Just Groups

Facedown....

2011-08-20T15:09:00.001-05:00

Facedown – Who knew that Dave Walden had the perfect body for planking?

The Men of Tiffany Fellowship Church recently had the opportunity to attend the District Men’s Retreat at the Lake Maurer campground in Excelsior Springs. To say the least, all in attendance had a fantastic time in fellowship and getting facedown before the Lord in more ways than one!

We gathered together and began our event with the study of various Scripture passages that emphasized people being facedown before the Lord and the circumstances that led them there. This time was followed by an awesome lunch and the fulfillment of a challenge to go planking or get facedown with our afternoon free-time.

After a fun filled day, we did what comes natural at any Men’s retreat and fellowshipped over another great meal followed by incredible worship, devotions in faith principles, and anointed altar prayer. If you missed out on the events or were unable to attend, be sure to meet with any of the men that went and they will surely tell of the fun and transformation, or even share some of the study with you. Check in with Tiffany Fellowship guys: Pat Edins, Ed Fenn, Brian Main, Jerry peters, and Dave Walden or myself.

Great appreciation goes out to Pastor Les Clark for his outstanding leadership of District Men’s events, Rev. John Palmer from Emerge Ministries for his leading of our Facedown emphasis, and District Superintendant Ray Brewer for his support of fellowship and encouragement to men in the Northern Missouri District. Of course there are many more behind the scenes that did an awesome job and our thanks goes to them as well.

Planking may be the latest picture taking craze, but getting facedown has been around for ages, just check your Bible!

Praying for your best,
Pastor Warren

Cold hands, warm heart....

2011-05-11T11:39:00.000-05:00

I am so glad warmer weather is finally here. As usual, for the next 3-4 months there is a high chance-ability (Like that non-word?) that people will not be saying, “wow, your hands are cold!” Of course I have given several responses over the years such as, “Refreshing isn’t it,” or “Yea, warm me up,” or the old standard “Cold hands, warm heart.”

Well, it appears that the latter response may actually be somewhat on track!

Here are a few sources that speak to that:

In cold weather, blood goes away from the hands and feet to protect the brain and main parts of the body. Then your hands will be cold but your heart will be warm. TheEnglishClub.com

Having cold hands even when you're not in a cold environment is common. Often, having cold hands is a part of your body's natural response to regulate your body temperature and shouldn't be cause for concern. The Mayo Clinic

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Ok, so that was just a little warm hearted information to ponder during the cold hand reprieve.

Check out my ride....

2011-04-21T14:49:00.002-05:00

A few weeks back the second round of the Moto GP World Championship was held in Spain. It was reported that King Juan Carlos attended the race and decided to take a tour of pit lane on his own schedule that unfortunately coincided with the riders heading out for track time. As with kings being used to going where they want, when they want, it is reported that he had a near brush with a snarling Moto GP bike leaving a team garage.

Reports said that the race commission apologized for the incident, even though most people know you have to be on your toes in pit lane, royalty or not. Someone mentioned that if he had been wearing a crown to identify himself, perhaps he would have been given time to clear the lane before the release of the riders.

Well, it seems that if the king really wanted to be recognized, he should have been riding a donkey! That’s right, Pastor Barry Clair mentioned in his message for Palm Sunday that Jesus as King and other biblical kings always rode donkeys and mules.

2 Samuel 16:2 The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on...”

1 Kings 1:38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king’s bodyguard took Solomon down to Gihon Spring, with Solomon riding on King David’s own mule.

Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.

John 12:14-15 Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.”

So there you have it... Jesus is King and other kings should follow his lead in more ways than one. Also, if they tour pit lane in style, make sure the royal scoopers clean up before the riders take to the track!

Is this thing on....

2011-04-16T09:50:00.001-05:00

Ever been in that awkward situation when you thought it was just you and the walls around you, or even maybe a close friend or confidant engaging you in conversation, only to find out later that someone else was closer than you thought? As of late, someone at the top of our nation has found out firsthand that they should ask, “Is this thing on?”

As I listened to this being bantered about the news reports, I thought to myself that it should not really matter whether there are microphones around, or that someone may be just behind the closed room door. Getting deeper into this thought, I really began to ponder and make a checklist of what it takes to live a consistent life that has nothing to hide, or have worry of thoughts that you would not want others to hear...

Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

It appears that the microphone is always on! Now, about that checklist....

The Heart of Primal Christianity...

2010-03-10T09:15:00.001-06:00

When Jesus was asked by a teacher of the law, of all the commandments which was the most important - Mark 12:28-30. Possibly, he expected to hear a ranking of many by Jesus for the some 613 Old Testament Commands. The lawyer must have been taken back by the response he received. Jesus took all of the commands and laws, then in comparison to the many, offered them up condensed into one simple yet very complex statement.

AMO DEI. LOVE GOD.

Simple in that the greatest command is to love God, but complex in all of the respects that we are to love Him. In any case, His answer was short, direct and to the point. To the same extent, that is what Christianity should look like... simple and to the point. So let’s take a journey of simplifying how we love God with our heart, soul, mind and strength.

It would be difficult if not next to impossible to love God with a heart that loves as the world does! So let us take some time to look at how God makes it possible for us to love Him with all our heat. The following passage of Scripture gives us an illustration of this heart transplant of sorts - Ezekiel 36:22-27.

Transplanted in you... When we give our lives to Christ, we experience a phenomenon of receiving the heart of Christ in us. At that point we are cleansed and purified then our heart of stone is removed and replaced with a heart that is receptive, tender and feels the same compassion that Christ Himself would feel.

In this exchange of hearts, we now begin to act and feel as He does. We begin to find our heart breaking for things that breaks the heart of God. If we are not careful and mindful of our relationship to Him; over time our heart can be hardened by the happenings of the world and attitudes around us. So ask yourself the following questions.

Q. Can you describe what is was like when you first noticed in your Christian walk that you no longer thought as the world does and began to have sympathy breakthroughs for the needs around you?

Q. Do you find yourself wishing you had acted or reacted differently to a situation that has taken place and then search for a change of heart to react differently next time?

Q. Have you ever found yourself giving someone or something more time with your heart than God, and if so, what are some of the things we can give up or cut back on to begin the process of giving our total heart back to God?

Stay tuned in the following weeks for the next steps we will take together in this journey.

Getting Primed for Primal....

2010-01-25T14:12:00.003-06:00

Primal – A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity:

Join a church-wide quest for the lost soul of Christianity at Tiffany Fellowship Church as we begin with rediscovering what it means to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30).

Our generation needs a new reformation but it won’t be born of a new discovery. It will be the rediscovery of something old, something ancient, something primal. The next reformation won’t be led by a single person or defined by a single event. It will be led by millions of reformers who are simply great at the Great Commandment.

Our church-wide study on Primal will encompass the Great Commandment and bring the lives of many together to find out what Christianity would look like if it were stripped down to the simplest, rawest, and most pure faith possible.

Join us on this four week small group journey and the beginning of a new reformation – that will impact your generation, your church, and your soul. Be a part of Primal Christianity.

We encourage you to begin your reading journey with Primal now. Copies will be available for purchase at guest services beginning Sunday, Jan. 31st. The small groups you are currently connected with will begin discussions very soon. Also, if you are not currently connected with a small group, we will have new group formation and signups available at the church.

Primal Schedule:

Sun. Jan. 31st – Primal Book sales begin at Guest Services

Sun. Feb 14th – Primal Small Group Formation and Signup

Sun. Feb.21st - Primal Church-wide Sermon Series and Focus Begins

Sun. Feb. 28th – Primal Small Groups Begin Meeting 4 Consecutive Weeks

Primal Reformation....

2009-12-23T11:15:00.002-06:00

So possibly you are finding that your small group may be getting stale or stagnant and really needs to strip away some of the fluff and get back to real spiritual growth? The latest release from Mark Batterson entitled Primal, just may be a good place to start. The book has what I would consider a small group friendly layout and seems to lend itself well to devotional style reading.

I particularly liked the second chapter and the way it deals with our actions and reactions as Christians. For me, that really is the essence of what we are doing as we try to impact the world around us for Christ. We are either acting, which anyone can do, or reacting which is what will reveal our true heart.

Perhaps that is what we should focus in on most at this time of year? As you pass by the blessing buckets outside of the stores, or seek to give to those in need of food or gifts this Christmas, make sure you are not just going through the actions, but are reacting from the heart.

So get on your quest and check out a copy of Primal, especially if you feel like you have lost a bit of soul in your Christianity.

I Never Knew You....

2009-12-01T13:57:00.002-06:00

Getting deeper in the Word - Small Group study

Study for: I Never Knew You

Matthew 7: 21-23 (Message)
"Knowing the correct password—saying 'Master, Master,' for instance— isn't going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don't impress me one bit. You're out of here.'

Getting deeper questions

1. In what areas of our lives can we become spiritually overconfident?

2. What are some elements of relationship that we should work on most?

3. How do you self-feed to produce more spiritual growth?

4. What things are you doing to insure that God knows you?

Getting Deeper....

2009-11-20T13:38:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that we will start making the “Getting Deeper in the Word” small group series available to our groups at Tiffany Fellowship Church. Recently, Pastor Barry has started formulating small group follow up questions that will allow us to get deeper into the Sunday morning sermon series. We have been trying this out in our new visitor groups and staff small group with great success.

You should know that we have been having some very dynamic discussion and we encourage you to please take advantage of this great opportunity. The latest discussion and question sheets will be made available in the foyer small group display for you and your group members to pick up at your convenience.

In the future, we will try to have these out by Wednesday evenings on small group weeks to help facilitate those groups that meet prior to Sunday.

So take up the challenge and get deeper in the Word, you will love the growth and transformation.

Raving Fan....

2009-11-03T20:54:00.001-06:00

Yes, it is true... I am a raving fan of small groups and you should become one too! So here is my usual scenario and maybe yours too? You are setting in Sunday morning worship service and this truth from a passage of Scripture delivers a square punch right between your eyes, or more to the point, right to the heart. Quickly, you reach for your pen and paper to jot down your thoughts before they escape you. At the same time you had this revelation come crashing through your life, you also hear someone from three rows over let out a hearty ... Amen. In a mere instant you think cool, God is at work in their life too! Perhaps you even nudge a companion in the same row as if to say, we’ll talk later, so be sure to make a mental bookmark.

And this is why I am a raving fan of small groups... talking with others about those knockout moments that you were squirming in your seat with at church. We get to dig in a little deeper with those Sunday morning revelation moments and uncover the depth of God’s plan, or perhaps even being bold enough to ask if someone else had that same still voice spoken into their life.

If you are like me, there is no doubt that your life has been challenged by the "Say What?" series from Barry Clair at Tiffany Fellowship Church. Just make sure that you and all of your friends are digging through those truth moments and following the spiritual growth path God has for you. If you don’t have anyone to share that good stuff with, be sure to get in touch with me or check out a small group guide to get connected.

I know you’re already a fan... now it’s time to become a raving fan!

Conflict....

2009-10-27T12:22:00.003-05:00

Conflict, no one enjoys it, few want to admit that it happens, and most try to ignore it. Although that bit of truth should have seemed obvious, I recently learned that ignoring a problem will not make it go away; in fact it will simply get larger and larger. If we ignore conflict long enough, eventually it will paralyze what we are trying to accomplish and quite possibly overshadow or erase any progress we have made in our ministry efforts.

Former football coaching great and announcer John Madden once noted; “Coaches have to watch for what they do not want to see and listen for what they do not want to hear.” This perspective can be applied to any leadership role, both small group coaches and leaders.

We should also keep in mind that the most common reason for conflict is lack of communication. If we choose to just walk away or ignore a perceived situation, that choice will almost always bring a negative impact and halt momentum. So what is the best course of action? Get those involved talking about it with each other in a non-confrontational way, and if necessary, revisit ground rules for your group.

Enter Your Group...

2009-10-21T16:15:00.002-05:00

Small Group Life is hosting a photo contest on Facebook!

Enter to win a free small group study or the grand prize—a weekend retreat for your small group near Asheville or Santa Fe. Become a fan on Facebook and then just post a picture of your small group doing life: enjoying a fun moment together, serving lunch to the homeless, working on the mission field, sharing your faith, or participating in some other activity your group enjoys.

Write a comment on your photo, and any others that inspire you.

Contest begins 10/5/09 and ends 11/15/09.

Thank You...

2009-10-13T14:26:00.003-05:00

Hey there! It has been a while since the last post here at the Just Groups blog and I just wanted to say thanks for your being patient and not checking completely out. I am glad that we can all appreciate technology, but do not necessarily have to depend on various forms of social media to keep small groups and other ministries functioning.

As of late, quite a bit of my energy has been directed towards study for a credentials level final exam. With that, I am glad to report that I have succeeded and the hard work has paid off. As well, your prayer support is duly noted and much appreciated.

Much love,
Pastor Warren

Effective Leadership

2009-09-08T09:24:00.003-05:00

Recently, I was leading a Wednesday night study on eschatology or the study of end times. At the outset of the series I asked the question, “Do you give much thought to end times and what will happen when Jesus comes back?” I was quite surprised to find how many people answered yes! Then I was even more surprised to learn that they think about this often, and some even on a daily basis.

This is good, as we are told that He is coming soon and will give to everyone according to what they have done (Rev. 22:12). These words hold a lot of promise and are part of our blessed hope, but at the same time, can seem awfully daunting when things don’t go as we have expected in various seasons of life. Take heart, your faithfulness is a key first step in this whole process.

