We have a meeting withe head of Picken County Schools on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. This meeting is HUGE for us in regards to our multi-site vision. We need the High School and this is the man that can give us permission to rent it.
Pray that his heart is open to us meeting there.
Pray we can be a blessing to the school we meet in.
Pray we turn Jasper upside down with the message of Jesus Christ!
As you know we are launching our second campus in Jasper in January!!!! We are pumped up and the buzz is already going strong. Here is what I need from all of you who call RSC home: I need you pray about a possible meeting location. We have two different places we have been looking at but a church meeting in either one of these locations is so new to a small town like Jasper that we have some questions to answer and some convincing to do. I know it will work out, but be praying because we want to nail that down asap!
BTW, here is my favorite line of the day when Malcolm talked to one of the people about using their space: “Well if we let you in, we have to let everyone in including the Ball Ground devil worshippers.” Uh…okay. Did any of you know there was a group called the “Ball Ground Devil Worshippers.” Not just any devil worshippers, but the Ball Ground Devil Worshippers. BTW, Ball Ground is a city here next to Canton. I’ve laughed over that all day long.
I have been to a few different church websites in the last week and several of them have a place on their website for churches that would like to basically close down and merge with the church whose site I am on.
I’m not saying it is wrong but it just seems odd to me that they are openly recruiting other churches to merge with.
Very weird.
Sunday was an awesome day at The Stone!!! I got to share with everyone something that has been building inside of me for almost a year and that is how we are going to impact the North Georgia mountains with the message of Jesus Christ! We are going to be one church in multiple locations!
Anytime you announce something that seems different then what most people see as “normal” you can beat there are going to be a ton of questions. So let me answer some of those questions you are asking and remember we DON’T have all the answers, but we are working hard to learn and be ready when January comes.
(Shout out to Matt Evans for a lot of these answers!)
WHAT IS A MULTI-SITE CHURCH?
Multi-site is one church meeting in multiple locations but with a common vision, budget, teaching, and leadership.
Multi-site is not a new concept. The church at Corinth and several other first century churches were multi-site. They consisted of several house churches that were part of one city-wide church.
–9 of the 10 largest churches in America are multi-site.
–7 of the 10 fastest growing churches in America are multi-site.
From day one at The Stone we have stressed that ‘church’ is not a specific building or location. We believe the Church is a group of believers connected to other groups of believers by a common mission!!
WHY IS THE STONE TAKING A MULTI-SITE APPROACH?
It is our vision to impact the 515/575 corridor with the message of Jesus Christ! Coventinoal wisdom says “Build it and they will come.” While we are NOT anti buildings, we feel at this time we can make a greater impact by going to the people instead of trying to get them to come to us (Luke 14:23).
We have noticed a trend at The Stone that where people are driving from several communities outside of Canton. We think that is awesome but we have also noticed the trend that when people live in other communities they are less likely to be plugged into serving, being in a Home Team, and inviting their friends. We are commanded by Christ to “go and make disciples” … multi-site is part of us being obedient and not being afraid to take risks for the cause of Christ.
HOW DID WE CHOOSE JASPER?
The short-answer is: We had to start somewhere. 
The long answer: Since we started RSC 2 1/2 years ago, God has stretched our hearts about the towns north of us you enter into the mountains. These are growing towns, but small towns and off of many peoples radars in regards to planting new churches. We feel God has equipped us to reach the demographics of these towns and as we began to examine the towns, we noticed how many people were already coming from Jasper. After talking to several of these families, it became obvious that Jasper would be our first location.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR RIDGE STONE JASPER?
We will begin in the next month to get the word out about RSC Jasper through marketing and you spreading the word. When school starts back I will start launch team meetings to prepare the people in that area for what it will take to get RSC Jasper up and launched. In October we will start once a month preview services to spread the word and on January 6th, we will start weekly services.
WHERE WILL RSC JASPER MEET?
To be determined. We are currently looking at two GREAT locations and appreciate your prayers for open doors.
HOW WILL THE TEACHING BE HANDLED?
We will be recording that weeks message on Thursdays in The Warehouse and showing them via video at the Jasper campus.
We believe that the power of God’s Word is not limited by the medium through which it is communicated and that through excellent technology both Canton, Jasper, and other campuses will experience the same teaching.
WHAT ABOUT WORSHIP?
The worship will be with a live band and worship pastor with the same sound as Canton. Children & Youth programming will also be similar once the site is officially launched.
WHAT DOES THE CAMPUS PASTOR DO?
During the start up phase, Malcolm Young will be filling the role of campus pastor until God leads us to put someone else in that role.
We are still working on the exact duties of this positon but basically the campus pastor will be over assimilation, volunteers, Home Teams, and leading the Jasper staff. He will be the “face with the place.”
WHAT WILL CHANGE? WHAT WILL BE THE SAME?
In Canton, we will be business as usual.
In Jasper, there will be a Ridge Stone.
Both have the same goal, the same leadership structure, and both offer the same thing — a church that is all out, sold out to the cause of Christ.
I am sure both campuses will have some differences, but both will still communicate Christ in creative and relevant ways done with excellence!!
This is an exciting time for those who call RSC home! Rest assured the devil will come after us with everything he has, but that is fine. We know how the story ends!