Travis Johnson

Life Groups Vids and End of Registration

Sunday was our last official day of registration for our groups.  You can still call the office or email Anne to squeeze in.  But, that will only last for a few days and then you'll have to wait until the Spring semester.  Here's a recap of our videos and the registration catalogue.

The rest of our vids are at LifeTVmiami.

Life Group Regisration Update

We have our first batch of group closings following Sunday sign-ups.  Two weeks into group registrations, we have over 77% of our sunday morning attendance registered for a life group.  That's awesome!  If you have already signed up for a group, grab your friends and invite them to register for the group you are in.

The goal is 100% of our Sunday attendance average which is doable since there are a quite a few people who don't come every Sunday in a row due to jobs, commitment level (guests, irregular attenders, etc...), and other reasons.  Be an inviter and help your friends and family take that next step forward!

View the Life Groups website and download the Life Group catalogue here.

Richard, Barbaro, Chris, and Jesse on Life Group

I could listen to these stories all day, especially from these guys!  To check out the catalogue or register for a group, click here.  I'm not sure what the registration numbers are or which groups are closing this week.  But, I will say that getting your registration in before the offices open tomorrow will increase your chances of getting into your preferred group.

Life Group Video and Catalogue for Registration

Download Life Groups Fall Catalogue.pdf

The groups begin the week of September 16 and last for 12 weeks.  Then, more groups will form for the spring. You can register by emailing Anne Johnson.  Include your name, phone number, and email address.  If you are registering for more than one person, detail their information as well.  Since groups will fill up on a first come, first serve basis, its important that you get your registration in as quickly as possible.

Girls do Groups better Than Guys

I don't have any stats to prove what I'm about to say.  But, based on my experience, girls do better than guys at small groups.  Intimacy and empathy just come more naturally for girls.

I am not cursing the darkness.  I actually have an idea we put to work.  Beginning last week, IFL Battleground is on my 60" TV from 7-7:30 PM.  So the guys can come early and catch a couple fights while the girls mingle and chat.  Then, we can open the group in prayer.  We'll pray for all of the rejected UFC fighters who just got pounded.  Ya' dig?!

Leadership Development and Small Groups

About a month and a half ago, my life group (Palm Isles) broke off into about 3 other groups: one at Marbella Bay, the Redlands, and one near the theater.   Some of those groups had nothing more than a prepared life group leader/facilitator.  To be honest, I was concerned that a couple of the groups would survive because they really didn't have the critical mass that they should have had.  What they did have were strong leaders. 

Last night we had 11 in our group and three very strong groups meeting elsewhere (I think the Redlands group is doing better than us).  This summer, we'll break from our groups and have a church-wide gathering for leadership development.  Our goals are:

• to identify everyone who wants to lead and equip them.
• to give our groups a sabbath during the summer.
• to share a no holds barred vision with high commitment people where questions can be asked.
• to create more stake holders in the ministry.
• to allow people to simply come to something without them having to prepare themselves.

John Maxwell says, "Everything rises and falls on leadership."  I believe that is true.  At this point in my ministry, I have to do a better job developing our leaders.  We are putting all our eggs in that basket.

Brannon and Taylor Ferguson's Group

Last night, Kourtney (my little girl) and I dropped in on Brannon and Taylor Ferguson's Life Group.  This is one of our newest groups.  They used to hang with us.  But, they branched off to start their own gig in Marbella Bay on Wednesday nights.  This was my first time in their group.

Taylor facilitated discussion.  They had some great snacks...all healthy with a choice of Gatorade or water to wash them down with.  It was excellent.  For such a young group, it had really good chemistry.  It made me proud since this is one of the groups that came out of our house.  Congrats to these guys on doing so well!

Community and Growth

Community and growth are key to the pursuit of Jesus.  If you do not have times where you are studying Scripture in the context of community, you are cheating yourself of a great thing.  If you are a reader and have not connected, you can register for a group and be contacted by a group leader.

We moved our Life Group to Tuesdays at 7:30 PM from Wednesday nights.  A couple things about that:

• We can have group and watch American Idol afterwards (thanks to TiVo)
• If you can't make the move, there are about 5 groups that started this week (three on Wednesday, one on Friday, and one on Sunday).
• Brannon and Taylor left our group to start one at Marbella Bay in Waterstone.  They are a terrific young couple and will no doubt have a packed group soon.  If you want to get plugged in there, you better hurry.  It'll be closed soon.
• The act of hospitality is a 2,000 year old tradition of the church.  People who open their homes for a group are great people in my book. 

You Have a Responsiblity to Mature

The following conversation is real conversation from earlier this week.  It took place between me and a good friend in the church...someone I am genuinely committed to and love.  Hopefully, he won't be too upset that I posted it here.  If he is and if we are really friends, he'll get over it and make the changes he needs to make.  Hopefully our conversation will also challenge you if you find yourself in the same spot.

START OF CONVERSATION

Unnamed well meaning life pointe attender: Pastor, I don't feel like there is time to really connect and hang out with people on Sunday morning.

Me: I agree.  There isn't.

Unnamed well meaning life pointe attender: What are we going to do about it?

Me: "We" aren't going to do anything about it.  But, you can do something by at least making sure that your family is in a life group.  Even still, that is just the starting point of your involvement in people's lives.

END OF CONVERSATION

Editorial note: Don't expect me to do your stuff.  God holds you responsible for your spiritual growth.  He also holds me responsible.  But, if we are developing leaders and worship, service, and connecting environments are available, and you choose not to participate, your lack of growth and connection is your fault...not mine.

Oh and by the way, you missed a great time of connection last night when a chunk of our life groups got together to hang out.  Of course, it was promo'd on Sunday, in the worship guide, and mentioned in the weekly email...sorry you missed it.

Not everyone is allowed at my Life Group

Life Pointe practices hospitality by opening our homes and lives to others.  But, we shut the doors to my home at last night's Life Group when a skunk sauntered up to our front door.  He actually trapped 3 cars full of people and kept them outside for about 5 minutes.  I didn't even know that there were skunks in south Florida.

I went inside to get my camera and ran down the street to the place I thought he was standing.  It was a clump of grass.  Suddenly, I found myself very concerned that I did not know his whereabouts.  All the neighbors were out...it was quite the event.