Your help would greatly appreciated in this. A few churches in this area have small groups (by various names) that are involved in many different interest: missions, fishing, prison ministries, hunting, football, etc. These interests are used to bond the group together and, therefore, play a part in the individuals Spiritual lives.
I would love to hear about the interest (focus) of some of the small groups in your church -if you have them. If you do not have these groups, what interests would you like to see in your church?
Thank you for your assistance. By the way, we are looking for ideas for new groups in the church where I recently became Senior (only) Pastor.
PPpastordon
BTW; if you got this far but are not a "church person," I want you to know that you most assuredly may participate, also.
OT - Question for church people
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Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
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PPpastordon
- Levergunner 2.0
- Posts: 237
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:37 pm
- Location: Indiana
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AmBraCol
- Webservant
- Posts: 3659
- Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:12 am
- Location: The Center of God's Grace
- Contact:
Howdy PPPDon. Greetings from Colombia's Coffee Country. It's great to see you posting here. 
We currently are only working with Bible study groups with an evangelistic outlook at this time. However, in the future we're looking to expand into all the "Seven Cultural Mountains" areas as much as possible. http://paulmoreland.com/?p=62
* BUSINESS
* GOVERNMENT
* FAMILY
* RELIGION
* MEDIA
* EDUCATION
* ART/ENTERTAINMENT.
It's kind of early in the game to say exactly HOW we're going to organize, but those are our general targets. Right now we're concentrating on evangelism and leadership training. Without qualified leaders small groups are a bust.
God's blessing on you, my brother.
Paul - in Pereira
We currently are only working with Bible study groups with an evangelistic outlook at this time. However, in the future we're looking to expand into all the "Seven Cultural Mountains" areas as much as possible. http://paulmoreland.com/?p=62
* BUSINESS
* GOVERNMENT
* FAMILY
* RELIGION
* MEDIA
* EDUCATION
* ART/ENTERTAINMENT.
It's kind of early in the game to say exactly HOW we're going to organize, but those are our general targets. Right now we're concentrating on evangelism and leadership training. Without qualified leaders small groups are a bust.
God's blessing on you, my brother.
Paul - in Pereira
-
don Tomás
- Levergunner 3.0
- Posts: 961
- Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:42 am
- Location: Kalifornia Sierra Nevada
Howdy Pastor,
We have our small groups (i.e., Purpose Driven Life types), but here's something we think is fairly unique. Here's a blurb from today's church bulletin (New Life Christian Fellowship, Mariposa, CA):
Paintball & Jesus (PBJ): September 16th at 2pm . Location: -------. No drugs, no alcohol, no foul or crude language, you know the drill. $5 entry, paint available for purchase. Hot dogs at the end of the day. Contact Jeff Tomerlin at (209) 966-5563.
This has been an excellent outreach program for the youth of the local community. Our church is aimed at the "non-churched" of the community. Here a portion of a recent interview with Youth Leader Jeff:
Church youth leader Jeff Tomerlin contends that paintball is the perfect ministry.
"I really wanted to do something for the youth where they could see godly adults acting as mentors. We thought about going the skateboard route, but none of us are skateboarders," said Tomerlin, 45.
After church on the third Sunday of every month, a group of teens and adults from New Life cook up a big meal of hot dogs, give testimonies about Jesus in their life, suit up in camouflage and grab donated paint-shooting guns ("markers" in paintball terms).
They have affectionately nicknamed their paintball and Jesus games PBJ.
Pastor, if you're interested in starting something similar, feel free to contact our Jeff to see how he went about it: (209) 966-5563.
We have our small groups (i.e., Purpose Driven Life types), but here's something we think is fairly unique. Here's a blurb from today's church bulletin (New Life Christian Fellowship, Mariposa, CA):
Paintball & Jesus (PBJ): September 16th at 2pm . Location: -------. No drugs, no alcohol, no foul or crude language, you know the drill. $5 entry, paint available for purchase. Hot dogs at the end of the day. Contact Jeff Tomerlin at (209) 966-5563.
