On Mission: Lake Forest Church

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In 1998, Lake Forest Church in Charlotte, NC began meeting in a bowling alley. After that, they met under a disco ball at a rollerskating rink and on a basketball court before moving into a permanent site on Easter Sunday 2006.

Even though they have a place to worship, they realize that the church isn’t a destination. It’s the people of God on mission with God!

“At Lake Forest, we know that church isn’t a place, it’s a people — regular people who are all following or investigating Jesus as the savior and hope of the world. People who don’t pretend to have all the answers, but who reach for more out of our own lives as we encourage, question, teach and challenge one another to grow. And people who share the goal of making a difference in the world for the sake of love — God’s love.”

Here’s how they describe their highest aspirations:

• Welcome who Jesus welcomed (people who’ve given up on church, but not on God)
• Love like Jesus (with grace and truth)
• Live like Jesus (always on the missio Dei)
• Journey like Jesus (doing life together)
• Lead like Jesus (toward more and better disciples, leaders and churches)

They sum it all up like this…

“loving people as they discover and live out their role in God’s story”

I met Pastor Mike Moses last month and he’s truly committed to living this out!

I love their focus on mission into the community!

“Following Jesus is more than simply sitting and soaking. It’s also about living and going — living on the missio Dei (mission of God) and thus going to people who are hurting and vulnerable and sharing God’s love with our actions and words.”

Lake Forest Church isn’t just focused on serving their members – they actually are focused on serving through their members.

“While there are some regular opportunities to serve through LFC, we also encourage you to GO FOR IT on your own. Whether you hold a drive in your neighborhood, volunteer regularly through a partner ministry, or form a long-term relationship with a family transitioning from homelessness, you can join the missio Dei without leaving Charlotte.”

And they also send teams around the world to share God’s love with cultures and people who are different.

Lake Forest Church: lakeforest.org
Pastor Mike Moses’ blog: www.openmikeblog.com
missio Dei blog: www.lakeforest.typepad.com/missiodei/