11.23.08
Connection Events
A few months ago, we had a Connection Event that the Central Team has nick-named “Tsunami 2008″. I had planned for 250 new people who would come and connect to a Small Group. The event was to begin at 5:30 pm and at 4:30 pm; people started lining up for the Connection Bar B Q. What happened over the next couple of hours was definitely a “God-Story.” Over 800 people showed up to get connected to a Small Group and many of them for the very first time. That evening we were able to launch 70 new Small Groups with Leaders. God is truly blowing us away with what He is doing in the Vegas Valley.
Let me give you a snap shot of what we currently do with Connection Events and if you have any ideas how you have seen it work differently, please share. We change it up and add and take away so we have a generic agenda that has worked for small and large Connection events. Here is what we are doing right now:
SMALL GROUP CONNECTION EVENT AGENDA
(Have Room set up by Affinities and Have Participants put their Zone # on their Name Tag as they enter the Rotunda. Have Lively Music Playing and lights turned up. All Pastors at their affinities welcoming people as they enter.)
6:30 PM – GREETING, PRAYER
Intro Video “Flying Solo” or “Small Group of One”
6:40 – 6:55 PM – Play Mixer Game:
Round #1
Have participants in their Affinity find 5 other people from their ZONE and then sit down in a circle. They will ask the Question, “What brought you to Central and how long have you been attending?” They will have 3-4minutes then
Round # 2
Have participants in their Affinity join with another group of 6 other people from their ZONE and then sit down in a circle. They will ask the Question, “What brought you to Vegas and how long have you lived here?” They will have 4-5minutes
6:55-7:10 PM – Intro Video and Taste of Small Group Instructions
SHOW NOOMA RHYTHM VIDEO
7:10 – 7:20 PM
Release to discussion
7:00 – 7:30 PM – HOST/CURRICULUM:
Ask for hosts: Challenge to meet this next week for BBQ, etc. Pizza Outing
Define Location, Day, Time
Pick Curriculum (books in the Two42) (20% off if purchased today)
Reorganize women if necessary (day/evening)
Sign up – copy of roster to the Pastors and Host Starter Packs
Dismiss with prayer.
Have a brief meeting with all new host and current leaders. Each new host receives a bag with instructions for their Small Group and all of our contact information.
Your Leadership Matters
Central has been in a series entitled Every1 Counts. This last weekend, Jud gave a talk about Jesus and the feeding of the five thousand. I am always amazed at the miracles of Jesus but even more amazed at the reaction of His disciples. I often wonder what I would have done if I would have been there. They just didn’t seem to get it! Well, anyway, it got me thinking. When you look at the story, Jesus tells His disciples to feed all of those people. Have you ever asked the next question when God asked you to do something that seemed impossible to accomplish. The disciples asked, “Feed them? With What?” I often feel that way in ministry. God looked beyond their abilities and was asking them to stretch themselves a little.
This is a crucial time for most of us…what will we do next? Quit and get a new job, blame our circumstances, shift the responsibility to someone else, blog about it and ask for new ideas (LOL!), or just ignore the need. Jesus pushed the need and the disciples found a little boy that had five loaves of bread and two small fishes! God used this little boy’s lunch to do the impossible. Notice how Jesus responded:
· Jesus had compassion. In the story, Jesus had been ministering to the people all day and He had come to a point of exhaustion. As He was retreating to rest, He saw the people and had compassion on them. Are you tired of the calling that God has placed on your life? Do you feel at your lowest? Please take time to retreat! Do something that will recharge your batteries! Take a vacation with your family! The people at church won’t love you anymore and they won’t love you any less…your family needs YOU! I always say, “Your #1 Small Group is your family!” Take a break somehow and experience God’s passion for you! This will enable you to be refreshed and share compassion for the people that God has called you to serve. If you have already past the point of just needing rest, please ask for help! Pastors sometimes need counseling too!
· Jesus used what was available. The little boy shared what he had. Can you imagine the stories he told at school the next day? Evaluate your self and ask, “Am I honestly available for God to do something amazing in my life?” You may feel inadequate or maybe you feel like you are not supported. Whatever the case, remember Jesus has strategically placed you where you are and He is working a plan. Be available…watch out for EXCUSES! He will use you if you make yourself available!
