Scripture Memory: Memoirs of a Successful Failure

October 23, 2018October 23, 2018 / thecgblog / Leave a comment

-Guest post by Small Group Coach, Catlan Sardina

I once tried to memorize the Book of Romans. I learned a few things from that effort.

1) Scripture memory is hard.

2) Actually storing the Word of God in your heart is even harder.

But, I think what I learned in my journey could be helpful and encouraging to you. Let me paint the picture of how I got to where I am in pursuit of memorization, so I can help you memorize scripture more effectively.

Last year I led our group through Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, by Donald Whitney. This was the second time I went through the book in a Small Group setting, and I knew what I was in for. If you are not familiar, Whitney challenges Christians to practice ten disciplines (including memorization) for the purpose of godliness. I didn’t want the semester to be just another book study, so I really buckled down and prepared to make some lifestyle changes to be a more disciplined Christian (and leader) for the purpose of godliness.

In regards to the discipline of Scripture memorization, I set the goal to memorize the entire book of Romans. At first it was without a prescribed due date. I did some research to find effective tools and techniques, then decided my tool of choice would be “Scripture Typer,” an iPhone app. The premise is that you plug verses into the app, and then memorize the verses through a three step process that increased in difficulty. You just type the first letter of each word, and boom! You’ve memorized Scripture.

The app is more useful than I just made it sound, and I was hooked. I’m a bit of a nerd, so I built a spreadsheet to accompany my memorization progress. I found that in the first 21 days I had memorized the entire first chapter of Romans, an average pace of 1.52 verses per day. (Please don’t judge my analytics too harshly.)

I knew that was an unsustainable pace, so I made the adjustment to memorize at .71 verses per day like this:

Monday – 1 new verse
Tuesday – 1 new verse
Wednesday – review new verses and eventually 1 whole chapter
Thursday – 1 new verse
Friday – 1 new verse
Saturday – 1 new verse
Sunday – Review every verse I’ve ever memorized

It all seemed really impressive, and I had convinced myself that I was crushing it. About four months in I was working on Romans 4:21, and couldn’t be any more proud of myself. (Warning, pride comes before a fall!)

Every once in a while I could convince my wife to listen to me recite my memory verses, God bless her, and for the most part I could recite Romans 1:1-4:21 with very few “helps”. Better yet, I had a really high score in the Scripture Typer app, and was en route to Christian greatness. Everything was gravy until the day the bubble popped (not the housing bubble).

One day I was talking to a friend at work about Romans’ claim that everyone really knows God exists. I knew that this truth was stored in Romans 1, right around verse 20. I got super excited and started wagging my tail because I was about to throw verses of Scripture right in his face!

I only had one little problem. In the fiery furnace of workplace (self-inflicted) persecution I couldn’t for the life of me remember a single word from my verses. Forget about the obvious problem of failure to perform my dream recital from way up high on my holier-than-though soap box. It occurred to me that I hadn’t written a single verse on my heart! It was time to spend some significant time in prayer, reconsider my motives and methods, and possibly reconsider my .71 verses per day.

I’d like to say that this is when I stumbled across some insightful C.S. Lewis or C.H. Spurgeon quote that kicked me into hyper-Spirit mode. But, alas, my flesh prevailed, and I gave up Scripture memorization outright. Months went by. My Scripture Typer app would occasionally look at me like a child depraved of attention. Sometimes I would even open it and see how many “stale” verses needed review… Then I’d close the app, pretend like I never opened it, and read some ESPN. I was officially defeated by my prideful flesh, the lies of the Enemy (“You are too dim and prideful to memorize God’s Word”) and the pressures of the world (“You have more important things to do, anyway!”)

But, praise God for His sovereign persistence in pursuing my heart. Praise God for the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Praise God for passages like Matthew 4:1-11, where Jesus conquered Satan, not by supernatural power and lightning bolts, but by speaking memorized Scripture at the stinky beast. Praise God for Paul declaring the Bible as our offensive weapon in Spiritual Warfare in Ephesians 6:17. And Praise God for Ephesians 6:1, because I have four kids and I love that verse.

So, what did I do that worked? I decided to start a humbler adventure, at a humbler pace, aware of my memorization limits, and just enjoy the ride. (So humble of an adventure that I am writing a blog post about it.) I read more about memorization techniques. I looked into stories of people memorizing Scripture successfully. I sought out different tools and methods.

I accepted failure in my new adventures, and continued because I wasn’t under the gun of my past failures. I found joy in memorizing in a way that works for me, and asking God to daily write the words on my heart. He receives the glory from my previous failure, because He showed me how incapable I am on my own.

Organization doesn’t write Scripture on your heart, neither does discipline, only Spirit empowerment with the right heart and mind will give you the joy of a scriptural sword that is ready for battle.

