Are you ready for the New Year?

Well, 2005 is almost here. Are you ready? Have you thought about how to get the new year started right with your LifeGroup? Here is an article from an online small group resource that i think might be helpful.

Darryl's Dilemma

During the holidays, Darryl’s small group will meet for a Christmas party, but typically they take some time off because of the time-pressure surrounding the holiday season. Because of this time off, in past years, it’s been difficult to get people re-committed to the group and to get momentum re-established after New Year’s. How could Darryl make this coming year’s restart different? What suggestions would you give him for renewing his small group at the first of the year?

-Some responses from our readers:

It is very easy to get demoralized and try to think of reasons why things are not working and dwell on them. Start with a fellowship evening, don't do all the work yourself, ask each person to bring food and a game. The bottom line, though, is prayer--get on your knees and ask God where the group is going. We have had similar situations and it is perseverance and prayer along with remembering what the group is about...Christ. There may be personal reasons why members are not attending and that may involve some individual conversations along the way. -Russell

Darryl should make it a point to call each individual member of the group. If that member shared a prayer request before the holiday break, ask them how things are going. Let them know that you have been praying for them. Pray for that request while still on the phone with them. Darryl should then tell them that he would love to see them at the next gathering. If that person can't make it, let them know that you care for them and that you will keep praying for them. Make it a point to touch base with them on a regular basis. -Mary

At the next small group, start by discussing the original vision of the group. I believe this would help foster ownership of the group back to all the members while casting the vision of what the group is and what it will become. If folks feel needed or if they have ownership in something, it will become more important to them, causing them to attend more frequently. -Todd

I would guess most small group leaders have experienced this. Darryl should plan something different than the norm for the first meeting. When this happened to the group my wife and I led, we planned a "Make your own Sundae--on Saturday" get together. It was a different evening, a different event, and we met at our home, rather than the church building, like we often had done. When we got together, we had fun and fellowship, but also spent some time re-evaluating our purpose, direction, and commitment level of the participants. It was a good jump-start. -Scott

Taken from www.SmallGroups.com Darryl's Dilemma's archives.

Thanking God for this past year

Here's the question for today: What is your favorite LifeGroup memory from 2004? Mine is a conversation we had when one of our group opened up his heart and told us how God had turned his life's direction just the day before. He had been consumed with going after things that don't really matter in the long run. The whole group ministered to him. It was sweet and powerful and sobering all at the same time. God was present there. It was a palpable presence. We all sensed it. I love those times. They don't happen all the time and they aren't the measure of our life together. Still they are important moments. I really love them.

I'm Dreaming of a LifeGroup Christmas

I just came from a LifeGroup Christmas party. We all brought food and sat around and talked for a while. Then we played several games of 'Mafia". We laughed and joked. We didn't pray or have bible study. (I think we even forgot to give thanks for the food.) But there is something special about being together. It's not just a matter of social friendship. It's more than that. Our kids are connected. Our families are trying to do life together. It's important to me, but its not a duty. These are my people.

We serve together (We had a couple of opportunities to help families this Christmas.) We help each other out. (One went to pick up 5 or 6 kids at another house so the rest of us could keep playing the game.) There wasn't any deep, intimate sharing. But it wasn't fake or put on either. It doesn't feel like church to me, but it is an expression of my life in God. Jesus connects us. I love my group. I wish more people could be a part of a group like this one.

The danger is that we like us so much we don't think about anyone else. It can be selfish. I'm still working through in my own heart how to be the church together and be missional. It's tough. I don't want things to change. They sure are comfortable. But there are so many who are lonely in a way I am not. Lonely for God. Lonely for a family. Lonely for friends to spend a Friday night with playing games. I want them to be a part of what we have, but I don't want to lose what we have. I don't think there is a greater challenge to a healthy group.

Here's to LifeGroup and life. May you never be satisfied with bible study meetings.

Thoughts on Community

This was from an email this morning. I thought it had some relevance.

"Here are some personal thoughts about community.
1. Community is something that comes from the heart--even living in a family situation doesn't guarantee family. How many kids grow up not really "knowing" mom or dad?

2. Community cannot be forced, but it can be encouraged--as Gary Smalley likes to say, "If your family doesn't seem close, take them camping." Why? Crises seem to appear from nowhere on camping trips (e.g., rain, tents falling in, food left behind, etc.), and those crises seem to pull the family together. Anybody for a camping trip?

3. Community is one of those elusive, almost indefinable things that we all know when we encounter it, but are hard-pressed to put it into a Webster's kind of definition.

4. Community happens when people take time to care genuinely for the needs of others--this one I've personally witnessed. It is similar to our camping trip above.

5. Community is needed. Everyone wants to belong to some community (how else can we explain geeks, athletes, goths, etc. in the local schools?). Even nonconformists like to hang around other nonconformists (they like to be unique, just like everyone else!). In other words, folks want commnunity. We need to figure out how to make it happen."

Groups that work

Here's a question for us to wrestle with, "What is the most significant difference between a group that really works and one that doesn't?" I guess we might start by trying to define what we mean when we say--"a group that really works."

LifeGroup Profiles

I still think one of the limiting factors is that people don't know what groups are available for them to join. Kimmee knows the groups and is trying to make connections, but there are many people who won't get on that radar screen. Several years ago, one of the most effective things we did to encourage non-members to give some groups a try was to have a profile of each lifegroup posted on the wall in the main hallway. It had pictures of the leaders, meeting times, a short profile, and a roster of who was in the group. It even had a place for people to sign up to be contacted by the leader. Now that we feel like we have a pretty good handle on all the groups, why not try that again?

LifeGroup Testimonial Video

Here's a challenge for you. If you were doing a series of testimonials about LifeGroups, who would you include? If you can't share a name, tell the story.

GCR 101

I went to GCR 101 for the first time yesterday. Tim Baugh does a great job describing the church to people checking us out. We wanted to try something new so we offered an opportunity for that group to begin a new group. I got no takers, but we did get more interest in joining groups. Danny and Amanda Carrigan and Kimmee Brandon and Lee Ann were with me. I don't think we have hit on the right way to help new people move into a LifeGroup, but we are working in the right direction.

I keep wrestling with this question: How do we nurture an environment where people experience the genuine life of Jesus Christ in a community of people who are intent on being Jesus followers? I am not completely satisfied with any of the programmed answers. I don't believe the answer lies in greater organization (though I think we ought to work hard at this). I do believe that there is an answer that demands the genuine activity of God before it actually works or results in fruit. We can't do it without him. Can we do something with him? How?

Answer to GCR101

Your question is a valid one and we do have a lot of work to do on our end, however, the recipients must WANT to be the Jesus followers. If they want it badly enough, whatever we do will work. It is hard to know what to do to create the environment conducive to inspiring individuals. I will pray about it as well.

ABC: The Building Blocks of Community

ABC: The Building Blocks of Community

It's begun

This is the first post for the blog for GCR LifeGroups. I hope that it can become a tool for comment and dialogue about how to grow the LifeGroup Ministry at GCR. I will try to post regularly anything that is relevant or encouraging or thought provoking for how to nurture the life of God in our community. Don't be shy. I would love to hear from you.