Here is a great perspective to consider when applying this promise to life in general or even gauging our effectiveness in leading our small group. “When all is considered, God supplies His word; God provides the Holy Spirit; God supplies all of the spiritual gifts; and God supplies the power to do the work of the ministry. Just about the only thing that you and I have left to offer God to accomplish His eternal work is our faithfulness, our basic requirement.” (Ron McManus, Effective Leadership)

If you know that God has called you to lead in small group ministry, simply continue to be faithful to that call. His Word, Spirit, and gifts will help supply the rest... continue to be that good and faithful servant.

Solid Connections....

2009-08-10T15:04:00.002-05:00

Part 7 of 7 - Addressing the issues of “The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry”

Sin Seven: Neglect of the Assimilation Process. I like to actually relate this area of small group connections to a phone call. Here is the scenario. You know the number to call, you have dialed it several times, so much so that you know the extension and how to avoid the prompts and just roll right through to the person you need to connect with. This type of call could be related to the long time member of your church. They know everyone, actually like everyone, and want to be in community with them. In other words, in small group community it is really easy to assimilate and connect the people that want to be connected.

Now for the other scenario or the call that some people dread: You know the ones? Right up front you feel like the customer service phone menu may actually be designed to weed you out or keep you from calling. Sometimes they ask you questions that you simply can’t answer without in depth research and having several documents on hand to enter a long string of numbers. You may even get to a point of entering all the info, then unexpectedly hang up in a huff of exasperation or mini panic attack as you ask” do I really want to do this?”

Hopefully we have not made getting connected to a small group this frustrating? Often times though, it seems those that want to be connected, will simply get connected, since that is what they want anyway. With that, you become a key piece to the assimilation process!

Ultimately, no matter how well a church-wide assimilation process is designed, in the end it all comes down to a human factor. It requires a people that are so in love with community and people around them that they seek to get people connected. A desire to have people experience what they themselves are enjoying.

John 13:34-35 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

I think small group assimilation really should be that simple. Disagree? Let me know!

What your definition of is, is....

2009-08-03T12:24:00.003-05:00

Part 6 of 7 - Addressing the issues of “The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry”

Sin Six: Narrow Definition of a Small Group. In this chapter of reviewing the deadly sins of a small group ministry, six can be summed fairly easily. The statement given on the first page of chapter 11 just hits the issue dead on; “By limiting their definition of a good small group, they miss opportunities to connect people into community”

For some reason, many people hesitate to be identified with a small group, as if there is some sort of stigma attached. There are many reasons for this and they can vary in many different ways. Sometimes it can be from previous unsuccessful small group attempts that never had a clear focus, or even people just wanting to run their own ministries. In extreme cases, it can be traced back to the previous sin of not wanting to be all inclusive, or in some cases just not agreeing with the ministry direction as a whole. Dare I mention that there are some that, just may not like the leadership.... surely not!

Simple fact is this; spiritual formation and personal growth usually happens by being connected and most often that is through community. Since small groups are all about community, we must do our best to limit the, me factor, and focus more on group transformation. It just may change your life if you let it.

Always Open...

2009-07-20T11:49:00.004-05:00

Part 5 of 7 - Addressing the issues of “The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry”

Sin Five: Closed Group Mind-Set. An incredible illustration is given in this chapter of the book for receiving others. A challenge to be radically inclusive, in that we should be people who reach out with welcoming arms as much or more as we are people that reach up with arms in need to God. Think about the statement for a moment... “God knows nothing of a people who stretch their arms upward to Him yet don’t in turn stretch them out to those He loves so much.” Wow, that is an eye opening image for sure.

Really for small groups to be successful, they must be accessible to those in need; the need being relationship and spiritual growth. A convenience store is named just that, because it is always open. Imagine not being able to just walk in at anytime and get what you need? Not very convenient, Huh!

Our small group program has had an open chair policy from the inception, but has it had an open chair mindset? You can make the best policy with the greatest of intentions, but if it is not internalized and realized then it becomes just policy.

I would offer this challenge to all of our small groups... Use your group connection cards to invite others and fill your open chairs. In fact, don’t invite just anyone, but invite someone that needs Jesus. That’s right; a true seeker that you and your group can invest in the way the Father has invested in you.

Remember to reach out as often as you reach up!

Time to Get Serious...

2009-07-13T12:00:00.003-05:00

Part 4 of 7 - Addressing the issues of “The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry”

Sin Four: Neglect of Ongoing Leadership Development – When I sat down to write up this blog entry I took note that it was more than a week overdue and that I needed to offer up some sort of an apology. It was then that I realized how easy it is to procrastinate and put off leadership training in the same way, and then try to place the blame on a busy schedule or other such lame excuse. The truth is that there is no good excuse for being inattentive to ongoing leadership development.

The way to break down the issues of this sin should be simple really. Since people will not just naturally step up and say, “Oh by the way, I feel called to lead” we have to create a leadership culture that will encourage people to want to make statements like that. That is to say we need to make it the next natural step or path in the life of a believer once they have made a decision for Christ. We see all throughout Scripture that Christ came to serve, not to be served, and in our efforts to become more Christ-like, servant hood is what we should focus on most.

The current small group leaders that we have are actually a large part of setting and building that culture; as they invest in, disciple, and encourage others in growth, they will inevitably lead them to their own path of leadership. With that, it is easily understandable why it is so important to invest in current leadership in an ongoing manner. So what is the key? Helping the leader understand that they are building leaders!

Overworked...

2009-06-29T11:17:00.003-05:00

Part 3 of 7 - Addressing the issues of “The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry”

Sin Three: Poor Coaching Structure – This was an easy one for me to identify after attending the ’08 Willow Group Life conference. You see from day one, we had put a coaching structure in place, since I the point leader had a bit more than just small groups in my portfolio, I knew that I would need help. So you may be asking, “If you had coaches, how was it poor structure?”

I quickly learned a few things from Mike Hurt in his Group Life breakout session that we had an overloaded span of care with our coaches. The very burnout that I was trying to avoid had been placed upon my coaches in an unfair way. Essentially, I was asking them to do something even I could not do… I had loaded them up with a 6:1 group to coach ratio. Not only that, but I had failed to give them proper introductions and pretty much expected them to make cold calls. Now that we have them down to a more manageable 3:1 ratio, they can more effectively perform their role.

Probably one of the next areas we need to address is our follow-up process and how we can enhance it. We seem to have had good success with our one-on-one sessions, but will be looking to add coach and leader huddles that are as fun and productive as our point leader and coach huddles.

I really feel blessed to be surrounded by a great team that is willing to take a proactive approach and role in the lives of others.