Here are a few successful tips I’ve picked up on this iteration of the journey.

1) I am still memorizing a large passage, but not just because I can. Romans 1 started with an introduction, and it is valuable because it is the Word of God. But is Paul’s introduction to a letter really a necessary place to start? No. So, this time I started working on the Sermon on the Mount. It starts with the Beatitudes, so even if I fail to get all of Matthew 5-7, I at least have those gems with me.

2) I’m memorizing verses that align with our Church’s focus in that season. I have no idea what my pastor was preaching on when I was memorizing Romans. But while I’m memorizing the Sermon on the Mount our Pastor is doing a series on the Sermon on the Mount. I feel more aligned in my personal discipline with my communal worship.

3) I am engaging as many senses as possible in my memorization techniques. The only resources I used consistently in my pursuit of Romans were my Scripture Typer app and my Bible. Now, I write my verses on note cards; I draw a picture to help me remember the verse (and the reference!!!!); I listen to verse-in-song (thank you Fighter Verses app!!), and I read them in my Bible. It is important to read them out of your Bible so that you can see in your brain’s eye exactly where that passage is in YOUR Bible. (Thanks small group sister Jennessa for that tip.)

For your enjoyment, here are some examples of my ridiculous drawings.

4) I’m slowing down. 0.71 verses per day was so useless to my natural limitations. D.A. Carson can memorize whole chapters in multiple languages (supposedly), but I will happily crawl through an enjoyable season of Beatitudes before running too quickly and never writing a word on my heart.

5) Most important, I am worshipping God in my memorization. Every success is to His glory. Every verse comes with deeper meaning of the text or I do not consider myself ready to move on. For example, I don’t think I ever internalized or meditated on meekness properly until I memorized Matthew 5:5.

Friends, will you join me on the God glorifying, highly personalized, transforming, empowering, and equipping journey of memorizing God’s Word?

Catlan Sardina

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount – A Perfect Choice for Fall 2018

August 2, 2018August 8, 2018 / thecgblog / 1 Comment

They call it “The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached,” though I don’t really like to rate sermons because that involves both subjective and objective elements. What is not effective for one person might be the most life-changing sermon ever for someone else, right?

Still, it is hard to argue against Matthew 5-7 as the greatest sermon of all time. I mean, what is preaching but to exposit and herald God’s Word? And, what do we have in these chapters but Jesus, the incarnate Word of God, heralding the Word of God!

And, if this was the only fragment of Scripture you could get your hands on, it would be sufficient for salvation and a life of maturing faith. That can’t be said about many other sermons.

Our Story This Fall

Construction Delay

Returning leaders and members who know that we do an all-church sermon and small group series every fall have begun to wonder, “What IS our fall series going to be this year!?”

You might know that we were planning to create an in-house series again this year, that would use God’s Word to define who we are as Christians and as LC3, in conjunction with the move into our new facility. But, with the move now delayed to November, that fall series plan was suspended.

This sent us back to the drawing board, which ultimately resulted in a decision which has proven relevant and timely. Before we move into our new facility and explore the facets of who we are in Jesus, we will dwell for a season in Jesus’ words and become truly more like Him!

Curriculum Choice

“We were made to be different and live in such a way that it’s clear we aren’t bandwagon crowd-followers; we’re followers of Jesus. That fact makes us stand apart—distinct from the crowd.” – Michael Kelley

We were happy to discover “Distinct,” a solid and simple small group curriculum that will perfectly accompany our sermon series, breaking down Matthew 5 into the same six sections that our sermons will cover. It is solid in that it is centered on the Word, produced by trusted LifeWay Publishers, and taught by Michael Kelley, who, as the Director of Groups at LifeWay, knows how to craft a useful guide for groups.

It is simple in that the chapters and videos are insightful yet short, leaving plenty of time for guided group discussion about the Bible texts. The book’s extra features, like ice breaker questions, thought provoking exercises, and attainable applications, are all excellent.

As always, our group leaders will be well equipped in our training sessions to maximize the benefit for their groups from the weekend sermons, the accompanying curriculum, and the time we have together this fall.

Important Dates

Here are the key dates to mark on your calendars!

