My wife and I were able to fly down to OKC for the Network Summit at LifeChurch.tv. Below you can catch a video recap of everything that went down.

Over the next few week we will share a few of the notes that were taken from some of the sessions at the Summit. We really hope that it inspires you! To the Swerve Church team, I hope that in the near future you will be able to take the flight with us to the next Summit so  that we can learn and be inspired together.

I (Danny) was so privileged to have been able to attend the Send North America Conference in Nashville Tennessee. 13,000 people gathered downtown to get inspired to live a life on mission. Many times we think that this "mission" is just for the "special ones". You know...your pastor, the deacons at your church, the life group leaders. You know...the big shots. But actually the call to live a life on mission is given to the entirety of the church. Can you imagine the Church of Jesus Christ collectively living a life on mission sharing the hope that is found in Jesus! The impact would be incredible!

So I just wanted to share some of my notes from the trip. I hope that these notes will be especially helpful to you and shoot a fire in you to live a life on mission right where you are. At your job. In your home. In your circle of relationships. In your neighborhood.

Here's jus a few of my notes:

DHATI LEWIS

• 51% of the world lives in the urban context.
• The best missionaries (church planters) are going to come from the context they're living in.
• Many times we work from an "anti-vision" instead of a vision.
• The local church is a family, not an orphanage.
• The church is the gospel made visible.
• The gospel changes people and people change the world.
• You teach what you know but you reproduce who you are.
• If the church is a family then the best thing I can do for my community is put my family on display.
• Invite people into relationships, not just time and space.
• 90% of ministry is showing up.
• Create a system to care for, equip and mobilize members.

JD GREEAR

• The question is not IF I'm called but to WHEN and WHERE.
• There is nothing more exciting than sending and church planting.
• More and more people will have to be reached outside of the church walls.
• Empower people to carry the gospel outside of the church.
• God only multiplies what you sow.
• You cannot out give God.
• Not seating capacity but sending capacity is a measurement of success,
• When we get good at disciple making, sending will take care of itself.
• You can be wicked by failing to give and steward the resource God has trusted you with.

LOUIE GIGLIO

• The gospel is power because sin does not make us bad. It  makes us dead. The gospel give us life.
• We are seated with Christ so that we can walk with him in power.
• If you're at the end of you rope, just let go. Trust Jesus.
• Plan + power fueled proclamation = salvation + church
• The enemy WILL bring opposition.

VANCE PITMAN

• "The great use of a life is to spend it for something that outlasts it" - William Jones
• Never has a larger assignment been given to an unqualified group of people.
• 4 Characteristics That Enabled The Church to Impact The World

1. Faith that produced perseverance
2. Passion that produced unity
3. Desperation that produced prayer
4. The spirit that produced power

• Movements begin wen people surrender their will to God.
• If we want to see God move we must learn to sit at the feet of Jesus and wait to listen to the voice of God.
• If we want God to use ordinary people to change the world, we must get on our face and beg.
• If we want to learn what's going on in our communities we must listen.

DAVID PLATT

• See a world in great need.
• When is the last time you wept over a people in need?
• We need the power of the Spirit to accomplish what God has called us to do.
• We can't plant churches in our own power.
• I want to be a part of something that could not have been accomplished a part from the power of God.
• Our God is sovereign over all.
• God has put you in your city purposefully.
• Ae we going to take advantage of the sovereign opportunities God has laid before us?

Thank you to everyone who give to Swerve Church. When you do you provide a way for us to be able to serve and connect with the people of Bushwick. Thank you so much for leading the way with irrational generosity! If you've never made a contribution but would like to, feel free to do so online at swervechurch.com/give.

Leading up to the fall we will continue to serve not only Bushwick but other parts of North Brooklyn as we hang some more nets at local courts. SO far this summer we've hung 13 nets! We're hoping to have over 20 hung leading up into the fall.

Thank you for your continual prayer and support!

Swerve Church is a new church plant forming in the community of Bushwick in Brooklyn.

This Saturday we will be at Irving Square Park right here in Bushwick Brooklyn for CityFest! It will be a fun time of live music, free food, live action sports, and activities for the kids.

Who can you invite? This is a great event to invite you family, friends, and neighbors to. Along with all the great activities the gospel will be shared. We're praying for many people to surrender their lives to Jesus.

You can also come to help us serve. We'll be giving away bottled water and granola bars as a practical way to serve and love on our community. If you want to help, simply look for the blue Swerve Church tent. Well have out flag out as well. What an awesome opportunity to serve our neighbors but also to strike up some conversation with people.

