Small Groups - A Great Way to Get Connected!

This entry is an excerpt from the MG Spring 2010 Newsletter, click on the title above to see more articles like this from the newsletter.

Pastor Jim is on a mission! He has taken on the task of visiting each of our Small Groups. Did you know there are approximately 25 Small Groups here at Myrtle Grove? And why is he doing this you might ask? Because he is passionate about creating a Community of caring Believers. He believes a Small Group must be more than a Bible Study to be a real community. And that Small Groups must be a safe place where: 1) We can grow in intimacy with God. 2) We can be in Deeper Community with other Believers. 3) And where we can be of significant influence in the world.

Recently Pastor Jim visited my Small Group (led by Jim & Betty Sabin along with Ken & Wendy Ramsey). Pastor Jim challenged us to become a cohesive ―community,‖ sharing and identifying in one another's pain. He also shared some alarming statistics: Researchers have found that the most isolated people were three times more likely to die prematurely than those with strong relational connections. And that people who had poor health habits but strong social ties still lived significantly longer than people who had good health habits but were isolated. In other words, it is better to eat Twinkies with good friends than to eat chocolate alone!

George Gallup, of the Gallup Organization, the most reliable and widely quoted research firm, states, ―Americans are among the loneliest people in the world. In the midst of our busy lives, overcommitted schedules and congested cities, we feel alone. We are acquainted with many people, but, known by none.‖
God says that it is not good for us to be alone. The issue here isn’t simply having more people around. It’s not even an issue of ―getting married,‖ in fact some of the loneliest people in the world are married. It’s simply an issue of ―being known.‖ God says it’s not good for any of us not to be known. We were created for community. We were meant to do life together. The truth is we only feel loved to the extent that we are known.

Looking for a way to get plugged in? Call Pastor Jim Glasgow, 910.791.6179, to see how you can get plugged into a Small Group.

Therefore Believers, don’t remain under the curse of sophistication. By God’s grace you can risk ―being known.‖ And it can begin by simply learning to be more honest and more real in your Small Groups.

For example, the Apostle Paul (2 Cor. 1:1-11) could have turned his pain into pity, but God converted his pain to power. His sufferings could’ve become misery but God converted them to ministry.

It’s not what you have gone through that matters most, but what you do with it. Will you allow God to make your misery a ministry?

Finally, if the Apostle Paul, perhaps the greatest Christian that ever lived, needed the support of a small group, how much more do we?
Get connected. If you are not in a Small Group, please call and let us help you get plugged into a small, caring community of believers.

If your Small Group has not yet heard from Pastor Jim, please call the church office and schedule a time for him to visit your Small Group. So get the coffee pot brewing, he’ll be coming around soon!

Yours In Christ,
Beth Jarrott

Ideas for Bringing New People into the Church Family

Helping Outsiders Become Insiders (Part 1)
Ideas for making new people feel welcome and helping them move toward maturity in Christ.

Ideas for Small Group Outreach & Evangelism

Ideas - Outreach & Evangelism
This webpage has many articles with creative ideas for local outreach and evangelism especially with the small group in mind.

Training Tools | Outreach & Evangelism

Training Tools Outreach & Evangelism
This webpage has many links that may be helpful to the local church seeking to reach its own community.

November Community Objectives

Small Groups objectives:

1. Recruit and train new small group leaders

• Develop a training meeting for new group leaders and set date for first training by Nov 30

2. Start new small groups:

• Develop a “connecting” event to connect those not yet in groups with a group leader and set the date for the first event in Nov
• Develop a 6-8 week “trial group” format and set a date for the first event in Nov
• Recruit and train leaders and start group for Young Couples group (25-35) in Nov

3. Develop an effective coaching structure

• Contact potential new coaches by Nov 15
• Develop a training meeting for new coaches by Nov 15
• Develop an ongoing coaches meeting plan by Nov 30
• Recruit coaches for every small group in the church by Dec 31

4. Develop a small groups leadership team with specific functions

• List specific functions and write job descriptions for each function by Nov 15
• Recruit individuals to each position by Nov 30
• Set date for first and subsequent meetings of team by Nov 30

5. 100% participation in groups or classes by members and regular attenders

• Publish and update info on available groups through Fall Groups and Classes Booklet
  § Continue to update and publish booklet as needed in Nov
  § Prepare for Spring booklet in Dec/Jan
  o Publish and update info on available groups through MG Web-site
  § Train remaining group leaders by Dec 31

6. Ongoing leadership development

• Visit small groups
  § Visit 2-3 groups in November
• Communicate with group leaders via one-on-one meetings and phone calls
  § Call 12 leaders in Nov
  § Meet with 2-3 leaders in Nov
• Hold quarterly small group leaders training gatherings
  § Set date for Spring gathering in early January by Nov 30
• Send training materials to group leaders via email
  § Send out two more timely articles in Nov
  

7. Encourage local outreach among small groups and the church at large

• Promote Angel Food opportunity in Nov
• Promote WARM opportunity in Nov
• Evaluate Prayer Evangelism study and discuss with small group leaders next steps to reach every neighborhood in Wilmington with the gospel

Adult Discipleship objectives:

1. Continue Adult Discipleship classes during Spring Semester ‘09

• Confirm Spring list of teachers/classes with director by Nov 30
• Publish list of classes to congregation in December

Assimilation objectives:

1. Improve the assimilation process to move first time visitors, to second time visitors, to regular attenders

• Next steps to be completed by end of Dec:
  o Recruit and train an assimilation team of volunteers
  o Develop response team follow-up checklists
  o Develop 36-hour email response for first and second time visitors
  o Develop first-time and second-time visitors online survey
  o Develop one-month follow up letter for first and second time visitors
  o Improve signage inside and outside building to help visitors find children’s, youth and adult discipleship areas, gym, school, fellowship hall, etc. (contact BFPC)
  o Move welcome table in vestibule out from the wall
  o Offer selected books instead of mugs as gifts to first time visitors at welcome table
  

2. Improve assimilation process to move people from being regular attenders to becoming fully developing members

• Next steps to be completed by May ’09 (this is the overview, detailed plans to follow):
  o Teach regularly on the following subjects: 1) “You Need Healthy Relationships” (Eccl 4.9-10); 2) “You Need a Place Where You Can Use Your Gifts” (1Tim 4.14); 3) “You Need a Place Where You Can Grow” (Acts 2.42); 4) “You Need to Belong to Something Bigger Than Yourself” (Rom 12.4-5; Heb 10.25).
  o Encourage relationships in regular attenders by encouraging them to participate in classes, small groups and fun events
  o Encourage responsibility in regular attenders by providing service opportunities for them: greeter, refreshments, usher, FLC events
  o Encourage attending new member class through regular sign-ups on Connection Card
  o Consider and discuss other alternatives to current New Member Class format per suggestions