This has been an excellent outreach program for the youth of the local community. Our church is aimed at the "non-churched" of the community. Here a portion of a recent interview with Youth Leader Jeff:
Church youth leader Jeff Tomerlin contends that paintball is the perfect ministry.
"I really wanted to do something for the youth where they could see godly adults acting as mentors. We thought about going the skateboard route, but none of us are skateboarders," said Tomerlin, 45.
After church on the third Sunday of every month, a group of teens and adults from New Life cook up a big meal of hot dogs, give testimonies about Jesus in their life, suit up in camouflage and grab donated paint-shooting guns ("markers" in paintball terms).
They have affectionately nicknamed their paintball and Jesus games PBJ.
Pastor, if you're interested in starting something similar, feel free to contact our Jeff to see how he went about it: (209) 966-5563.
Tom
'A Man's got to have a code...
I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted and I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
-John Bernard Books. Jan. 22, 1901
'A Man's got to have a code...
I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted and I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
-John Bernard Books. Jan. 22, 1901
Don, I am a deacon at our church where we are in the process of looking for a new pastor. As he is leaving we are starting some new things. We have a small church of under 200 but our youth group is growing most of all. We had four saved at camp this past summer and four more at an end of summer rally we put on for the kids before they started back to school. I am really proud of our youth pastor.
The last of this month we'll be starting a men's prayer breakfast. There is another church near me where some friends of mine attend. They have a program there that is part of a national group. It's called something Christian Sportsman's Assn. or something like that I can't remember exactly.
e-mail me off the board if you like at : rleee "at" earthlink.net we might both benefit.
In Christ,
Rusty <><
The last of this month we'll be starting a men's prayer breakfast. There is another church near me where some friends of mine attend. They have a program there that is part of a national group. It's called something Christian Sportsman's Assn. or something like that I can't remember exactly.
e-mail me off the board if you like at : rleee "at" earthlink.net we might both benefit.
In Christ,
Rusty <><
If you're gonna be stupid ya gotta be tough-
Isiah 55:8&9
It's easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled.
Isiah 55:8&9
It's easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled.
-
KirkD
- Desktop Artiste
- Posts: 4406
- Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:52 am
- Location: Central Ontario, Canada
- Contact:
Surprising as it may be .... shooting. Well this is not a regular small group activity yet in our church, but I'm sure it could be one. There seem to be lots of people in our church interested in me taking them to the range and shooting. I took the Senior Pastor a few months ago and he had a ball. I was just talking with the Worship Pastor and he's all excited for him and his son to come shooting with me. I've taken other people from the church as well. Most are excited to try it out. I figure that if I had the time, I could probably get at least 40 or 50 out to a regular group shooting activity, complete with coffee afterword.
Kirk,
I had forgotten all about that. We did that once with our church. One of our guys had made several set of .22 silhouettes and wall went out to a ranch where we had plenty of room and had a match. It was a great time.
Our youth group also does paintball and it has turned out to be one of the most attended activities we have. even the girls get really into it.
Rusty <><
I had forgotten all about that. We did that once with our church. One of our guys had made several set of .22 silhouettes and wall went out to a ranch where we had plenty of room and had a match. It was a great time.
Our youth group also does paintball and it has turned out to be one of the most attended activities we have. even the girls get really into it.
Rusty <><
If you're gonna be stupid ya gotta be tough-
Isiah 55:8&9
It's easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled.
Isiah 55:8&9
It's easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled.
-
JohndeFresno
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 4559
- Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:52 pm
My church has been involved in the following ministries. Lessons learned:
1) Prayer plays the most important role - turning the program over to His glory
2) Know your audience! If you have 40 members over 70, one teenager, two 30 year olds and seven babies in your congregation, then a Whitewater rafting ministry is probably not an option, since it usually starts at the church level.