Month of August – August is our busy and active month of identifying and equipping new Small Group Leaders. Is God calling you to lead or host a group?
August 17/18 – Small Group Coaches Prayer & Planning Overnight Retreat. Will you make a note to pray for this leadership team over these two days?
After August 18 – I and the coaches begin touching base with all returning and potential small group leaders. Major promotion and communication begin.
August 25/26 – Small Group Signups begin!
Wednesday, September 5 – Small Group Leader Training, WITH DINNER, 6:00pm – 8:00pm. (RSVP’s needed – for dinner and childcare. Returning leaders watch for e-vite. Everyone else, feel free to email me at reg.overstreet@lc3.com.)
*Week of September 9 – Official Small Group Kick Off Week, leaving two “get to know each other” weeks before the “Distinct” series begins.
Sunday, September 16 – Small Group Leader Training Makeup Session, during second service, 11:00am – 12:15pm. (As always, we offer the training session on two dates, to hopefully get 100% attendance.)
Six Weeks, September 23 – October 28 – All-Church Sermon and Small Group Fall Series, “Distinct”
Week of December 9 – Official end of fall semester. The series finishes six weeks before the fall semester ends, allowing leaders the option to continue studying further in Matthew (resources available), and/or to do other group activities such as outreach/service projects, worship/communion nights, fun nights, planning for next semester, Thanksgiving dinner, and, of course, a finale Christmas Party!

*Notice that our leader training is a bit later than usual. This is because our fall series starts a little later than usual, and because we are going to avoid Labor Day weekend, AND this will allow the maximum number of hopeful small group leaders to participate.

Books and DVDs

Small group leaders can pick up their book and DVD (and their group’s books if they choose) at the SG Leader Training. Small group members can get their books 1) from their leaders, 2) at the small groups table on weekends, or 3) in the church office, starting in September.

Children’s and youth small groups will also do this series, adding to the family experience!

How to Join a Group

Beginning on August 25/26, we will launch several methods to join a group: signup display in the foyer, an opportunity to meet leaders, the “small group catalogs” passed out in the worship services, and the online “Group Finder” on lc3.com/ministries/small-groups.

I am looking forward to deepening our walks with Jesus and each other, and praying for this fall right now!

Pastor Reg

P.S. If you are not presently a leader or in leader training, but would like to explore your gifts and possible calling in that area, please feel free to attend the leader trainings, or let me know about your interest by emailing me, reg.overstreet@lc3.com.

40 Testimonies of God’s Goodness in LC3 Small Groups, Spring 2018

June 21, 2018 / thecgblog / Leave a comment

We have described small groups at LC3 as “the church scattered in homes throughout our community.” We have called them “church families on a mission.” We have explained, small groups are the place where the rest of Christianity takes place – outside the walls of the weekend gatherings.

Our small groups’ mission is, “To make disciples who make disciples in relational environments.”

ALL of these adages proved true this Winter/Spring, and it is time to praise God and share the joy of testimonies to His goodness in our small groups at LC3. Enjoy these photos and testimonies!

Quotes from Members about the Year

Small Group Members were asked to describe their favorite aspects of being in Christian community with their small group this year, with many different answers given:

It has been a wonderful small group year. God constructed a loving inter-generational group for us whom has allowed themselves to be vulnerable and supportive for each other.

We have developed a sense of family and caring for each other.

Watching the biblical expression of 2 Corinthians 1:4 being lived out in our group as we have comforted each other through loss and trial.

Just the volume of answered prayer and the high percentage that were positive answers. There is so much trust and intimacy in the group.

It’s been another great year of joining together and sharing our anguish, struggles, and praises with studies of God’s word away to help us through! Getting to know each other more deeper n make richer relationships with each other so rich that we don’t want to stop seeing each other even through the summer! I appreciate these fellowship and Christians that I have to run to when I need help.

Fun, fellowship, friendships, support, ministry, and spiritual growth! It has been a highlight of my week, something to look forward to.

It’s been great. We have grown spiritually, our relationships with the group have grown greatly, and we were challenged by the topics. We look forward to next year.

We have appreciated our leaders’ faithful and wonderful leadership, their hospitality week after week to us just means so much. They serve so very well as a team and we are blessed to be in their group and lives!

I think we began to bond through the weeks when we met separately and could discuss the lessons in the smaller group setting. There was some very thought provoking material in the 10 Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe and we had some great discussions. We are a very diverse group, but through these times we have come to care better for one another and encourage and support one another. I truly look forward to our gatherings together!

I have found our small group instrumental for my personal growth. The Holy Spirit is working for sure, just not in the way “I want”. Ha ha. Holy Spirit is wonderful. My growth is slow, but sure.

It means a lot to me to have the spiritual support of my small group. I love the prayer support. It also strengthens my walk with God to study His Word together. They are family to me. We follow that scripture, “Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

It has been another great year of learning God’s word with other fellow believers in Christ and sharing grace and peace with one another.

We feel privileged to belong to a small group. In a big church such as ours it is a way to establish a core of fellow believers we can really get to know. Also, it has been a blessing to experience the different teaching styles that we have been exposed to.

The Photogenic Snyder Group

VBS Group, party at Bruno’s

Nelson Group hosting a lunch to honor LC3 widows.

