the 5 essentials
Five shared priorities that shape every Sunday Gathering.
What are they?
The 5 Essentials provide a shared framework for understanding and evaluating the health of Sunday Gatherings across Resonate Churches. Every church regardless of size, venue, staffing, or season should be able to ask:
When a Gathering feels unclear or unhealthy, the Essentials help us identify where attention is needed. When a Gathering is thriving, they help us understand why.
Healthy Gatherings don't excel in only one or two Essentials. We pursue all five together.
Are we worshiping Jesus?
Are our teams healthy?
Are we welcoming people well?
Are we planning intentionally?
Are we celebrating what God is doing?
When a Gathering feels unclear or unhealthy, the Essentials help us identify where attention is needed. When a Gathering is thriving, they help us understand why.
Healthy Gatherings don't excel in only one or two Essentials. We pursue all five together.
1. worship
We worship Jesus through singing, teaching, prayer, fellowship, and the ordinances.
The Sunday Gathering exists first and foremost for God's people to worship Jesus. Worship is not limited to music. Throughout Scripture, God's people respond to Him through singing, prayer, hearing His Word, fellowship, communion, baptism, confession, generosity, and obedience. Every element of the Gathering should help people see Jesus clearly and respond to Him faithfully.
What this can look like:
What this can look like:
- Singing helps God's people proclaim and respond to truth.
- Scripture allows us to hear from God's Word.
- Prayer expresses our dependence upon God.
- Communion remembers Christ's sacrifice.
- Baptism celebrates new life in Christ.
- Fellowship reminds us that we belong to God's people.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
Is Jesus clearly at the center of our Gathering?
Are we creating opportunities for people to respond to God?
Are we utilizing multiple expressions of worship?
Do the elements of our Gathering consistently point people toward Christ?
Are we creating opportunities for people to respond to God?
Are we utilizing multiple expressions of worship?
Do the elements of our Gathering consistently point people toward Christ?
2. TEAMS
We worship Jesus through singing, teaching, prayer, fellowship, and the ordinances.
Healthy Gatherings require healthy teams. Strong Sundays are rarely the result of a few gifted individuals; they are built by people faithfully serving together with clarity, ownership, and purpose.
Organization is not opposed to spirituality. Healthy systems allow people to serve with confidence and joy while preventing unnecessary confusion and burnout.
Healthy teams have:
Organization is not opposed to spirituality. Healthy systems allow people to serve with confidence and joy while preventing unnecessary confusion and burnout.
Healthy teams have:
- Clear expectations
- Consistent communication
- Appropriate training
- Shared ownership
- Ongoing leadership development
QUESTIONS TO ASK
Does every volunteer know their role?
Are responsibilities clearly defined?
Are we developing new leaders?
Could the Gathering function if key leaders were absent?
Are responsibilities clearly defined?
Are we developing new leaders?
Could the Gathering function if key leaders were absent?
3. HOSPITALITY
We place a high value on hospitality
Hospitality is one of the clearest ways the Church reflects the welcoming character of God. It begins long before a conversation at a Connections Table and extends through every interaction and environment a person experiences.
A hospitable Gathering removes unnecessary barriers so people can focus on Jesus rather than confusion.
When someone enters our Gathering, they should know where to go, what to do, that they are welcomed, and how to take a next step.
Hospitality also includes how we steward our physical spaces. Clean, organized, intentional environments communicate that we have thoughtfully prepared for the people God brings through our doors.
A hospitable Gathering removes unnecessary barriers so people can focus on Jesus rather than confusion.
When someone enters our Gathering, they should know where to go, what to do, that they are welcomed, and how to take a next step.
Hospitality also includes how we steward our physical spaces. Clean, organized, intentional environments communicate that we have thoughtfully prepared for the people God brings through our doors.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
Would a first-time guest know where to go and what to do?
Are we removing unnecessary friction?
Does our environment communicate welcome and intentionality?
Are people being intentionally engaged?
Does our space look clean, organized, and cared for?
Are we removing unnecessary friction?
Does our environment communicate welcome and intentionality?
Are people being intentionally engaged?
Does our space look clean, organized, and cared for?
4. planning
We prayerfully and strategically plan ahead
Healthy Gatherings rarely happen by accident. Prayer and planning are not competing values; healthy leaders pursue both.
Prayer reminds us that God is ultimately responsible for the work. Planning helps us faithfully steward the responsibility He has entrusted to us.
Thoughtful preparation serves our volunteers, reduces unnecessary distractions, creates cohesive Gatherings, and gives leaders greater freedom to respond when plans need to change.
We plan ahead to:
Prayer reminds us that God is ultimately responsible for the work. Planning helps us faithfully steward the responsibility He has entrusted to us.
Thoughtful preparation serves our volunteers, reduces unnecessary distractions, creates cohesive Gatherings, and gives leaders greater freedom to respond when plans need to change.
We plan ahead to:
- Align the Gathering
- Prepare volunteers well
- Anticipate challenges
- Create cohesive Sundays
- Make space for creativity and responsiveness
QUESTIONS TO ASK
Are we planning proactively or reacting weekly?
Are volunteers receiving what they need early enough to prepare?
Does the Gathering feel cohesive and intentional?
Are we preparing both spiritually and practically?
Are volunteers receiving what they need early enough to prepare?
Does the Gathering feel cohesive and intentional?
Are we preparing both spiritually and practically?
5. storytelling
We tell stories and celebrate what God is doing in our midst
God is actively at work among His people. Part of gathering together is helping one another recognize and celebrate that reality. Stories remind us that God is saving people, transforming lives, developing leaders, sending His people, and building His Church. Storytelling isn't limited to what happens from the stage. It happens whenever we intentionally recognize and celebrate God's work—corporately, in our teams, and in relationships with one another.
We celebrate:
We celebrate:
- Lives being changed
- People being discipled
- Leaders being developed
- Baptisms and professions of faith
- Churches being planted
- The Gospel advancing
- Significant moments in the life of our church family
QUESTIONS TO ASK
What has God done recently?
Are we regularly sharing and celebrating those stories?
Are we highlighting life change?
Are we reminding one another of God's faithfulness?
Are we regularly sharing and celebrating those stories?
Are we highlighting life change?
Are we reminding one another of God's faithfulness?
pursue all five
The 5 Essentials work together.
A Gathering can have excellent music but unhealthy teams. It can be incredibly welcoming but poorly planned. It can execute flawlessly while rarely celebrating what God is doing.
Our goal isn't perfection in one area. It's to faithfully pursue health across the whole Gathering.
Our goal isn't perfection in one area. It's to faithfully pursue health across the whole Gathering.
Use the Gathering Scorecard to see how your church is doing across these and other areas of Gathering health.
Explore resources for strengthening the teams that make Sunday Gatherings possible.