Beyond self

Jason Dukes wears many hats. He describes himself on his blog as “a follower, a leader, a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a friend, a learner, a teacher, a writer, and a dreamer.” Some may know him as the author of LIVE SENT: You are a letter, while still others see him as the founding pastor of Westpoint Church in Winter Garden, Fla.

Westpoint is a 6-year-old church plant that meets in an elementary school building and focuses its attendees on precisely what Jason’s book is about–living sent.

“Live knowing you are loved, knowing Who loves you, and living daily beyond self,” Jason said, “giving (God’s) love as freely into the lives of others as it was freely given to you, everywhere and at all times.”

To Jason, this is as foundational to a believer as the question of, “Who made you? If the answer is the living God, then it just makes sense to listen to what He says.

“(God) wants us to have abundant life. He says we have it because of His death and life, as well as when we give our lives away. And besides, He said point-blank, ‘As the Father has sent Me, now I am sending you,’ in John 20:21.”

Jason also wears the hat of co-leader of the Reproducing Churches Network, although, “Our roles change as needed,” he said. “We are truly shared leadership.”

No doubt the humble joined management of the group helps demonstrate what its Web site says the network is about–”to be a catalyst for collaboration among local churches that share a passion to reproduce themselves and to unite them to be the church in new expressions to every man, woman, and child throughout the region of Central Florida and beyond.”

Jason said this network is for any pastor, marketplace leader or local church with the desire to cultivate unity in his own city “around the common mission of living sent for the sake of seeing ‘on earth as it is in heaven’ in (his) community.

“Our local churches have to be environments where life is given and reproduction of leaders is happening.”

The Reproducing Churches Network tries to equip and encourage its members through monthly gatherings, the coaching and sending of leaders, and an annual event called “the LIVE SENT conversation.” Perhaps one of the biggest impacts of this group is the community it creates.

“We can’t do it alone. Being together in connection with a common purpose, to be the church, is paramount and impactful,” Jason said. “Then and only then will we see the church in various expressions reproduce–through togetherness and sentness among our local churches.

United, these leaders strive to live sent in the management of their churches as well as the activities of their own lives. Throughout following weeks the Upstream Collective will be sharing how Westpoint pastors, in addition to Jason, are daring to be Jesus in their communities.

Written by Natalie Bunch. Natalie is a freelance writer for The Upstream Collective and lives in North Carolina. She served as a missionary writer based out of Prague, Czech Republic, from 2007-2009, and plans to return to full-time international mission work with her husband in a few years.