Cedar Park Church
16300 112th Ave NE
Bothell, WA 98011

p: 425.488.3600
e: info@cedarpark.org

Service Times:
Sundays:
9am, 10:45am, 6pm

Radio Show Times
7:00am KLFE 1590AM
7:30am KGNW 820AM
9:30am KCIS 630AM
10am KKOL 1300AM

Employee Email

Widening the Outreach of our Cathedral Church Ministry

As a Cathedral Church, we will become increasingly diverse in the ministries of the Church. That is one of the goals and one of the measures of our success. The diversity of ministries within the bounds of the Cathedral Church is as wide as the body of Christ and the Christian faith itself. If God is inspiring people to do something, and they possess the spiritual gifts to make it happen, it is acceptable within the work of the Church.

We have defined our purposes to be consistent with what we understand of the priorities of the Christian life. First of all, we are learning to love God fully. Secondly, we are increasingly loving others through acts of mercy especially for the poor, bruised, and broken-hearted. Thirdly, we are nourishing our own faith through worship, the spiritual disciplines, and devotional acts. Finally, we are joining with others to build the church through participation, giving, and evangelism. We think the Christian faith is fully expressed in those purposes and, indeed, in that order of priority. Within those bounds the whole of the Christian work takes place. How it takes place, and what expressions it takes, will be determined by the people who become part of the church in this area. As each person is created for unique purposes, when the Holy Spirit touches their life, he will lead them in unique ways.

Naturally, the complexity and diversity of the Church should grow over time. The long list of ministries that define a Cathedral Church, and indicate its success, also contain a danger.

It is possible that instead of actually being diverse, we will just become fragmented. If all we are is a long list of unrelated parts, unfocused on the spiritual goals, then we will have missed the opportunity that the Cathedral Church provides.

For Cedar Park as a local church, one key to growth will be the degree to which we can use the Cathedral Church concept to introduce people to the next available step in their relationship to the church. Christian people may participate in multiple aspects of the ministry without ever becoming an actual member of the church or even a participant in a worship service. At the same time, over the course of many years, if they end up looking for a new church home, they would at least consider Cedar Park. The same is true for non-Christians. They might use one or more of the services without becoming attached to the church or receiving Christ as Savior.

A fragmented ministry will concern itself with the individual actions of the church, but never really connect to the whole. A successfully diverse ministry will make it easy for people to take the next step to becoming connected to one of our other ministries or local churches believing that at some point they will have an opportunity, when they are ready, to accept Christ as their own Savior.

Each ministry should promote the other ministries. If a person uses one of our outreach ministries, we hope they will use another. Over time, with good connections, a person will gradually move from the categories of “outreach” into one of the main ministries of the “local church.” In this way, the outreach ministries should link people to Cedar Park and provide possibilities for growth. It would be wonderful if every person who is a part of Cedar Park could become a salesperson for the other, individual ministries of the church.

If the present ministries are serving to introduce people to the Lord and to Cedar Park, the concept could be expanded. I believe one of the very fruitful ways of widening our outreach is through largely self-supporting ministries. Given our large parcel of land, our substantial financial resources, and our church culture favoring individual initiative, we have the capacity to start several new ministries in the years that lie ahead. All this speaks to one key element of our evangelism method. We want non-Christians to use or participate in one or more ministries of the church. Over time, as we invite them to other events and services, we will have the opportunity to present Christ to them.

Multiplying Local Churches within Cedar Park

We have a history in starting new churches in the area. Unfortunately, most of our past history has been outright disappointing or has fallen short of what could have been. Some years ago we helped a church in Kirkland. It went well but then merged with Kirkland Assembly and they ended up with no increase in the kingdom of God. We helped also helped start a church in Canyon Park. It went well but then merged with Kenmore Assembly. Five years after the merger, only 30 people were left. We helped another guy start a church in Woodinville. It went for a while but eventually disbanded. When we planted a church in Woodinville we made a big investment of 170 people and $170,000. They did very well and we are proud of that important work. However, a quite a number of the original group have drifted back to Cedar Park in order to participate in the programs that we have available.

In the Cathedral Church model, they don’t have to make that choice. They can worship in a branch church in a style that suits them and be a part of a mission to reach a segment of the population. At the same time, they can participate in the Cathedral Church and enjoy all the benefits of that part of the church.

Inherent in the traditional conception of a Cathedral Church are the existence of parish churches. Often the parish church represents a geographic area. In our definition it can be geographic, ethnic, cultural or stylistic. Cedar Park Northshore serves the Kenmore area. Cedar Park Family Church serves Lake Stevens. Cedar Park Eastside serves Kirkland and the Eastside. The Japanese and Spanish Churches serve ethnic populations. These branches serve as good models for the development of new churches within the Cedar Park structure. The same is true of “The Chapel at Cedar Park.” These are only the beginnings of what is possible.

Our Chapel could be used on Saturday nights or Sunday nights to house new “churches.” The same is true for the sanctuary of Northshore. With the new High School building, there are even more possibilities. These “churches” might have different names, different pastors, and different styles from the “mother” church, but they would still be a part of Cedar Park.

Those “churches” that are close geographically could be attached to our mid-week programs, Sunday School, and the other broad range of ministries currently available. That is, their adults and children would be fully Cedar Park participants both as leaders and students. If they are more distant, such as Lake Stevens, they probably access fewer ministries but will still share in retreats and other special events. In all cases, the ministry would be supported with central accounting and budgets. Each group would be members of Cedar Park. At the same time, they would develop their own ministry programs and emphasis. Thinking of the Cathedral Church model, they would be a cultural, stylistic, or ethnic parish or branch within Cedar Park’s larger Cathedral Church. As Branch Pastors and Ministers, all the ministerial leaders would be accountable to the Northwest District Council of the Assemblies of God. They would also be part of the Cedar Park system and be accountable to the Cedar Park Pastoral and Board structure.

Please browse through the pages at the right, or you may want to continue on by reading Pastor Dan Neary's work on Organizational Concepts.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES