ARCHIVES
May 2010
05.28.10
Overlooked Small Group Essentials IV... The Importance of Being on Mission Together
Few things bond a group more than being on mission together. The dreaming of it, the planning of it, the accomplishment of it, and the celebration of it bonds group members like few other experiences. I would suggest that your group do one of the following (even better, dream up ideas of your own) at least three times a year.
- Find a single parent in your neighborhood and spend a day grooming the yard, cleaning the house, baby-sitting the kids, changing the oil in the car, and pay for and send the single mom for a manicure and pedicure. Let them be pampered while you’re group is being Christ to them.
- Find a local ministry that serves the poor, spend a Saturday working with and for that ministry.
- If you are close to a major city, take sack lunches and drinks to the homeless. Sit down and eat with them if possible. This will only take a few hours and will be life-changing for many of your group members.
- Go on a mission trip together. Nothing will bond your group more than five to seven days serving another people in another culture together.
As you go be sure you tell the individuals you are serving that you are there because you’re being Jesus to them. If God opens the door, share the wonderful story of Jesus life, death, resurrection, and transforming power to the individuals you meet. If possible, give each person you meet a Bible.
Your group will grow, your connections with one another will be enhanced, and your respect for another will grow exponentially.
05.27.10
Overlooked Small Group Essentials III... The Importance of Taking into Account Your Group Members Lifestyles
Remember this… Small groups are made up of fellow followers of Christ who do more than just go to gatherings of the church and involvement in whatever your group is doing. Most of them have jobs (and some of them work 60 hours or more per week), some of them have the most exhausting job of all, taking care of kids and a house and meals and paying bills, etc…, others of them have committed themselves to other important organizations like Habitat for Humanity or a local soup kitchen or an organization that helps teenage mothers who are pregnant, etc… a few of them have aged parents they care for or grandchildren they are forced to raise. Bottom line… In today’s culture, many of our group members are pushed and pulled in many, many directions which makes the way we do group something to consider.
If you want to see your group members grow and flourish you may want to consider a few of the following suggestions.:
- Wwhen you sense that most of your group members are overwhelmed, cancel a meeting giving them a night to rest. A few may push back. They may believe it “unholy” to miss “bible study.” Remind them that “sabbathing” is an important aspect of the Christian life.
- If your group is made up of mostly young couples you probably already have childcare in place. When your group needs to rest their minds and just hang out, have your childcare people come to the home where the group meets as they always do, but the adults in the group should just go to supper or bowling or to a movie together. Be sure to alert the person/persons doing childcare that the group is going to be longer than normal then pay them accordingly.
- Do a bible study on the importance of the Sabbath, reminding them and giving them permission to say no to everything one day a week to rest. I assure you… some will say that they just can’t. Ask them to join the experiment with you. Process the experience at the next meeting. If they continue to Sabbath weekly, they will learn to plan to accomplish everything in six days and will find great meaning and fulfillment in following God’s directive. Not only that, they’ll have better attitudes and enjoy life like they may never have before.
- Utilize a new system for doing group. I worked with a church made up of very busy people that utilized the following cycle for doing group. The first week of the month the entire group came together for a normal group meeting. The second week of the month the men did something social (bowling, going to a sports event, etc…) while the wives watched the children in their own homes. The men were expected to invite an unbeliever to join them. The third week of the month the group met for a normal group meeting. The fourth week of the month the women did something social while the men watched the children in their homes. The women were expected to invite an unbeliever to join them. The fifth week of the month everyone came together for a cookout or went out to dinner, etc… and invited the unbelievers they connected with the second or fourth week of the month. This system created more meaningful relationships, elevated and made for more effective evangelism, while continuing to create fully devoted followers of Christ.
Your group members run hard. Be creative and make their lives easier by interrupting their running so they can breathe. I assure you, it will make your group healthier both physically and spiritually.