3) Who will staff and maintain it? The programs are only as good as the resources, interest and dedication of the person(s) sponsoring them. If money is involved and you don't have a church in Beverly Hills (CA), then perhaps the church will have to pick up at least part of the tab on supplies, field trip expenses, and so on.
Activities in a middle to lower income agricultural community:
1 ) Royal Rangers or similar youth scouts activity, with woodcrafts, camping trips, and Bible study as part of its curriculum (must have enough dedicated, trained leaders for this to work!!).
2 ) Missionettes or similar girl's youth group, with emphasis on girl's activities, with same proviso.
3 ) Bible studies in home - using various themes for the year. Always popular, inexpensive, and a good way to form strong friendships. At the most, the host might need some beverages and finger food, but that can be a potluck affair where all members are enouraged to bring a snack for themselves to ease the load. Little preparation needed, since every church has resources for directed studies and sharing of the Word in groups through their headquarters.
4 ) Basketball - put up some hoops in the parking lot on non-church days and invite the youth! If the Youth pastor can shoot hoops, the kids will come.
5 ) Visitation groups, where newcomers are visited at their home after filling out an interest card, and the salvation is shared in their home at a time of their choosing; or at the church on days other than Sunday (or other than Saturday, if you are an Adventist). Again, all or most churches have training material to present the Gospel in simple format to a new, unchurched person.
6 ) Yearly deep sea trip, where members and guests rent a boat at a group rate (through a knowledgeable coordinator) and then caravan to the coast for a day of fellowship at sea:
7 ) Community outreach fun day for kids - bounce house, handmade games, etc - just to get them used to church folks - in your parking lot.
8 ) Halloween "Trunk or Treat" - on Halloween, have various kid shows in the santuary (such as a simple puppet show), and on your property have member's cars with trunks up, loaded with candy and/or other treats. Purchased by volunteer members in bulk, this is extremely popular with kids, who bring their families and learn that church folk ain't all that bad.
9 ) Seniors get togethers, such as Saturday Folk Fest, where seniors bring their guitars, other musical instruments, and ply their amateur talents as singers and musicians each weekend, or once a month. No expense need be incurred.
10 ) Workshops, like on Wednesday nights - literature is again usually available from your church. "Singles issues," "Guarding your Finances" (this was taught by an IRS Auditor / Church member - very successful), "How to Witness" (useful for later street and home ministries!), any subject that is the passion of one of your members.
11 ) Quilting Bees used to be successful in my church, but I don't see this anymore, locally. It used to be a power forum for our Senior Ladies who talked about various projects and improvements while they worked together, and formed a successful prayer chain out of its membership.
12 ) Baseball league.
13 ) Miniature racing "Pinewood" car derbies, where father and son (or father figure and boy, or even girl) work together to carve up a small race car to certain specifications, and then race them on a small ramp (again, in the church parking lot!). Judges also partcipate in giving recognition to the most original and/or innovative cars entered.
14 ) Guitar workshop - we once brought a well known guitarist who still works as a background guitarist with various Nashville groups, and who wrote and performed several guitar theme songs when he was younger for TV series of various types. They are out there and available, and several are Christians (like our artist friend) and will not rob the treasury for their effort.
15 ) Food outreach. Various government and church-backed ministries will supply food either for free or at low cost, the expense which is then borne by the church, to feed the needy on weekends. Absolute requirement: a secure, dry storage area on the church premises or nearby, managed by a dedicated church member. The food offered, gratis, serves as the "hook to the Book." Infrastructure needed to follow-up with those who are touched by the ministry and hear the calling to the Lord's table, based upon unqualified offer of food to their families.
16 ) Family camping trips - Tents, RV's, or whatever the group likes to camp in - at some accessible campground (no more than a half day away).
17 ) Picnic Ministry, e.g. monthly Church Picnic / Potluck in the local park, where some members bring the barbecues. Softball, kid's games are a good idea to have available, but even just a get together brings in friends.