Whos in Charge...

2009-06-22T12:03:00.002-05:00

Part 2 of 7 - Addressing the issues of “The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry”

Sin Two: Lack of Point Leadership – Chapter 3 of the book we are discussing helps churches in the decisions of picking point leadership and their job description. Since I already function as the point leader in my primary role and our lead pastor made that choice, I really won’t address too much in this area except to make a few suggestions. The point leader position really should be in a pastoral portfolio and with someone that loves relationships and wants to be part of people’s lives. Also, anyone that is looking to set up a small group ministry really should consider the book by Bill Donahue on “Leading Life Changing Small Groups”, as it will offer a great foundation that you can build upon.

So, on to chapter 4 and the areas that the chosen point leader must excel in. A good mix of spiritual gifts to include leadership, administration, and discernment to name a few are essential. These of course are extremely important skills found in any key leader, but are extremely important to small group ministry and really should be carried out by the point leader.

All in all, I am finding what is of most importance for a small group ministry point leader, is that we actually live out community. It is very difficult to constantly practice what you preach or communicate vision for the small group ministry, but it has to be done. Sometimes along the way you will even hear complaining comments like “Wow, does everything with you have to be about small groups?” Well, as a matter of fact, "yes that’s my job!" Perception may very well be the toughest struggle or slipping sin in this area; the small group point leader must continually be communicating the vision, recruiting new leaders, and trying to expand the ministry.

It seems to me that the big sin is when the right leader is chosen but then begins to pull back from this role with other distractions or develops a, this is good enough for now attitude. Press on leaders, press on…

Clearing Up what is Unclear…

2009-06-15T12:47:00.003-05:00

Part 1 of 7 - Addressing the issues of “The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry”

Sin One: Unclear Ministry Objectives – So, what is the objective? To start, we have built a plan of Christian education and spiritual growth based upon a definition supplied by the Assemblies of God discipleship ministry agency. And second, to be carried out through a community of small groups. Ok, that seems reasonable… but that’s not how we used to do it! And for a while, maybe some did think “who stole my church”.

Until recently, I don’t think we really ever planted the flag and said that our way of doing classical church has changed and that small group’s is how we will help accomplish the goal of spiritual formation. Perhaps a bit of an oversight, but after doing things a certain way for some thirty years, you can’t just rip the band-aid off and say “there now do that”.

The simple fact is; the model of the church has to continually evolve with culture to remain relevant. Someone mentioned that it is easier to plant a church than to revitalize one, but according to the definition of the word revitalize (to give new life, vitality, and vigor); we really must be in a constant revitalization process weather the church is a new plant or has a long rich history.

So with the objective set forth, you still have to decide if it is to be a model of Church with, of, or is… small groups. The general consensus is that we will eventually become a church of small groups. Did we ever clearly communicate that? If not, there it is.

Connecting People to God… People to People… and People to Their Ministry Gifts. That is our vision, and is one that is somewhat easy to accomplish providing the people embrace it and the small group ministry that is set up to accomplish the goal. Just remember, it will continually have to be revitalized to accomplish the goal, so we as leaders and participants alike have to be open to change.

I feel our objective is very good, so what area have we missed the mark when it comes to sin one and the issue of unclear ministry objectives? Communication… We just have to get better at communicating our objectives more clearly.

Addressing the Sins…

2009-06-08T14:43:00.001-05:00

When shuffling through my small group library a few weeks back, I came across my copy of “The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry”. When I noticed it on the shelf, I muttered something to the extent of “I’m still not sure why I purchased that book?” You see, when I first looked at it over a year ago, I said “well that was a waste of money… we have all of those issues covered!” I then placed it under a few more trendy titles that appealed to the eye and were not as hard hitting.

Much to my dismay, a year later and I picked the book up for a quick browse and I can easily identify areas that we have slipped, or sinned if you will. In virtually all seven areas that the book has addressed, we have room for improvement to some degree. Of course I don’t feel we have completely missed the mark or failed in any certain area, but sin is sin and sometimes you just need to deal with it.

So here is a running list of the “Seven Deadly Sins” we will address over the next 7 weeks for which you can subscribe for updates on or just tune in Monday’s for the next area to be addressed.

• Unclear Ministry Objectives
• Lack of Point Leadership
• Poor Coaching Structures
• Neglect of Ongoing Leadership Development
• Closed Group Mind-Set
• Narrow Definition of a Small Group
• Neglect of the Assimilation Process

Simple Group...

2009-05-07T11:25:00.003-05:00

Ok, so it is May and another one of the busy months is here again. So busy in fact, you may not even get around to reading this blog until June! With such busy schedules taking place in our lives, it is very easy for us to skip out on our small group for various reasons. One that seems common to leaders is the amount of prep time involved with loaded or cumbersome curriculums.

The Twitter Twibes mentioned last week led me to a post by AlanDanielson.tv and he had a great recommendation for “The Simplest Curriculum Ever” on his blog. Basically it is an idea handed down to him from the mission field where curriculum may just not be practical or affordable in certain circumstances. The best part is that all you need for the study is a Bible.

Just read a passage of Scripture together and then ask these questions?

What did you like about the passage?
What did you NOT like about the passage?
What did you not understand in the passage?
What did you learn about God in the passage?
What are you going to do with what you learned?

So if you are looking to keep it simple heading into the summer months this should be a great start that will be easy and rewarding for all involved.

Twitter, tweet, twibe...

2009-04-30T15:13:00.003-05:00

Twitter, tweet, twibe... Wow, try saying that three times fast! We have covered alot of the various digital small group communication tools on here a few times, but a new element to Twitter has just surfaced recently. Twibe has a unique twist in that it can create a virtual tweet or message board based on key words.

Anytime your tweets contain certain key words, it will be shown in the Twibe you belong to. As an example, I have joined a "Small Groups" Twibe, so anytime my tweets or anyone else that has joined has one with that string, everyone else will be able to see it, thus creating a virtual small group community on Twitter. Just think of the possibilities!

Click here to goto the Small Groups Twibe

Building Better Groups...

2009-04-15T14:39:00.006-05:00

Small Group members are just as important to the success of a small group as good leadership. Here are a few areas small group members can strive to build their participation level in:

• Come with an expectant attitude, willing to learn from others that you participate in group with.
• Practice sensitivity to how others may feel about the things they are talking about in your group.
• Become honest and transparent about yourself and your thinking for expectations of change and growth.
• Encourage and pray for others in their various ministries and roles from week to week.
• Accept encouragement from others and share your success and failures with others in the group.

By simply putting these areas into practice with your participation efforts, you may start to see dramatic differences in the depth of community within your small group.

Staying Connected... Part 2

2009-04-09T16:07:00.003-05:00

What would a perfect mission field look like? Mark Stephenson, in his book Web-Empower Your Church, suggests eight characteristics of a ‘perfect mission field’. Then he shows how the Web fulfills each of them!

