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A New Church Concept Takes Root in Centerton By Caleb Hennington Digital Content Editor, @arumceditor
T
he church has an image problem. The Vine of Northwest Arkansas, a new church concept launching out of the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church, is looking to fix that image problem.
“We’re looking to be a different kind of mission and church for the community in Northwest Arkansas,” said the Rev. Jeff Jackson, former director of New Faith Communities at the Arkansas Conference and pastor of The Vine. “We really want to be the heart of the community.” Jackson said when Bishop Gary Mueller approached him last year about starting a new church plant in Northwest Arkansas, he asked Jackson to come up with a plan for the church and a new way of doing ministry in Arkansas. “So I did the only thing I knew how to do. I opened up my Bible one morning and came to the verse in John 15 where Jesus is explaining how He is the vine and His disciples are the branches. Apart from Him, we cannot bear fruit. The idea of The Vine came alive that morning.” Centerton, Arkansas is where the new church plant has set up shop, using an old community soccer field and indoor gym as its base of operation. It’s a strategic launching point for a new church community due to the rapidly changing, and expanding, landscape of the communities around
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