Common Questions From Pastors and Churches

Written By Alex Rossie

  • We help churches implement a simple, in-house solution for providing a reproducible disciple-making pathway. The best way to understand the problem this solves is to read this report.

    To be clear, we support Bible studies, but we believe many would benefit from doing these studies solo rather than in groups, as group studies often create a perpetual knowledge acquisition loop.

    Churches need a disciple-making pathway that brings their members into an intentional environment where they grow spiritually, connect in real relationships, and are challenged to live on mission. Furthermore, the pathway equips and invites them to lead a group themselves.

    This design overcomes the consumer culture our churches are fighting against and serves as a launching pad for contributors who then multiply by becoming disciple-makers.

    In a typical Bible Study: 1 group circles around 1 leader for a study on Galatians. They then repeat this process time and again around the next book or curriculum. (Example of Loop: 1 Group > 1 Group > 1 Group > 1 Group)

    In Ordinary Movement: 1 group is facilitated by 1 leader. Upon closing their time together, that leader becomes a mentor to their past participants, who are now the leaders of their own groups. (Example of Multiplication: 1 Group > 10 Groups > 100 Groups > 1,000 Groups)

    As a result, you will see multiplication of disciples making disciples, men and women falling in love with Jesus, a deeper sense of team and collaboration around mission and community, and a shift in your community towards becoming more concerned with the unchurched and lost people in their spheres of influence.

    For more on launching groups and supporting multiplication visit our church framework page here.

  • Groups can operate autonomously or in synchronization with your church’s existing small group format, such as a tri-semester plan.

    If your church does not have a small group structure, it will not negatively impact the launching or multiplying of groups, as the process is designed to be accessible to anyone, regardless of their skill level in leading.

    If you do have a tri-semester model, we suggest launching the groups concurrently with your existing schedule, typically in the fall or spring, such as September or February. Keep in mind that once a group begins, it will not allow newcomers to join until the next wave of groups multiplies out.

    Beyond integration, groups are designed to be lightweight and easily replicated, requiring no ongoing effort from you or your staff to maintain. You have the opportunity to celebrate their progress and check in as you see fit.

    Learn more about groups within their church on our framework guide page here.

  • We like to say that groups are “Pastor-Championed and Ordinary-Led.” This means it’s not your job to lead and manage these groups; instead, it’s your opportunity to celebrate their progress and highlight what God is doing through them.

    Typically, a leader will sign up through our app, complete the training course, and coordinate with you to determine the best time to launch a small group. They will handle the rest of the process. We’ve intentionally designed a system that requires minimal effort on your part, allowing you to simply celebrate the journey as your leaders engage in disciple-making.

    Our aim is to integrate groups into their home church and spark a disciple-making movement within the communities where these groups are launched. You have the opportunity to leverage this momentum by making these groups a focused discipleship pathway and referring back to them as you preach on mission and the goal of making disciples. The idea is to relieve the pastor of having to do all the ministry, allowing them to focus on equipping others, as outlined in Ephesians 4:10-12.

    If we were to suggest any expectation, it would be that a leader’s pastor remains available to encourage them periodically and collaborate on a multiplication plan for when their group concludes. This means being prepared to capitalize on the disciple-making energy present once the group finishes its time together.

    To better understand the expectations and areas to avoid visit our church framework page here.

  • We've crafted a framework and guide for churches, check it out here.

    For a more in-depth plan and overview, connect with us on a discovery call to go over strategically launching groups in your church.

  • Below is our statement of faith:

    • We believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God. The Holy Spirit inspired the writers of the Old and New Testaments pointing to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

    • We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and co-eternal.

    • We believe that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to redeem all of mankind. Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life on this earth, performed many undeniable miracles, was crucified for our sins, buried and was raised from the dead for our justification. By the name of Jesus Christ, and His name only, can mankind be saved. Jesus Christ sits at the Right Hand of the Father and will return personally in power and glory to receive His Church unto Himself.

    • We believe that mankind is sinful by nature and will perish without the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as revealed in His Gospel. That God wishes that no one should perish, but that all would come to this saving knowledge through the preaching of the Gospel to a lost and hopeless world.

