Dear Friend,
I want you to consider helping lead a L.I.F.E.* Fellowship Group this fall. I firmly believe that the Lord will not only use you to be an encouragement to those who will be members of your group, but I believe that, in your willingness to lead, you will be encouraged also. In order to help group leaders fully prepare for what is to take place in September, I am offering several events this summer that will better equip all of us.
*Learning / Intercession / Friendship / Encouragement
PRAYER in July: First of all, we will meet for scheduled times of prayer. It is important to underscore how important prayer for each leader and prayer for each group will be as we seek to have the Lord make the greatest impact upon this ministry initiative. In reviewing the calendar, I am suggesting that for the month of July we meet every Sunday at 8:00 before the Sunday school hour (five Sundays in total). No doubt that vacations and work responsibilities will prevent some from attending these prayer meetings. I am requesting that you seek to attend the meetings as your schedule permits.
TRAINING in August: Second, we will meet several times in August (Time to be announced) in order to experience a refresher course on leading Fellowship Groups. I would like for us to meet one Wednesday night after the service and one Saturday morning in August. Included in our training will be practical instruction on how to create an environment of grace in a group where people feel safe: safe in order to share their prayer concerns, their inadequacies, and their stories. Instruction will also be given on how to create the kind of group where discipleship is taking place, where members are learning how to care for one another, and a place where groups are looking to reach out to others, especially the lost.
Logistics / Launch Plan:
1. Wednesday night suppers (begin serving at 5:45): In June, July and August there will be community meals before the Wednesday service. As leaders are selected and leadership teams are trained and enter into prayer, they will begin to reach out to potential group members and plan to sit together at mealtime, building relationships.
2. During each meal, allotted time will be given for the introduction of group leaders and begin to emphasize a list of reasons why joining a small group is a value to members (and to the church). A rotation of the Fellowship Group leaders will share in leading the service. Service will end at the usual time of 7:30.
3. Launch date for first official group meeting will be the second Wednesday after Labor Day (September 14). The first Wednesday is September 7 and Communion.
4. A list of group members will be created who can offer a positive testimony of what being a member of a small group meant to them. These can be either shared during Sunday school, the morning worship service (in person on via video), or on Wednesday nights.
5. On the first Sunday in August (7) begin placing Fellowship Groups “sign up” forms in the bulletin. On a weekly basis, I will send out a list of those names to group leaders as potential candidates for their groups.
6. Wednesday Night Schedule for the Fall:
• September 7—Communion
• September 14, 21, 28—Fellowship Groups
• October 5—Communion
• October 12, 19, 26—Fellowship Groups
• November 2—Communion
• November 9, 16, 23 (Thanksgiving Eve), 30 (All groups meet for a celebration and unity worship service)
• December 7—Communion
• December 14, 21, 28—Fellowship Groups
7. Time of meeting for groups:
• On-site at CAS groups meet from 6:00 to 7:30 (Many of these might wish to provide a light supper within each group or a combined meal with the other groups). Childcare is provided and is offered on a reservation basis.
• Off-site groups meet from 6:00 to 8:00 or 6:30 to 8:30. (Many of these groups might wish to provide a light supper). Each off-site group is responsible to provide for its own childcare.
• Communion remains the same: On the first Wednesday of each month from 6:30 to 7:30.
8. Biblical content for each group.
• We discussed the pros and cons of having a “unity” study where everyone is studying the same book or topic. After carefully weighing the issue, it was decided to begin with each leader offering as a “study” what he is learning from the Lord in his devotional time. If a leadership team decides to pursue a book study, as a courtesy, all book studies (printed materials) will be submitted to Denny for his review.
• The goal is not necessarily to create another heavy-laden bible content study, but to have the group members discuss with each other the biblical truth the leader puts on the table. We are asking the leaders not to lecture, but to be a Spirit-led facilitator.
Group team members and “job descriptions”
1. Lead facilitator. This person will be the “leader” who will give direction to the group. He will empower his team to assist in facilitating as well as charging them to assist in creating outside fellowship opportunities as well as providing member care.
2. Co-facilitators. This person (s) will be leaders in training, helping the lead facilitator care for the group. It is hoped that in time, and in the Lord’s plan, these men will become future lead facilitators. One of this person’s important responsibilities is to maintain accurate contact information of each group member: mailing / street addresses / phone contacts / email contacts / birthday / attendance record / etc. A standard record form will be provided to each group that will be emailed to Denny at the end of each month.
3. Social leader. This person will assist the leadership team in creating events that will enhance a greater sense of fellowship in the group (i.e., group suppers, trips, etc.)
4. Outreach leader: This person will assist the leadership team in identifying ministry opportunities the group can adopt (i.e., a missionary, local mission, family/person in need, etc.).
Building L.I.F.E. Fellowship Groups:
1. Ideally, each group should be built by the power of the personal invitation. It will mean so much more to the person who is “asked” than to have a random selection.
2. This selection process, engaged with prayer, begins with the lead facilitator as he builds his leadership team.
3. Then, once the leadership team is in place, still committing the selection process to prayer, the team meets and creates an “ask list” of potential members of the group.
4. It is hoped that this initial process will fill each group by the end of August.
5. In order to insure that no one who wishes to participate in a Fellowship Group is left out, an opportunity to “sign up” will be offered in the Sunday bulletin beginning in August and ending September 4. This list will be presented to all Fellowship Group leaders for their review. It is hoped that the “ask” will come directly from the leadership team to the person who signs up, adding “value” to the person who is being asked.
6. As groups fill up, more leaders will be tasked to lead these groups. We anticipate more interest and involvement from those who missed the summer and fall launch. Existing groups need to have the flexibility to either add more members or to empower a current leader (co-facilitator) and create a new group. In this evolving dynamic, the lead facilitator would continue to serve as a mentor or coach to the new group leader.
Suggested Expectations for each L.I.F.E. Fellowship group:
Learning: There should be devotional content that leads to plenty of interactive discussion and personal application of truth, lending itself to spiritual growth.
Intercession: Time will be spent praying for the personal concerns of group members and for the needs of the Kingdom work (missions, burdens of others, etc.)
Friendship: This will be a place to cultivate relationships, which may lead to closer friendships. Intentional plans will be made to maximize the time the group is together, not only on the assigned day they meet (Wednesday) but will seek out other opportunities to gather together to serve and fellowship as a group.
Encouragement: The goal is that each member will not only be encouraged by the Lord and the members of the group, but in addition, it is hoped that each member will seek to encourage other members of the group too.
Thank you again for praying about offering your time and energy to this ministry opportunity. Please call me if you have any questions. May the Lord grant to you multiplied grace and peace as you serve Him.
Making disciples with you,
Denny
843-260-2299
dbates2416@aol.com
