Lost in Faith

I’ve always loved playing with words. They are important because they convey not just meaning but the value attached to meaning. If I were to say, next Tuesday we start group leader training I might convey that we are teaching techniques related to a form-group. I am not into forms or techniques, they are time and culturally bound and therefore become irrelevant.

But, if say that on Tues/Thurs we start discussing how to build spiritually forming conversations, I am either playing with words or trying to convey something deeper. I hope that latter is true!

The command that generates our activity is found in Matthew 28:19,20 commonly referred to as the Great Commission, Go make disciples (lifelong learners) of all nations, teach them to practice all I (Jesus) have commanded and I will be with you until the end.

Everything we do must be related back to that. If all the sexy stuff we do on Sundays doesn’t lead to spiritually forming conversations that lead to people becoming lifelong learners and practicers ( a word?) of Jesus’ teaching then we need to STOP!

Right now we gather people in forms “Groups/Teams.” Everything that happens in these forms need to be governed by the GREAT COMMISSION. As I meet with, work with the people God has given me paramount in my mind is sharing my life and influencing them toward full devotion (or being a lifelong learner and practicer of Jesus’ teachings)

So how many of those in your group or on your team are life long learners and practicers of Jesus teachings? Some of you have been at it a long time!

We are in desperate need to figure out how to build spiritually forming conversations, so for the next 7 weeks on Tues/Thurs we are going to focus on the practical how tos.

THE FACTS——–7 weeks———August 4/6 thru Sept 15/17———In Auditorium with GLC Groups
(Start 5:30 not arrive at 5:30, please stay as long as you can. We are planning an hour and 15 minutes.)

Some further thoughts for your reflection or reaction.

People ask me, “How big is Shoal Creek?” I know that they are asking how many people attend on a Sunday morning, a very traditional way to measure something about a church. But even though by traditional standards we are big, growing, everything is headed north, etc, by other standards we are not nearly as “big” as we think.

My guess is that we have less than 50 genuine disciples of Jesus and 800+ people who are curious.

So in light of that:

Here is an attempt to measure full devotion. Granted nothing is able to measure full devotion precisely!

Seven Questions (all prefaced by “What percentage of Shoal Creek…. or your group/team/etc)

enjoy the security of God’s favor based on God’s action at the Cross?

experience a regular connection with God where their depravity is regularly brought together with God’s grace?

express to there relational network the transformation that is taking place inside them?

expose their lives below the surface to friends who both challenge and encourage them?

employ their gifts and passions in the service of Jesus movement to reach this world?

extravagantly release their income and assets to be used to further the cause of Jesus?

engage people to the level that transformation of the soul takes place regularly?