Also, people relate differently online than they do in face-to-face interactions. Although online communication can be fleeting and ephemeral, people are often much less inhibited to share their inner feelings and needs in this relatively anonymous online environment. This has been called The Online Disinhibition Effect by John Buler in his book The Psychology of Cyberspace.

So by now you may be either thinking this blog post to be full of name dropping and references, or just a clever reminder to set up a Facebook group to encourage your small group (see the “Staying Connected” post from Feb. ‘09), which in either case you would be right. Join the revolution today!

Use internetevangelismday.com/blog/ as a great source.

Yes, we are deserving...

2009-03-27T19:44:00.004-05:00

As a small group leader, do you feel we are we producing the groups we deserve? I ask this, as I often wonder how long people retain the knowledge and truth that we as leaders share with them. Certainly, if there has been an investment in someone’s life that would make a significant difference, you would tend to think that Satan would quickly come to sift away that truth from their life.

Luke 22: 31-32 Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.

God does set a line or hedge of protection around His people to protect them from Satan’s attacks, but this does not mean that we will not experience temptation or spiritual attacks. Of course the enemy cannot go beyond what God allows or what people themselves allow into their lives. This protection should not be taken for granted, since this hedge actually grows through prayer and a life devoted to a relationship with God through His Son Jesus.

Leaders are the key to the spiritual vitality of a small group. Just as Jesus prayed for Simon, that his faith would not fail, we too should be praying for those we are given to invest in, that their faith would not fail. As Pastor of small groups at Tiffany Fellowship Church, I want to invite you to our Sunday night prayer service that I may join you in praying for that hedge of protection to grow in your life and in the life of your small group members.

Of course we can intercede for each other at anytime and God will hear our petitions, though I feel we would all benefit from the encouragement of a group setting as we raise our voices in unity to God. Come join us this Sunday, March 29th at 6:00pm.

TwentyFour...

2009-03-23T12:25:00.003-05:00

No not the hit TV show, remember we are all about Just Groups here! Most recently I have begun to take a more active approach of really getting to know people and taking notes on the personal interests of those that I am friends with on Facebook. In this process I have started to make a few recommendations to some of these people and help them get connected in view of the like interests offered through the small groups at Tiffany Fellowship Church.

Based on a few of the recommendations I made, quite a few people were shocked to learn how much we really had to offer! It was at that point that I realized that people may not really be taking advantage of all the great things a small group community has to offer. So I want to take this opportunity to encourage you to connect with the 24 small groups we have to offer spread across the four different styles of groups.

You can stop by our small group connection center in the foyer of the church or go to tiffanyfellowship.org to see all that we have to offer... I think you may be surprised as well. Also, if you are already plugged into a group, try sharing the great things going on in your group with others that may still yet be searching.

Diversions are great...

2009-03-20T08:20:00.001-05:00

Sometimes there is just nothing better than hanging out with old or new friends and enjoying life together. That is what Diversion style groups are all about at Tiffany Fellowship Church and our latest group to jump in and have fun is called “the Guest Chef”. This group will meet on a regular basis and designate a different chef each time that can choose a unique menu item for everyone to prepare together; fun, food, and fellowship.

Be sure to stop by the tiffanyfellowship.org website and see the full listing of Diversion style groups that we have available so you can get connected. We are also starting new groups all the time, so be sure to check back often for additional listings. Remember, Diversion groups are a great way to meet new people or invite friends to enjoy like interests or activities in group style.

Connectivity...

2009-03-19T11:07:00.002-05:00

We know the importance of staying connected to the Vine as illustrated for us by Jesus in the passage of John 15:1-13. It is also very important as a body of believers and participants of a small group community to stay connected with and encourage one another, Romans 12:10-12.

If you would, take a moment and participate in our poll listed in the sidebar of the blog. The poll is totally anonymous and only the overall results are shown. We will add the results to this post after closing. Thanks for participating and remember to stay connected.

2009-03-10T11:52:00.001-05:00

This past week we kicked off Connection Sunday at Tiffany Fellowship Church and launched three new styles of small groups in addition to the already great discipleship groups we have had in place over the past year. We felt that the new styles of additional groups, (education, achievement, and diversion groups) would help expand an already great program to offer even more great fellowship and community.

Diversion groups are a great way to meet new people and enjoy like interests or activities in group style. Basically these types of groups gather around like interests and enjoy fellowship, all the while being able to invite others from outside the church to participate.

This idea proved itself to be a great plan as we had people attend our motorcycle group ride that are not currently plugged in with a church or normal group activity such like this. We are looking forward to more great fellowship and neat opportunities through this style of group. So come and get connected at Tiffany Fellowship Church.

Staying Connected...

2009-02-23T11:59:00.004-06:00

Is your small group staying connected between meetings and experiencing life change from the materials you are studying? Thinking back to the Thriving as a Small Group Leader conference, we mentioned how it's possible to stay connected between meetings by the use of social media.

If you and your group members have set up a Facebook profile, you can start a group for members to join and continue your discussion via a wall or message thread format. This allows you to challenge your members to spiritual growth, remind them of any homework, and bring relevance to the materials you are studying. Here are a few simple tips for setting up your group.

How to name your group and keep our program consistent in the search network:

Tiffany Fellowship Church – Small Groups – “the name of your group”

Setting up the access permission for your groups:

• Open - Anyone can join and invite others to join, so this choice may not be best since it will lead to many people joining your group that are not in regular attendance of your group.
• Closed - Leaders must approve requests for new members to join. Your group will show up in search listings and will be easiest for new members to find on Facebook.
• Secret - The invitation is by the leaders only and the group will not appear in search results or in the profiles of the members that have joined.

The rest of the default settings for Facebook groups should work well for you. Enjoy keeping your group connected!

Growth Planning...

2009-02-09T15:31:00.001-06:00

As many of you know we are fast approaching our one year anniversary for small groups at Tiffany Fellowship and we want to celebrate all of the great things God has done in this ministry. It is our desire to bring awareness to small groups and give everyone that calls Tiffany Fellowship home, along with visitors, the opportunity to experience the benefits of small group community.

At this time we do not have an abundance of additional leaders or home host’s waiting in the wings and want to stress the importance of developing an assistant for future growth by the multiplying of groups. Along with this, we will also be encouraging church attendance to embrace and sign up to becoming a leader or home host for the small group ministry.

When we begin to highlight small groups at Tiffany Fellowship, it would only be natural to expect interest from visitors and the possibilities of some growing pains along the way to expansion. We hope current plans will quickly help us overcome any initial growing pains that we may experience, but it may be beneficial to start planning for any influx in guests with your home host now.