18 ) For urbanites - Pizza get togethers, weekly or monthly, at a designated pizzeria. No expense to the church, because everybody buys their own! Good for breaking the ice.
19 ) Not at my church, but: Fly-tying Workshop, put on by a fly-fishing afficionado within the membership.
I've probably forgotten some of the more obvious and successful ministries, but that's what happens when you are way over the far side of 30.
1) Prayer plays the most important role - turning the program over to His glory
2) Know your audience! If you have 40 members over 70, one teenager, two 30 year olds and seven babies in your congregation, then a Whitewater rafting ministry is probably not an option, since it usually starts at the church level.
3) Who will staff and maintain it? The programs are only as good as the resources, interest and dedication of the person(s) sponsoring them. If money is involved and you don't have a church in Beverly Hills (CA), then perhaps the church will have to pick up at least part of the tab on supplies, field trip expenses, and so on.
Activities in a middle to lower income agricultural community:
1 ) Royal Rangers or similar youth scouts activity, with woodcrafts, camping trips, and Bible study as part of its curriculum (must have enough dedicated, trained leaders for this to work!!).
2 ) Missionettes or similar girl's youth group, with emphasis on girl's activities, with same proviso.
3 ) Bible studies in home - using various themes for the year. Always popular, inexpensive, and a good way to form strong friendships. At the most, the host might need some beverages and finger food, but that can be a potluck affair where all members are enouraged to bring a snack for themselves to ease the load. Little preparation needed, since every church has resources for directed studies and sharing of the Word in groups through their headquarters.
4 ) Basketball - put up some hoops in the parking lot on non-church days and invite the youth! If the Youth pastor can shoot hoops, the kids will come.
5 ) Visitation groups, where newcomers are visited at their home after filling out an interest card, and the salvation is shared in their home at a time of their choosing; or at the church on days other than Sunday (or other than Saturday, if you are an Adventist). Again, all or most churches have training material to present the Gospel in simple format to a new, unchurched person.
6 ) Yearly deep sea trip, where members and guests rent a boat at a group rate (through a knowledgeable coordinator) and then caravan to the coast for a day of fellowship at sea:
7 ) Community outreach fun day for kids - bounce house, handmade games, etc - just to get them used to church folks - in your parking lot.
8 ) Halloween "Trunk or Treat" - on Halloween, have various kid shows in the santuary (such as a simple puppet show), and on your property have member's cars with trunks up, loaded with candy and/or other treats. Purchased by volunteer members in bulk, this is extremely popular with kids, who bring their families and learn that church folk ain't all that bad.
9 ) Seniors get togethers, such as Saturday Folk Fest, where seniors bring their guitars, other musical instruments, and ply their amateur talents as singers and musicians each weekend, or once a month. No expense need be incurred.
10 ) Workshops, like on Wednesday nights - literature is again usually available from your church. "Singles issues," "Guarding your Finances" (this was taught by an IRS Auditor / Church member - very successful), "How to Witness" (useful for later street and home ministries!), any subject that is the passion of one of your members.
11 ) Quilting Bees used to be successful in my church, but I don't see this anymore, locally. It used to be a power forum for our Senior Ladies who talked about various projects and improvements while they worked together, and formed a successful prayer chain out of its membership.
12 ) Baseball league.
13 ) Miniature racing "Pinewood" car derbies, where father and son (or father figure and boy, or even girl) work together to carve up a small race car to certain specifications, and then race them on a small ramp (again, in the church parking lot!). Judges also partcipate in giving recognition to the most original and/or innovative cars entered.
14 ) Guitar workshop - we once brought a well known guitarist who still works as a background guitarist with various Nashville groups, and who wrote and performed several guitar theme songs when he was younger for TV series of various types. They are out there and available, and several are Christians (like our artist friend) and will not rob the treasury for their effort.