West/Wilcox Group’s massive yard restoration project for a local shut-in.

Overstreet “Forgiveness” Group, after doing the Thank You Challenge

Quotes from Leaders

Our Leaders were asked the question: “What were the most meaningful things God did in your group this year?” They answered:

Learning of a member’s decision to follow Christ and then baptizing them together was a highlight! Also, the rotation of members leading discussions from week to week.

We have seen significant growth in some newer believers, and enjoyed the camaraderie and influence of the missionaries in the group. Men going through book Family Driven Faith has been great, too.

Seeing our steady group members grow in the Lord as they practice Bible intake and Prayer.

Seeing how much the group members enjoy social time together and supporting each other in prayer.

The Prayer Echo app has been instrumental in keeping in touch and praying for each other throughout the week. Attending the Desert Auction as a small group.

Getting 3 of my guys to come out for man camp. Getting our silent members to open up.

Six of our group are on the KAN Team. We have spent hundreds of hours developing and implementing the project along with other KAN Team members. Organizing the dessert auction was rewarding.

We were able to support each other. Four husbands passing into heaven this year, and one new marriage, plus many medical issues, etc

We held an outreach luncheon for some of the ladies of LC3. It was amazing how God provided for every need including a golf cart to help shuttle the ladies down our long narrow driveway. What a blessing.

The group continued to thrive, even though we had to pull away for medical reasons. I am so proud of the entire group.

We had some answered prayer requests with the arrival of a baby, a good report from a biopsy, success in many ministries and personal endeavors that required prayer, and the safe return of several spouses away for military training. All of these answered prayers we give God the glory and appreciate that He allowed us to contribute prayers for Him to answer.

We all grew closer together like a mini-church family as we prayed for and practically helped each other through crises in our lives whether it was physical, spiritual, or just battling Satan.

Since we only started in January, was pleased to see how quickly the group coalesced into a cohesive group – celebrated with each other in baptism, salvation of family members, success at work; prayed each other through loss of parent, cancer surgery, and difficult seasons at work and with family. Confronted issues in our personal walks with Christ that needed attention and began working on those areas.

A deeper connection as a group and real service occurring within the group. Each family with children had real struggles with their kids and were able to share these struggles with the group. Tremendous trust and care for one another flowed from each struggle shared. I was very glad to see this and it made me very thankful to be part of this group.

God sent people to our group who need to know Jesus. Pray for them and for us! We were able to witness extensively.

Two Special Stories

Much more happens in our small groups than ever gets reported. So, when stories are shared, we want to share them with everyone! Two special stories help describe the kind of semester it was.

1. A Memorable Homeless Thanksgiving Dinner

The Cameron Group hosted their second annual homeless Thanksgiving dinner this year, and asked another small group leader, David Wilcox, to give the message. Ali writes about the day:

It went really well. The numbers of our homeless friends’ attendance has been dwindling since the city is displacing them further back into the woods and away from the city. But, about 20-ish homeless folks came through during the couple hours. David shared a brief message that especially captured a couple of the men that stayed to listen. One of them asked for a Bible afterwards. We were able to send leftover food home with Mary (seen in the last pic in the purple sweater), who lives on the west side of Olympia and feeds the folks regularly. That’s a huge blessing for her and them.

Probably my favorite story from the day was that one of our close friends, Chris, who is a homeless heroin dealer, got out of jail that day and came straight to the park and ate with us. He was able to get clean and sober in jail and had a clarity of mind to realize he needs God’s help to straighten out his life. He wants to start going to church and start working his way out of the death lifestyle. Please pray for him and his girlfriend Janet. Our vision is to see him leading a church outdoors at the park. He said he valued our Bible studies and presence there over the years and would love to see a church there. There’s a fantastic church near the park, but since taking Perspectives, I see that the barriers are many for the folks on the streets attending that church.

Here are some pics:

2. Ongoing Outreach Ministry

The VBS Group not only enjoyed great Bible study and loving leadership from their leaders Eric and Julie, they also performed a regular outreach ministry together, which Lynn A. describes:

On February 7, we returned to Peoples Retirement Center to celebrate Valentines Day with the residents. 20 or so residents as well as 4 or 5 staff members attended our little gathering. Three of the residents who attended our December celebration were also in attendance on the 7th.

Fred and Mae B., Jim M., Eric and Julie V, as well as Larry and myself took treats and card to those who attended. Eric gave a devotion that included the historical background of St. Valentine and then shared how much God loved them. Our small group members visited with the residents. A few residents are interested in pursuing a regularly scheduled Bible Study. Our small group is considering how this will fit with our group meetings and our busy schedules. We will be praying for God to work out the details for this Bible Study.