Here's all the details you need to know about this special event:
WHEN: Saturday June 27
TIME: 12 - 5 PM
WHERE: Irving Sq. Park (Halsey St. and Knickerbocker Ave.)

We hope to see you there!

Street 2 Street is a 3-on-3 tournament that takes place throughout NYC every summer. It's a great opportunity for Middle and High Schoolers to compete. At the same time, it is a faith based program which allows time to pray with the athletes and share the gospel.

Well over 100 participants were involved. They received free jerseys, lunch, and water. What a great outreach and opportunity to serve the youth in our neighborhood. Enjoy some of the highlights in the video.

To find out more about Street 2 Street click here.

Swerve Church is a new church coming to Bushwick Brooklyn in NYC.

We're all about loving God, loving people, and serving our community. We had a very practical opportunity to serve our neighbors at the 3rd Annual Shape Up Bushwick.

Every year for Brooklyn/Queens Day the residents of Bushwick get together to celebrate a short march around the neighborhood and enjoy some festivities at Irving Square Park. This year, we were able to participate and set up a table where we offered free waters to anyone who was thirsty.

It's is really a part of our DNA to seek our opportunities to serve our community in tangible and practical way. While we were there we were also able to get to meet some of our neighbors and tell them a little about the new church coming to Bushwick.

This summer is full of opportunities to serve and invite others to be a part of this new life-giving, gospel-centered church in the community of Bushwick. Be sure to stay plugged in via Facebook, Twitter, or sign up for our email newsletter.

Swerve Church is a new church forming in the community of Bushwick in Brooklyn, NYC. 

We have an exciting relationship with NetworkChurches.tv which will really help us to grow further and faster together. We've mentioned them here before on the blog.

Recently, Brandon Donaldson and Brandon Livingood paid Bushwick a visit to really get a feel of the big city and to dream of the possibilities of having a Network Church in NYC. We're excited to be a part of Network Churches and cannot wait to see all that God has in store!

Part of what makes us unique as a church plant is that we are a part of NetworkChurches.tv. This means that once we launch our primary teaching will be covered by Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv in OKC, Oklahoma. Crais is an excellent speaker and teacher of God's Word. His messages are presented in a captivating, understandable, and funny way.

Network Churches are made up of over 100 churches throughout the US and around the world. We all share the mission of leading people to become fully devoted followers of Christ in our cities.

That being said, especially in an urban context as where we will be, we constantly get the pushback of why video sermons and will it work? The truth is that we are definitely spearheading the way when it comes to this in an urban context. But here are some reason I really think this will work.

1. A CLEAR, SIMPLE, AND RELEVANT PRESENTATION OF THE GOSPEL
Craig is an excellent communicator. He has a way of presenting Biblical truths in a relevant way. 

2. A TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN SOCIETY
We live in such a technology, social-media, and video driven society already anyway. The average family in the US owns four mobile devices. Add TV's, computers, and video games to the mix and in many ways we're always glued to a screen. We cannot deny the impact that technology has had on society. 

As a church we believe that we can leverage technology for the sake of the gospel. We'll use it to get the good news of Jesus out in a way that is relevant to our times. There has definitely been many negative affects in society, but it's time we leveraged it for good. Remember, we will do anything short of sin to reach people far from God.

3. THERE IS MORE TO CHURCH THAN THE SERMON
Remember, the church is not a building. It does not revolve around one man's teaching. The church is and always has been a people impacted by the gospel on mission for the gospel. The teachings on Sunday will simply be the fuel in our tanks to continue to live a life on mission. Loving God, loving people, and serving our community, That's our vision. That's our goal. The video teaching is only supplementary to being the church week in and week out.

If you'd like to hear a message from LifeChurch.tv, check it our here.

Swerve took a trip to Hamden, Connecticut to visit our good friends and fellow Network Church, Frontline! We had a great time just spending some time together, having fun in the pool and eating out. We used this trip as an opportunity to get to know each other more, but also as a spiritual investment as we spent time in God's Word and in prayer. Sunday we were able to help set up church since Frontline meets at Hamden Middle School.

I was so happy to catch up with some great friends. After, Elly invited us over to enjoy the most delicious home-cooked meal that you could ever have! I'm so thankful to have people like this that truly care, love and believe in what we're doing here in Bushwick. God has really placed around some amazing people providing incredible encouragement and support.

Be sure to keep Pastor Rick and the team at Frontline in prayer as they are doing a great work in Hamden leading people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus. I'm so proud to call them friends!

Whoever finds God, finds life!