05.26.10
Overlooked Small Group Essentials II... The Importance of Conversation Between Meetings
The amount of and the substance of conversation that takes place during the small group meeting is directly related to the amount of and the substance of conversation that takes place between meetings. I am asked all the time to teach on the small group meeting. The real question seems to be, “How can our group have a life-changing, biblically-driven, story revealing conversation when our small group gets together?” I always go through a list of well-known, often written about ideas: 1) Be sure to do ice-breakers as they create a conversational environment, 2) Be sure that as group members arrive you greet them well making them feel welcome and converse with them about their day and what is taking place in their lives so that you deal with those surface conversations before the real meeting even begins, 3) you as a leader should model vulnerability and transparency so that the conversation goes past surface discussions into real life, 4) be sure you’re asking open-ended questions that lead to conversation rather than closed-ended questions that shut down the conversation, etc…
But in almost every instance someone says… “I do all of that but my group members still won’t talk.” My next question… “How much do you and your group members communicate between meetings?” And, in almost every instance, there is a revealing silence. I then state, as I did earlier in this blog-post… “The amount of and the substance of conversation that takes place during the small group meeting is directly related to the amount of and the substance of conversation that takes place between meetings.”
Communicating between meetings can take place in multiple ways. 1) Twitter. If group members are tech savvy, and each group member tweets ongoing, group members will know some of each other’s journey throughout the week. Being aware of life-stuff ongoing helps individuals continually sense some level of connection. 2) E-mail one another. E-mail has become an acceptable and appropriate way to share quick thoughts, ideas, opinions, and to pass on jokes, videos that capture our attention and to communicate prayer requests. In most instances group members will respond in some way. A warning… If your group is made up of 20 somethings or younger they may see e-mail as an old and slow way of communicating with one another. 3) Text messaging… Texting between friends is an amazing way to pass on prayer requests, group member’s opinions about a movie you’re considering seeing, and to just ask another group member how their day has gone. Connection at any level between meetings is better than none at all.
But the best way to make the conversation all it should be when your group gets together is to hear one another’s voices via telephone or even better, face-to-face. Use twitter, e-mail, or texting to let your group know where and when you’re going to be eating dinner out and invite them to join you. Invite group members to your home for a night of Wiii bowling or playing cards of to watch the last episode of Lost. Find ways, and utilize them, to connect with group members between meetings. This will greatly enhance the group experience.
05.25.10
Overlooked Small Group Essentials I... The Importance of Being Hospitable
I just got off a 6:10 a.m. flight from Nashville to Chicago. It’s my estimation that every person on that plane started their day before 4:00 a.m. Much like the people attending your group meeting, the individuals seated throughout that plane were tired and anxious. Every one of those passengers had hurriedly completed tasks, dealt with last minute issues, and hurriedly made their way to an appointment of their choosing.
The stewardess was less than gracious. As we ducked our heads to get onto the small aircraft she turned her head and continued conversation with her co-workers. It was obvious that the individuals she felt imposed upon to impress were the pilot and co-pilot. When asked a question she responded with a blunt and mean-spirited, “I don’t know.” When she asked if someone wanted a drink, eye contact was non-existent and her tone of voice led you to believe that she hoped each individual would make her life easy. And if you’re like me and you work hard to cheer up the disheartened and you make it your mission to get a smile, don’t even think about it. At one point her glare made apparent her discontent with happy people. It was obvious she was either having a bad day or was simply an inhospitable person.
A thought ran through my head… She is the sole representative of this airlines, the sole chance for a good first impression, the one individual who will determine whether or not I choose this airlines again.
When your small group meets or is out together or you’re at weekend worship and you invite someone to consider trying out your group, remember… it’s not the content of your meeting that will determine whether or not they consider joining the group. It’s not the topic that will ultimately keep them coming back to the group experience. It’s not the food that is served that will in the end entice them to make group life part of their own, it’s the hospitality of the group that catches and keeps people coming back to a small group.
By the way… Will the stewardess receive grace from me? Sure. Every individual deserves grace. But I’ll do my best to fly other airlines from now on.
05.24.10
Four Reasons to Cancel Small Groups this Summer
Deciding whether or not to cancel groups in the summer is a hard call to make. Some will be concerned if you do, others if you don’t. Maybe the considerations below will help your church decide.
Your setting, demographic, location, and/or church type may help in this determination.
Setting…- If you are in a very small town where people have little to do and are not involved in long commutes to and from work, etc... breaking may not be necessary. But if your people have long, long days on an ongoing basis, a break will probably be very important.
