Adults

Posts Tagged community

Oct
20
E Leader , Jay Fennell

Engaging Your LIFE Group to Serve the Community

By Jay Fennell

What Kingdom difference is your LIFE group making in the world? In what measurable way is your LIFE group contributing to the advancement of the gospel in this community? These are important questions for LIFE group leaders to consider.
If you watch sitcom TV long enough, or listen to top 40 radio hits in your car, or simply open your eyes to the people you come in contact with daily, you’ll quickly discover that our world, our culture, our community is desperately lost and in need of a Savior. If anything, the observations we make about the world should break our hearts and burden us to want to make a difference. All around, people are hurting and searching. They desire peace and fulfillment but only find turmoil and heartbreak. Lost people should matter to us.
In Luke 15, we see the compassion of Jesus for the lost as He shares three parables concerning something lost but then found. The lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son show us that 1) lost people matter to God; 2) an all-out search is required to find those who are lost; and 3) a celebration ensues when one lost sinner repents and comes to Jesus.
We, too, can show compassion for the lost as a LIFE group, serving the community of Middle Tennessee together in Jesus’ name. Here are just a few things to think about as you mobilize your LIFE Group to serve the community:

 

  1. Pray for God’s guidance.
  2. Determine the collective spiritual gifts, passions and abilities of your group members and engage in a service opportunity that aligns with them.
  3. Discover needs in the community and discuss ways to meet those needs. You may also click here to learn of Brentwood’s local mission partners and the service opportunities they provide.
  4. Strive to form an ongoing relationship with a mission partner for an extended period of time. Consider establishing a start and stop time, like 6-12 months, rather than indefinitely.
  5. Calendar the dates to serve and be committed to the work.
  6. Share stories of God’s work through your mission involvement.

 
Jesus said in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” If that is Jesus’ mission and if we are His followers, then His mission is our mission. We are called to seek and save the lost, too, sent to a community in need of the risen Christ to proclaim and demonstrate the gospel so they might be hear, believe, respond and receive His saving work in their lives.

Oct
14
Uncategorized

The Importance of a Warm Welcome

By Jay Fennell

I can recall a time when my wife and I were visiting Sunday School classes in a church. We were newlyweds and had recently moved to Texas from South Carolina to attend seminary. We were lonely and homesick. We had no connections, no friends, and no church home, and we desperately needed a place to belong. We visited a few classes for young couples and didn’t feel a connection. The classes we visited were friendly, but we quickly learned that they weren’t interested in being our friend, and you can tell the difference. They had room in the classroom for us but not much room in their hearts. Frustrated, we prayed that God would provide us a Christian community with which we could grow in our faith and serve the church. We were looking for a family!
God answered our prayer and led us to visit a new group for young marrieds. As we approached the room, we immediately noticed lively interaction. The couples were connecting relationally and were genuinely enjoying one another. As we walked in the door, we were immediately greeted warmly by a couple who introduced themselves and thanked us for coming. They were wearing nametags, so that made it easier to remember people because it put a face to a name. We were introduced to other couples, all wearing nametags. The people of the group were sincerely grateful we were there. By the end of the morning, we knew we had found the group where we wanted to invest, grow and serve.
The first minute of our visit was so crucial. This group had one minute to make a good first impression, and they passed with flying colors because they cared enough to acknowledge us when we walked in the door. Their most hospitable and bubbly people were placed at the door to welcome everyone, members and guests alike. But they gave special attention to guests and made sure that we were warmly welcomed and made to feel important. They didn’t neglect the people that God had brought to their group.
How good are you at warmly welcoming each person every time you gather for LIFE Group? Your group’s success at retaining guests might be determined by your intentionality in warmly welcoming newcomers. I cannot stress how important that is and encourage you to ensure that each person is greeted and welcomed each time you gather. It meant a lot to me and my wife, and I know it means a lot to others, as well.