Going small. . .
So I've been thinking about small groups again (or still). It seems like that is what is on my mind a lot lately. And more than being a thought, it has been a huge frustration in ministry. I believe to grow in love, grow in scripture, or grow in relationships, you've got to start small. Scheduling group this year has been a difficult task thus far. Running into road blocks, walls, schedules and priorities. Simply put, I need some help. Maybe some encouragement. I don't know. . . .
We have to keep moving forward or we get stagnant, right?
Why groups? Here's why:
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25
We have to keep moving forward or we get stagnant, right?
Why groups? Here's why:
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25
Hey
Matt,
Don't be discouraged. Sunday morning on my way to drop Rylee off at mom's, I heard a song on the radio. One I had never heard before...and the only part I caught was the phrase "help is on the way" and it will be. Be patient, be persistent, be loving, and and be completely consumed by His love. He's never let us down before...
Matt,
I will be praying for you, the other youth leaders, and the youth. It seems to me that when things seem restless and you feel a change coming God has something amazing coming. Remember it needs to happen in His time and not ours. You are an amazing man of God and you are struggling with where to take the youth ministry because you are so in tune to doing what God wants and not Matt's will. God will reveal it all in time, just be patient and continue to listen to His still small voice. We love you guys and are so blessed to have you leading our youth. They are in great hands.
If there is one thing that I have learned while being a part of two churches that began small group ministries, it is that it doesn't happen in the time table we give ourselves and, for that matter, the timetable we give to God. I have traveled that road you are on and I want to give you some guidance so that you don't make the same mistakes that I did.
- Remember that this is not about you and that what you have been called to do is to provide an opportunity for people to come together. I have been leading a group for the past 5 years and have experienced some highs and some lows. About a year and a half ago, I started to become frustrated with the members of my group because the group was not a priority in their life and I was not seeing any growth at all in their spiritual life. Because of that, I slowly stopped caring and spent very little time in preparation. As you can probably guess, things did not improve and when our year ended last May, I was determined to stop leading. But this August, God began to convict me that I was causing a lot of the problem. I had taken the reins away from Him and put the weight of the group and the spiritual lives of those in it on my shoulders. Give it to Him and it will remove the frustration.
- Pray, Pray, Pray. Oh how I wish that I would have done this when I started to get frustrated. Had I done so, I most likely wouldn’t have spent the next year frustrated and on the verge of quitting. He is waiting for us to come to Him with our frustrations and declare that we need Him to take over.
- Doing Life Together- This has been the motto of our groups and that is the vision that you need to cast. It is not just another Bible study. It is going back to the roots of the early church in Acts 2:44-46. If only people could get a glimpse of what the early church looked like and how they could have that same type of community, they would be beating down your door. Unfortunately though, we live in a culture that would rather live in isolation than reach out for help in time of need. Satan is winning the battle in marriages, relationships and even churches because we are too proud to admit when we are in trouble. Did I mention how important prayer is?
Whatever you do, do not give up or else Satan will have another victory to celebrate. The hardest step to get people to take is the first one, but once they get past that, they will be hooked for life. I know because that was me.
-
Matt Parker . . .
Chris's advice cannot be improved on. So I will just second that.
Pray. Pray. Pray.
Encourage all with the theme of "Doing Life Together."
And don't forget to PRAY.)
_______________
Roofing for HIM