People of the Book

Adam Mayfield is trying an approach to Life Groups that goes contrary to what he's been taught - reading the Bible...

We sent the kids to the front room with their Bibles, journals, and pens. The adults sat in the big room with their Bibles, journals, and pens. I led the meeting and said "Ok, start reading." We all started reading from the Bible. We were reading the same passages, basically a Bible reading plan that allows you to read through the whole Bible in one year. For the next 15-20 minutes no ones said a word, the kids in the front room weren't talking either.....everyone in the house (except my dog Tanner) were reading their Bibles. It was a beautiful silence. As people starting finishing up their reading they turned in their journals and started writing, during this time I walked to the front room to check on the kids and they were writing away, A big sister was helping her little sister fill out her journal.....IT WAS AWESOME. As people were getting done I went and got the kids and brought them into the room with us. When the last person finished up, I spoke again. I said, "I don't want to lead this time so you guys tell me, what did God show you." I sat in the room and listened as God's people told us what God had shown them from His word. It was refreshing, encouraging, and challenging. We then discussed prayer requests which everyone (including some of the kids) were writing in the front of their journals. IT WAS AWESOME!

It was INCREDIBLE. I loved it, God's people being His people, and teaching me His word. Yeah that isn't what I learned in Bible College.

Thanks, Adam, hmmm.... the Bible as life group material - great idea!

Riding a Movement

Right now I am reading two books: Be Fruitful and Multiply by Bob Logan and The Silent Transformation by Christoph Schalk. Schalk is sharing stories from churches around the world that are transforming culture through the application of organic principles. Logan is focusing on cultivating church multiplication movements.

A common theme among both of these authors is that church is not something to be manipulated. Church planting is a partnership with God – He does the bulk of work and equips His people to do the little things. So many churches are struggling today because they are paddling upstream in human strength instead of riding a wave of the movement of God.

Sometimes we make things so complicated that in order to get more done, we have to learn to do less. In some situations, it may be necessary to deconstruct, downsize, or simplify in order to move to the next level. For example, in order for church multiplication to take place, we must employ reproducible methods. Much of what we do is not reproducible because it is too complicated. Before we can do what God has called us to do, we need to undo the things He has not called us to do.

If you are doing things that cannot easily be passed on to someone else, then you have probably over-complicated the task or process. If you think you have simplified and yet are not mentoring anyone, then you are probably still working too hard at the wrong things.

Take a look at Ephesians 4:11-12 and ask yourself the following questions...
1. What is my gift?
2. How am I using it?
3. How am I equipping the next generation of leaders?