15 ) Food outreach. Various government and church-backed ministries will supply food either for free or at low cost, the expense which is then borne by the church, to feed the needy on weekends. Absolute requirement: a secure, dry storage area on the church premises or nearby, managed by a dedicated church member. The food offered, gratis, serves as the "hook to the Book." Infrastructure needed to follow-up with those who are touched by the ministry and hear the calling to the Lord's table, based upon unqualified offer of food to their families.
16 ) Family camping trips - Tents, RV's, or whatever the group likes to camp in - at some accessible campground (no more than a half day away).
17 ) Picnic Ministry, e.g. monthly Church Picnic / Potluck in the local park, where some members bring the barbecues. Softball, kid's games are a good idea to have available, but even just a get together brings in friends.
18 ) For urbanites - Pizza get togethers, weekly or monthly, at a designated pizzeria. No expense to the church, because everybody buys their own! Good for breaking the ice.
19 ) Not at my church, but: Fly-tying Workshop, put on by a fly-fishing afficionado within the membership.
I've probably forgotten some of the more obvious and successful ministries, but that's what happens when you are way over the far side of 30.
-
marlinman93
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 6483
- Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:40 pm
- Location: Oregon
Our church is very involved with City Teams ministires, which helps people living on the street get rehabilitated and taught job skills, with a Christian based ministry.
We also have bible study groups on various topics, men's and women's groups, plus youth group. A number of other community assistance such as clothing room and food room to assist the neighborhood and members.
Our men's group had a trip to the local trap range, and a BBQ event this summer! I was in hog heaven, as my eating skills outweigh my trap skills!
We also have bible study groups on various topics, men's and women's groups, plus youth group. A number of other community assistance such as clothing room and food room to assist the neighborhood and members.
Our men's group had a trip to the local trap range, and a BBQ event this summer! I was in hog heaven, as my eating skills outweigh my trap skills!
-
Oz n bolivia
- Levergunner
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 7:57 pm
- Location: Tarija, Bolivia
- Contact:
The chruch I attend here in La Paz is going through change. Due to the political and economic problems we have lost a lot of our membership and it was decided to let the pastor go which made a lot of us sad. We are looking for a pastor but the benifits that were being paid will be greatly reduced.
Our youth group will have its first meeting in a long time this comming Sunday evening, home made PIZZA. Our womens group is planning a Quizz night. We have adult Bible studies and at this time three or four of the groups are studing the same material, quit by accident.
I've done some work on the web page and maybe I can get some new data to add. www.lapazcc.org
We are small in that our attendance is 50 to 85 worshipers each Sunday, that number is all ages. Several years ago we would brake 100 regularly.
Keeping people that run programs is another big problem. Being International and interdemoninational and the service is in English we are a transit congregation.
Oz
Our youth group will have its first meeting in a long time this comming Sunday evening, home made PIZZA. Our womens group is planning a Quizz night. We have adult Bible studies and at this time three or four of the groups are studing the same material, quit by accident.
I've done some work on the web page and maybe I can get some new data to add. www.lapazcc.org
We are small in that our attendance is 50 to 85 worshipers each Sunday, that number is all ages. Several years ago we would brake 100 regularly.
Keeping people that run programs is another big problem. Being International and interdemoninational and the service is in English we are a transit congregation.
Oz
Remaining a curious student throughout life renders one’s life interesting and progressive.
Robert Smyth
He stated that the way I feel.
Knowledge is all we do, see, touch, hear, read. What we do with that knowledge shows our wisdom.
Robert Smyth
He stated that the way I feel.
Knowledge is all we do, see, touch, hear, read. What we do with that knowledge shows our wisdom.
-
PPpastordon
- Levergunner 2.0
- Posts: 237
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:37 pm
- Location: Indiana
I want to give a sincere thanks to all who have answered, and those who may still answer. I will continue to seek additional information. However, each of you have become a source of spiritual help for a small church which seeks new ways to reach out to the community in which it exists. May God's blessings be with each of you.
PPpastordon
PPpastordon