Small Group Leadership Information Night

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Small Group Leadership Information Night

• November 10, 2003

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Small Group Leadership Information Night Meeting
Agenda

• 700 p.m. Arrival
• 705 p.m. Welcome / Prayer / Worship
• 720 p.m. Small Group Ministry
• The mandate for small group fellowship
• Vision for RCC small group ministry
• How does this ministry fit into RCC ministries
• How we will grow
• Leadership
• Next Steps
• 900 p.m. Meeting ends

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The mandate for small group fellowship
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We are called by the Word

• Heb 1025 Let us not give up meeting
  together, as some are in the habit of doing, but
  let us encourage one another and all the more
  as you see the Day approaching.

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How will the church accomplish its mission?

• Purpose of the church
• Evangelize the world (Matt 2019)
• Become unified under Christ (Eph 110)
• Be sanctified (1 Thess. 43)
• People come to Jesus because they see a changed
  life in us!
• Changed lives happen through spiritual growth
• Spiritual growth happens through using our gifts
  to serve the body
• Serving the body is most intense and meaningful
  in the context of a 11 relationship
• We need to be in 11 relationships to grow!

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The model emerged from the beginning

• There were no fine buildings
• There was no hierarchy
• There were no theological seminaries
• There were no Sunday Schools
• There were no choirs or worship teams
• Only small fellowships of believersand they
  changed the world!

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Vision for RCC small group ministry

• Contagious, infectious small group growth

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Small Group Objectives at RCC

• Every member of RCC experience Jesus in a life
  changing way -- we believe that one of the best
  ways to do this is in the context of a small
  group setting
• Bring small group dynamics to everything we do at
  RCC and experience Jesus through this deepening
  of relationships

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Small Groups has been an RCC Vision
John Strongs RCC Maturity Vision (Maturity
Pillars Class)
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Status Today

• 1300 people call RCC their church home
• 6-7 small groups, less that are open
• And
• 15 dinners for 8 going (3 weeks) gt heading for
  NCOMM
• 120 in NCOMM gt heading for small groups
• critical need for this ministry

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Change our thinking
ProjectsBusy-nessAdministrationPrograms
From
To DO in order to be
OrganicIn responseLocal vs. GlobalOut of full
cup
To BE in order to do
To
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Small Group Ministry Goals

• Grow a specific ministry dedicated to making
  opportunities for people to be in relationships
  within a small group (G.R.A.C.E.)
• Grow leadership to practice and multiply small
  group dynamics (variety of small groups)
• Complement other ministries at RCC

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Small Group Functionsin the BodyMinistry
flows from spiritual growth
Evangelism
Ministry
Small Groups
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Ministry Elements

• GRACE Group ministry small groups in homes
• Monthly small group leaders fellowship training
• Small group leader support and care (personal)
• New small group generation mechanisms
• Twice a year small group leader trainings
• Yearly small group leaders retreat
• Communication
• Multiplication

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How does this ministry fit with the other
ministries in RCC today?
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Small group fellowship is envisioned to be at the
heart of our church
Adult Education
Youth
New Comers
NComm
RCC Non- Members
Service
Evangelism Outreach
Support Counseling
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New Community Connection
nComm Alpha Life Worth Living Pillars of
Discipleship
Small Group Ministry
Foundational instruction experienced in small
groups
Daily life experienced in small groups
Small Groups

• Christianity
• Christian Life
• Disciplines

• Working out Christian life
• Support
• Fellowship

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How we will grow
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It starts with the expectation of growth

• Passionate people who share the vision
• Viewing small groups as a growing, contagious
  ministry
• Viewing groups as beginning not an end
• Start groups, add partners, share vision, recruit
  group members Start process over again

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G.R.A.C.E. Group Structure Lay Pastors
Basic Small Group
Zone 5-6 SGs
Covering, Support, Community
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Ideas for forming and reforming

• Dinners for 8, NCOMM gt SG
• Group multiplication
• Igniter Groups
• Leadership group meets 8-10 week
• Vision, modeling, training, prayer,
  encouragement, relationships
• Leaders recruit partners
• Leaders recruit group
• Process starts over

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It starts with leadership
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Potential Leaders

• A desire and passion for personal spiritual
  growth
• A desire and passion to see spiritual growth in
  others
• A holy heart sensitivity to sin and a heart
  that walks in repentance
• A heart of integrity trustworthy in the small
  things
• A heart of gratitude thinks in terms of moving
  forward, not backward
• A heart of humility comes as a servant not a
  master

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Expectations we DONT have of Potential Leaders

• Bible giants (in the Word)
• Gifted speakers / Teachers (facilitators)
• Perfect (in process)
• Charismatic (caring)
• Have it all together (trusting in God)
• Plans / agendas (listening to the Holy Spirit)

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Training

• Igniter group modeling
• Formal small group leadership training early
  2004
• Monthly leadership meeting training topics
• Apprenticeship

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Resources

• Small group Lay Pastor Training manual
• Many great books on how to run a small group
  (e.g. Making Small Groups Work by Cloud
  Townsend)
• Weekend messages John Strong notes and
  questions
• Group study books
• Serendipity or Small Group study bibles
• Cell Church Journal (on line and print)
• And much much more

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Feedback / Questions
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Next Steps
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Your commitment

• Not forever, but for now
• To a growing ministry
• A group may last 6 months or 2 years
• To recruiting leadership partners and group
  members
• To spiritual growth in you and in your group
• For couples must have support of spouse

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Next Steps

• Sign up tonight to be a small group leader John
  or Dick will contact you for further discussion
• Igniter group
• Pray about becoming a leader get in touch with
  John or Dick in the near future
• Not sure if you would like to set up a meeting
  11 we would be happy to do that