How to Build a Thriving Village Culture
By Chelsy Massa
Village is the core of a Resonate Church. It's where faith and fellowship come together over a meal. I’ve led nine villages over the last 14 years that I’ve been a part of a Resonate Church.
The culture you set in village matters.
It determines if someone comes back. It determines the depth of friendships that develop. It determines the opportunities someone has to hear the gospel for the first time.
How you lead, how you set the tone, and how you create the space you host a village in are deeply crucial to making village the very place where community thrives. To help you do that, here are five tips to create a thriving culture in your village
Village is not just on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday night.
John 21:15-17 - When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me? Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
Village is a people. Just like the church is God’s people, Village is our people. When you lead a village, you are saying, “here I am, I will love, care, and shepherd these people”. We take ownership of ensuring these people feel seen, known, and cared for. We don’t leave village on whatever night of the week it happens; we take those people with us through the day-to-day of our lives. Village is the start of creating friends who will stand by you on your wedding day, the people you call when you need help, the people you will call family.
Village is a safe place.
Acts 2:46-47- 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.
Though a village is not a time and place, the time and place do matter. You are creating a space for discussion and inviting both believers and non-believers to vulnerably share what they think. The way we engage in discussion should welcome vulnerability and be safe. Now, that does not mean fluffy and shallow. It means we thank one another for saying the true thing, we politely disagree (meaning we don’t attack someone’s character, tell them to shut up nor do we insult anyone. That includes tolerating it at any level), and ultimately we allow everyone to share their thoughts, beliefs, and current worldview.
“We don’t leave village on whatever night of the week it happens; we take those people with us through the day-to-day of our lives. Village is the start of creating friends who will stand by you on your wedding day, the people you call when you need help, the people you will call family. “
Village is the foundation for gospel proclamation.
1 Peter 3:15 - “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect . . .”
Village is the foundation and launching point for discipleship. Inviting someone to village is an easy invite. “Come have a meal, meet new friends, and let's talk about life.” You are opening the door for deeper thought and deeper conversation outside of the meeting time and place of village. The discussion you have in village could be the launching point for a gospel conversation. When you ask someone in a more private environment outside of village about the discussions that happened at village, you can get to a place where you, a Christian person, can share your gospel worldview. You get to share all the amazing things God is and has done in your life. You get to offer that to someone over a shared meal, in a discussion on a weeknight in a home.
Village is the foundation for seeing gospel community.
John 13:35 - “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Not only does village create opportunities for gospel conversations, it creates a peek into the deep fellowship of God’s people. The Church is a group of set-apart people. We are set apart because God is set apart, and his laws and commands tell us how we treat each other are set apart. When people come to village, then we get to show them the gospel. We get to show them how the good news of Jesus has changed the way we live our lives and how we treat one another.
Village is fun.
Deuteronomy 12:12 - “And there rejoice before the Lord your God—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns who have no allotment or inheritance of their own.”
Lastly village should be FUN! The best villages are the ones with shared experiences, laughter, and the feeling of can’t wait to see those people again. Play games, make inside jokes, laugh, and make memories that you wish you had a picture of. When you have fun, it makes all the above points so much richer.
Culture in village is important. Treasuring village means creating a great village culture. Whether you are a leader, Joshua, or an attendee, create a culture that is meaningful and worth being a part of.
