The Do’s and Don’ts of Small Groups: DON’T: Assume childcare is no big deal. The absolute dumbest thing you can do is claim small groups (or any other meeting for that matter) are essential and vital to your mission, and follow up with the phrase “childcare will not be provided.” Childcare is a really big [...]
Read More believers, budget, childcare, children, Christ, Christian, church, culture, disciple making, discipleship, engage, fellowship, focus, followers, great commission, Jesus, kids, leadership, love, Matthew 28, midweek, parents, people, preschool, purpose, small groups, spiritual growth, voucherThe Do’s and Don’ts of Small Groups: DON’T: Make your small group into its own church. Your small group is the front line of your church disciple making strategy; it is not a separate entity. If you really believe your church is on the wrong track unless you do certain things against the church’s wishes [...]
Read More believers, Christ, Christian, church, culture, disciple making, discipleship, engage, fellowship, focus, followers, great commission, Jesus, leadership, love, Matthew 28, people, purpose, small groups, spiritual growthThe Do’s and Don’ts of Small Groups: DON’T: Micromanage your small group attendees. If you’ve ever said “We want life changing discussion to take place, and I’m glad tonight was the night you understood God wanted you to deal with some things, but we’re on a schedule and snack time just started” then you’re doing [...]
Read More believers, Christ, Christian, church, disciple making, discipleship, fellowship, focus, followers, great commission, Jesus, leadership, Matthew 28, micro-manage, micromanage, purpose, small groups, spiritual growthThe Do’s and Don’ts of Small Groups: Don’t base your small group on spiritual information, but rather transformation. DON’T: Base a small group solely on a teaching topic or resource. When I was in High School, I got in trouble more often in boring lectures than I did with more interactive environments. The topic was irrelevant: [...]
Read More believers, Christ, Christian, church, disciple making, discipleship, fellowship, focus, followers, great commission, Jesus, Matthew 28, purpose, small groups, spiritual growthThe Do’s and Don’ts of Small Groups: DON’T: Share everybody’s personal information. When I friend you on Facebook, it doesn’t mean I want to buy Pampered Chef from you, sell Mary Kay, or join your online business. And I really don’t want your friends to contact me either for a presentation, 15 minute video, or to [...]
Read More believers, Christ, Christianity, church, discipleship, Faith, fellowship, followers, Jesus, small groups, spiritual growthGood Friday is the global celebration of what Jesus did by dying on the cross for humanity. But we taught our kids the whole story, that the grave of Jesus is empty, and that He overcame sin and death. They’re learning that Justice and Mercy were fully served by God forever in His death and [...]
Read More Christ, cross, death, Easter, empty tomb, eternity, forgiveness, Good Friday, Grace, hope, Jesus, Redemption, sinWhen Jesus shows up, things change. That’s what happened at the Temple. And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, ”It is written,”My house shall be called a house of prayer,” [...]
Read More blessed, care, Christ, doves, ESV, god, healed, Jesus, money changers, prayer, profit, tables, Temple.MatthewConsider What You Bring to the Table Isolation is not the goal of a Christian. Our faith is intended to be lived out in community with others. We are not lone monks hiding from the rest of the world, but a community of Christ followers that encourage and inspire others to be Disciples of Jesus. We [...]
Read More Bible, Christ, Christian, church, community, follow, god, growth, health, Jesus, obey, pray, relationships, spiritualSometimes life seems like the screenplay to a zombie movie. Don’t act like it doesn’t. We go through our lives, struggling to survive, hoping to accumulate as much stuff as we can and make it through the night to live another day. The world around us can seem harsh and cold, filled with people only [...]
Read More Apocalypse, calendar, Christ, civilization, dead, destroy, earth, eternity, fallen, gospel, hell, Holocaust, hope, hopeless, humanity, Jesus, mayan, redeem, Redemption, Ruined, sin, undead, walking, Zombie, zombiesJust shut up and listen. Just a for a moment. If you want to see this dark world change, then light it up. Go to it. Don’t sit around in a church building and wait for the masses to come to you for answers. If you’re spending all your time with Christians, you probably don’t [...]
Read More care, child, Christ, dark, elementary, Grace, hope, Jesus, kids, kindergarten, love, school, serve, shooting, sin, violence, world