05.28.09
What? No More Poker Night? No More Small Group?
Have you seen this video yet? Possibly no more “Poker Night”, no more neighborhood “Super Bowl” parties, no more “Tupperware” parties, and oh yeah, no more Small Groups at a San Diego home! Well, that is what is being reported by a local San Diego news station.
10News.com reported:
A local pastor and his wife claim they were interrogated by a San Diego County official, who then threatened them with escalating fines if they continued to hold bible studies in their home.
“If the county thinks they can shut down groups of 10 or 15 Christians meeting in a home, what about people who meet regularly at home for poker night? What about people who meet for Tupperware parties? What about people who are meeting to watch baseball games on a regular basis and support the Chargers?” said Broyles.
Would love to know your thoughts…
05.27.09
Do Your Leaders “Own” What Happens…
…in the Small Group Ministry at your church? Do they fail to connect with the vision of where your Small Group Ministry is headed? The truth is most Small Group Leaders feel little responsibility for the vision that God has given to your church. Most are pretty satisfied with sitting back and allowing their group members to coast!
Motivating Small Group Leaders to create a vision for their own Small Group is no easy task, but challenging leaders to embrace the vision of your Small Group Ministry team is within reach for every Small Group Pastor or Director. consider some ideas for getting leaders to engage and embrace the vision:
- Check Your Vision: Is it 20/20 vision? Is the vision clear and simple for everyone to understand? If not, gather with some of your leaders and ask “Why not?”
- Challenge Leaders: Everyone in their group–leaders and members alike–is responsible for creating an effective and authentic Small Group experience. Are your leaders mentoring and sharing their responsibilities? If not, give some ideas: communications leader, prayer leader, food coordinator, community service leader, apprentice leader, or make up a new role.
- Communicate Often: In the Age of Technology, there is no excuse for not being able to communicate with all of your leaders. Make sure they know what is going on in the Small Group Ministry and don’t forget that “vision leaks” so constantly over-communicate your vision in your emails, blogs, one-on-ones, leadership gatherings, websites, and any other way that you choose to communicate.
- Set Realistic Goals: Do you and your leaders set goals together? The leaders are the ones in the trenches and they can give a true assessment of what is happening in your groups. Plan a Leadership Round Table and ask your leaders to dream and dream BIG! Don’t forget to celebrate when your team achieves their goals! Be specific and usually helps to have seasonal goals.
- Hang Out: Nothing is better at building relationships and ownership than just hanging out with your leaders. When was the last time you planned an event to just “hang out” and have fun with your leaders. Plan a cookout, bowling tournament, kick ball tournament, rafting trip, or go hiking together!
Maybe you have some ideas that have worked with your Small Group Leaders. Please feel free to share any of your ideas and comments!
05.21.09
Ultimate “Idol” Upset…
Congrats to Kris Allen for winning the Biggest Upset in American Idols history! My entire family was voting for Kris and was pumped and a little surprised whenever the “Dark Horse” took the AI Crown from Adam last evening! Congrats to Adam also for coming in at second. Both of these guys totally rocked!
Did you know that Kris is a worship leader at New Life Church in Maumelle, Arkansas. He has been involved in missionary work around the world including Burma, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Spain, and Thailand. Much of his musical background is connected with his church experiences.
Way to go Kris! Keep looking up!!!
05.16.09
Q/A With Craig Groeschel
At Catalyst West this year, I was introduced to two guys, Tyler and Tripp who did this Q & A with Craig Groeschel! Check out this video.