Demographics... If your church is made up mostly of young families with children involved in summer sports a summer break will be important. The problem here is that a group will often find itself with less than half of her participants in attendance. This is a definite momentum crusher for both the leader and those in the group. Better to not meet than to have meetings that suck the life out of a group.
Location… If you are located way north where nine or so months of the year it's too cold to do outside stuff, a break will almost be a necessity as the people in your church will most likely want to be outside with family the few weeks this is possible. They cherish their summers and need the outside time to build memories for their children and grandchildren.
Church with Small Groups… If your church is a church with many, many programs and small groups are just another option, I would definitely give groups the opportunity to break. Those who are deeply involved in church life are probably involved in church ministries at least two nights and Sundays each week. A break from small group meetings will reinvigorate them allowing them to continue in the ministries they are currently involved in and will make them thankful that the small group ministry realizes their lifestyles and is sensitive to their busy schedules.
Keep this in mind… It is not a sin to set aside group for a season. But if you do this encourage your group members to be at worship weekly, spend time with God alone daily, and be certain their families are involving themselves in spiritual growth expressions (as they should be year round). I would also suggest the group use this time to get to know unbelievers not yet involved in group life. Have couple of cookouts and invite those not yet followers of Christ into the circle of relationship. Go to drive in movie together, pop your own popcorn, park your cars next to one another putting your lawn chairs out together and invite someone who doesn’t yet have a relationship with Jesus. You get the idea. A break from group life may be the key to reinvigorating a tired group and become the opportunity the group has been looking for to meet and influence pre-Christians.
05.19.10
Small Groups... A Journey, not a Destination
Small groups are a journey not a destination. Some individuals will go on a mental, even emotional journey before joining one. They will wrestle with the idea of agreeing to covenant expectations, letting people into their space, being expected to show up each week for a meeting that may or may not be what they imagined, and they will also grapple with the idea that a band of people who make up a group will become their “friends.” They may well believe that they have arrived at the finish line upon arrival at the first meeting. But arrival at the first meeting is the starting line, the first step onto the path that leads toward (not to) transformation. I say “toward (not to) transformation” because transformation is a lifetime undertaking.
Each time your group meets every person there must embrace the fact… they are in process and that arrival will happen at the point of seeing Jesus face-to-face in heaven. The journey this side of heaven will be continually filled with difficulties, disasters, celebrations, confusions, internal wars and external calamities. Healthy groups laugh together, cry together, are confused about life together, and depend on God together. They question and collaborate and induce their own ideas into the Bible study only to find out they were disillusioned.
But this is all part of the journey. This is what makes the journey an adventure. A group of believers trying to arrive at a place of safety and comfort may want to read the gospels and Acts one more time. Oh, and don’t forget the book of Revelation. You’ll find that most of the early Christians found joy in the journey, hope in an eternal future, held desperately to what was to come rather than what was, and helped and comforted the other believers they were doing life with. Journeying, rather than arriving together is what makes the journey bearable, even enjoyable.
A small group journeying together is one of the most fantastic experiences of the human experience.
05.14.10
Personal Discipleship and Small Groups
Time alone with God is what makes a community of believers all she is suppose to be. When individuals spend time with God they not only grow personally in their view of Him, their journey with Him, and their connection to Him, they are better prepared to meet the spiritual needs of one another. Small group members involving themselves in personal discipleship is essential if a group is going to guide one another toward a disciple’s lifestyle.
Personal discipleship demands that each of us be involved consistently in the spiritual disciplines.
The Reader’s Room @ the Water’s Edge gives us these insights from Richard Foster and Dallas Willard… Richard Foster, in his classic book, Celebration of Discipline, uses two metaphors to illustrate the purpose of disciplines: a field and a path.
A farmer is helpless to grow grain; all he can do is provide the right conditions for the growing of grain. He cultivates the ground, he plants the seed, he waters the plants, and then natural forces of the earth take over and up comes the grain. This is the way it is with the Spiritual Disciplines--they are a way of sowing to the Spirit.
