▁ 2 0 0 0 s ▁this ▁model ▁of ▁church ▁began ▁to ▁spread ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Early ▁pione ers ▁in ▁this ▁movement , ▁such ▁as ▁Community ▁of ▁Joy ▁in ▁Phoenix , ▁Arizona , ▁Norman ▁Community ▁Church ▁in ▁Norman , ▁Oklahoma ▁and ▁Tr inity ▁Grace ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁were ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁American ▁churches ▁to ▁em brace ▁this ▁structure . ▁Miss i olog ists ▁such ▁as ▁Edd ie ▁Gib bs ▁at ▁Full er ▁Sem inary ▁and ▁Kent ▁Hunter ▁of ▁Church ▁Doctor ▁Min ist ries ▁began ▁to ▁direct ▁both ▁established ▁churches ▁and ▁church ▁plan ters ▁to ▁the ▁UK ▁to ▁see ▁these ▁decent ral ized ▁and ▁reprodu cible ▁Miss ional ▁Commun ities . ▁ ▁Mike ▁B reen , ▁the ▁former ▁senior ▁past or ▁of ▁St . ▁Thomas ’ ▁She ff ield ▁who ▁origin ated ▁Miss ional ▁Commun ities , ▁moved ▁to ▁P aw le ys ▁Island , ▁South ▁Carolina ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁began ▁ 3 DM , ▁a ▁co aching ▁entity ▁that ▁comes ▁alongside ▁churches ▁of ▁varying ▁sizes ▁to ▁help ▁them ▁transition ▁to ▁this ▁miss ional / dis ci ples hip ▁model . ▁With ▁the ▁emer gence ▁of ▁ 3 DM ▁within ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁there ▁was ▁increased ▁interest ▁in ▁these ▁mid - s ized ▁communities . ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Mike ▁B reen ▁and ▁Alex ▁Abs alom ▁published ▁a ▁book ▁entitled ▁La unch ing ▁Miss ional ▁Commun ities ▁- ▁A ▁Field ▁Guide , ▁where ▁they ▁related ▁their ▁experience ▁with ▁and ▁approach ▁to