Open Network is Life.Church's free library of ministry resources for pastors and church leaders, so teams can spend less time on prep and more time with people.^1 The site offers tools, trainings, and downloads built by the Church for the Church, serving more than 1 million pastors and leaders for more than 20 years.^1
Churches can download sermon outlines, complete kids curriculum packages, and message-series graphics, and Life.Church says Open Network holds more than 100,000 free resources.^2 A sermon series typically includes transcripts or outlines, artwork sized for screen and social media, message slides, a bumper video, and discussion questions, and most files are editable so a church can adapt them to its own name, style, and context.^1 The library also includes a new believer booklet and the Bible Adventure kids curriculum, the free Church Online Platform, and YouVersion Connect, where churches can create and maintain a Church Page in the Bible App, feature a Plan to complete together, post updates, and view Church Insights.^2
Craig and Amy Groeschel started Life.Church in a two-car garage in Edmond, Oklahoma in January 1996, with a mission to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ.^4 Life.Church launched the first fully digital church experience in 2006 and the YouVersion Bible App in 2008.^4 Open Network has been free since 2006, with no subscription, no paid tier, and no trial period; Life.Church covers the cost.^1 There is no official Open Network iPhone or Android app; the catalog lives on the web.
Juan, lead pastor of Unleashed Church, says he went about a year and a half without a single weekend off before he started using Open Network, and found ready-to-use curriculum for kids and youth and weekend message resources there.^6
"If there's a pastor out there, just know this: you're not alone. I know sometimes being a pastor feels so lonely. There are great people out there that have your back, that will support you, that will encourage you. And Open Network is such an incredible tool. So use it." - Juan, Lead Pastor, Unleashed Church^6
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