Sending Service Q&A
On Sunday, July 19, we hosted a live Q&A during our worship services to answer as many questions as possible about our upcoming Sending Service starting Sunday, August 23. We answered slightly different questions in all three services, so here is a list of the questions you sent us and answers with what we know today. Thank you for your continued prayers for our Sending Service!
Who will lead the Sending Service?
For now, Andy Owen will serve as the primary host of the Sending Service. Once we launch an actual campus, we will need to hire a campus pastor, and likely other staff to help with kids ministry and worship. But for now with the sending service, Andy will be the primary leader/point person.
What will the Sending Service look like? Who will do the sermon and the worship?
Most weeks the sermon will be recorded from the Worship Center during the 9:30 service and that video will be played at 11:00 in the Activity Center. There will be live worship, but it will be significantly simpler with more of an acoustic feel.
Do we already have a location in mind for the eventual campus?
Nothing has been decided. Leadership has been looking at database records to see where we already have clusters of Ridgepoint attenders in various locations around Wichita to see where it might make sense to launch a campus. One guiding principle is to “plant churches where your people are not; start campuses where your people are.” Since we plan to go with a campus model, it would make sense to choose a location where a large number of our people already live. Beyond that strategy, we will be in extensive prayer, research, and demographic study over the coming months before making any final decisions.
Why are we planning for a campus instead of another independent church plant (like SouthLife)?
Both a church plant and a campus/multi-site could be successful and honoring to God. One reason why we think a campus is the better solution right now is because of our space/capacity issues at Ridgepoint. When we planted SouthLife, about 30 people were sent to start that church. Since then, we have gained 300+ people at Ridgepoint. A plant doesn’t necessarily help our crowding issues, so we think a campus is more strategic for long-term success of both the campus and our primary location.
Will there be two services at 11:00? How does that schedule work?
Yes, we will keep our existing 11:00 contemporary service in the Worship Center. The new Sending Service is being added simultaneously at 11:00 in the Activity Center. The three current services (8:15, 9:30, 11:00) aren’t changing.
Why are we doing the Sending Service at 11:00 and not 9:30 if 9:30 is when we have more crowded/space issues?
Two reasons: Parking and kids ministry. At 9:30, nearly everyone is already on campus for either the worship service or Sunday School, so adding another service at that same time would only lead to more congestion. By 11:00, most first service attenders have left, freeing up our parking lot. Also, the kids ministry team is able to absorb additional kids during the 11:00 hour easier than they could at 9:30.
Will the Sending Service end after the new campus launches?
We’re not sure, but hopefully not! After a campus launches, we’d love to keep this service as a way to develop and send out new leaders since we expect the space and parking issues to keep recurring.
How does this affect the 8:15 service and the 9:30 Homebuilders Sunday School class?
For 8:15 attenders broadly, we invite you to pray! Even if you do not attend or participate with the Sending Service, we want all of our church family to be supportive. For the Homebuilders Sunday School class (that meets at 9:30 in the Activity Center), the class leaders have agreed to start 15 minutes earlier at 9:15 (with coffee available in the Activity Center) and end a bit earlier to allow time to set up for the 11:00 service. We’re grateful for the Homebuilders leadership that has been very supportive!
Will a future campus duplicate Ridgepoint’s other offerings (Sunday School, Wednesday nights, etc.)?
The goal is for the “core” of what Ridgepoint offers–solid teaching, good worship, great kids ministry–to be recognizable at any future campus. A new, smaller campus will force us to start simpler, so we won’t be able to move everything over. Many details are still unknown, but we are committed to making it a quality “Ridgepoint” experience.
Does attending the Sending Service automatically sign me up to eventually leave Ridgepoint?
No! No one is obligated to move to a future campus. We hope many people will attend this service simply to help relieve the space and parking issues we’re currently facing, so everyone is welcome. We hope many people will have a “sent” heart posture, being open to where God may lead them. Some people will end up leaving to start this new campus, but we acknowledge the fear, discomfort, and doubt many of us are feeling right now with this big, pending change. Rest assured; there is no pressure to leave.
Is Ridgepoint becoming a “megachurch”?
That is not our desire–at all! Pastor Brent has no personal aspiration for fame or an oversized platform. That has never been a part of Ridgepoint’s (or Brent’s) DNA, and that will not change. At the same time, we want as many people as possible to hear the good news of Jesus. In that sense, we DO want Ridgepoint to grow. Jesus didn’t go to the cross to reach fewer people. We don’t want to grow just for growth’s sake. We want people to find and follow Jesus. We’re also hopeful that the campus model will help our numbers to grow without affecting the “feel” of our existing services.