As a church planter or pastor, you are familiar with the fact that your responsibilities and task list transcend Sunday Mornings. Still, you may have had lingering questions such as how do you effectively build a team? What do you do with a Sunday service? Where do you start when it comes to establishing a thriving, growing, multiplying church?

At Stadia, we find that a method called the M Rhythm or, Momentum Rhythm, is a reliable place to start. The M Rhythm is the framework for a routine that helps people grow together and grow with Jesus. Its main intention is to help build strong relationships and momentum, whether it’s with people that you know or don’t know.

Over the course of a month, rhythms move between spaces of aware, team, and social in a way that can be visualized in an “M”. The M Rhythm isn’t just a tool that moves towards large Sunday gatherings but can be utilized by many expressions of church. It’s a framework that can be a touchpoint to raise up and empower leaders. Today, we’ll dive deeper into the Team Spaces of the M rhythm, and hopefully inspire you to create a discipleship culture that multiplies.

During a single M rhythm or a single month, we often suggest meeting in twice in your team space. Team spaces are designed to be a space or environment where a planter or pastor can take those who on your launch team or those who are all in and grow together. It’s a leadership and discipleship pathway intertwined. At first, you’ll be getting to know one another and understanding why everyone is a part of the team. You’ll find out where they’re at. Then, as days grow closer to your launch, team spaces may look grow and morph into something different. You may begin to identify roles or lean more into utilizing individual gifts and talents. Time may be more collaborative as trust and relationships grow deeper.

Amos Dillard, a church planter, and pastor at City Lights Church in Chula Vista, California has been meeting with his team for a least a year now. He started implementing the M Rhythm and creating team spaces in environments that he calls, community groups. For these community groups, location is very important in establishing healthy and effective team spaces. They meet at tables in homes where they break bread, share meals together, discuss bibles stories and determine what City Lights is all about. Check out what Amos has to say about their team spaces:

Getting people to take the next right step is something every church leader tries to figure out. What makes this even more difficult is trying to get a group of people to take the next right step together. Using the “M Rhythm” as a planning tool is extremely helpful when thinking through the steps of movement that builds momentum.  

 

Equipping the core group on how to build relationships before you even start the process is vital in moving people through the “M rhythm.” The time spent investing in your team on why, where, and how to start & nurture relationships will fuel the “M rhythm” pathway. 

 

Personal relationships are the catalyst to walk with more people in a meaningful way. Training the team to be able to handle individual conversations at interest meetings and in their homes will build momentum faster and multiply the movement farther. This happens not because of a particular strategy, but because God uses more people who are already going in the same direction to invite others to move with them. 

Team spaces are also a time to be clear with your team. Amos and his team have a safe environment where they can be on the same page and grow common language and definitions. Clarity is kindness. City Light’s community groups are on ramps for learning, developing common mission, values, and a really great team culture. They have been able to grow as disciples of Jesus and hope to develop more disciples as they move forward.

Whatever environment or team space you decide to cultivate, we know it’ll be a tool that will break ground on the foundation you need to establish a thriving, growing, multiplying church that will intentionally care for the next generation! Read More about the M Rhythm here.