On Sunday, March 8th we will launch the new small groups guide, promotion cards, and information center. If you have any great testimonies of how God is showing up in your small group, please make contact with us this week so we can begin looking at ways to creatively share this with others. Currently we are looking into and would like to consider your ideas for things such as short dramas and interview style testimonies.

Remember, we at Tiffany Fellowship are called to be a church of Connections and we should gladly come expecting God to empower and equip us to do many great things for His glory!

Ministry Adoption...

2009-02-06T20:51:00.003-06:00

I just love it when the Lord drops a ministry burden into someone’s heart and they act upon it and then begin to share the idea with others. My friend Tisha Louthain had a road trip moment the other day when the Lord started speaking a really neat idea into her heart. Ministry adoption!

That’s right, pick a ministry in the church and adopt it as a prayer burden. One of the examples could be having your small group pick up a prayer burden for our Junior Bible Quiz team. This could entail something as simple as prayer journaling the names of the leaders and kids involved and then asking God to enrich their lives with the Scripture they study.

This great idea could even be expanded to include following up and journaling specific prayer needs with the ministry you've chosen, or even writing letters of encouragement to them. I hope you and your group will consider this and other similar ideas, also feel free to share the creative ideas the Lord drops in your heart.

Identifying Brokenness…

2009-02-02T15:49:00.002-06:00

The final main session speaker of the ’08 Willow Creek Group Life Conference, Miles McPherson delivered a very inspirational challenge to identify the brokenness and tears of our group and then reach out to your local community in kind. I was so greatly inspired by this message that I felt it very important to share with all of our small groups. We now have this 40 minute DVD available in our small group library if you have interest in showing it at one of your group sessions. The link below will give you a feel for this message and perhaps those that have seen this video can leave comment to their experience.

Miles McPherson, Group Life Conference 2008

Let Me Be Frank With You...

2009-01-31T08:24:00.005-06:00

The title of this post is actually the name of a blog that I like to frequent and is written by Frank Chiapperino. In the post we have linked to, he writes of some great reminders on how to handle those times when your small group becomes a really small group! Enjoy the readings, tips, and applications you find for your small group.

Click here to visit Let Me Be Frank With You

Training Groups to be Groups…

2009-01-26T16:15:00.003-06:00

Re-Group is a great DVD series that is available to train groups to be groups. Re-group is sometimes described as on the job training or you could even think of it as a way of taking your group to the next level. Check out the preview and if you feel your group would be interested, you can check out our copy here at the church then schedule your group to take the Re-Group challenge.

Click here for a Re-Group preview video

Asking Questions Like Jesus Did…

2009-01-20T12:09:00.004-06:00

In part 2, let us look at the aspect of gathering feedback from our group participants in order to gauge their level of participation and comprehension of the topic and study. In Mark 8:23, while healing a man of blindness, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" We can ask the same kind of question throughout any teaching process. A question such as "Do you understand what we're studying?" can reveal the level of comprehension and may help lead a group member to a new and fresh understanding in your study. Often times we can miss that... Aha moment that we should be experiencing, as we often assume everyone understands.

Asking Questions Like Jesus Did…

2009-01-19T12:05:00.001-06:00

In following the pattern of our “Thriving as a Small Group Leader” conference, we know that we should formulate our group questions in a way that will bring about both a personal aspect and an interactive approach which will help lead to growth. According to a lesson by Dave Arch at LifeTogether.com; “Jesus consistently used questions to produce change and growth. In the eighth chapter of the Book of Mark, he used eight different types of questions.” So let us look at a few of these examples to keep this question format fresh in our minds.

Toward the conclusion of Mark 8, Jesus used two increasingly personal questions to lead his followers into personal application. He began with a more general question—"Who do people say I am?" (Mark 8:27)—before leading into the directly personal question—"Who do you say I am?" (Mark 8:29). When we want to move our group to application, a good approach is to ask, "What are some ways we could?" before transitioning to "What are some ways you could?"

Check back tomorrow for Part 2

Thrive Again...

2009-01-18T08:45:00.002-06:00

Due to the great response we had for the information shared at the “Thriving As A Small Group Leader” conference, we would like to offer a video viewing makeup session with work booklets. This event will take place this Wednesday, Jan. 21st, at 7:00pm in the conference room. If you are interested in attending this event, please send your RSVP to me with your number of participants.

pastorwarren@tiffanyfellowship.org

Time to Thrive

2009-01-07T15:11:00.004-06:00

Small Groups Leadership

Thriving as a Small Group Leader

Friday, Jan. 16th, 6:30 – 9:00 pm, Tiffany Fellowship Church

Are you ready to break through and discover what really works in small group leadership? Come and be encouraged with fun and interactive topics such as: Discovering How Jesus Led Others, The Keys to Preparing Well, Investigating Unique Case Studies, and Building Your Toolbox. Let us plan and commit to strategies for success in 2009, along with exploring the great opportunities that are available for your group. We will be providing food and workbooks for all that are in attendance, so please email us with your numbers. All Facilitators, Assistants, and Coaches are encouraged to attend.

Celebrating Tiffany Groups '08

2008-12-30T10:17:00.002-06:00

It is always good to count the fruit God has produced in the ministries we enjoy and reflect on the success He gives when we follow His plan. This year of small groups at Tiffany Fellowship Church has seen quite a few great successes that on the surface may seem fairly ordinary, but can often be hard to achieve in group life and are hurdles that are not negotiated well in many startup efforts. Here is a brief list of the outstanding achievements…

• Group Life – The formation of a group does not always equal community, but most if not all of our groups have created genuine relationships within each circle, equaling abundant life.

• Group Care – The community created has led to concern for one another and a desire to give support to each other within each group and beyond to our surrounding neighbors.

• Group Prayer – As relationships have developed and grown, our desire to seek God together has brought about many victories in our prayer journals and built faith in abundance.

• Group Growth – By sharing studies that challenge growth in our walk together, a few have been inspired to step out and lead groups of their own, negotiating the multiplication hurdle.

• Group Stability – Though some members have needed to move on, others in the group have remained dedicated to share and accept new relationships with others and grow once again.

A hearty Thank You goes out to all that have helped make our small groups great! These are but a few areas we have excelled in and you are invited to add your own group comments to this post and celebrate a year of small group life at Tiffany Fellowship Church.

Christmas is Here...

2008-12-18T14:05:00.003-06:00

For 25 families in the Park Hill school district, Christmas has come early. Today we had the honor of delivering the Food for Families meals to Prairie Point Elementary. With the help of generous donations from our small groups, these families will get to enjoy their Christmas dinner right on time. Also, because of your outstanding giving, we were also able to include a DVD of The Nativity Story and the Case for Christmas book. May the Lord bless you for all you have done during this time and let us remember to ask for His continual blessing on these families.

