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The 2425Group Plan

February 1, 2012 in Ministry with

Well, here is the plan. It was unveiled to the class last week and we are kicking it off this month. I am hoping to have full participation and really start to see evidence of spiritual growth by the end of the first semester. I hope you find this document helpful and I am always open to suggestions.

2425Groups

Based on Hebrews 10:24-25

Purpose Statement

2425Groups exist to foster Christ-like relationships by worshipping God, spending quality time, and reaching the world in small, intimate groups (4-5 couples).

Justification

The Sunday School of the church was created to educate individuals in the Scriptures. As a one hour a week entity, Sunday School is best left to maximize that hour to instruction through Bible teaching (1 Timothy 3:16).  Whereas the Sunday School may be limited to one hour on Sunday, needs exist among class participants beyond a knowledge of the Bible. The class participants are in need of friendships, prayer, accountability, and support. 2425Groups will exist to fulfill these other needs.

Three Purposes

2425Groups are organized to accomplish three goals.

Reach Up – Worship together, praying together

Reach In – Fellowship, Supporting each other 
(Heb. 10:24-25, 1 Cor. 12:25-26)

Reach Out – Look outside the small group to reach others through service, evangelism, and outreach.

*Reach Up, Reach In, Reach Out wording adopted from Fellowship Church’s Purpose and Beliefs, Grapevine, TX.
Individual Group Goals

Each group can determine how and what they do to meet the stated goals. To physically meet together once a monthTo intentionally pray for and with each otherTo find ways of participating in the community in order to share the love of Jesus. To work together in joyful service to the church, each other, and those outside the church

What does the Sunday School/ 2425Groups organization look like?

The Sunday School class participants will be divided into three 2425Groups ranging in size from three to five couples. Each 2425Groups will exist on a semester basis (Jan-May and Aug-December). The semester structure will he beneficial as it will allow for 2 months (June-July) to have larger events and give a break for those that took leadership roles in each 2425Group. Each successive semester the groups will be re-divided so as to avoid cliques and stagnation. More 2425Groups will be created as the Sunday School class expands and more space is needed.

2425Groups Leadership

Each 2425Groups will have a married couple to take a leadership role and make sure the group is accomplishing the stated goals. Through prayerful consideration and discussion, God will raise up couples for each group. Each leadership couple should have a clear understanding of the vision for 2425Groups. For accountability, the leadership couple will have monthly communication with the Sunday School teacher to share how the group is accomplishing the stated purposes.

Are you enabling guerrilla ministry?

September 15, 2011 in Church Media, Ministry with

My definition of Guerilla Ministry is, “Enabling the body of Christ to quickly, nimbly, and fearlessly try new ideas to reach the people around them. Being empowered with the knowledge that failure can happen, the church members understand that failure will not hinder future support and new efforts by leadership.”

How can we create a culture of innovation, effort and fearlessness? I believe there are three keys to create a guerilla ministry culture.

1. Ideas should be welcomed and acted on quickly.

We all  know an idea person. They love to share ideas. In an organization where the leadership makes all decisions and actions, this person may seem like an annoyance; like a busy body who never follows through.

What if the organization welcomed the ideas and collaborated with that person quickly changing the idea into an action? You have just taken this annoyance and turned them into a producing follower of Christ.

2. Instead of sales pitches, institute creative meetings.

Sales pitches are a crap shoot. The person being sold the idea will catch the vision, feign interest, or dismiss it and redirect the conversation to something about which they are passionate.

Let’s imagine that there is a monthly scheduled event on the calendar for a creative meeting. In this meeting outlandish ideas could be expected. What if the only thing you were expected to bring is a problem and some crazy ideas? Instead of trying to sell an idea that you alone thought up the entire group could collaborate on a God-sized idea!

3. When failure occurs, the response is, “What’s next?

Failure is going to happen. What should an organization say in response to a failed idea? Should that originator of the idea be an outcast? No! Chances are, the person who came up with an idea will have another ready to go. Let the ideas flow and guerrilla ministry happen.

 

Let’s encourage innovation, not by doing the work by ourselves, but enabling people to dream and implement crazy, God-sized ideas.

 

Do you have any crazy ideas?