A couple of information messages first:
1. We are starting 2 new CG's starting the week of Feb 11th. Monday nights at The Goodman's and Sunday Evenings in Port Orchard at the Gizzi's. Help me spread the word to people on Sunday or in other conversations about the opportunities here to join these groups and experience community.
2. Community Group Leader Meeting, Feb. 23rd 4:30 pm till ??? at my house in Silverdale. Kids are welcome. Be thinking about what would be helpful during these times. Fellowship, Training (if so what kinds), Encouragement, Vision of Community Groups, etc. etc.
3. Question to ponder: We had a person who was a little thrown off by the message about being in the culture but not of the culture. Basically, is it bad to just listen to Christian music, have Christian friends, and go to Christian school if that is what is going to encourage you and help you with your personal holiness. I think we have a quick answer to this but these are the type of questions that will arise based on the wide-array of people God has brought into our body. How do we lead this person in answering this? Do we just give them the 5-minute disertation or do we ask them questions so they can be involved in the process. Do we pose the question for everyone to process? Give me your thoughts.
4. Great stuff to think about from James 3, this week. Please submit a question or two that you are planning to use to help spur on conversation in your group this week.
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8 comments:
While I agree that being insulated by Christian culture would probably encourage everyone towards personal holiness, it misses the point of the gospel, we do need to worry about our holiness, but thats a small part of the pie...however I don't know that I'd go so far as to say that everyone needs to engage culture to the same degree as I do or you do, I think that is question to go to the Spirit with...I would also like to encourage everyone to encourage your groups to truly wrestle with this question of speech and not just cast it off as some sort of abstract call to not use expletives, I don't feel James is talking about swearing in the same way western culture generally perceives it, rather he is going much deeper...use speech to build up one another, not being gossips, not using the Lord's name in vain, etc. If we relegate the conversation to a few choice words the FCC doesn't allow on television we've really missed the point. Let's face it, not using the "S" word in public discourse is a rule that society has made up, meanwhile its perfectly ok to say "GD" or "SOB" or even the "B" word on television, a shaky premise at best .
Word Pat!!! I think I would also have to say on the whole "being in the culture, not OF the culture" IS for spreading the Gospel. Which is glorify'n God.
I do think there are some people that might not even think of "culture" at all. I know that from before I was in this plant... the only time I ever heard of the word "culture" was in history class and on Discovery Cannel talking about the Incan Indians and other 3rd world countries.
so to put the "Culture" word into today's life may even be somehting that has to be explained/defined... to the point that we were SAVED from the DEAD CULTURE... and now serve God. So as christians, we are of a different culture than the world. and that is where we need to be at. Different than the world but none the less.. we live here with earthly culture all around us. so we cant be NIEVE and block out our mission of spreading the Gospel because all the world around us LOOKS gross.. we were Gross... and still are but Jesus made us part of his Culture.
thats it.
We had good discussion last night. We focused on the theme of James being "A MATURE GOSPEL" and how chapter three contributed to that goal in theory and specifically in our own lives. Also, good discussion on Seaside's mantra "GRACE MOVING FORWARD" - what does that look like? Is that the expression of grace you have experienced in other church circles? Have you experienced Grace moving forward at Seaside? All in all there was good community and good conversation.
-Abby (Eric was out of town so I was going Solo)
Been thinking about us spreading out more people in more cg's....and the need for all of us to take on the responsibility of caring what other groups are going through. As new leaders come on board we need to care enough about their walks as well as our own and look for ways to keep them encouraged, because as you all know cg's don't just happen because we open up a house and say 'come on in'.
Why I tie this back to the discussion already being had is because as we spread out there can be more chances for the gospel we are trying to live and project to be not running parallel to the gospel that is being lived and projected by new group leaders, and this is the thing we need to care for and about. A consistent gospel will become something we are going to have to contend for in our very near future. When the group is small there's only a few of us setting the boundaries, as we spread out now there will be tendency of new leaders to set new boundaries. I am not saying all boundaries need to be the same, just throwing out a call to action on the part of all current leaders to help Eric with oversight/encouragement of new leaders. Blah! There, I said it.
after reading and re-reading the discussions, I don't think I understand what you mean, would you be opposed to clarifying it?
Pat are you talking about Swan's last comment??
yes seaside community groups (if that is your real name) I was. I understand it as a stand-alone statement I just don't know what it means in context.
Well, me being a novice blogger and all, I don't think I knew how to put out a new discussion so I just tacked on to the already existing one. So it really doesn't have a context (until now). But, the gist of it is to say that it's great that we are seeing a progression of the body towards CG's, but we also are seeing a diversity of understanding within these groups. We used to have too much structure in place for leadership standards, but there is also such a thing as not enough structure. I was throwing out a caution because of having a pulse on the newer groups sprouting up and there being more families involved that have been with us for a shorter time, which leaves room for all kinds of things. I know E is trying to work out the kinks as we go, but he could use a hand from those of us that have been around for a bit and if we bond well as leaders we can make a difference in the atmosphere of other groups and not just ours. Does that make any sense or am I just rambling as usual except this time with a hint of Ben and Jerry's on my lips?
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