Caesar Kalinowski discusses the best way to start missional communities and whether begin on neighborhood or network based.
He says, “Should we start a missional community only neighborhood based or should we start a missional community that is network based—made up of lots of different relations. Well I guess it would depend on the situation. Both are completely valid, but you need to know which one you’re doing.
See if you’re incarnating together in a specific place reaching people who are in very tight proximity, I got to be honest with you I think there’s a great advantage to that and that’s sort of the best case scenario, because you’re going to be running into each other. Life on life is going to happen much more normatively.
The display of the Gospel and all the cracks and crevices of coming and going, being at a park and the same grocery stores, being able to eat at the same restaurants and cafes all the time. It’s a huge advantage to incarnate and make disciples who make disciples.
But on the other hand, if your missional community is made up of people who are coming from different parts of town and for whatever reason has formed a community on mission, but they all have these unique relationships that they’re bringing to bare, you can still do it. You’re going to have to be a little bit more intentional about how you plan your events and things. And know that it could be quite event based if your not careful…”