The spiritual disciplines are, "a means of receiving God's grace. …[They] allow us to place ourselves before God so he can transform us." He goes on to say, that the spiritual disciplines are like a narrow ridge with a sheer drop-off on either side: there is the abyss of trust in works on one side and the abyss of faith without deeds on the other.
On the ridge there is a path, the disciplines of the spiritual life. …We must always remember that the path does not produce change; it only places us where the change can occur.
The task for us, then is to cultivate our daily lives into fertile ground in which God can bring growth and change. This is what the spiritual disciplines are all about.
Dallas Willard defines a discipline as, "any activity within our power that we engage in to enable us to do what we cannot do by direct effort."
You may be wondering what would be considered a spiritual discipline. In Richard Foster’s, Celebration of Discipline he lists the following:
Inner Disciplines
The Discipline of Meditation
The Discipline of Prayer
The Discipline of Fasting
The Discipline of Study
Outer Disciplines
The Discipline of Simplicity
The Discipline of Solitude
The Discipline of Submission
a valuable but often-abused discipline.
The Discipline of Service
Corporate Disciplines
The Discipline of Confession
The Discipline of Worship
The Discipline of Guidance
The Discipline of Celebration
A great starting point for your group members will be to have a “Quiet Time.” That is a time set aside each day to read and study the Bible, pray, and journal. Suggest that your group members do these things.:
- Choose a place that they will go to each day for their quiet time
- Go to that place at the same time each day
- Purchase a journal for writing down their thoughts, chronicling when God has answered prayer and been at work in their lives, and writing down prayer requests. Suggest that they check the prayer request off when God answers it.
- During their quiet time:
- Spend time praying. Pray about those things that they are passionate about and they should ask God to teach them as they study the bible.
- Spend time reading the Bible and studying it
- Write down your thoughts, struggles, and revelations so that you can look back and see how God has responded and look back and see the growth that has taken place.
05.13.10
Intellectual Discipleship and Small Groups
Intellectual discipleship has gotten some bad press lately. It seems that experience crept up on knowledge and has overtaken it. But without knowledge of God’s character, His willingness to redeem and transform us, His actions and activities throughout history we will miss the growth that He longs for each of us and every small group member to experience. God gave us the Bible so we will know about Him and what He is willing and able to do on our behalf. He gave us this incredible manuscript because it teaches, rebukes, corrects, and trains us in righteousness “so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
Intellectual discipleship is not new to us. It would be impossible to read almost any book in the Bible and conclude that reading, even memorizing, God’s Words found in the Bible is optional. Substantial, life-transforming, game-changing spiritual growth cannot occur without knowing and living God’s Words found in the Bible. It is a necessity. In the Age of Reason intellectual discipleship gained unstoppable momentum. We began to look at Scripture through systematic, studious lenses. Books were produced by many authors explaining and expounding on the Scriptures.
If you’re leading your group members toward maturity you cannot overlook the necessity of guiding them toward personal theological study. Help your group members:
1. Choose a Bible translation that is right for them.
2. Guide them to do three important things as they read for themselves, a) Observe the text. That is determine what the text is saying, b) Interpret the text. Conclude what the text means, c) Apply the text. Determine how the text applies to real life and then employ that teaching into real life.
This can be difficult for some people, especially if they haven’t spent much time in the Scriptures. Below you’ll find a process that will strengthen your group as well as help every individual to learn how to carry out the three step process.:
· Determine together which gospel the group will study. I suggest Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John so that your group is engaged in the inspiring stories of Jesus’ life as well as the opportunity to study His teachings.
· Each week conclude daily readings each group member will involve themselves in. Simply use the title headings found in your Bible to determine what passages create a thought. For instance:
o Monday… Luke 1:1 – 4, The Dedication to Theophilus
o Tuesday… Luke 1: 5 – 24, Gabriel Predicts John’s Birth
o Wednesday… Luke 1: 26 – 38, Gabriel Predicts Jesus’ Birth
o Thursday… Luke 1:39 – 56, Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth and her Song of Praise
o Friday… Luke 1: 47 – 68, The Birth and Naming of John
· Each morning, via e-mail, texting, or twitter communicate with your group members reminding them of this responsibility.
· While studying this book of the Bible ask the group members to write down what they a) Observed, b) Interpreted, c) how they will Apply to life what they’ve learned.
