September 20, 2006
Our Living Room
I've had so much I've wanted to post on, but my schedule has kept me from doing so. Still, today we started "Living Rooms" (small group environments) at POG. I wanted to get some thoughts down. There's a chance that you've been in a small group before. There's a good chance that you've been in some good small groups and maybe some bad ones too. But after several years with many different small group experiences (some good, some bad), I'm more convinced that this is what church should really be all about. No, I don't mean just getting together in a house, eating food and sharing, sharing, sharing. Those are components of it, but not everything. I think where a small group gains the opportunity to become Church is when they capture a vision for ministry for mission. To know that they've been brought together not to be another religious social gathering of Christian acquaintances. But to be brothers in sisters in Jesus Christ called to be his hands, his feet, his mouth, his heart to our world. We're trying to figure out how this needs to look like as we engage in our Living Rooms. There's a buzz, an excitement about what God could and wants to do in our midst. We thought there might be interest for two groups (we didn't want anyone forced into this) Instead we're starting three groups. That's almost half our church. It was cool to see someone who wasn't supposed to be here drive in from Hamilton just to make it to our first meeting. When a group of people walk into such an environment longing for God do something, willing to commit to whatever it is that will help them surrender more to him, that's a recipe for God Stuff happening. This Motley Crue in our living room probably wouldn't impress many. But I believe God's about to take them for the ride of their lives. I am really, really excited!
Posted by ed