Food for Families

2008-12-03T14:17:00.005-06:00

With the help of Park Hill area social workers, Tiffany Fellowship Church will be adopting 25 families in the school district to provide Christmas meal boxes for. Our small groups will be helping collect non-perishable food items for these meal boxes, so please check with a small group leader to see what you can donate. You can connect with these leaders through our small groups guide available at guest services. We are also requesting your financial help with the cost of Christmas Ham’s that will be included in the meal boxes, so please place your generous donations in an offering envelope and mark as “Food for Families”.

Here is the menu we have put together for the meal boxes with items that you can help donate:

• 5 canned vegetables (corn, green beans, etc)
• 2 canned fruit (mixed fruit, cranberry, etc)
• 2 box dinners (mac & cheese, rice, stuffing)
• 2 desert items (brownie mix, jello, pudding)
• 1 package of napkins

Donated fresh bread or rolls and a Christmas Ham will be added to the box on delivery day. Please contact us if you would like to help deliver the meals on Dec. 18th.

Road Trip - Part 2

2008-11-29T11:40:00.003-06:00

I found another unique place to have a small group meeting in our local community. The new lobby of the Grove Building in Zona Rosa is now complete and ready for use. The new redesign is quite striking and has a great layout with very comfortable furniture and a scenic fireplace for our upcoming cold evenings.

Some of the other great features about this location is that it is kid friendly with the all new play area that is centrally located and will make it easy to keep an eye on your children while you enjoy the company of your group. There is also a food vendor by the entrance to grab a snack and drink from with reasonable prices.

So consider this location and the many other great ideas mentioned earlier in Part 1 of the Road Trip and feel free to share your favorite locations as well.

Thanksgiving - At His Feet

2008-11-26T11:35:00.002-06:00

Throughout this week I have been reflecting upon the main text we studied Sunday found in Luke 17 and the healing of the lepers. It was quite stirring to think that only one of the ten returned to Jesus and gave thanks after showing themselves to the priests. Not only did the lone Samaritan return to give thanks, but he “threw himself at Jesus’ feet”!

This throwing of oneself at the feet of Jesus is what I keep reflecting on the most. A thankfulness that goes beyond an acknowledgement with our lips or prayers of thanks, but a total abandonment of our being to Him that saved us by His grace. The artwork that is depicted here by Anthony Novak reveals just a glimpse of how that gratitude can be illustrated visually.

Are we thankful at this level for small groups? Some may think that is a little deep, though I do know of so many people that were truly starving for a more unique relationship with others before we started small groups. Not that there were not friendships, but there was this unfulfilled need to get even closer to Christ with the help of others that had like desires. Now we see more than just groups happening… a genuine community has developed that cares for, prays for, and desires a deeper walk for everyone involved.

So yes, I am that thankful that we are more than just friends in the foyer on a Sunday morning. I throw myself at the feet of Jesus and thank Him for all of the relationships that continue to grow by His plan, both among us and with Him. Happy Thanksgiving and know that your comments and thoughts are appreciated.

Road Trip

2008-11-19T15:09:00.020-06:00

As the saying goes, “time to take this show on the road.” Ok so I tried to find out where the saying originated, but to no avail. In any case, I’ve been taking note that many of the new emergent churches are meeting in some pretty creative places these days, which got me thinking, “why not small groups?” You could grab your group’s prayer journals, study guides, and bible and then meet up at some fairly interesting places and really impact this world! Here are my top five picks for unique places a small group could meet.

#1 – Once in a while a good restaurant is always in order as long as the seating arrangements and acoustics are adequate. My top pick would have to be Buca di Beppo’s for the family style dining and seating to accomodate almost any size small group that you have… pasta anyone?

#2 – If you are not really up for a meal but still want a snack and a beverage, consider your favorite coffee house for getting down to business. My pick in this category would be Caribou Coffee, but just try not to order a Grande… that’s the other shop down the street!

#3 – So in case you are looking for something with higher ceilings, perhaps the group could consider Union Station. There are several open seating areas, shops to get a beverage or snack, and good Kansas City ambiance to set the tone for getting real in your group’s devotional.

#4 – In case you are looking for something with information resources, your group can search the Christian section at your favorite book store then head to the large seating areas to discuss your finds and life application. The B&N has a great seating area on the second floor!

#5 – With the decline of shopping malls since street shop districts have become the latest trend, there is a great open seating area in Metro North Mall. It is just waiting for someone to love it once again… so grab some popcorn and a drink then let the group begin!

Go ahead... click the comment link and list your top five.

Multiplicity

2008-11-17T11:24:00.004-06:00

A good title for a strange movie and not such a bad idea for evaluating small groups! I recently read an article by small group guru Mark Howell that talked about the efficiency or lack thereof in using the group assistant model in expanding and growing groups. He identified the fact that even though we have good intentions and actually identify the assistant or apprentice, do they actually ever leave the nest? In his experience, Mark mentions that most assistants will gladly lead the group when the leader is on vacation, but they rarely take the leap and go on to lead their own group.

This had me asking the tough questions; first, are we identifying assistants, and second if we have, do they really plan to start their own groups when they feel comfortable in their abilities? I know we have had one group follow the model with the best of intentions, but end up not finding a host and now we face being creative in finding a meeting location, which may actually be a good thing. I know I for one would enjoy having small group in a coffee house! Still yet, another group has successfully multiplied and both of those groups have remained healthy, which allowed more people of the church to get connected.

Obviously, the ultimate goal is to get a larger percentage of the unconnected people in our congregation plugged into groups, and our current assistant model should be producing leaders to start new groups. With that, we have a few questions to answer… Can we afford to develop leaders through the assistant model fast enough to keep up with future growth demand and if so are you taking active steps with your assistant? Let’s take some time here and measure our results by leaving comments on this topic for the next few days.

How People Learn

2008-11-13T14:22:00.000-06:00

The primary focus of a small group is to encourage spiritual formation and Christ-like growth through community, so understanding how people learn can be a key factor in leading people to greater spiritual growth. To help your group attain a more effective growth atmosphere, here are three things you should know about how people learn.