05.14.09
Engaged Couple’s Small Group Resources
Wanted to let you know about a Resource that we use in our Premarital Groups called PREPARE/ENRICH Couples Assessment Tools. Central will be hosting a PREPARE/ENRICH Facilitator Training at our Henderson location. Here are some of the details about the resource and the upcoming training:
PREPARE/ENRICH Facilitator Training
Wednesday June 3rd, 8:30am to 4:30pm
Central Christian Church Henderson, NV
PREPARE/ENRICHis a customized couple assessment completed online that identifies a couple’s strength and growth areas. Based on a couple’s assessment results, a trained facilitator provides 4-8 feedback sessions in which the facilitator helps the couple discuss and understand their results as they are taught proven relationship skills. To read up on the latest developments of PREPARE/ENRICH you can visit www.prepare-enrich.com Training Options in the PREPARE/ENRICH Program The PREPARE/ENRICH Program enables facilitators to identify a couple’s specific strength and growth areas, teach them communication and conflict resolution skills, and help them resolve key relationship issues. The Workshop is designed to help facilitators learn how to administer PREPARE/ENRICH and provide feedback to premarital and married couples using six core and over 20 supplemental exercises. Facilitators must attend one of our PREPARE/ENRICH Workshops held throughout the country. The 1-day training includes all the materials you will need to get started using PREPARE/ENRICH in your setting, as well as a complimentary online scoring credit. The price of the workshop is $175 and average length is about 7 hours.
The PREPARE/ENRICH Resource Kit includes: Resource Guide; Samples Reports; Couple’s Workbook; Two Training DVD’s; Facilitators Manuel on CD; A Complimentary Scoring Credit ($29.95 value) The UPDATE WORKSHOP is designed for facilitator’s previously trained in the Version 2000 materials who would like to be updated to use the new Customized PREPARE/ENRICH. The price of the update workshop for already certified users of PREPARE/ENRICH is $75.
In addition to the basic training, the goals of the upgrade workshop are:
- Compare the Customized Version to Version 2000
- Demonstrate the Administration process for the Customized Version
- Review the new Facilitator’s Report
- Overview the new Couple’s Workbook
- Review the 6 core exercises
TO REGISTER: Click Here
05.13.09
Evangelism Doesn’t Matter!
Evangelism doesn’t matter….or does it? Today, I want to continue today and reverse the question, “Can you do Discipleship without Evangelism? Is there a choice? Some of the last words that Jesus left with His disciples were words of instructions: “Go and make disciples.” So here is the question, “What is more important? Evangelism or discipleship?” As long as people are discipled, does it really matter if we evangelize or is that God’s job? Can you separate the mission given in Matthew 28:19, 20?
I have the privilege to work at an amazing church where we are seeing God do a movement. Over the past few weeks, we have seen over 1,000 people come to know Christ and in just one weekend, we were able to see over 1,400 people baptized. I have the privilege of having a front row seat of what God is doing in “Sin City”. Our Senior Pastor, Jud Wilhite said yesterday in our all-staff meeting, “I hope you guys don’t ever get tired of this because we are never going to let our foot off the gas when it comes to evangelism.” One of the great motivators for us is a poem that was written by Sam Shoemaker entitled “I Stand at the Door.” One thing that it emphasizes is the need for relevant church to maintain an intentional outward focus. Jud continually reminds us that it is our mandate to be more concerned with those not yet a part of the community. The poem is posted below. A great reminder to us all…Don’t forget about evangelism…those that are standing at the door!
“I stand by the door.
I neither go to far in, nor stay to far out.
The door is the most important door in the world -
It is the door through which men walk when they find God.
There is no use my going way inside and staying there,
When so many are still outside and they, as much as I,
Crave to know where the door is.
And all that so many ever find
Is only the wall where the door ought to be.
They creep along the wall like blind men,
With outstretched, groping hands,
Feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door,
Yet they never find it.
So I stand by the door.The most tremendous thing in the world
Is for men to find that door – the door to God.
The most important thing that any man can do
Is to take hold of one of those blind, groping hands
And put it on the latch – the latch that only clicks
And opens to the man’s own touch.Men die outside the door, as starving beggars die
On cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter.
Die for want of what is within their grasp.
They live on the other side of it – live because they have not found it.Nothing else matters compared to helping them find it,
And open it, and walk in, and find Him.
So I stand by the door.Go in great saints; go all the way in -
Go way down into the cavernous cellars,
And way up into the spacious attics.
It is a vast, roomy house, this house where God is.