Our small group will be returning to Peoples during Holy Week to share the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Yours in Christ,

Lynn Allport for Eric VBS

To Our Coaches

Our small group coaches this year were Tony Oury, Joe Devine, Catlan Sardina, Tim Hayes, Kelsey Underwood, Eric Wylie, and me. This team was on fire this semester, from the January training (which the coaches led), and bringing the coaching ministry to a new level this year, to the ongoing devoted relational ministry they gave to the leaders throughout the year. Thank you, brothers and sister, for your ministry partnership!

Our Year-End Party

In mid-June we enjoyed our annual Year-End Leader Party once again, with good fellowship, food, games, recognition, and praise. To God be all the glory, and we are thankful that He shares so much with His Church – His family – His children whom He has purchased through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Most groups take the summer off, though several various summer connection opportunities at LC3 can be found on our website, here.

What does 2018-19 hold? Only God knows, but we will do our best to find out!

For His glory and our joy,

Pastor Reg

Communion in Small Groups – More than a Good Idea

March 14, 2018 / thecgblog / Leave a comment

As we approach the middle of the Winter/Spring Semester, and more significantly, Easter, now is a perfect time to observe communion in your small group. This post makes that practice understandable and easy. God bless your fellowship.

LC3 Life Blog

The Bible says very little about how we are actually to go about observing communion, yet most Christians have strong preferences, if not convictions, about how to do it. I want to expand your thinking in one area — observing communion regularly in your small group. As we will see, this is more than just a good idea.

No Wafers and Juice Cups in the Bible

Most of us (assuming an audience which holds the “symbolic” view of communion) have observed communion primarily in corporate gatherings, with a short message and Bible reading from the pastor, followed by a collective ingesting of a wafer and a small plastic cup of grape juice. Let me say, I have no problem with the wafer and grape juice! Observing communion in this way has been a major part of my life’s spiritual formation. But my strengthening conviction is that small group members…

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Planning Your Next Semester: Winter/Spring 2018

December 29, 2017 / thecgblog / Leave a comment

Praise God, our groups are winding down a memorable Fall 2017 Semester. This post, which is revised and updated each year, aids leaders in planning for our next semester.

How NOT to Start Your Next Semester

Let’s begin with how NOT to start your next semester.

A typical question leaders are asking is: “What curriculum should I kickoff the Winter/Spring semester with?” My preferred answer would be… NONE!

NONE, Why is that!? This goes back to why our groups exist. Are they Bible studies alone? No, definitely not. But, experience teaches that if a group launches a new term immediately with the new Bible study or curriculum on the first week, then that group will become forever locked into the “study” mold and mentality, as if that is all you exist to do, no matter what you try to do later.

The Solution: Start your semester with some of the other vital small group elements which often get crowded out. Ideas include:

Start with a meal or fun night. You are a spiritual family, after all. Set the tone to enjoy each other!

Start with a worship, prayer, and/or communion night, seeking God’s guidance and setting a worshipful pattern for your year.
Start with a service/outreach project, or series of them, declaring: “We are going to be the hands and feet of Jesus!”
Start with sharing a few personal salvation testimonies, to celebrate God’s grace in our lives and get to know each other well.
Start with having the kids involved in worship, so they see Jesus Christ as the center for your group’s existence.
Then, start your curriculum, having become close friends and spiritual siblings; soul mates and teammates. We have 16-20 weeks in the Winter/Spring Semester. No need to rush into a curriculum, there is plenty of time to do it all!

Calendar and Small Group Agreement Pages

Pull out that Winter/Spring Calendar, found in the first couple pages of the Leader and Member Toolkits, with your group to plan out the entire semester together – host locations, fun days, weeks off, trips together, meal plans… whatever you can plan.

And, don’t neglect to review the Small Group Agreement page, to get everyone’s expectations aligned. Among the most important axioms I have learned in church leadership over the years is that “Expectations are everything.” They truly are. Clear and aligned expectations will directly impact your members’ attendance and engagement all year long.

NOW, Choose the Right Curriculum

Since our foundation is God’s Word, a good curriculum or Bible study plan is a vital tool. Come browse our many curriculums in the training sessions or in my office anytime, where you can access our materials to preview or check out.

And, don’t forget that you can help us keep building up our curriculum library, with “The Lake City Offer”, which is:

If you are interested in using a curriculum we do not currently have, I will buy the leader book and DVD (if there is one) for you if you will return it when finished, to add to our library. Your group members will just buy their own participant guides, if there is one. This offer helps future groups and eliminates any hesitation based on the cost of a study!

NOTE: A list of our available and recommended curriculums can be found in the back of the Leader Toolkit.