· Jesus taught a lesson. Nothing is impossible for Jesus! The disciples had already seen Jesus do some pretty amazing things during their travels with Him, but at that moment, they did not even think to ask Jesus to do the impossible. What seems impossible in your life or in the life of your Small Group that you maybe haven’t asked God to work the impossible? One of my favorite verses is Ephesians 3:20 “do more than I could even think or IMAGINE!“ Jesus may just be testing your faith in Him and teaching a lesson that could change your life forever.
· Jesus did the miracle. Jesus sometimes uses us to be His hands and His feet and allows us to be a part of the miracle. Doesn’t it just excite you to see God change a life? Try to get as many stories from your Small Group leaders to remind yourself that your leadership matters! God is still doing amazing things I am sure in your ministry, but sometimes we can only hear the negative…especially right now during the holiday season. I have a journal that helps me reflect on God’s amazing power and His desire to do some amazing things in the midst of what may seem impossible!
Don’t forget, you are NOT alone and your leadership DOES matter! If you haven’t been told lately…”Thanks for all that you are doing for the Kingdom!” Take a moment and reflect on a few questions: What is God teaching you right now? What impossible thing have you recently seen God do in your life? How can I pray for you?
11.20.08
Don’t Send that Email
Tis’ the season…people are anxious, confused, overwhelmed, stressed, and easily angered. This week, I have been dealing with Small Group leaders and members who have sent out emails that they probably wish that they could take back! Have you ever responded to someone with an email and as soon as you hit the “send” button, you felt this sick feeling in your stomach knowing that you shouldn’t have sent it?
In a recent blog post, Pete Wilson of Crosspoint in Nashville gives us a few of his “rules” that he has to help him have a “no regrets” email policy. Here is a little of what he says:
How many times have you wished 30 minutes later there was a “get my email back” button on your computer?
I’ve made this mistake a few times so I’ve established a few email rules in this area.
1) I try to never send a message via email that is dealing with a relational conflict. I’ve gone as far as instructing all of our staff they shouldn’t either. This always leads to trouble.
2) Never, ever respond to an email within the first hour of receiving it. YOU WILL regret it and in case you haven’t figured it out….there is no “get my email back” button. This applies to blog comments as well!
You can read the rest of the story HERE. How many times do I wish that I could have taken it back! What guidelines do you have that help you from making the mistake of sending out emails that you might regret later?
11.17.08
“Non-Lame” Holiday Party Mixer
Are you looking for a party mixer for your next Small Group Leader or Ministry Party for the Holidays? Well, the other day a small group pastor asked me for what he called ”Non-Lame” Party or People Mixers. One of my all-time favorite “Non-Lame” People Mixer is Human Bingo!
Here is how it works:
· Good for groups of 20-100 or even more
· Human Bingo is similar to regular bingo…instead of numbers given out…you have specific things that people may have done on the Bingo Card. You can play regular one line Bingo or if you have a smaller group…Play Double Bingo
· Instructions: You can change the squares up to best fit your region or party.
Human Bingo
Find people who match the blocks and have them write their first and last names in the squares.
You may only use each person once and you must fill in one line of squares to win.
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Has traveled across Hoover Dam
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Lived on the east coast |
Still has an Out of State Driver’s License |
Was born after 1970 |
Is an ONLY child |
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Moved to Las Vegas in the last 3 months
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Has been in a Small Group before
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Is or has been in the Armed Services |
Once worked at McDonald’s |
Owns a car that is seven or more years old |
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Is a cat lover |
Has three or more siblings
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Has eaten At In-N-Out Burger
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UNLV Alumnus |
Lived in Las Vegas more than 10 years |
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Loves eating sushi
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Watches The Amazing Race |
Owns a dog |
Works/ worked in a hotel casino
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Has tried to win Megabucks |
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Has been baptized |
Lives in Seven Hills, So. Highlands or |
Grew up in California |
Has ridden in a Hot Air Balloon
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Has attended traffic school |
Let me know how it goes and if you have any other ideas for “Non-Lame” Mixers, please let us know! Have fun!
11.15.08
Top Ten Worst Ways to Start a Discussion
How many times have you ever stuck your foot in your mouth? Several times, I have said something that I wish I could take back! As you grow closer to your Small Group or Small Group Leaders, you get to know people pretty well! Use this Top Ten Worst Ways to Start a Discussion and see how many times you, your leaders or your members have said one or more of these Discussion Starters! Have fun and take time to laugh at some of the funny things we say to each other!
