An Open Letter to Our Small Group Leaders (Part 7)

Hi Small Group Leaders,

In a series of open letters over the summer I’m focusing on several small steps we’ll be taking this fall to mature and deepen how we do small groups, so that we can more effectively make disciples who make more disciples.

In addition to developing a group Rule of Life (and then using it regularly), we are asking our leaders to attend a monthly small group leadership community. 

Many of you remember Mark Porter. Mark now lives in Florida. Mark led the area men’s BSF for many years. A couple of summers ago he was in town and we had some time to connect. I asked him about what he did in his weekly meetings with the men’s BSF small group leaders. 

He shared with me how he considered the weekly leader meeting to be his most important meeting. If a leader was leading on Monday night, he had to come to the leaders’ meeting on Saturday at 6:00am! If a leader was going to be out of town on Monday, he could miss the meeting. 

Mark told me that his goal was to make the meeting so valuable that guys would come even if they were going to miss Monday night. Every time a guy showed up that didn’t need to show up (and it often did), he knew he was hitting the mark.

I know we are asking a lot when we ask you to come to a monthly leader gathering, but we promise to really sweat the details and put in the prep work to make this a worthwhile time for you. We want it to be a meeting you won't want to miss. 

What will our monthly meetings look like? We’ll all be reading and discussing books on making disciple-makers. Together we’ll determine further steps toward deepening our small group ministry model. We’ll share best practices and dumb taxes regarding the group Rule of Life. We’ll get on our knees and pray for our groups, for each other, and for our redemptive mission in this hurting world. 

I truly hope to see you there!

Blessings,
Pastor Henry

What Loving the Foreigners Among You Looks Like

He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. (Deuteronomy 10:18-19)

Here are a couple of reports on the Karen VBS. Lots of pictures follow. You may see the backpack you gave on one of these kids.

First, from Kristen Bryant, the prime force behind this every year: 

We had 95 kids tonight, which was the biggest night this week. We passed out 80 back packs and 24 draw string bags for the younger kids. This week 119 different kids attended, they just didn't all come the same night. There were 19 first time decisions.

I also like this Facebook post by Kathryn Nash:

My sister-in-law, Kristen Bryant, organizes this vbs ministry year after year. Endless hours of planning and preparing Bible lessons, snacks, crafts, and recruiting volunteers. Thank you for your leadership! So many lives impacted! It's such a great opportunity for our small group, church, friends and family to serve right here in the twin cities. Consider joining us next year!