Motivation to Learn – It seems most adults seek out learning experiences in order to cope with specific life-changing events such as, marriage, a new job, a promotion, lose of income, retiring, losing a loved one, moving to a new city. With this, the more life change events an adult encounters, the more likely he or she is to seek out learning opportunities. Just as stress increases as life-change events accumulate, the motivation to cope with change through engagement in a learning experience increases. This is why we encourage ice-breaker questions at the beginning of small group meetings. You can us this as a means of gauging your group’s motivation to learn and finding how many life change events are taking place.
Curriculum Design - Adult learners tend to be less interested in and enthused by survey courses. They tend to prefer single topic courses that focus heavily on the application of the concept to relevant problems. Programs need to be designed to accept viewpoints from people in different life stages and with different value sets. A concept needs to be anchored or explained from more than one value set and appeal to more than one developmental life stage. The concept of multi-generations and stages becomes one of our greatest challenges in keeping our small group topics relevant and whereby leaders should be evaluating spiritual maturity of group members on an ongoing basis to evaluate future direction.
Learning Environment - The learning environment must be physically, mentally, and spiritually comfortable. The home setting seems to create the ideal environment for comfort with group members that are already familiar and have current relationships with others. As well, areas outside the church tend to yield an environment that allows group members to bring a great deal of life experience into the learning and growth equation when they feel comfortable and at ease. A group that is just starting out may want to choose a coffee house or restaurant setting as common ground to break the ice and develop relationships.

These points were developed from writings found in an article entitled Innovation Abstracts, By Ron and Susan Zemke.

Group Outreach Ideas

2008-11-11T10:03:00.000-06:00

Many of our small groups have commented lately on how they have a desire to be involved in various outreach projects to our community. My first and foremost comment would be to say “That is Awesome!” It seems as though we are really coming full circle and accomplishing so many great things in our Tiffany Groups – small group ministry. You should be excited for your part in helping create a community that cares for others.

Here are a few suggestions for your group outreach involvement. May we suggest that we not reinvent the wheel when it comes to giving assistance. As you may know, we have some good offerings operating in our local community already, so it would be a great idea for your group to adopt a well functioning cause and help collect items they may need. We maintain a list of assistance programs in our area from clothing closets, to food pantries, and various counseling centers that you can contact and offer your support to.

Also, you should consider getting the local community involved by requesting them to help in your efforts. They can easily be reached by a simple flyer being placed in their hand or in the door if they happen to be gone when you call on them. This could also be a means of inviting neighbors into your group or even open the possibility of becoming aware of needs in your own community. Here is a sample of how a handout might read.

Hi my name is… and I participate in a small group at Tiffany Fellowship Church. We are collecting… for the local… We would love for you to be able to participate in giving with us. If you are willing to help donate any of the items, we will be picking them up on… Just give me a call and our group will be glad to come by to pick them up and deliver them to… during this time of need.

Active Members

2008-11-05T11:45:00.000-06:00

Have you ever read a book that really gets you motivated and challenges you to put something into practice? That current such book for me is “it”, by Craig Groeschel, the lead pastor of Lifechurch.tv Anyway, I am about mid-way through the book and came across an interesting portion that seems very relevant to Just Groups and can help contribute to our success of encouraging one another through this platform.

The particular portion of the book deals with not walking alone and points out the many ways this is revealed in Scripture such as; God telling Adam it isn’t good to be alone, Solomon said two are better than one, and Jesus said that God is present when two or three gather in His name. The author also mentions a quote from Henry Ford, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping it together is progress. Working together is success.” So here are a couple of ways that we can work together on Just Groups or other forms of digital and social media.

First, here at this blog you can stay connected and be part of the process by subscribing to the blog in various ways. You have the option of adding the blog to your favorites and visiting regularly, use one of the many subscription tools such as an RSS reader in your mail client, or set up subscription notifications in Google and Yahoo type navigators. Just select one of the options in the right side bar. This will allow you to keep up with great ideas that are posted, see other peoples comments, and share your own encouraging words with others.

Second, you as leader or group participant can start your own blog for the small group that you are part of. It is as simple as clicking on the “Create Blog” link at the top of the page. If you are more advanced and plugged in to the digital landscape you can even create groups on Facebook and other media platforms. Between the times you meet this would be a great way to keep your small group focused on particular areas that are important in your current devotionals , or even continue that discussion you did not get to finish. Just remember, “Working together is success.”

First Steps

2008-11-03T13:24:00.001-06:00

So we have taken the first step in making our schedule more manageable, or at least that is what the experts have said. You see, my wife Diana and I had the opportunity to attend the ’08 Group Life Conference at Willow Creek recently, and our minds were so blown away with the quantity and quality of information that we acted like deer in the headlights for the following week just trying to figure out how to process it all. We knew we were in for an information rich experience as we were greatly impacted by the quality of information in just the pre-conference experience alone, not to mention all of the top notch speakers lined up for the main sessions.

So back to the more manageable schedule… Social Media; blogs, webinars, Facebook, Twitter, and similar platforms were touted as helping us accomplish some of the tasks that we as leaders find it so difficult to bring our schedules together on. Here at Tiffany Fellowship Church we have twelve small groups, which for the most part we find is fairly manageable, but as we grow and expand our groups and congregational base, then keeping in touch with the team could become a daunting task. Imagine trying to touch base with over one hundred groups as some larger churches regularly do.

Obviously social media and custom tailored platforms such as Unifyer and CircleBuilder become useful technology to address a large number of connection issues that are experienced in church related programs. At the same time, there has to be a want for involvement by those on the team to embrace the technology for the potential that it can provide in the challenge areas. Essentially, social media can reinforce what is already established. Ultimately these platforms must be seen as an assisting tool and not an answer to fundamental or program flaws.

Now we find ourselves here looking at our small platform piece called the Just Groups blog. Are you intrigued by the potential for connection and communication that it brings, or staggered by the thought of one more piece of digital media to fit into your already busy schedule? I feel that as we develop this tool and apply it to our already great small group structure, we will begin to see it as an integral part of our process and really benefit from what it has to offer.

What's in a Name

2008-10-31T11:43:00.000-05:00

Ok, so why “Just Groups”? Well, it is a reminder really. It seems as though some blogs or other media posting formats that we follow in this digital landscape can go all over the place and quickly lose their focus. So the title is just a reminder for us to… Dance with the one that brung you, so to speak.

At this point, may I be so bold as to say, “Small Groups is something we do well at Tiffany Fellowship Church”. Then again, the true essence of small groups is relationship and that is what God designed us for anyway right? So by all rights, everyone should be able to do small groups well!

As we all know, not all relationships go well, all of the time. They take effort from everyone involved to stay connected, keep the line of communication open, and remain steadfast to see it bear fruit. Great relationships are also flexible, open to change, and are willing to evolve as we are impacted by others.

It should also be noted that our human efforts and the group structure we have applied to our current culture can only take us so far. A successful model of group life was laid out for us in Scripture when Jesus met with and invested in His disciples, then the Holy Spirit helped shape the early Church through those that remained faithful. In this, we must be ever mindful that our modern day model must serve the people in relationship, spiritual growth, and love, and not just having the people serving another program.

So let’s take the potential that Just Groups provides and point each other to the ongoing joy that can be found in becoming more Christ-like in our daily lives. As we enjoy relationship with other believers, let us do this with all of our hearts, and be aware of the great avenue we have to bring others into the same saving grace knowledge of Jesus in the community we enjoy.