Welcome to our "Virtual Home"!
Since you've come to this "room," I assume this is one of your first times to our "home." I'm glad you're here! I'd love to meet you in person someday soon, but, for now, let this serve as my greeting. "Peace to you" as you look around! We'll get to know one another as the future unfolds before us. I look forward to time together!
Here, I'd like to give you a little tour of our "home." If you were to come to my home for a similar tour, you'd discover much about me and my family. The same is true of our website. So, let me show you around. To your left are five "buttons" that show the main areas of our site. From these you can get anywhere you want to go.
When you first came to our "home," and every time you click on the "Home" button, you are at our front door. From here, you can see what we're up to. On our "Home" page, you can read our "Welcome" to you; you can see the first part of "The Latest Blog Entry;" you can review "The Latest Resource;" and you can see "The Next Event." Each time you come to this page, you will notice that it is a little different. Be sure to review it each time you come to our "Home."
Underneath the "Home" button on the left is the "Basics" button. Clicking here reveals something that is "foundational" to the Church Without Walls. Here you will read articles and statements that are important to us and our life together. Pastor Craig writes these to express and explain who and what we are. It will change several times a month, so be sure to check it out every once in a while.
The next circle down is the "Happenings" button. This is the full list of what we're doing and what's happening at the Church Without Walls. You saw the first two "events" on the "Home" page - here is the whole list for you to know and make plans to join. Since events can come up pretty quickly, you might want to give this a regular review to see if anything you might want to do is posted.
Now you are at the "guts" of the website: "Connect." This button has four options: making disciples, engaging culture, multiplying churches and contact us. You saw the first three just above the "Welcome" part of the "Home" page. Let me explain them in just a moment. For now, if you want to email Pastor Craig, just click on "Contact Us," and your message will go directly to me. In fact, I'm the only one who will see it. I check my email regularly throughout each day - I will respond at my earliest convenience.
Now, about the other three areas:
MAKING DISCIPLES: at the heart of Jesus' earthly ministry is his effort to shape and form people - those who agree to be his apprentices - who are ready to live life in a way that is learned from him. I believe Jesus is the smartest, most intelligent man who ever lived; he has much to say about how to live the life adventure I've been given. This entire section is dedicated to supporting people in their life-journey based on the "faith of Jesus."
ENGAGING CULTURE: at the heart of Jesus' earthly existence is his engagement with the local culture of his day. He knew his culture, he understood those who lived within it, and he went about his daily life in constant contact with his cultural moment. This entire section is dedicated to understanding the cultural moment of the 21st century in which we all live so that we might wisely and meaningfully engage our culture.
MULTIPLYING CHURCHES: at the heart of Jesus' earthly life is his encouragement of a community of people who gather to be with him to become like him. He is the committed teacher, we are the students. He taught them that "where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." I believe that. This entire section is dedicated to helping people to gather in the kind of community - church - that he desires.
Each of these sections takes the form of a "blog," which the dictionary describes as "an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page." So, every item you read here was started by Pastor Craig - me. But, the reason I had the website designed this way is to request and encourage your participation. Since "none of us is as smart as all of us," your involvement in our website is important to me. I - we all - need your help! I hope you choose to participate along with everyone else.
OK, back to the circular tabs. The bottom circle is "Resources." When you click here, you will get four different areas to choose from. The first few posts to each area are meant to describe what it is for, but let me explain each one briefly:
IDEAS: this is an area to post thoughts and suggestions designed to help the whole community.
MATERIALS: this is an area to post helpful materials you've been reading.
HELP: this is an area to post any prayers or insights that you think will be helpful to everyone.
LINKS: this is an area to post other websites or pages for others to check out.
Finally, in the upper right corner is a button to "Register." This is one way to involve you in our website and community. We are asking for your name and email address as part of the process. Please know that your information is only for our purposes here.
So, again, welcome to our "virtual home." I look forward to meeting you in person one day soon. If you ever have any questions, just let me know! I can be reached at craig@thechurchwithoutwalls.info or 303-725-6760.