3Strand, a New Church Cooperative

What is 3strand?

3strand is a group of independent, but like-minded churches, who formally covenant together to live out the Great Commandment and fulfill the Great Commission more effectively. These independent church families function, both formally and informally, as a larger church on mission together in a particular geographic area. 3Strand strives to avoid the rigidity of a denominational structures and the superficiality of a networks through a careful balance of autonomy and unity.

What is the mission of 3Strand?

3Strand, as a covenanted cooperative of churches, exists in order to strengthen the local church and plant churches. The three components of 3Strand mission are Covenant, Communion, and Commission:

1. COVENANT: 3Strand churches covenant together in solemn agreement. This covenant defines our relationship and helps to guide our shared decision-making. By covenant then, we unify around a common identity (see core values), common belief (see doctrinal statement), a common mission, and a common philosophy of ministry. This commitment binds the elders of member churches together in a mutually accountable relationship characterized by loyalty, courage, respect, humility, and forgiveness.

2. COMMUNION: 3Strand churches work to build gospel community in and between their churches. This is an intentional effort to emphasize the existence and glory of the larger Church family outside of our own individual churches. Gospel Community is accomplished through joint events, conferences, retreats, and other cooperative ministries. Our goal is to model a mutual dependence upon on “one another” as church families in the same way we are commanded to do as individual brothers.

3. COMMISSION: 3Strand churches go on mission together by developing leaders, sending missionaries, and planting churches. The board of 3Strand, representing our respective elder boards and churches, serve as an apostolic team similar to what we find in the book of Acts. This team exists to affirm the local church as the initiating, commissioning, and sending authority for mission