Connections

eHarmony: Church Edition

I've often heard it said that "community is seldom found when it is the goal." For instance, have you met someone who was looking for a best friend. The fact that they were still searching indicates that they were focused on the wrong thing. Community is found, when the mission is the goal. When Dave shared this in a creative meeting a while back, it was as if a light bulb came on for me.

Don't believe me, just look around. Soccer moms are best friends with other soccer moms...not because they drive a Windstar, but because they spend time watching their kids run around and kick a ball. Get season tickets to Clemson football and sit in the same seats a few years in a row. The result is close community with the season ticket holders around you....not because you looked for community, but because you share a love for the Tigers.

Some of the best friends I have ever had came from my experience of working for Marriott Hotels. I was an employee for 6 years with the hotel chain, while balancing Undergrad and Seminary. Three years was spent working at the Residence Inn by Marriott. Could it be that I found community because everyone around me was committed to one thing? To be the, "Leading Extended stay hotel, where people away from home, feel they are among friends. We will do whatever it takes to satisfy.....Every guest, every stay, every day."

We sang this in the mornings at our meetings, we had laminated cards in our pockets that read it....we knew it and were committed to it. It is the MISSION of Residence Inn.

The result was not only offering amazing costumer service to travelers, but also finding close community. We have to be careful as the church, not to fall into pretending that we can accomplish an eHarmony model of small groups. We get hurt when we promise to make friends, love connections and amazing community experiences for everyone who walks through the doors.

Our goal should be our Mission. When we stay focused on the Mission that we are called to as a church and offer systems of assimilation into groups, the result is community.

Community Defined

Steve and Angie Prout facilitate this amazing group of folks. The Prout's have served faithfully at CRCC for years. Steve actually headed up our Life group ministry as a lay leader for a while and did a stellar job. One word to describe Steve....contagious. Ask anyone who knows him. The man is always smiling and full of energy, drawing people to him. Angie worked on staff on the administrative side for a few years as well. She continually serves selflessly and models what it means to give sacrificially. Thanks to the Prout's for cultivating authentic community and for engaging their hearts and lives at CRCC. Check out their group photo to the top right. Oh, by the way the guy in the front, Brian Baker, can "jam out" on some bluegrass.....check it out! CrossRoads is so diverse. We have hard rockers and bluegrassers all leading our people into Worship on the same stage at times. Now that is unity!

Featured Group

I know this seems really conceded, but this group is good looking. Oh, look in the back at the BIG guy, he's really cool. O.k. that's enough....this is my life group....greatest ever! I must say the group did not look as well as it normally does, namely because my wife was missing. Look to the top right to see the photo. The Randolphs facilitate our group and do an amazing job at it.

Computer Issues

Well, it's been one of those computer weeks. You know what I'm talking about. The thing just won't work right. We have had a difficult time posting the facilitation guide for this week. If your Life group is using it, here it is in Word.Download facilitation_guide_for_341.doc The guide with the graphics will be posted shortly here.

Lovin' Life Group

I will be adding Life group pics as I receive them. To view pics, look top right. When you get a chance, send in your photos and I will post them for the world to see. Lots of love goes out to the Keyes' group for being the first group to send in their pic.

Comments

I'm not sure if this is Blogging etiquite, but I sure would love some Comments. This post will be dedicated to your comments. No content, just a stir for comments. If you comment, Joe will comment, and if Joe comments then......you get the point!
Any Life Group Leaders out there? Just a shout out to all my Life Group Leaders!! Any people reading this? Just a shout out to all my readers.

Thanks...

Life Group Resolutions

These were borrowed from a dear friend and Life group facilitator John Hall.

1. I will be real. If you had a bad week, it's OK to let your group know you had a bad week. This is how friendships move beyond the surface and people begin to enjoy spending time together.

2. I will be messy. From being real, comes being messy. That's OK too. From God creating us out of dirt, to Jesus being born in a manger and dying for us, it's clear that God likes "messy."

3. I will put my small group in position to create communitas. The word communitas, coined by sociologist Victor Turner, means "an intense community, the feeling of great social equality, solidarity, and togetherness." Take risks with your small group to create that.

4. I will not settle for being just a social group. Be outwardly focused. Maybe someone knows a couple that needs to connect -- invite them in.

5. I will be open to new ideas and not be afraid to ask questions. Ask a question you don't know the answer to. Ask about something you're struggling with. Let people wrestle. God is bigger than any questions or doubts that arise in your group.

6. I will have a kingdom cause. Be missional. Find others outside the church who enjoy the same things you do, and invite them to join you. There's all sorts of "themed" small groups out there that are begging for outreach to happen.

5 Days till Life Group Season

I can't beieve the Holidays have come and gone. It took us all day to sweep the needles from our Christmas tree out of the house. Oh well, you got to love the change in pace and the start of a new year.
With the new year means our first official Life group season starting January 7. If you have any questions about your group, a study, or anything else concerning group life, please call me or e-mail me.

**Check the blog weekly for resources, posts and other random Life Group stuff.

**I would love to hear some comments from your group and a photo of the group to posts on the blog for all to see!

**Weekly facilitation guides start this week. Check here for a facilitation guide!

Facilitation Guides

There will be NO facilitiation guides for the month of December. Feel free to hang out with your groups socially during the holidays and also feel free to take time off as a group as well. This is the first and a very short off-season. The New Life Group Season will start January 7. This season will run into March before the next off-season. The first off-season will be exciting because we will be offering our first ONE DAY TRAINING SEMINAR for Life Groups facilitators as well as a new class called 201:Discovering Spiritual Maturity for the entire church body. Check back for ongoing updates and random muses.