Rediscovering "The Way": From Spectators to Sent Ones

 

Imagine the early church—not a building or event, but a movement called "the Way." Ordinary people, transformed by Jesus, sent out to live as His representatives: glorifying God, walking in step with Him, and making an eternal difference in their spheres.

 

That's the heart of the Great Commission: making disciplined followers who embody Christ's life—secure in the Father's love, purposeful like the Son, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

 

But too often today, church feels more cultural than scriptural: weekend spectacles with lights, worship sets, and preaching that inspire... yet leave many as passive consumers rather than active extensions of Jesus.

 

The reality is sobering but hopeful:

- Attendance is rebounding in places (up to ~32% in early 2025 estimates), driven by younger generations hungry for authenticity (Barna/Gloo).

- Yet engagement remains irregular—people attend sporadically, volunteering and discipleship lag for many.

- Leaders feel it: frustration in mobilizing people for mission, amid stress and the pull of trends over transformation.

 

There's a better way. Churches thriving in disciple-making are reorienting around systematic development: equipping everyday believers to reveal God's presence, personality, and power right where they live, work, and play.

 

Epic, led by Phil Underwood, exists to help you get there. We brainstorm, strategize, and provide practical tools to shift from gathering-focused to sending-focused—forming men and women who live sent, just as Jesus modeled.

 

Ready to imagine Jesus walking your community today—and sending your people accordingly?

 

Contact Phil to start a conversation. Together, let's build churches that multiply living representations of Jesus. It's possible. It's epic.