Microchurch Leader’s Guide
The Essentials of Church.
We believe that Microchurch embodies the essentials of what it means to be the Church: a community of Prayer, scripture, and mission in the name of Jesus. In many ways, ‘micro’ refers both to size and to nature. We are simplifying the ‘form’ of the church to prioritize the essentials.
We are taking cues from the practices of that first Jesus community:
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” – Acts 2:42-47 (NIV)
This simple way of gathering helps us keep what matters most at the center.
We gather together to pray, read scripture, share a meal, and grow as a family. It is in this ordinary rhythm of life, situated in the community, that we become like Jesus and bear witness to his Kingdom.
Microchurch is not an accessory to church, or a novel adaptation, it is the essentials of church.
Commitments
As a microchurch leader our request is that you commit yourself to the following:
Reveal the Kingdom of Jesus
When we commit to following Jesus, we voluntarily submit ourselves to God’s reign.
Belong to a Microchurch
Every week, people gather in homes, pray prayers together, pray for one another, and read the scriptures with one goal in mind: to better reveal Jesus’ kingdom.
Gather on Sundays
We believe in the value of the Sunday rhythm as it forms us and shapes us to be the sent people of Jesus. We ask that you prioritize this rhythm.
Serve
We are reclaiming the full breadth of the word "service" to include both serving one another on Sundays and serving the community of Kansas City.
Be Generous
We are descendants of an ancient church that has historically practiced a 10% tithe. As a participant in this community, we ask that you work toward that 10% or go above and beyond as you follow Jesus’ call to live a life of radical generosity
Starting a Microchurch
Starting a new microchurch is simpler than it seems. We have identified five steps to start a new microchurch.
Microchurch Leader Training | A two-hour training designed to walk new microchurch leaders through the basics, answer questions, and provide advice and coaching.
Recruit a Launch Team | We recommend starting a new microchurch with 3-5 committed members—those who are committed to microchurch and eager to invite others.
Pray through Microchurch Essentials | The Microchurch Essentials curriculum offers a helpful way for the launch team to pray, strategize, and become familiar with Microchurch. We recommend going through Essentials with the launch team before inviting others to your new Micochurch.
Launch Microchurch | Identify a launch date and start. A timeline for launching a new Microchurch might look like;
4 months out – Microchurch Leader Training
3 months out – Recruit Launch Team
2 months out – Pray through Microchurch Essentials
Launch microchurch!This is an example timeline; many microchurches can come together more quickly. Others take more time.
Ongoing Training & Coaching | Once per quarter, microchurch leaders get together for peer learning and coaching.
Microchurch Essentials
7 Weeks
Microchurch Essentials is a seven-week curriculum meant to orient (and reorient) a microchurch community to our mission as the scattered church and sent people of God. Each week, we will utilize the prayer liturgy with a few additional elements to guide the conversation. The additional elements will introduce the main idea and practice of enacting the Gospel daily.
The Prayer Liturgy
Liturgy | lit·ur·gy
the work of the people.
a pattern of worship practices designed to form in a particular direction.
Because Jesus is our king, we live differently. We commit to learning the culture, values, and teachings of Jesus and unlearning the ways of our previous world. In order to do this, we must be intentional about who we are becoming, and we need a way to train ourselves.
In almost every area of life, we recognize the importance of repetition. If you want to be proficient at playing piano, you repeat the same songs. If you want to improve your golf swing, you repeat the motion. If you want to form a new habit, you repeat that action. Likewise, to be a disciple of Christ requires repetition of the Jesus story.
Like a trellis that enables plants to climb, the prayer liturgy provides a structure through which our souls may grow. The liturgy is a formation strategy that guides our thoughts and shapes our prayers, freeing us from the tyranny of our own prayer rut. For we know greedy people pray greedy prayers. Anxious people pray anxious prayers. Sad people pray sad prayers. Optimistic people pray optimistic prayers. We need a structure to guide us away from our own proclivities and into the way of Jesus.
Through our faithfulness to prayer, the Spirit will do the hard work of transforming our character to resemble that of Christ. This formation is not instantaneous; rather, over the years, we will learn what it means to pray, “not my will, but your will be done.”
When we repeat the Story of Christ, in prayer and scripture, it slowly seeps into our imagination, transforming who we are. Following the liturgy is not a quick fix; it is the slow work of allowing the Spirit to renew our minds and make us into the image of Christ. Sometimes the liturgy feels foreign, sometimes it is awkward, and sometimes it is routine; nevertheless, we can trust that the Spirit is at work in us through prayer & scripture.
Below is a simple description of each of the liturgy elements.
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Each week, we begin our time together with a check in, by answering the questions;
What has been the highlight of your week?