· Choose one day of the daily readings and use it for the discussion at your weekly meeting. If you have them, bring commentaries that the group can go to during the discussion. Ask those who carry study bibles to tell the group what the notes tell us about the passage. If you have wireless internet in your meeting place, ask someone who is tech savvy to go online to a website that has commentaries and share with the group what the commentator states. By doing so you’ll be teaching your group members that, when they don’t understand a difficult to comprehend passage that there are
I assure you, you’ll have some of the most life-transforming conversations you’ve ever experienced and your group members will begin to use this method for their personal study. If you need assistance in creating questions for your Bible study, simply get a Serendipity Bible. There is a Bible study for every passage of Scripture in the Bible in the margins of the Bible.
05.12.10
Experiential Discipleship and Small Groups
Experiential discipleship cannot be overlooked if you are longing to see your small group members become fully devoted followers of Jesus. Beginning in the late fourth century churches constructed buildings, burned incense, and composed church music to be used in large gatherings. The buildings for worship gatherings were constructed to help attendees understand their relationship with Christ. The church recognized fine art including architecture, sculpture and painting. The church calendar was implemented. In fact, the community structured her entire life around the persona and work of Jesus.
What does this have to do with your small group? Your small group may be lacking the symbolism, beauty, and experiences that will take them places they’ve never gone before. A few suggestions:
· When diving into a biblical story go to google.com then to “images.” Do a search for the story you’re studying. You can almost always find a piece of artwork that depicts the biblical, historical event you’re discussing. Enlarge the image and bring it to your small group meeting. Ask the group to speak of the emotions the characters are emoting. Ask them if they think that’s what it was really like, what would their faces and/or body language have been depicting if they were a particular character in the story, etc…
· When possible, take your group into the space that is most reminiscent of the biblical account that is foremost on your minds. For instance, if you are wanting your group to embrace helping the poor, take them to a location where homeless people gather. Prepare sack lunches for the homeless people you meet. Join them for lunch, conversation, and connection.
· Throughout one year your group is meeting utilize the church calendar and guide your group to experience this together. You’ll be surprised at the way this affects the way they view the rhythm of life and how much it helps them make Christ the centerpiece of the human experience. Not only that, you may find out that football, basketball, and baseball seasons are not the most important.
· Sing to God together when your group meets. If no one plays piano or guitar, pick up a worship CD and sing along with it.
· Hymns are overflowing with great doctrine. In fact, the Wesley’s wrote hymnody so that believers would learn and remember right doctrine. When a hymn specifically relates to a passage of Scripture you are studying bring a copy of the hymns lyrics and discuss those thoughts and ideas, maybe even try to climb into the mind of the author of those astounding lyrics.
· Retreat. Get away with your group for a few days for a spiritual retreat. Be sure to include time for personal meditation and journaling, group Bible study/conversations, time together around a campfire (campfires tend to bring out special and open conversations), meals together, and free time. A long hike together will also greatly enhance your relationships with one another.
· Watch a movie together and discuss the spiritual implications. Serendipity by LifeWay has an entire series of studies that create biblical conversations around film scenes. You will want to consider a study from the God + the Arts series.
The list of experiential discipling ideas is as vast as your imagination. Continue to utilize experiences to disciples your group members. Jesus did.
P.S. Please let me know things you have done to use experience to disciple. We’re all in need of new ideas.
05.07.10
When You Have a Fanatic/Barbarian in Your Small Group
I had the opportunity to be part of a short video for an upcoming resource we’re doing with Erwin McManus. The content for the study comes from Erwin’s book, The Barbarian Way. When Erwin describes a barbarian he may as well be using the term fanatic. But who would have read the book if he’d titled it, “The Fanatical Way”? And how did Erwin define a barbarian? “They live their lives with every step moving forward and with every fiber of their being fighting for the heart of their King. Jesus Christ has become the all-consuming passion of their lives. They are not about religion or position. They have little patience for institutions or bureaucracies. Their lack of respect for tradition or ritual makes them seem uncivilized to those who love religion. When asked if they are Christians, their answer may surprisingly be no, they are passionate followers of Jesus Christ.” He goes on to say, “… they’re not about religion; they’re about advancing the revolution Jesus started two thousand years ago.”
