Month: January 2008

Mixing stages within groups

Brandi has a good post on a recent struggle they’re dealing with at her church and within her community group.

The group was initially intended to be a mixture of college students, single adults, and young married couples (without kids). Most of those people were already in care groups, but they weren’t attending for one reason or another. (We were attending ours, but mostly because we felt like we were supposed to. We were one of two childless couples in a group where kids outnumbered adults by a ratio of about 12:1. It was not the most fun I’ve ever had.) We were looking to try and provide a smaller, more intimate group where people who were just a life stage or two away from each other could get together.

She says that after a Christmas kickoff party they realized there were differences within their group.

The feedback we got was very clear – the college students don’t want to go to a couple’s group. They don’t want to have a discussion group, they just want to hang out with each other and have a good time. The couples (and older singles), on the other hand, want more than just a social meeting time. They want to have discussions and do studies and really dig into some stuff.

I think that’s an issue a lot of folks run into. I know we want to reach out to singles/college age folks with each of our community groups, but so far we’ve had limited success. Many blame their schedules but I wonder if there’s something deeper going on. Maybe they’re just not interested in church based community groups. Maybe they feel they have that already built into class, extra-curricular activities and work. Maybe the ho-hum of life hasn’t caught up with them yet. Maybe they don’t see the need for the relationships built within community groups.

I have to say that Laurie and I have talked recently about how beneficial our community group has been to us. Granted I do lead, so I kinda have to be there but we always have a good time during our weekly meetings as well as those extra events we plan and do with folks from our group during the week. It’s amazing to think about how limited our social calendar would be if it wasn’t for the relationships we’ve made in our community group (both past and present).

I don’t begrudge the college students at all. I think sometimes we forget that we’re older than we think we are. At 27, I don’t feel old, but at 19 I felt like 27 was a million miles away. We’ll figure out a plan for them, whether Aaron and I are involved or not. But it was clear last night that there are a lot of people at our church who are in a similar life stage that we’re in, and those people are looking for community. We are those people. And if we can provide that for them and for ourselves, then that’s what we need to be putting our efforts towards.

What about your group? Have you or other groups you know of had any luck attracting singles or college age folks?

resources for growth

Friday night, as part of the encounter 9, Brian talked about the importance of nourishing our soul with Scripture and growing in our Spiritual walk. We had a good discussion on (without being cliche’) about the importance of keeping Scripture in our diet to continue growing from an infant > to a child > to a teen > to a man > to a leader in our spiritual growth.

Of course, to be honest, sometimes just sitting down and reading a passage of Scripture can wear on you like a ham sandwich everyday. But luckily there are lots of resources out there that can help keep our appetite growing for more and more of God’s word.

I’ve seen some great devotionals out there for every make and model but even after a while the “read-scripture-read-a-thought-for-the-day” formula can get old as well. One of the things I’ve loved in the past and that works great for those who have trouble staying focused while reading, are the collection of great audio Bibles out there that can be played on your CD player or even your iPod.

I personally enjoy the Message REMIX on Mp3. It’s actually been sitting in a box or drawer until recently but I just pulled it out again to dump on my Mp3 player for the ride to work. I have the NT version but the entire Bible is available as well.

My buddy Matt just got a copy of The Bible Experience and can’t say enough about it. it’s a dramatic reading of Scripture by a number of hollywood actors including Denzel Washington and others. I’ve blogged on that in the past and would love to have a copy of it myself.

Any other resources you’ve found that keep your appetite growing?

‘I’ve been to the Mountaintop’

Delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. April 3, 1968, Mason Temple (Church of God in Christ Headquarters), Memphis, Tennessee – the night before he was gunned down by an assassin:

listen online

Thank you very kindly, my friends. As I listened to Ralph Abernathy and his eloquent and generous introduction and then thought about myself, I wondered who he was talking about. It’s always good to have your closest friend and associate to say something good about you. And Ralph Abernathy is the best friend that I have in the world. I’m delighted to see each of you here tonight in spite of a storm warning. You reveal that you are determined to go on anyhow.

Something is happening in Memphis; something is happening in our world. And you know, if I were standing at the beginning of time, with the possibility of taking a kind of general and panoramic view of the whole of human history up to now, and the Almighty said to me, “Martin Luther King, which age would you like to live in?” I would take my mental flight by Egypt and I would watch God’s children in their magnificent trek from the dark dungeons of Egypt through, or rather across the Red Sea, through the wilderness on toward the promised land. And in spite of its magnificence, I wouldn’t stop there.
Continue reading ‘I’ve been to the Mountaintop’

a ((deep)) recap

((deep))

Thomas has a great recap of ((deep)) on the Nanolog.

I’m listening to the podcast right now (you’ll need iTunes to listen to it).

After worship… Janet Robson spoke on the disciple John >> considering who John thought Jesus was >> shaping her thoughts/feelings on the subject matter into 3 points ::

  1. Words matter! Words can build us up… or tear us down. When God spoke (as recorded in Genesis 1) things happened. Word >> Action.
  2. John Baptizer’s job description was… “help people take it in… and take it on.” This is our job description as followers of Jesus.
  3. We are, by right, the children of God. It is a right and a blessing. But with rights come responsibilities >> just as “the Word became flesh”… we need to be the “flesh” of the Word in our own circles of influence >> family… work… play… etc. We need to show our people what Jesus looks like.

Great stuff! Keep up the great work Thomas. I’m excited to see how it this continues.