What has been the low of your week?
Its a simple practice but one that helps us share in the joys and sorrows of one another’s life.
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The Call to Worship reminds us to take a posture of worship.
Throughout scripture, we are reminded that “in the Beginning God…” This is the beginning of faith, the recognition of our place in creation and the acknowledgement of a Creator. A Creator that looked over chaotic waters and brought the raw material of the cosmos into an ordered reality. As Christians, we recognize that creation is good and the Creator is worth honoring.
Every gathering begins with a Call to Worship, a poetic prayer that beckons us to remember ““in the Beginning God…”. The Call to Worship invites us to forget everything that distracts us and to focus our mind, body, and soul on Him. There is no singular call to worship, rather we are invited to worship our Creator God with a new prayer each week.
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This moment and prayer lead us the way of repentance and the language of confession.
The Fall, described in Genesis 3, reveals humanity’s attempt to place our will above God’s, resulting in sin—our rebellion against His kingdom and our failure to live as we were created. Scripture teaches that every human, except one, has become enslaved to this wayward nature.
By confessing our sins together, we acknowledge our rebellious hearts and entrust ourselves again to God’s transforming work. In this practice, we remember that we belong to the forgiven community shaped by Jesus’ kingdom. Though solemn, the Confession of Sin ultimately reminds us of the mercy we have received through Christ.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.We have not loved you with our whole heart; We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent, for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name.Amen.
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The prayers and poetry found in the Psalms introduce us to the honest prayers of the people of God.
The Psalter has long been called “the Prayer Book” of the Church. The prayers, poetry, and hymns found in the book of Psalms cover the spectrum of human emotion. When the Church commits itself to working through the Psalter, it commits itself to making space for every human experience.
It is in praying and hearing the Psalms that we are reminded that “the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever” (Psalm 117:1-2).
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The Apostles’ Creed offers one of the clearest and most concise summaries of the Christian faith using scriptural language.
The Apostles’ Creed traces the story of redemption from creation to incarnation, from crucifixion to resurrection, and from Pentecost to everlasting life. Far from being a rote recitation, the Creed functions as a liturgical poem that stirs our hearts and expresses our allegiance to the triune God revealed in Christ. Its trinitarian structure—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—highlights the unique roles of each person while affirming their perfect unity. Each time we speak the Creed, we reaffirm our loyalty to the Triune God. In doing so, we also align ourselves with the historic Church that has confessed these truths throughout the centuries.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the global Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.Amen.
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The Christian faith is built on the belief that God is saving the world through Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. That story of God’s work in human history is detailed in a library of works we call the Bible.
As disciples, we try to lay aside our preconceptions and approach the bible with curiosity and a desire to obey its instruction. When we do this we will discover that “God is not in our stories, but that our stories are in God’s” (Eugene Peterson).
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Each week, as we gather around the biblical text, we practice the Discovery Bible Study method. This is a simple method of interpreting the scriptures with three questions:
What does this reveal about God or His Kingdom?
What does this reveal about human nature or yourself?
How can you live out this passage, or who should you share this story with?
The first question leads us to think critically about God's character and how He revealed himself in history. The second question holds a mirror up to us and asks where we see ourselves, both collectively and individually, in the story. The third question invites us to respond, to do something, or to tell someone.
As we do this, the Spirit guides our intellects and conversations into new discoveries. Whether you’ve followed Jesus for decades, just started, or are still unsure about Jesus, this bible study method is a simple invitation to read the Bible and see where it leads.
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The Lord’s Prayer stands as one of the most significant teachings from the lips of Jesus.
More than a model, it is the prayer followers of Jesus are meant to carry in their hearts, capturing the essence of His teaching to love God and love neighbor. The prayer begins by reorienting our allegiance to the Father and His advancing Kingdom, reminding us that God’s name, character, and reign are to be revealed through His people. It then turns our attention outward as we ask for our daily bread, highlighting both our dependence on God and our responsibility toward our neighbor’s needs. We seek forgiveness and, in turn, extend forgiveness to others, embodying God’s mercy. Finally, we ask for God’s strength and deliverance in the face of spiritual opposition, learning to rely on Him as we live out the way of Christ.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen. -
The Confession of the Mystery is a simple prayer summarizing the crux of Christian orthodoxy.
Christianity is not a set of doctrines, propositions, or dogmas– it is a mystery. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:14) In the most surprising of events God made his home amongst us in the form of Jesus of Nazareth– the Incarnation. Christianity is built on this audacious claim that God came in the flesh and made himself known.
Then in the most scandalous of events the God-made-flesh was murdered by the very people He came to save. But it was through death he made life possible for all (Romans 6:5-11), through His resurrection the people of God will be resurrected (Colossians 2:12-15), and He is coming once again to bring about a new heaven and new earth. The mystery of Christianity is that through death of one many have new life (1 Corinthians 15:50-58).