Hopefully every group has one fanatic/barbarian in it. You heard me right. Fanatics/Barbarians raise the bar, boost a group’s awareness of her responsibility to the Kingdom, and motivate the rest of us to be willing to live for and if necessary die for the cause.
The Bible is full of fanatics/barbarians. In fact, almost every one of the heroes in the historical accounts in the New Testament (and all of the accounts in the New Testament are reminders of historical events) were fanatics/barbarians. Let’s just name a few… John the Baptist (no doubt about it), the wise men at the birth of Jesus (it’s pretty fanatical when you have enough faith to follow a star. Imagine one of your group members trying to recruit a couple of others in your group to blindly follow a star to find a new born), Jesus’ 12 disciples (can’t argue this one, they wouldn’t shut up about Jesus even when told they’d be killed if they didn’t, they healed the sick and cast out demons, and Peter… when Annanias and Sapphira dropped dead because they kept some of the money for themselves that they got for selling their land Peter didn’t counsel them. He said, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also." (Acts 5:9) Sensitive guy, Peter). How about the everyday believers like you and me, the first century Jesus’ followers sold everything so no one would go without something (“There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. (Acts 4:34b-35). And that Paul guy… This dude walked away from years and years of education to plant churches and live like a pauper. Fanatics/Barbarians and heroes, every one of them. By the way, almost every one of these heroes was murdered because of their passion for Jesus’ and His Kingdom.
Don’t you think one of the reasons God gave us their stories was to raise the bar, boost our awareness of our responsibility to the Kingdom, and motivate the rest of us to be willing to die for the cause? Imagine how much more motivated you would have been to live for Jesus if you’d known these people personally like you do the fanatic/barbarian in your own group.
We all know there is a fine line between a fanatic and a nut. But before we discard the fanatic in our group maybe we should consider whether or not they look more like first century heroes than the rest of us in the group. We just might find out that they play a very, very important role.
By the way… Erwin opens The Barbarian Way with a quote from the film Rocky III. Rocky’s trainer is speaking to Rocky… “But then the worst thing happened that could happen to any fighter, you got civilized.”
I wonder… Was the worst thing that happened to the church was that she got civilized?
05.06.10
Five Ways to Recruit Small Group Members
I am often asked the question, "How can I make people aware of the group I'm starting? I hope at least one of these very practical ideas will help.
Before you start remember this… Everyone needs what small group offers. As you think about where you will find the people who will be in your small group, think of the community and all the people in it, not just your church.
When starting a group any of the following ideas may help you in connecting with people who might be thinking about joining a small group. These ideas come from group leaders around the country.:
1. By Mail: Prepare a letter that gives the following information: a) that you are starting a small group, b) what the group’s goal will be, c) how long the group will meet, and d) why you’re starting the group. Mail the letter to the people you are inviting then follow up with those individuals via telephone three days after they receive the letter.
2. By Meeting: Having an open meeting at your church is another way to become aware of people who would like to be in a small group. Use the worship guide, posters, and announcements from the pulpit to make people aware that a new small group is looking for people who will make up the group and that there is going to be an open meeting for anyone interested in becoming part of the group.
3. By Personal Invitation: The most effective way to welcome people into your life is by personal invitation. If you choose to recruit the people in your group by a face-to-face conversation, be certain you make this invitation substantive.
4. By Presentation: Churches with the necessary resources are making people aware of small group opportunities by utilizing dramatic presentations and video spots in worship. Following these presentations there is an announcement that will most often announce the date of an meeting for those curious to join a group or telling attendees that there is someone at a kiosk in the church lobby that will answer any questions an individual might have about the group.
5. By Media Outlets: If the goal of your group/groups is to reach the community, running newspaper adds, radio spots, even television commercials announcing opportunities is effective. Make sure interested parties are made aware of a website they can go to for more information or a phone number that can be called to speak with someone to get more information. The website as well as the individual taking phone calls should be able to tell the caller when the first meeting will be, that that meeting will be a Q and A time with a sign up for the group taking place at the end of the meeting.