Important Dates

Here are a few important dates for your calendars:

- * **Leader Training: As always, there is one required January training session for all leaders, offered twice, for your scheduling convenience:
  - Option 1 – Sunday, January , 11:30am – 1:15pm, with lunch.
  - Option 2 – For those who cannot attend the January 7 session, come to the makeup session on Sunday, January 14, 11:30am – 12:40pm, without lunch (snacks only).

*This year’s training will focus on personal spiritual growth and leader development, strategically according to where you in this season of your life. Also included are fellowship with other leaders, coaches, and then key elements of the church’s vision and winter/spring dates.

**This year’s training involves videos to watch beforehand. A link to five videos will be sent to all leaders who then choose two of the five to watch, based on where you are currently in your personal leadership life-season.

Signups: Signups will officially be open to new members starting on Dec. 30/31, with the list of open groups passed down the aisles in church the following two weeks.
Kickoff: Winter/Spring Semester officially kicks off the week of January 14. Leaders of open groups, be prepared to proactively welcome new people right away!

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Our mission and vision remain the same:

All our small group training sessions are always open to everyone. Families and discipleship groups are welcome to attend together.

The Winter/Spring Semester runs through the end of May, so it’s a bit longer than the Fall Semester, leaving you room to do more things and have more fun and transformative experiences.

May God be glorified in our ministry,

Pastor Reg

Fall 2017 Testimonies and 2018 Dates

December 21, 2017 / thecgblog / Leave a comment

2017 testimonies main photo

It was a fall of mass shootings, National Anthem protests, increasing worldwide persecution of Christians, sexual misconduct scandals, and of course our own personal life challenges. Where is God in all of this? How can we know Him, have faith in Him, and share our faith in Him unashamedly with others?

God directed our church into an entire fall devoted to these tough questions; wrestling through them together in our sermons and small groups. After a successful Ministry Summit focused on training leaders in apologetics, we launched the all-church sermon and small group series, The God Questions. We saw God grow our faith and our church, and our witness in the world.

And, now, it is time to recount and celebrate some of those ways!

Fall 2017 Testimonies

It is that time of year again when I get to share just a glimpse of what God is doing in and through our church and each unique small group. Below you will find some of the testimonies, goals, and celebrations reported from our groups this fall.

(Following those are important upcoming 2018 dates.)

Now, take a moment to read, praise God, and enjoy!

Stories and Praises from our Groups

“We had a great time at the corn maze!”

“We’ve had a few new ladies visit and join us who haven’t been involved in a small group. One said they feel like they’ve finally find a place they belong.”

“I am very thankful our exchange students have observed our small group (voluntarily). It makes me much more conscious of our conversations and how an outsider might view us. For that, I am thankful.”

Praise: “One couple got to spend extended time with a relative that has been on our prayer list for a long time. Although he still has not made a commitment to Jesus, he opened up about what was going on in his life, which is not his normal way.”

“We continue to be a helping and sharing group, coming to each other’s aid as needed. Examples have been: donating funds to help members in need, assisting with household tasks of others, helping find employment for family members, and provided transportation on short notice. We are a group of believers and friends who do not hesitate to ask for and offer support to others as needed. We mailed a care package of food and other items to a missionary family in mid-August.”

“Praise the Lord that we have new folks this semester. We are blessed that everyone is quickly comfortable with participating and sharing.”

“We had one group member who at the start of the first discussion, said he had a hard time answering someone who said ‘If everything was created, who created God?’ By the end of the night he had an ‘ah ha’ moment as we reviewed the discussion and went back to page 12 in the God Questions book and concluded that only someone bigger than the universe [an infinite God] could have created the finite universe. The diagram was essential as all the pieces were falling into place. We also had a lively discussion about the truth of the Bible and marveled at the reality about how much more evidence there was for the New Testament [24,000] to be true than Homer’s Iliad [643].”

“We have had great attendance this fall. Everyone has participated and been very open in discussions. Considering that we are new group and still trying to get to know everyone, this is huge. Plus, two members got engaged this last Sunday!”

The Grisham group completes their annual Habitat for Humanity group project!

“We prayed for a member to quit tobacco at Small Group and he has quit for months.”

“Praise that as a group over the past year, the ladies have grown together as a family while most of the men were gone. We’ve studied Financial Peace University over the summer and some have gotten out of debt, and/or increased their giving and being better stewards overall of finances. Another praise that all the husbands are back and it feels like a new season/kickoff as a group because of that.”

A new member’s response to our prayer list: “Wow, amen to all of those beautiful prayers. I will be praying for you all, I hope that you all have a beautiful day/Halloween and stay safe! God bless each and every one of you. Very happy to have had the chance to become a part of such a awesome small group.”

“Our group raked five yards for our service project this fall. It was a blast for everyone, and the number of new conversations with neighbors that prompted was unlike anything I’ve seen in from one project.”

