Serving is the Seed to Growing

It has been said that the unchurched don’t care about what Christians know until they know that Christians care.

“In fact, when the Barna Research Group did a survey involving 152 separate items comparing the general population with those who called themselves Christians, they found virtually no difference between the two groups. They found no difference in the attitudes of Christians and non-Christians, and they found no difference in the actions of Christians and non-Christians.” Quoted from The Big Idea by Dave Ferguson I personally find this disturbing, very disturbing.

I have the opportunity to speak with many groups about their serving experiences. When a group first starts out in their serving journey there is always a similar question amongst the group members about how to connect with those that they are serving. For example, when a group goes to a soup kitchen for their first time they always ask, “How do I sit down and start conversation with the people there?” A very fair question indeed. After all, on the surface you have nothing in common. You can’t really discuss the latest addition you are building on your home. Talking about your sweet new ride will probably not go over well. Going on about the latest fashions or the newest techy gadgets takes the conversation nowhere. Ah, talking about Jesus is the answer, right? NO. And yes. For the ‘yes’ you will want to totally rely on God to guide you. If he says go, you should go. Keep in mind that I am in no way suggesting that you compromise your beliefs or faith in conversation but be sensitive to His lead. However, in general you may find huge walls built when you try to strike up a casual conversation. I am here to tell you that it takes time invested to break through those walls.

WARNING: If you are not ready to stretch yourself, read no further!!!!

Here is why they have walls; There are hundreds of people that come through soup kitchens doing their serve time, getting their serving fix so they can feel good about themselves. Admit it, we have all been there. “Yes, I go down to the community center and feed the homeless every Thanksgiving.” Kudos to you. It is a good thing the homeless only need to eat once a year. People on the margins of society are still people. They understand when they are being used to help you with your personal self sustaining agenda. They have been burned, hurt, stabbed in the back, and physically/mentally spit upon. When they start to see you and your group showing up on a regular basis that is when they really start to see Jesus. This is when they know that your hearts’ passions are to reach them and not to use them.

One time serving experiences will definitely give you a glimpse of God's grace—the grace He has extended to you, and the grace you need to extend to people. Ultimately, serving others is not just a one-shot deal, but a way of living each day. We also need to remember the situations that aren't planned though … going up to someone and filling their need instantly—whether that be giving a water bottle to a homeless person or even talking to the person you don't want to talk to. This is a bigger challenge and is an important facet of what Jesus teaches us about serving.

The ultimate success of a church should never be that sanctuary seats are filled, services are orderly or that the sermon packs power. God measures our impact on this world based on our faithfulness to His directives, our obedience to His promptings, and sensitivity to His Spirit. We can’t just listen to the Word, we have got to do what it says.

We have to make service a lifestyle.

The Healthy Transition of Spiritual Multiplication: When and Why?

Many of us shutter at the thought of our group splitting up to start other groups. We don’t even want to think about the people we love leaving our group to go start another. What a preposterous idea that is!! Who thought that was a good idea in the first place?

Most of you have or are experiencing the life changing growth that comes from the relational community found in thrive Groups. This is why it is vital to help as many people as we can find this same place in their journey with Jesus.

“When?” is the big question that often answers “Why?” as well. I would not encourage you to simply state that your group will split after a certain period of time like 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, etc. I would say that what you should frequently look at is the health of your group. Ask yourselves if your coming together is still bringing spiritual growth to the people in the group. Is your group finding ways to serve; becoming more like Christ? Are you building into one another through your relationships? If these three things are not still taking place, you may want to consider the group’s next step. Maybe it is time for some to start another group. Maybe it is time to mix things up a bit and do something different that will promote the spiritual growth that group life should bring about.

Just an FYI. I would not be so concerned about building more groups as I would be about helping to build healthy groups. I believe that if your group is truly seeking God’s plan then you will know when the right time to multiply is. It should be a healthy transition, not a forced change. It is healthy to talk about this with your group so that when the time does come, you will all have an understanding that moving on is nothing personal between the members of your group. It is simply time grow on to the next place that God has for you.

So who thought this multiplying thing was a good idea in the first place? Honestly, it was an amazing guy name Jesus Christ that suggested the idea of us multiplying. I, personally, am pretty happy that the disciples listened. I mean, think about it. What if “the 12” decided to keep their faith to themselves? What if every pocket of people Jesus ministered to kept their faith to themselves?

“We Don’t Need an Apprentice, Our Group is Staying Together For Life”

As a group, your purpose is to nurture one anothers’ spiritual health. When you love and nurture the spiritual health of your group partners, they will do the same for you.

It’s important to begin with the end in mind, and the end goal is creating healthy groups that produce healthy spiritual lives. This often demands that the group leader ‘partner’ with another member or members, supporting one another in the leadership role and in their personal jouneys with the Lord.

This can be a big job at times. This is where the importance of having an apprentice comes in. When I say “apprentice”, some of you get real uncomfortable because you hear things like splitting and breaking up your group. These things come to mind for good reason. However, let me redefine what “apprentice” might mean to you right now. The apprentice is the leader's partner. They are the ones that could take over the group when the group leader feels called to lead elsewhere (notice I did not say they were certainly leaving). What happens when the group leader goes on vacation or on a business trip? Does the meeting get cancelled or rearranged because the group is so reliant on them that it would fall apart if it were not for their presence at every function?

An apprentice may be or may not be the future leader of another group that births from your current one. For the moment, consider them a leadership partner.

Finding Your Place as a Misfit

Have you ever been in a meeting with your peers and felt very much "alone" in the room?

I have often found myself sitting around a big shiny table, lined with executive seating, charts in the corners, and coffee and donuts to the side. As I sit there and look around at my colleagues I wonder if all of this is right. Should I be here? Or rather, "What if they find out?" is the real question that comes to mind. What if they find out who I really am or who I am not?

I have been blessed to work with some amazing companies as well as ministry positions in my time. It seems that I am always invited to be a part of these teams that discuss major plans, projects, situations, and issues. As I look around the table at these teams I see people that are very knowledgeable and experienced. I can't wait to learn from these folks because I am not sure why I am even there. After all, what is it that I can contribute to a discussion with people of their caliber?

I talk to people, on a regular basis, about leading thrive Groups . One of the frequent objections to taking on this role is that the person does not feel that they are capable of doing the job. They say that although it is something that has been on their heart, they cannot teach and they do not know the bible well enough. In many ways this is good and you are exactly who God wants to be in this role. For one, I know that you will rely completely on the Holy Spirit to guide you in leading your group. You can't ask for better than that when it comes to direction. If this is you, accountability partners will be essential in your life. No one can ask for a better lifestyle for a leader.

It took me a while but I eventually accepted that God puts me where He can use me and the best part; He won't leave me hanging. Do people seek my ideas and views because I have vast stores of knowledge? No. I am simply a willing vessel for God to use and when one is willing He will give you the tools to do the job. Do I fall because of my lack of experience. Well, maybe. Actually, "Yes!" is a more appropriate answer. However, when you are willing to step out of your little box for God, He will help you get back up and show you how to learn from your fall.

So often we find ourselves not fitting in or feeling that we are not qualified for the place God is calling us to. Just yesterday I saw a saying posted on a church sign that read: "God does not call the qualified but qualifies the called." This is a saying that I think we, as leaders in His Kingdom, can embrace.

Follow the calling on your life and just remember to take the time to pray everyday. After all, how do expect God to share cool ideas with you if you are not talking with Him. There is a good chance you won't get an email, text message, or phone call from Him. I am pretty sure He really does prefer a good old-fashioned chat.