Spineless Small-groups, Sycophants and Shallow Saved Sinners

     So, the other day, Twitter showed me this article written by Brian Jones over at the Christian Standard about Small groups and why they (essentially) don't work. The argument is that 90% of all church small groups only ever produce is self confident believers but not missional disciples. The artilce stresses the weakpoints of what I will call "Organized Community" that is, small groups that are organized and you sign up for. these have become pretty standard in evangelical churches. I have personally been a part of about four of these types of groups; two of those, I have led. The one thread that I have realised is that the article is right. Small groups, in an overwhelming majority of cases do nothing or next to nothing to make disciples. Which is a shame, because the heart of Christianity is community and loving others, but that can't be manufactured, it has to be real. The best growth I've seen in my own life has been accidental. 2am conversations in Bible College, impromptu prayer meetings, and the breakfast club that a few close friends and I started a few months ago. Those breakfast meetings are real, we share eachother's burdens, pray for each other, share our successes and failures and fears.

     I'd love to expand on this, but there's nothing I can add to what Jones says. He nailed it.

-Kevin

-edit-

     I have been taught not to complain about something unless you have a solution to offer as well, so here is mine,  let's place less emphasis on small groups the way they are, namley a leader, in a chair, with a curriculum. let us instead preach and teach the value of intentional community and individual growth and discipleship. Followers of Christ need to take responsibility of their own part in the process of sanctification, not to minimize the work of the Spirit, but if we are not open to Him, His words will fall on deaf ears.

With love for Christ and His church
-Kevin

I Will Post This Before February, I Will Post This Before February...2010 Year in Review

 




Is it really true? Have I not posted ANYTHING since August? let's fix that.

It has been a crazy year. Have you ever really sat and thought about the last twelve months of your life? It's a lot...

Good things, Great things have happened, and also horrible things have happened.

So, here, in no perticular chronological or other order is

2010: Year in review

In May of this year, I graduated with my Bachelors, immediatley, of course, the questions followed: "So...when are you atarting your M.Div?"

I celebrated a full year of marriage to a wonderful, amazing woman.

I went to Myrtle Beach and saw the Ocean for the first time in my life.

I experienced the worst road trip circumstances EVER on the way back from Myrtle Beach...

We moved from Cambridge to Kitchener to begin to follow God's call on our lives to plant a church in the city.

I began to understand what true panic was when my wife had a car accident and I wasn't there with her. I don't exactly remember how I got to where she was, but I'm pretty sure it involved stealing my pastor's car and driving fast enough to alter the rotation of the Earth.

As a result of this accident, we bought a newer, better car.

And I learned to drive stick, thus becoming more of a man.

I tranferred to a new store and regained the love I once had for my job.

This was the year that we lost a dear aunt from my wife's side.

We lost a dear friend in South Korea.

2010 was the year, THE YEAR that I have been waiting for all my life. It was the year I got my father back. My dad got sober this past year. I got to go and see him in the late fall and tell him that I was proud of him. Something I never expected, but always hoped I was going to be able to do.

Finally, 2010 was the year that my wife told me I was going to be a father myself.

looks like 2011 will be an interesting year...

-Kevin