Go into the deepest of hidden casements,
Of withdrawal, of silence, of sainthood.
Some must inhabit those inner rooms
And know the depths and heights of God,
And call outside to the rest of us how wonderful it is.
Sometimes I take a deeper look in.
Sometimes venture in a little farther,
But my place seems closer to the opening.
So I stand by the door.There is another reason why I stand there.
Some people get part way in and become afraid
Lest God and the zeal of His house devour them;
For God is so very great and asks all of us.
And these people feel a cosmic claustrophobia
And want to get out. ‘Let me out!’ they cry.
And the people way inside only terrify them more.
Somebody must be by the door to tell them that they are spoiled.
For the old life, they have seen too much:
One taste of God and nothing but God will do any more.
Somebody must be watching for the frightened
Who seek to sneak out just where they came in,
To tell them how much better it is inside.
The people too far in do not see how near these are
To leaving – preoccupied with the wonder of it all.
Somebody must watch for those who have entered the door
But would like to run away. So for them too,
I stand by the door.I admire the people who go way in.
But I wish they would not forget how it was
Before they got in. Then they would be able to help
The people who have not yet even found the door.
Or the people who want to run away again from God.
You can go in too deeply and stay in too long
And forget the people outside the door.
As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place,
Near enough to God to hear Him and know He is there,
But not so far from men as not to hear them,
And remember they are there too.Where? Outside the door -
Thousands of them. Millions of them.
But – more important for me -
One of them, two of them, ten of them.
Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch.
So I shall stand by the door and wait
For those who seek it.‘I had rather be a door-keeper
So I stand by the door.”
Okay, I would love to know your thoughts.
05.11.09
Discipleship Doesn’t Matter…
Discipleship Doesn’t Matter…
Discipleship doesn’t matter…or does it? Some of the last words that Jesus left with His disciples were words of instructions: “Go and make disciples.” So here is the question, “What is more important? Evangelism or discipleship?” As long as people come to know Christ, does it really matter whether they are taught the teachings from His Word? Can you separate the mission given in Matthew 28:19, 20?
- “Go and make disciples”
- “Teach these new disciples”
In a recent article Suggestions for Today’s “Relevant” Church, Craig Groeschel writes a challenge to the relevant and growing churches of today:
“While the intentions of most relevant pastors (including my own) are generally to reach those who don’t know Christ, we have to ask ourselves, “How effective are our ministries really?” Just because we are “growing” numerically doesn’t mean the people coming are growing spiritually.”
So, what do you think? How effective are we at reaching people for Christ? How effective are we at teaching the new disciples? Does the relevant and growing church of today need to make some corrections about discipleship? Love to know your thoughts!
05.07.09
Andy Stanley: Thoughts on Leadership
Andy Stanley has been one of those leaders that has made a HUGE impact upon my life! Recently at the CatWest and Drive ‘09 Conference, Andy made some statements about leadership that I thought I would pass along. Great stuff and thought provoking…as always!
- “Is this an easy, obvious, strategic step toward community?”
- This is the question asked when North Point determines whether or not to add something new to their ministry! Great filter for simple church!
- “As leaders, we gravitate to voices we want to hear.”
- How are you being intentional in allowing other voices to speak into your leadership?
- “You have got to create a mechanism to listen to the right people.”
- What mechanism do you use to ensure that you are listening to the RIGHT people?
- “What and who you listen to will determine what you do.”
- Who are the top three people that you listen too? Why do you listen to them?
- “The more sense of input that people have, the less the push back.”
- Love this one…Ownership…Ownership…Ownership! Do your leaders feel as if they have ownership in the ministry?
- “Leaders are attracted to environments where ideas and opinions are heard.”
- How are you intentionally allowing your leaders to give input?
- “If you want great leaders, you need to create systems for listening to great leaders.”
- Ask some of your veteran leaders how they know that you value their input.
- “Leaders want more than assignments. They want input into the decision-making process.”
- Are you in a ministry that wants YOUR input or are you just doing assignments? Are your leaders empowered to do the work of the ministry?
