Leonard's Enroute

Creating Belonging

"Now you are no longer strangers to God and foreigners to heaven, but you are members of God's very own family...and you belong in God's household with every other christian."
Eph 2:19


Last night, a couple of leaders from Amplify met at a coffeeshop at Boat quay for dinner, proceeded to Burger King for an hour and then ended up at Macdonalds for another hour. Incidentally, we met to discuss on developing a plan to help new people feel belong in Amplify. We were talking about assimilation.

Assimilation is the task of moving people from an awareness of Amplify, to attendance at our weekly prayer meets to active membership in Amplify. Outsiders talk about 'that community of Amplify". Seekers and Attenders talk about 'this community of Amplify' but a Partner talks about "Our Community of Amplify". They are contributors, not just consumers.

C.S Lewis wrote an essay once on the word 'membership'. He reminds us that the word is of Christian Origin. But today, that word has been taken by the world and emptied of all its original meaning. now it means having your name on some roll, or paying dues or keeping silly rules to secret handshakes. St Paul, however had a very different view of membership. To him, being a member is not some cold inducement into an institution. But rather it meant being a vital organ of a living Body.

We need to take this images seriously. Any organ detached from the body will not only miss what it was created to be, it will also shrivel up and die quickly. It is the same for Catholics or Christians that are left out of a community.

Now, the incoperation of members into Amplify does not happen automatically. It we don't have a system and a structure to assimilate and keep the people we reach, they won't stay in our community. We will have as many people going out the back door of our community as are coming in the front door.

I think we have being in Ministry long enough to know that having a God Experience at YISS doesn't mean that we've closed the deal, and now its up to the new believer to follow up with his commitment and join a community. Often than not, baby believers don't know what they need. It is our responsibility to take them by the hand, and take the initiative in assimilating new people into the community. Thus the reason for the 5 levels of commitment in Amplify. (Incidentally, the night before, another group of Amplifers met to see how we can start cell groups in the East, West and Central of Singapore.)

I believe that when God want to deliver a generation of young people passionate for Him, he looks for the warmest incubator he can find. I believe that communities who make new member assimilation a priority and have a plan for doing it are usually blessed with growth. Conversely, those who don't have a plan, or are haphazard about - don't grow.


So the problem we met to solve is this:

We are haphazard about membership and creating belonging in Amplify.

1. We have many 'floating members'. It is difficult to determine who is a partner of Amplify.

2. It is unclear as to how a new person become a Partner of Amplify.

3. There are no stated requirements or expectations of a Partner that separates from a Attender.

4. There are insufficient or haphazard channels of internal communication and care in Amplify

5. Therefore, our backdoor is as wide open as our front.


We came up with a couple of suggestions on solving this problem. Having a Membership Class, a membership covenant, cell groups, clear channels of applications, commissioning ceremonies etc. This are just some of the initial ideas. If you have any pls feel free to drop a comment.

Essentially, we do this because we know the difference it makes being a vital part of a community. Our own lives have changed so much as a result of it. Let's gather to give those whom God send our way that same opportunity.

"We need to start caring." - Don Macus

Leo