Let us confess the mystery of our faith.
Christ has died.
Christ has risen.
Christ will come again. -
Each week, the Commissioning prayer reorients us to Jesus’ great commission.
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” –Matthew 28:18-20
This text, known as the great commission, has mobilized the Church for centuries. We believe it is our task as Christ’s Church to continue his mission in revealing His Kingdom. Because we have received life in Christ, we offer our lives to give others that opportunity. The followers of Christ bear the weight of telling the World that the Kingdom of Christ has arrived.
Living God, draw us deeper into your love; Jesus our Lord, send us to care and serve; Holy Spirit, make us heralds of good news.
Stir us, strengthen us, teach and inspire us to live your love with generosity and joy, imagination and courage; for the sake of your world and in the name of Jesus,
Amen
Advice for leading the Liturgy
There is no one right way to lead the liturgy. However, there are some things that you may find helpful
Understand the Liturgy | Take some time to read and reflect on each component of the liturgy. You don’t need to be an expert or have everything memorized, but having a working understanding means that you can lead your microchurch better. Every liturgy includes a portion toward the top:
Learn more about practicing the liturgy.
Leader prays. Group Prays.The linked page explains each liturgical component; you can direct your Microchurch to it periodically.
Slow Down | It is hard to contemplate the importance of what you are reading or what is being read when you are speaking really fast. Slow down, especially as you lead the reading of the prayers.
Prepare | Simply reading through the prayers before centering your heart can go a long way for your Microchurch. Try to spend a short time in preparation each week.
Reflect | Reflecting on your own week, experiences, or what the Spirit has been saying to you lately can have a big impact on the intentionality of your Microchurch.
Share | Open the prayers with a brief reflection that has been meaningful to you. This is your opportunity to encourage further intentionality in your time as a Microchurch.
Discovery Bible Study
The Christian faith is built on the belief that God is saving the world through Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. That story of God’s work in human history is detailed in a library of works we call the Bible.
Jesus himself, a teacher of the Bible, viewed these writings as authoritative. Therefore, any serious attempt to follow Jesus demands that we take the Bible seriously and let it play a central role in our lives and communities– but that is not always easy.
The Bible is a library of strange, ancient, and foreign writings about our God. It is a collection of writings by over 60 authors spanning thousands of years and composed in several genres. Too often, our assumptions can prevent us from discovering all it offers.
As disciples, we try to lay aside our preconceptions and approach the bible with curiosity and a desire to obey its instructions. When we do this, we will discover that “God is not in our stories, but that our stories are in God’s” (Eugene Peterson).
Each week, as we gather around the biblical text, we practice the Discovery Bible Study method. This is a simple method of interpreting the scriptures with three questions:
What does this reveal about God or His Kingdom? This is a vertical question leading us to think critically about God's character and how He revealed Himself in history.
What does this reveal about human nature or yourself? This is a self-reflection question leading us to ask where we see ourselves, both collectively and individually, in the story.
How can you live out this passage, or who should you share this story with? This is a horizontal question inviting us to respond, to do something, or to tell someone.
As we do this, the Spirit guides our intellects and conversations into new discoveries. Whether you’ve followed Jesus for decades, just started, or are still unsure about Jesus, this bible study method is a simple invitation to read the Bible and see where it leads.
Advice for leading the discussion
There is no right way to lead a discussion, but we’ve compiled some suggestions to help.
Highs/lows | The first component of the Microchurch litugy is Talk; where we share the highs and lows of our week. Do your best to not skip this time because it will set up the foundation for deeper conversations later. The Spirit has a way of weaving what was shared in highs/lows with the discussion later on.
Second Reading | We’ve found it is helpful to read the scripture twice. The first in the translation provided, the second in the Message paraphrase (the link to the Message paraphrase is provided at the bottom of each Scripture). That second reading gives additional time for thoughts to be gathered and details to be highlighted.
Summerize the Passage | Consider asking someone in the Microchurch to summerize the passage in their own words. They don’t need to get everything perfect, but having someone share what stood out to them is helpful.
Think, Pair, Share | If your Microchurch is particularily shy, the Think, Pair, Share may be helpful. After reading the scripture put everyone in groups of two (with someone they didn’t come with), and have them talk through the three questions. After 10-15 minutes, call the Microchurch together and ask the groups to share a few highlights of their conversation.
Become comfortable with Silence | One microchurch participant said, “I love that my microchurch leader is comfortable with silence. Their silence gives me time to think.” Silence doesn’t mean you are a bad discussion leader, it means you’ve created a safe place for people to think.