September 26, 2008 10:55 AM #

I had the opportunity to hang out with a few other guys and Nathan Ledbetter to talk about missional communities and using Small Groups not only as a personal growth tool for us and our congregation, but for the growth of those all around us - churched and unchurched people alike. Something it's easy to look over when we get tunnel visioned on serving our own little microcosm of cozy, safe little Small Groups. The Friday Experience was a perfect venue for this - coffee, cool fall Chicago air, and a chunck of time to just sit and talk. Great job Willow. Thanks.

Ian

September 26, 2008 10:55 AM #

We had a fantastic discussion with the guys from Mariner Church about doing Groups in creative ways in larger churches to build and maintain momentum.

Big Chris

Big Chris

September 26, 2008 10:56 AM #

As we dialoged at our coffe table experience about what made group ministry good vs. what made group ministry great, we re-discovered a couple of significant ideas:
-one...God's soveriegn hand moves and guides his people in unique ways in different local settings; what makes a great group or great group ministry in one place, may not yield the same fruit in another
-however, two...even though God's finger-print may appear differently in different places, great groups and great group ministries do have some things in common--from our discussion we idenitfied a few: a deep desire to see more people experience the community we have experienced (as opposed to exclusiveness), also, a strong buy-in of all key church leaders of the importance of community and the core practices that make community possible, and lastly getting clear on what competing forces prevent great small group community from happening.

Dan Lentz