05.04.10
Flooded... When Small Group Members are Jesus, and Family
We live in a suburb of Nashville, TN. The Nashville floods of 2010 are unprecedented in this part of the country. This week my mother’s place, like so many other people’s homes, has experienced significant water damage. Even before the rivers reached their apex one of the men in our group suggested we adopt my mother’s home and help with clean-up, repairs, etc… This week we’ll be doing our meeting at mom’s place. We’ll be moving furniture, ripping up carpet, cleaning up as much of the mess as possible, and encouraging her. Looks like some of the group members may even choose to help with the cost of new carpet. This widowed senior adult knows she has friends, fellow followers of Christ who care.
My life is small groups and sometimes my group is life. I will forever be indebted and will never forget those moments when our small group is also family. This is one of those times.
P.S. Every small group in our church, The Bridge in Spring Hill, Tennessee is now adopting a household affected by the flooding.
05.03.10
Elder Board and Elder Body... Not the Same Animal
Being chosen to serve as an elder is a great honor. It is also an overwhelming responsibility. Think about it… the final word on any church issue is in the hands of the elders. Decisions made by the elders affect the lives and spiritual health of every person who are part of a local church. Conclusions that will bring the church closer to or further away from being a biblically functioning community are in the hands of a select group of leaders, individuals responsible for eldering.
When peering through the lens of experience, it is obvious that an elder board and an elder body are not the same animal. There are enormous differences in the two.
An elder board is, in most instances, chosen by a vote of the people.An elder body, in most instances, is chosen by mature church leaders who have lived and understand the vital role and complexities of elder leadership.(Acts 14:23)
An elder board utilizes business/organizational principles and practices to manage the church.An elder body systematically seeks out biblical principles and practices then utilizes them in the protection and oversight of Jesus’ bride, the church.
An elder board asks the question, what will the majority think of our decision? An elder body asks the question, what is God directing us to do in this situation?
An elder board tends to go to the latest leadership book when the answer to a difficult question is not found in the Constitution and By-Laws of the church. An elder body goes to their knees in prayer seeking God’s direction when the answer to a difficult question is not vividly revealed in Scripture.
An elder board works hard to “keep the right people happy.” An elder body will do what’s right even if it means some prominent individuals leave to join another congregation.
An elder board sees themselves as the supervisor of the senior pastor. An elder body sees themselves as confidants, co-laborers, and trusted friends of the senior pastor.
An elder board tends to suck the life out of senior leadership through unnecessary scrutiny and an unwillingness to consider methodological modification. An elder body encourages senior leadership to freely seek God’s direction and to continually pursue new methods that will aid the church in being missional.
An elder board separates themselves from the staff and tends to analyze the staff member’s work from a distance oftentimes asking for revision without understanding. An elder body partners with church staff seeing them as co-laborers with a different but vital responsibility and trusts them to carry out the ministry they are called to do.
An elder board slowly and, in most instances, unintentionally leads their church away from God’s rule.Each individual making up an elder body painstakingly and purposefully lives under God’s authority and makes decisions acknowledging that they are not seeking their own bidding but that they are in quest of God’s will for Jesus’ church.
An elder board and an elder body are not the same animal. One of these animals eats away at the organism Christ died for, keeping her from the freedom and joy that Jesus’ offers His body, the church. This group is known for rules and regulations, They keep those who are the church from experiencing the ride of their lives. The other breathes life into those who make up her ranks. This elder type pursues and brings nourishment from God to her constituency. These elders exhibit the exuberance of those who don’t just know about Jesus but know Him personally. They are on the ride of their lives and are inviting everyone else to discover the thrill of it themselves.
The decision to be either an elder board or an elder body will determine how close to “God’s rule” the church will be.
A personal note from the author of this article… If you are an elder and have been gracious enough to read this, please don’t get caught up in semantics. The term your church uses may be “elder board” but you may function as an “elder body.” Fantastic! Your church may use the term “elder body” but you may function as an “elder board” or you may be the elder board described in this article. Pray for and do whatever it takes to change the elder paradigm your church currently embraces.
Bottom line… A church governed by a godly elder body with a passion for creating a biblically functioning community is the route to right conclusions, transformational community, courageous decision making, and healthy and flourishing church leadership.