1. “I know you didn’t ask for my opinion, but…” Here comes their opinion!
2. “Nothing against our pastor or our church but…” Oh, yeah… they have something against both of them…
3. “I don’t mean to be nosey but…” Well, keep your nose in your own business then!
4. “When is the baby due?” This is just for guys…She already had the baby two weeks ago!!!
5. “Can I tell you something and you won’t get mad?” They just got mad!
6. “I overheard your conversation. Can I just say …” No, I wasn’t talking to you.
7. “Don’t take this the wrong way…” I just did!
8. “You would have to be an idiot if you voted for…” Try this one at your next Small Group! Just Kidding!
9. “I was trying to wait for the right time to tell you this.” Keep waiting!
10. “I am not gossiping…I just need you to pray for…” You know it’s going to be some really good gossip!
What are some other things that you or your Small Group may have said that wasn’t listed? Remember, keep it fun!
11.13.08
Five Discussion Starters for Small Groups
Well, some of your Small Groups have been meeting now for a few months and some of the leaders come to you with a common problem…they just can’t seem to get past the superficial “Hi! How are you doing?” The answer back is always…”Great!” (Silence…) So what advice will you give them? How can a Small Group Leader take their Small Group to the next level of conversation and discussion? Here are a few creative discussion starters that will help leaders get to know their members a little bit better and have some fun doing it!
· You are stuck on a deserted Island, and you can only take 3 things. What would they be?
· You can only eat 5 different foods for the rest of your life, what are they?
· You can only listen to 3 CD’s for the rest of your life, what are they?
· You are stuck in a cabin for 2 years, what 5 movies would you take with you?
· If you could pick anyone, which three people would you invite to your dinner party?
These discussion starters can be used to help your leaders find common ground with the people who are in their Small Group! I would love to hear what some of the most creative answers are and I would also like to know if you have any to add? Leave a comment and let us know how it goes! Have fun!
11.11.08
Holiday Challenge for Small Groups
Can you believe the Christmas Decorations are already going up? The Smith family usually waits until after Thanksgiving Day to begin putting up our Christmas Decorations. Either way, the Holiday season is in full swing. Children will soon be out of school, in-laws will be coming over, and many will be waiting in long lines for all the sales on Black Friday. Usually with all of this activity, the small group decides to just take the month off. For some, one month will become two and then three months and before you realize it, the group is dead and no longer meeting. Instead of small groups taking a month off, why not do the Holidays a little bit different this year and ensure that your groups do not die due to lack of activity. During this year’s Holiday Season, I have given all of our Small Groups a Holiday Challenge. Here are the ideas I gave to keep our Small Group’s Connected during this Holiday season:
· Plan a Thanksgiving Dinner together (It doesn’t have to be on Thanksgiving Day, but plan a time for all of you to make your special family recipe and come together and share what you are thankful for this year.)
· Take a “Date Night” to see Christmas lights or the lighting of the tree festivities. (Many places around town have special evenings for lighting of the Christmas tree. Last year, a group of us went to Lake Las Vegas for ice skating, carolers, Starbucks, and a little bit of the Christmas spirit.)
· Serve together in the community. (Look around your community for a service project that you could do together. Many homeless shelters, food banks, and non-profit organizations are looking for holiday help. You can also go to the children’s wing of hospitals and pass out presents or stuffed animals.)
· Serve together during the holiday services at Central. (Central will hold several services during the holidays and will need volunteers. This is a wonderful opportunity to help your church serve the community.)
· Have a Party! (Have a Christmas party, plan a game night or go somewhere fun like Jillian’s!)
· Attend the Christmas Eve service together. (Celebrate Christ birth together at one of the many Christmas Eve services. This is also a great opportunity to invite friends or your 1Life for a special evening at Central.)
Here are some ideas for the Holidays, but maybe you as a Small Group Pastor have some special things that you are planning on doing to challenge your Small Groups to stay connected during the Holiday season. Please share any other ideas that you or your Small Group ministry has done in the past.
