Go God!

Last Friday and Saturday between the craziness that is my life with a full-time job in ministry, part-time back-to-school load and all that other stuff called "having a life," I was able to "squeeze in" a conference. It was not required by work, however, my job title is "Administrative Assistant for Small Groups and Spiritual Formation" and this was a conference about small groups and spiritual formation. Yep. I must love my job.

"Willowcreek's Group Life conference" was presented via "simulcast" at Beaverton Christian Church. Amidst the technical difficulties: watching someone's mouth move as it's just a little off from the audio and the extra fifteen minutes of worship Saturday night morning as we waited for things go to "live" (not a bad thing), we got to hear the encouraging words and hilarious stories of great spiritual leaders in the Christian arena.

Going into the conference, I wasn't sure what to expect. I mean, knew I should be writing an essay due that Sunday night (and I hadn't started it yet), but I also knew that God wanted me at this conference. There were things He knew I needed to hear.

So l listened.

And I took notes.

Lots of notes.

And I now have a list of things I want to write about. Lessons and pieces of advice I want to share with the lifegroup leaders at Abundant Life Church and to my friends in ministry. I believe to the core of my being that God has given me the urgency to write it down. Whether it's to inform or entertain, complain or praise: I must communicate what He is teaching me with others in my special Cori-like way. I can't help it. Blame God. ;)

I was discussing this "need to write for others to read" urgency with some friends earlier, and I found myself telling them that when I was a little, little girl and had discovered the freedoms of "writing in a diary" I was not satisfied with writing all my stuff down and then closing the book and putting it away with a little lock on it. No way. I wanted to call my best girl friends, and read to them what I wrote. (I love my friends. They put up with a lot.) They in turn, would read what they wrote in their diaries. (I can listen too.) It was blog-sharing at the elementary school level.

Back to the conference. Although, I am sure my diary entries about how cute I thought a certain 10-year old boy was (at 10) and whether or not I would try out for the basketball team is fascinating…

At the conference, I was reminded that I am a lifegroup leader, and leading a group is not a "tour of duty." It is a life commitment. Not to freak myself or anyone else out, but when you make the decision to invest into other's lives, you can't just do it on your assigned night and time. To be a great leader you look "between the meetings" and use your "tool box."

Cell phone – Its original purpose was to CALL people. Punch in their phone number, let it ring, speak.

Email – When so much of life is tech-driven, a personal, encouraging note amidst the spam and junk mail makes checking the inbox worth it.

Notecard – I love buying cards, making cards, and receiving cards. But somehow I get stuck in the sending of cards. (I blame it on lack of correct addresses.) Share the joy you feel when you get something fun in the mail with someone else. Stamp: 42¢. Smile on someone's face: priceless.

Errand-Running – Need to run to Target for toothpaste and a birthday card? Call someone who might need to go as well, and use the time to share an experience with another. We all need something at Target, right?

Meal – And we all need to eat. Invite a couple over for dinner, kids included. I think we get so busy with LIFE that we forget to live and share our lives with others with the simple and every-day stuff. My best memories growing up are going playing with my friends as my parents "played with their friends." Usually, we would come up with plays or some dance routine, to which the parents had to be the audience for later on… but well, as we practiced our routines… I think my parents needed that time to be human with others.

Sit together at church – Okay, so this is soooo easy. You all go to the same church (or most of you do) and it's not like we have a million services. Just eight. *wink* So, pick a service that works best for the majority of your group (not 10am, think Saturday night or Parkrose Campus) and attend together. Build community in your group.

Dance card – No men, this does not mean actual dancing is involved. In the olden days (I have idea when really, I know Anne of Green Green Gables refers to a dance card at the Carmady Christmas ball. Hmm.), people would fill out dance cards of the people they were scheduled to dance with for certain dances or songs. You were intentional and planned ahead so you got to dance with who you wanted to dance with... Write up a "dance card" for the people in your group. Write their names down and for each name add an action. For example, "Sam-call on Tuesday eve; ask how job interview went. Linda- help move next weekend." Know your boundaries, and know what you able to do always, and don't be afraid to delegate responsibilities… but be intentional about including them in your life.

Ask – Look at the members in your group and find ways they can use their skills and interests for the group (or church, community, world, etc.) If someone in your group loves to organize things, and you need someone to help organize your garage. Ask. The worse they can do is say no. (And let them say no.)

Hand-off - Need someone to lead the study next week? Hand-off. Need someone to plan a SERVE project? Hand-off. Don't be the King/Queen of Everything: share the load and hand-off. Let me say it again: HAND-OFF. I know its hard... (trust me, I know its hard) but you can't do it all alone.

I hope those ideas were as useful to you, as they were to me. Stay tuned as I continue to process the great teaching I received the Group Life Conference, and as God continues to lay things on my heart to share with you.

In case you are curious (and I might be if I was reading this), the essay that I pushed back so I could go to the conference… the essay I proclaimed that God would bless me in writing because I was spending time learning God-stuff instead of prepping… after a Sunday spent writing and receiving amazing help from my friend, Joy, who crazy enough, knew the material better than me and she wasn't even in the class nor had she read the book. Hmph. Well, I got an A!! Specifically, a "this was well-written and has some fine evidence to back up a clear thesis" type of an A. Go God!

Comments

[Natalie]

I really enjoyed reading this blog. You've brought up good points that we all need to keep in mind on these crazy-busy days we seem to have all the time. Thanks for encouraging and sharing these points. :) I think that God has you exactly where he wants you as far as your work with Lifegroups

[Cori]

Thanks Natalie!