Changing Lives for Good

Thinking about Small Groups

One thing that's EXTREMLY important to the health of a church it's relationships. And a Sunday service isn't enough to truly develop deep, meaningful relationships. The best vehicle for these relationships to develop are small groups. Up to this point in the life of The Church at Sendera Ranch we have not started small groups. Why? Because we were one. But I believe the time is coming for us to slowly and intentionally develop a small group system that's focus is on furthering our vision to change lives for good by helping people discover Jesus Christ and develp as fully functional followers of Him.

This February I will begin meeting with people in our church as a first small group to train facilitators for small groups and we will likely launch groups after Easter and possibly again in the fall. Initially our groups will meet to discuss the most recent Sunday's message and how it applies and relates to life. This will keep it simple for everyone involved while reinforcing the Biblical teaching from Sunday helping us all to be shaped by God's word.

As I've prayed and thought and prayed some more about this whole process I'm convinced that it's time to prepare for the launching of our small group system. If you'd like to be part of a small group once they're started then please let me know.

Inspiration from "Miracle"

This week I watched the movie "Miracle" for the (insert large number here) time. But this time I was gripped by one of the opening scenes that I had simply looked past previously.

Coach Herb Brooks met with the hockey brain trust and shared his vision for US Olympic Hockey for the 1980 Olympics. The committee responded very negatively; they insisted that what Coach Brooks wanted to do with his team absolutely could not be done. To make matters more complicated, Coach Brooks not only had an unorthodox playing style, but he had a big vision: to beat the Soviets, a team that at the time was "unbeatable." Brooks's vision was risky. And you get the idea from the movie that he had all but written off the chance to coach the team after his interview. However, he was hired and accomplished the goal of not only beating the Soviets, but winning the gold medal and ultimately catalyzing the entire nation.

As a church planter, I saw the parallel to church planting. God has given us a big vision, to do something risky, to do what some people think absolutely cannot be done: to build a healthy, thriving, faithful, and God-honoring community of believers here in Sendera Ranch. Our enemy is stronger than the Soviets, but our Advocate is much greater as well! My prayer is that we can be as successful as that 1980 US Hockey team with stakes that are much, much higher than gold medals and national pride.

Big vision cast compellingly, planned carefully, and executed passionately is hard to stop.