“One member came to the church due to the flyer that the church sent out and has felt welcomed. He is a recovering from some life circumstances and has many questions about Jesus.”

The Snyder’s group Christmas Party

Overstreet Group Tree Farm Field Trip and Christmas Party

Nobles/Kern Christmas Party 24173525_10212360492702303_1757439126550020914_o (2).jpg Pinneo Group Christmas Decorating 24131204_10214153665097623_7620166677154561062_n (2).jpg

New Leader Goals

A national survey of thousands of church small group leaders revealed that fewer than 1/3 had ever set any kind of goal for their group. That demonstrates a concerning lack of intentional leadership. In response, Lake City Small Group leaders were asked to set 1-3 goals for their semester – things they believe God would like to see happen under their leadership.

Below are several examples of what our leaders identified as goals this fall, in addition to the standard duties of small group leading.

Do more outreach outside of the church family, and see members grow spiritually.

Develop new group activity outside of normal meeting time.

Inspire our group to share Jesus with others and not keep it bottled up in our small group.

Identify potential leaders, and give them at least one opportunity to lead the group.

Continue at least two outreach ministries that we can do outside of the group.

Distribute the work of leadership to a core team.

Transition leadership effectively.

Work a Habitat for Humanity project in Tillicum.

To assess where each member is in their walk with Christ and what each needs to reach the next stage.

To serve food at the Tacoma Rescue Mission, with celebration dinner at conclusion.

To develop a prayer plan during the second half of this semester that allows more time for group prayer.

For our members to reach out and use what they are learning to witness to those around them.

To equip members to take ownership of their own spiritual growth.

To see more individuals serving within the group.

Get at least one service project completed, and have at least 1 fun filled event. I.E. Game night, Movie night, bowling.

New Roles and Ways Group Members Have Gotten Involved

Our leaders are also devoted to training their members towards serving God with their own unique gifts and abilities. As 1 Peter 4:10 instructs, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

Following are several new roles our leaders excitedly reported their members taking this fall:

LoveOps (mission project) Leader
Worship Leader
Food Coordinator
Social Coordinator
Communication
Rotate host homes
Rotate Scripture readers
Men’s/Women’s Breakout leaders
Guitar player
Became Co-leader
Sharing discussion facilitating, new person leads each week
Leading a service project with Young Life
Everyone shared their testimonies
Everyone contributes food every week
New assistant leader
Prayer request coordinator
Coordinates correspondence with our missionaries

May God continue to grow us all in our desire and ability to make disciples who make disciples, in 2018 and far beyond.

Important Upcoming 2018 Dates

2018

As you can see, God blessed our church communities this fall. We are breaking for a greatly anticipated Christmas celebration, but people are wondering… what is coming ahead in the New Year?

Put these on your calendars right now!

Saturday/Sunday, December 30/31 – Small Group Signups begin (small group listings at foyer table, in worship services, and church website)
Sunday, January 7 – *Small Group Leader Training/Vision Session, 11:30AM – 1:15PM, Upper Gym, with lunch (NOTE: There is a makeup session the next week if you CANNOT attend this.)
January 14–20 – Official SG Kickoff Week!
Sunday, January 14 – *Small Group Leader Training Makeup Session, 11:30AM – 12:40PM, snacks but no lunch.
Saturday, February 3 – LCCC Membership Class

*Our small group leader trainings are not exclusively for returning small group leaders. Anyone interested in any type of church leadership is welcome.

Watch for more information regarding the January training sessions, and the preliminary work involved with them.

Praising God for the success He granted in 2017. Expecting great things in 2018,

Pastor Reg

How Important is Praying Together, Corporately and as Small Groups?

November 24, 2017October 24, 2018 / thecgblog / Leave a comment

Group Praying

I am going to answer two questions that I don’t often see asked together: How important is praying together as a church (“corporate prayer”), and how important is small group prayer?

First Question: How Important is Corporate Prayer for a Church?

Twice a year, preceding Christmas and Easter, we ask ministries and small groups to suspend their regular activities to instead pray corporately at our “Concerts of Prayer.” Why do we do that? How important is all-church, corporate prayer?