    • We believe that matrimony is a holy monogamous marriage between one man and one woman. This means that man and woman are two distinct genders willed by God their Creator in their respective beings, which reflect the image and nature of God.

    • We believe in the multi-faceted work of the Holy Spirit to bring conviction of sin, revelation of the truth of the Gospel of Christ, drawing of the sinner to God, adoption of mankind into the Body of Christ through regeneration, and the distribution and administration of the Gifts and Fruit of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. Jesus Christ is the “baptizer with the Holy Spirit” for the empowerment of the Church through the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.

    • We believe in the local church as a place where believers gather together for edification, teaching from the Word of God, and ministry to and through each other according to their spiritual gift. The local church provides identity to its members as well as encouragement, interdependence, fellowship, correction, and discipline.

    We also uphold the Nicene Creed:

    This creed dates back to the 4th century A.D. when Christians came together and composed this formative and definitive statement.

    The Nicene Creed has stood the test of time as a standard of what Christians from every stream of the Body of Christ believe. It is more than an intellectual checklist of doctrine; it is a confession of worship that forms us as the people of God and draws us together into the life of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

    We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. Who has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy worldwide and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

  • Ordinary Movement is an interdenominational discipleship movement that supports existing churches with discipleship resources. We welcome and make room for people from all Christian denominations, provided they adhere to the core tenets of historical, biblical Christianity and exhibit the key characteristics of Jesus' followers—humility, curiosity, and a commitment to the truth—without which unity is nearly impossible.

    To be very clear, we have worked with groups from the following types of churches: Southern Baptist, Calvary Chapel, Assemblies of God, Non-Denominational, House Church, Catholic, Presbyterian, and many more. We do not endorse any particular association but solely aim to guide our participants toward the core teachings of Jesus, which emphasize being a disciple and making disciples. We’re proud to have pastors from across all denominations recommending our platform, and we strive to major in the majors and minor in the minors.

  • We strive to major in the majors and minor in the minors. This means we adhere to the statement of beliefs we have shared above and stand firm on essential truths (the majors), such as Jesus being the only way to salvation. We do not engage in debates or push agendas on topics we consider minor, such as End Times positions (Pre-, Mid-, or Post-Trib), Calvinism vs. Arminianism, Gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc. While we recognize that these topics are important, we believe they are best addressed within participants' specific churches for the sake of maintaining our focused discipleship process.

    We are Bible-based and Jesus-centered. We encourage leaders to concentrate on the core topics of the workbook studies. Issues that fall outside these core topics, including potential debates or matters where church leaders should have final authority, should be discussed separately or handled outside of group sessions.

  • Groups go through 26 sessions together.

    Please send us a note on our contact page and we'll send you our Sample Workbook PDF for your review.

    Seven of these sessions use third-party books, such as Secrets of the Secret Place by Bob Sorge, The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee, and Forgotten God by Francis Chan. We believe these books effectively present essential practices and truths.

  • The best way to understand the history and growth of Ordinary Movement is to hear from Jeremy about how it all began. Check out his story here:
    https://ordinarymovement.com/jeremys-story

    You can learn more about Jeremy McCommons, our founder, here:
    https://ordinarymovement.com/the-team/jeremy-mccommons-founder

    If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, feel free to set up a call with us!

  • Yes, please use any of the following videos for promotional opportunities:

    Also, if you need a custom-sized graphic for slides or print, just let us know and we'll create it for you.

    Short Promos for Groups by Participants: (More Ordinary Feeling)

    Longer Testimonials & Stories:

    How Ordinary Movement Works: 

  • The platform, training, app, and resources we provide are all free.

    The workbook and additional books that accompany the sessions do have a small cost.

  • Yes! We offer free coaching calls. But first, please visit our church framework page to better understand methods for launching in your church.

    If you have questions or are not sure where to start, let's connect over a video call. We offer free discipleship pathway consulting and will address any questions you have. We are also available to help you craft your own intentional plan using our resources. Contact us here.

 
Alex Rossie
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