub and has three levels for potential dormitories and/or

22 offices. It lands on 12th and Burnside, the dividing line of the Pearl District and Downtown. Burnside is the main street of Portland, making a border between the rich and the poor, the haves and the have-nots. This particular location is truly in the center of the city. I cannot imagine better use of it than to fly the flag of the church and the Lord Christ in the middle of the lost streets of Portland. More than just a Sunday service, but a place where the hands, feet, and mouth of God can be experienced. 3. Philosophy The philosophy of the DTC would be that of Rolling Hills, but most likely expressed in different forms, as it is reaching a different culture. When brainstorming about this idea, myself and the others unanimously agreed that the DTC would be built on the same ideals, standards, and theology as when the founding families first started RHCC.

Teach: Preaching would be a regular thing happening every Sunday at our (most likely) evening program. However, as stated by Rolling Hills, teaching is not just done of Sunday. Because of the area and the academic interest, the church could be a hotbed for discussion and lectures. Professors from Multnomah Bible College or Western Seminary could come in on weekday nights. Authors and poets with rich theological and faith-based literature could come and speak. Of course, with Dale’s rich gift of knowledge, there is no way we could not hear from him on topics such as evolution, atheism, and other hot subjects. With PSU’s 25,000 member student body, I am sure we could provide an excellent opportunity to teach and preach God’s total truth.

Reach: This would be the most important piece of the philosophy of the DTC. As it has been expressed with great passion before, thousands of people are dying in their sin in the city. We see it just driving up Burnside; there is so much hurt, and so much pain, yet so much opportunity for the Spirit to work through the administration of the Gospel. The city needs simple things like food, but more so Portland must be reached by the hands and feet of Jesus. We must be the city on a hill and a light for those in darkness. The Downtown Campus has exciting potential to reach those in the city.

Exalt: With worship being the epicenter of the human being, this would be a major priority in the philosophy of the campus. Not only would we worship in song, together on Sunday evening, but we would also teach about what exalt really is. We must live lives that exalt the Lord Christ. It will be vital to implement this into our leaders from the beginning of the mission.

Equip: This is the most exciting piece about ministry and the Portland area. The idea that a group of Christians could equip the culture and the city is invigorating. We would begin with a solid set of leadership, including one elder from RHCC, and would start from the very beginning building up leaders within the congregation. How exciting would it be to see tons of new converts being trained

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to be Christian leaders? Then, the church could be responsible for countless Christian leaders in their respective professions. The gospel would be on the move.

Support: I would love to see the same type of fellowship that occurs at Rolling Hills to occur at the DTC. I love that when a new pastor comes in to town, there are over 15 people there waiting to help him move in. I love that when people are sick, we pray for them, and when we get really large numerically, we break down into our backbone of small groups. Also, I feel like with this aspect of Support, we could do what so many organizations do not do downtown: connect the hurting and the downcast with a positive community who know Christ as Savior. This is the job of the local church. Help rescue to hurting, and connect them with a community. I believe that simply being located in the city could provide many more opportunities. We could support the culture we exist in like the arts, music, and literature. The DTC could be a landmark for the support and love of the city, rather than its condemnation. Ultimately, we will wish to form focused, faithful followers of Jesus Christ in the city of Portland. 4. Membership Membership is probably the most important aspect of the idea of a new campus. Without membership, this is simply a homeless shelter or a community center. This proposal is not for anything like that. We are confident in the idea of the local church and that is what we are proposing. Without the congregation, this idea is just another center for community help. Again, this is not that, this is the Church. The gospel will be preached, the lost will be baptized, and Christ will be worshipped by the congregation, staff, and covenantal members. Process of Membership: We will operate off of the same LD model that RHCC sticks to. However, due to the nature of city ministry, we would have to have an element of the elementary class (101) that speaks of mission and the city of Portland, as that is where these members will be ministering and most likely, living. Purpose of Membership: Each member would be held to the mission of the DTC: they must be on board to help form focused faithful followers of Jesus Christ in the Downtown Portland area. Furthermore, these members will be evaluated not on their commitment to the programs, but commitment to the mission of Rolling Hills in the city. Members would be the backbone of the operation. They would faithful come to the Sunday programs, volunteer at the mid-week events, and most importantly – spread the Word! Both of the gospel and the church. Furthermore, as the congregation grows, so would small groups throughout the city as well as volunteer run ministries within the church body.

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BENEFITS FOR THE KINGDOM TO THE GLORY OF GOD “Worthy are you God, to receive glory, honor, and power…”

This is not another proposal from a passionate minister of the gospel from outside of our body. This is from the hearts of young people who are dedicated to the gospel, who are weaved into the very fabric of Rolling Hills. This idea is not an outside plant, but rather the very DNA of RHCC being infused into the downtown culture to bring the greatest impact to the city. This is Rolling Hills’ philosophy, theology, and purpose being flushed out into the city culture in order to show people a God and his church able to express herself across cultural boundaries. This is not the efforts of missionaries, but members of the body asking the church to all be missionaries. The Benefit of the City I hope I have outlined the incredible benefits that a local church can bring to a dying city. The church brings the light of Christ to people in darkness. When I walk through downtown, I see the pain of slavery. I cannot get out of my mind the change that could be seen if these people would just have a community where Christ was the center instead of humanitarian effort or social justice. The city would see physical change as well. With a church in the middle of the city, there would be help for volunteer efforts all over. Beyond this, people who need physical and tangible help could receive it: clothes, housing, medication. Eventually, the Downtown Campus could be the light on the hill of not simply charity, but fellowship of the body of Christ. There is no question that the city would benefit spiritually. With the landmark of Downtown being a fake Greek goddess named Portlandia, Rolling Hills could claim the city for Jesus. Resurrection would occur in peoples’ lives and the love of Christ would be evident in the congregation that walked the streets. The Benefit of Rolling Hills How will this edify Rolling Hills? We have so much on our plate. We are a church in transition of leadership, debt, and shifting numbers. Aren’t we in enough change? I believe that this is exactly what the people of Rolling Hills need and what our staff needs. We need more tangible mission and purpose. We need identity in the city instead of just going there once a month. This is the chance to do something revolutionary instead of evolutionary. Imagine, once every couple of months, both campuses gathering together for a celebration of what God has done. Imagine suburban families being exposed to the reality of the sin of the city. In contrast, imagine a city-slicker hearing a suburban

25 dad give his testimony about sexual addiction and the pain of losing trust with his family, but how the Spirit is working on his heart and how Christ and the gospel is renewing his marriage. What glory could be brought to the name of Jesus! There is no Greek or Jew now, nor will there be a suburbanite and an urbanite, there is just those who call of the name of Jesus and those who do not. Both the urban campus and the suburban campus of Rolling Hills will be edified. I believe with this change we would see a new excitement in the body, a new vigor from the staff, and a deeper since of dependence on our Savior Christ. We must be on mission to bring Christ’s saving power to those in darkness. If this church has a tangible vision for the furthering of the gospel such as the one proposed in this document, I do not see how the Rolling Hills body could not be brought to depend on and worship the Risen King Jesus. To God be the glory!