- “Leaders want to influence their own destinies.”
- Love it! They also want to feel that they matter in things of eternity! How do you continually show them that their leadership matters?
- “Leaders who refuse to listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing important to say.”
- Oh, so true!
- “Eventually a seniority structure leaves the seniors in charge.”
- Do you feel valued in your ministry and do your leaders feel valued as a leader?
- “Your structure has to change or your structure will impede information flow.”
- I always try to ask, “Do my leaders know what is going on and do they own it?” If it is a surprise or they get caught off guard all the time, then the flow of information has a kink in it and needs to be adjusted!
- “I don’t want anyone to live with the frustration that I used to live with in the lower levels of the organization.”
- Good stuff! Put yourself in the leader’s shoes.
- “You want the best thinkers and the most strategic people at the table with you.”
- Who are your best thinkers and most strategic people? Are they at the table with you? If not, why? Are you secure in your ability to lead?
- “You need to listen deep in your organization. That doesn’t mean you have to meet with everyone in the organization.”
- Andy said he meets with 150 volunteers occasionally to get input. Listen to the people who are in the trenches and on the frontlines. They have a very different perspective than that at Headquarters.
- “Resist the urge to lead every meeting you attend.”
- Share your leadership! Sit and listen sometimes. It will let you know how you are leading and if vision is sticking.
- “The people we don’t want to hear from are the people we often need to hear from most.”
- Who do you not want to hear from? Schedule a One on One with them and see what they are thinking! Huge insights!
Again, these are some random thoughts from what Andy said at Drive ’09 and some of what he shared at Catalyst West Coast. Let me know what you are thinking and how you have structured systems to allow for great leadership! I would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks again Andy!
05.06.09
Megachurches and Small Groups: Are Small Groups still important?
In the age of super growth and Megachurches, are Small Groups still important? According to a survey, Small Groups remain a central component of Spiritual Formation. This recently published survey, completed in August 2008, contained various sections researched from the Megachurch and its current attendees. The survey showed research on topics such as politics, student and children’s ministry, financial reports, and even minister’s activities. The one section that caught my attention was the research between current Megachurches and Small Groups. Here is what the survey concluded from its research:
• Small groups. Another aspect of congregational life that has dramatically changed in the past 8 years is the increasing emphasis on small groups. While small groups have always been seen as important to megachurches, they haven’t always been central to how many of these large churches function. In 2000, just half (50%) of the megachurches said small groups were central to their strategy for Christian nurture and spiritual formation. In 2008, that number had risen to 84% of megachurches affirming the centrality of a small group strategy.
This shift in emphasis by the leadership did not appear to have a corresponding significant change in involvement (or the perception of it by the survey informant) in small groups among congregational participants. When survey respondents were asked to estimate the percentage of persons in their churches that participated in small groups in 2005 and 2008, there is slight evidence of change but nothing that would correspond to the 34% increase in churches making small groups a central component of their Christian nurture and spiritual formation efforts.
SUMMARY OF THE RESEARCH:
Megachurches – Protestant congregations that draw 2,000 or more adults and children in a typical weekend (attendance not membership) – show considerable consistency over the past eight years. They continue to:
• Grow in size,
• Lead the way as America’s most multi-ethnic class of church,
• Show a strong bias toward contemporary worship, and
• Remain minimally involved in politics.
However, they also are institutions in transition. They are now:
• Offering more worship services and expanding to multiple-locations,
• Shifting to playing a greater role in community service,
• Decreasing their use of radio and television, and
• Putting greater emphasis on the role of small groups.
These are some of the most salient findings of a national study of America’s roughly 1,200 megachurches with approximately one third returning a usable response to an eight-page, 150-question survey that was fielded between February and August, 2008, with comparison given to similar (but non-longitudinal) national studies in 2000 and 2005.
So what do you think? Has your church shown growth and an increased emphasis on Small Groups? Are Small Groups a central component of Spiritual Formation at your church? And if it is central, what is your current percentage of attendees that are connected in some type of Small Group?
To see the rest of the survey, click here.
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