“As new people come into a church, new small groups must be formed. Friendships develop when people gather together in groups, particularly when the group is working toward a common purpose. Groups normally close quickly to the addition of new people, making it crucial that churches keep starting new groups.”     

What particularly stands out in my mind about this statement is that my tendency is to always go in and try to help intimate groups be better at connecting new people. Reading McIntosh, I’m becoming increasingly convinced that rather than trying to pry open the iron gates of an already intimate group that is healthy and doing life together, the answer may be to start another one. The former is a form of addition. The latter, when done right, could result in multiplication.

1. Strong Relationships

2. Strong Content

3. Strong Presentation

All 3 are required for a group to be effective in reaching its members.  A class with good relationships and good content without strong presentation will end in boredom.  Good content and good presentation without strong relationships and your class will not grow.  Good relationships and strong presentation with weak content and your class members will dry up. 

 You need all 3 to be effective. 

We had our first “all-teacher” get together this past Sunday night for a dinner reception.  I used the event to cast some vision for what I see our Bible Fellowship Groups here at FBC looking like.  The primary visual that I’ve been using is that of the Heart.  Here’s what I mean. 

If I could illustrate the body of Christ by using our human bodies I would say that our arms and hands represent the upreach part of our church and how we lift God up in worship.  I would say that our legs and feet represent the outreach part of our church in how we take Christ to the world.  Finally I would say that our hearts represent the inreach part of church in how our Bible Fellowship Groups pump the life into the rest of our ministry.  I truly believe that our groups here at FBC are the heartbeat of our ministry.  They are the vehicle by which life is pumped into the rest of the body. 

Just like how are human bodies don’t work without our hearts, so is the case with our church body.  Without the Christian community and the learning that takes place within the context of our Bible Fellowship Groups we miss out on the LIFE of being a part of a church family. 

Christian community does two things for us.

1.  It invigorates us

2. It unifies us.

Is there anything better than life and unity in Christ?  Not according to Him.  2 of Jesus’ recurring themes during his life on earth were LIFE and UNITY.  He prayed that we “would all be one“.  Bible Fellowship Groups are the primary way we here at FBC get to live out life and unity together in Christ. 

#10 Blogging is a form of digital discipleship. Neo-scrolls.
#9 Blogging is the way I share what is happening in my head and my heart.
#8 Blogging is cathartic. It helps me process what I’m thinking and feeling.
#7 Blogging is the way I leave a trail. My kids and grandkids can read it someday.
#6 Blogging is a sermon supplement. Actually, sermons might be a blogging supplment.
#5 Blogging is a way to carry on a conversation with lots of people at the same time.
#4 Blogging is a form of auto-biography.
#3 Blogging is one way of capturing the things God is revealing to me.
#2 Blogging helps me remember what God doesn’t want me to forget.
#1 Blogging is a stewardship issue. It’s one way I share what God is teaching me.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term as it pertains to a staff postition, don’t be alarmed.  You’re not alone.  It seems that it is not a household name quite yet.  In fact, since I took this job a month ago, I’ve been called all kinds of things.  “Minister of Christian Growth”, Minister of Education, Pastor of Family Life Development” and even the “CLD”.  

So, I thought that if I am going to have a Christian Life Development (CLD) blog, then readers should understand what that means.  Some churches would call it the Minister of Education.  Others would call it Assimilation Pastor or Associate Pastor.  Ours has chosen Pastor for Christian Life Development. 

There are basically 3 areas involved in this job.  The first is Education.  The person in this position is responsible for the oversight and implementation of all educational classes and programs.  This would include Bible Fellowship Groups (Sunday School), Discipleship, New Members, Electives, Children’s and Youth.  The second area is church Assimilation, which is a fancy term for connecting people to the church.  This begins from the first time a person visits our meetings or activities.  It then continues through the connection process until they are fully acclimated to church membership and service.  Finally there is the Outreach element.  This would include classes, events, projects, and service as they pertain to reaching others for Jesus Christ. 

So, there you have it.  As the Pastor for Christian Life Development, I will be primarily responsible for the ministries of Education, Assimilation, and Outreach.  Of course there are other things as well.  But I don’t want to get too overwhelmed at this point.  The content of Life Lines will be focused but not always limited to things pertaining to these 3 areas.  I look forward to this ministry opportunity and the many challenges and people that I will meet in the process.