Legacy Church Blog

Legacy & The Coronavirus

Dear Legacy Family, 

Along with Knox County Schools, we are taking seriously the pandemic of COVID-19. Here are some important notes for you and your family: 

• Knox County Schools are now deep cleaning all their facilities, including West High School. Therefore Legacy Church will NOT be able to meet at West High School for the next two weeks (March 15th and March 22nd). 
• This may seem obvious to some, extreme to others, but is honestly out of our hands of our leadership.  
• We will provide a live-stream on Sunday AM so that you can gather in your homes as a family or with COMs and hear the Bible taught and the Gospel elevated. 
• “Church” is not cancelled because you are the church. Legacy began as a missional community, not a Sunday morning, and so this doesn’t impede who we are or what we’re called to do. Our past heavy investment into missional community life will pay dividends in seasons like this.  
• We’ll be contacting COM group leaders over the next day or two regarding their strategies and rhythms to continue “life-on-life” together in a season of “social distancing” and what that might look like. 
• More information and links on Sunday streaming will come in a follow-up communication. Be watching your inbox and social media platforms.

On a similar and maybe more practical note consider that Christians throughout the centuries were known for their faithful serving in a time when the rest of the world was fleeing and fearing. The church’s historical work with those plagued and dying has shocked the world and shown Jesus in tangible expressions. If the arc of the virus follows that of China and Italy, then the next few weeks will be very difficult for many people and families in Knox County.  We would ask our congregation to "wash hands for sure, then wash feet."

This means be responsible but not fearful. Be watchful of self preservation and consider what being a servant looks like in your neighborhood. Ask critical questions as you love your neighborhood: Who needs your help? Who is alone? Do they have what they need? Do they need childcare? Are they at risk? Are they sick? 

Here are some practical ways you can be a hospitable and helpful missionary: 

• Check in now on at-risk neighbors, particularly the elderly. Let them know that you will be checking in on them during the next few weeks.  Offer to pray with them. 
• Childcare. There will be many neighbors who need help with childcare for jobs.  This is such a good opportunity to love in deeds.
• Fund for people in crisis. Many people may be able to work from home, but others will suffer when businesses close and hourly workers have no income. 
• If you would like to make a contribution to those who need help in this time, you can do so though our website (Coronavirus Fund). 

This is an opportunity for wisdom and service, being careful and also being bold.  This is a time for us to wash our hands and then wash feet.

I love you all dearly. Be strong and courageous. 

Luke Thomas and the pastors of Legacy

What is your city saying?

If your city had a voice, what would it say to you?

In the companion blog to this, Do you know your friend? we looked at not only becoming better listeners, but how that shapes us to communicate and demonstrate the gospel in more understandable ways. The same thing is true for our beautiful city. Even for those for whom this city is “hometown,” you may actually know very little about it’s needs, hurts, sins, or even areas where God is easily seen.

Understanding what the city is “saying” to us is actually a huge key in how we leverage our rhythms as a community. What do we do? How do we know it will work? What if it doesn’t? Where do we start? All of these are good questions, and all of them assume a thorough understanding of the city.  Consider the following questions as a group…

• What are the unique needs within a 5 minute drive? What about a 10 minute drive? How do you know?
• What part of your chunk of the city is furthest from God’s most sanctified and ideal version of itself?
• What would need to change the most to “sanctify” your part of the city?
• Do local industries produce any unique missional opportunities or doors?
• Does the city repeat specific events/celebrations? Does this provide any unique opportunities or insight?
• What one change in the city can provide the most dramatic effect in lives?
• Where can we get the biggest bang the easiest or cheapest?
• What requires little investment for great gain?
• What identity is being pursued both independently and corporately in the city?
• What mission is everyone on?
• What invokes everyone’s spirituality?
• What constitutes righteousness in the city’s eyes?
• Who is acceptable here and what is acceptable behavior?
• What allows people here to have joy?
• Where do people spend their time and money?
• What do people do during their free time?
• What do they fear? What do they dream about?
• Where do they shop?
• What cultural experiences do they value?
• What are the most painful experiences they have had?
• What music do they listen to?
• What films and television do they watch?
• In what ways are they self-righteous?
• What is their spirituality?
• Whom do they trust? Why?
• What sins will the gospel first confront and heal for these people?
• Where are the social centers in your community?
• What is “church” for this group of people?
• What would a Christ-centered community look like among this particular culture?

This is only a partial list, and some of these questions will render identical or overlapping answers, but you’ll be surprised how much focus and thought it will require to discern who your city is. By doing this exercise, you’ll discover your city better and also discern better as a group what resonates the most clearly. You may try a number of things as a group, but before you do, how well do you know your city’s pain, hope, needs, and overall story?