11.07.08
Central Christian and Social Networking
Today, there is a lot of talk about social networking and the virtual church. People shop, bank, work, date, and many other things “online”, but can you do church “online”? Recently, Church Central Leadership Community wrote an article about Central and the online community. Rebecca Barnes highlights the efforts of the virtual church to reach people that may never walk into a “real” church. Here are some excerpts from the article:
The big news at the moment in the Sin City church is something that’s bringing all those untouchables together in a way that they don’t actually have to touch. A new interactive Web site for Central Christian Church is mixing virtual church with real church in an attempt to combine the appeal of other social networking sites with a community of believers.
According to a news release from the developer of the site, 360Hubs, the platform was part of the church’s vision for extending its reach into cyberspace.
“It was an honor to bring Central Christian Church’s vision to life with this online campus,” said Tony Ferraro, president of 360Hubs.
The online service may be the latest extension of the multi-site movement that has franchised so many mega churches in the past few years.
“Kurt Ervin, executive pastor of church expansion for Central, said, “With our new online campus, we hope to spread God’s Word to the world, while continuing to execute on our vision to be one church, many campuses.”
He mentioned other social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook, which attract hundreds of millions of users. Like those sites, visitors to www.centralonlinecampus.com also must register before participating in the simple, point and click interface that is controlled and owned by the church. Site visitors can go to a virtual service online where they are virtually greeted, given a chance to chat, take notes and give an offering.
Like MySpace and Facebook, the 360Hubs online campus allows people without training to create online profiles, personal blogs and interact with other church members. Leaders can also manage individual group or ministry Web sites that are personalized to meet specific needs. Other amenities include: group-level discussion boards, collaboration, blogs, photos, prayer request management, and podcasting capabilities. It can also integrate with popular church management software solutions.
So what do you think? What would be some pros and cons for the online church? If you have tried the online experience, what are your thoughts and any recommendations? If you haven’t tried it, go here and set up your profile today.
11.04.08
CATALYST Is Coming To The West Coast
Have you heard? CATALYST is coming to the West Coast!
Catalyst is here: a conference that inspires next generation church leaders to be agents of change. For three days in April, 3,000 great minds are coming together for inspiring teaching, worship and fun. Even more than a cutting edge event, it’s an experience that leaves you enlightened, rejuvenated and ready to be a catalyst in your own life and others’. You know, ready to change the world.
If you would like more information check it out here. Also, if you are planning on attending, please let us know. Maybe we can all connect sometime during the conference.
Year End Giving & Serving Ideas
This past weekend, Jud (Our Senior Pastor at Central) kicked off a new series entitled Every1 Counts. In the opening talk, Jud gives the details for Central’s Year End Offering. Here are some of the details that Central is doing this year to make an impact for the kingdom:People who are hurting, searching, hungry, and struggling come through our doors every day. God meets people right where they are, no matter what their circumstances – they count on him.
People matter to God, so they matter to us, too.
Our goal is to raise $1,350,000 for the following listed initiatives. Central receives no financial support from any religious or denominational body. Our resources come from people like you.
Together we can help Every1 Count.
2008 Year-end Offering Initiatives
COMPASSION FOR THE HUNGRY
With more than 4,000 registered homeless kids in the Las Vegas area, Jesus’ love compels us to do something. Part of the 2008 Year-end Offering will go to continuing to eradicate hunger in the Las Vegas Valley.
Goal: $250,000
ONGOING CENTRAL MINISTRIES
In the past year, you’ve no doubt seen some amazing things happen at Central. What you might not see are some of the unknown parts of ministry. Ministries where thousands of kids and students learn about God every weekend, or hundreds of people receive counseling and support through difficult times. These ministries are important because Every1 Counts.
Goal: $750,000
EXPANDED TRANSPORTATION AT THE HENDERSON CAMPUS
Traffic congestion in Henderson is a hindrance for some who come to a weekend service. The City of Henderson and the State of Nevada are adding a six-lane road that connects from Stephanie Boulevard to Lake Las Vegas. And we have approval to connect a five-lane road from the south part of our property in Henderson to the new road (Galleria Boulevard). Better traffic circulation and more parking spaces equals more unconnected people we can connect to Christ.
Goal: $350,000
To give to the Every1 Counts Year-end Offering, click here.
I would love to know what your church or ministry is doing for a Year End Giving/Serving Opportunity and how are you engaging your Small Groups to be involved?
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