One of Pastor Jim’s longtime mentors, Pastor Dee Duke, from Jefferson, OR, leads an annual prayer conference which covers much ground on many topics including biblical benefits of corporate prayer. The importance of gathering corporately for prayer is plainly and powerfully seen in his points. Here are some of my favorite:

The more corporate praying that a church does…

The more people in the church will know God, and the greater the sense of His presence will be in their lives. (Acts 4:31; Matthew 18:20)

The more joy, confidence, security, faith and peace they will experience. (Psalm 16:11; Ephesians 1:18-23; Philippians 4:6-7)

The more people will grow spiritually. (Acts 4:31; Ephesians 3:14-16)

The more boldness, courage and passion the people will have to reach their lost friends, neighbors, and relatives for Christ. (Acts 4:31; Ephesians 6:19)

The more desire there will be in the hearts of people in the church do the work of the ministry. (Ephesians 4:16; Matthew 9:37-38)

The less influence Satan will have on the people in church and for those being prayed for outside the church. (2 Corinthians 11:3, 4:4; John 17:15; Ephesians 6:12, 18; Exodus 17:9-13; Luke 22:31-32)

The more opportunities there will be to serve the Lord, and to be used by Him to advance the Kingdom of God. The opportunities will come because God is opening doors, and because of the increased vision in the life of Pastor and lay people. (Colossians 4:2-3; 1 Corinthians 16:9; Acts 14:27; 2 Corinthians 2:12; Revelation 3:7-8). We serve God when he opens a door. He opens doors when we’re close to him. He brings vision.

The stronger the marriages and families in the church will become. (Ephesians 3:14-16)

Our Immediate Opportunity for Corporate Prayer

One of the great blessings of LC3 is having a praying senior pastor who models and teaches us regularly on this topic. So, most people at LC3 probably know all the answers, intellectually. But, have you learned them experientially? Have you witnessed God break through hardened hearts after praying corporately? This is a blessing that you, your family, and your group should not miss.

The Christmas corporate prayer schedule is as follows. Bring your group to any of them. Maybe include a meal or party before or after.

November 26-29 Christmas Prayer Events

1) Sunday Concert of Prayer, 1:00PM, in the Gym, with lunch (with childcare)
2) Monday, 10AM
3) Monday, 7PM (with childcare)
4) Tuesday, 10AM
5) Tuesday, 7PM (with childcare)
6) Wednesday, 10AM

Second Question: “How Important is Prayer to Your Small Group?”

You know prayer is important to your small group. But, HOW important? What, for instance, would well-researched, doctoral-level, empirical data demonstrate on this topic?

Read this excerpt about the findings of such a Ph.D. project which set out to determine the most important factor in leading a small group. (Not to give the answer away or anything, haha.) [Full article found here.]

A religious expert wanting to cut through the confusion of 613 Old Testament statutes came to Jesus and asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus gave his famous reply, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself'” (Mark 12:28-32).

Like the scribe who came to Jesus, I was a confused small-groups expert just a few years back. I kept hearing advice from a plethora of small-group authors and speakers, each promoting different methods and models. All of them were confident and persuasive, but their contradictory theories couldn’t all be right. Someone needed to do cut through the confusion by doing serious, scientific research on what really creates healthy, growing small groups. We needed to look past the models to discover the key underlying principles.

I wanted to get to the bottom of things. I wanted an answer to the question, “What’s the most important part of leading a small group?” I completed a Ph.D. degree and did extensive statistical research involving over 3,000 small-group leaders in more than 200 churches to probe that question, and the answer I found was surprisingly simple.

The most important dimension of leading a group is your prayer life—your connection to God as a leader.… Out of the hundreds of questions we asked, the leaders’ answers to the following questions yielded the most pivotal results:

How consistently do you take time for prayer and Bible reading?
Are you praying daily for your non-Christian friends to come to know Jesus?
How many days in the past week did you pray for your small-group members?
Do you pray for your group meetings in the days leading up to it?
How much time on average do you spend in daily prayer and Bible reading?

Why Is Prayer So Important?

Why does the prayer life of the leader make such a difference in the health and growth of a small group? The research doesn’t tell us why, it only tells us that a very strong correlation exists. But I don’t think it’s hard to figure out.

Jesus said in John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing”….

Basically, our research statistically proved John 15:5! If you want to see Jesus’ life flowing in your small group, stay connected to him!

Well, how do you measure on those five questions?

Brothers and sisters, you have influence in a church, a small group, or a ministry. Prayer is important for you and for them. Draw close to your Heavenly Father and just witness the results in your people, your family, and your soul.

Praying for you right now,

Pastor Reg

Thanksgiving and Advent Resources, 2017

November 21, 2017November 22, 2017 / thecgblog / Leave a comment

The holiday season is beginning! Oh, what joyous times!

I want to make sure you know what LCCC is providing household and small group leaders this year in regards to Thanksgiving and Advent.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Week! Or shall I say “Thanksliving”? 🙂 If you missed Pastor Jim’s very practical Thanksgiving sermon, try to check it out before Thursday at our media player here – http://lc3.com/media/video-sermons.

If you could use Thanksgiving ideas/resources for your group or family this year, this Thanksgiving post on lc3life.com from 2010 still holds up pretty well. 🙂

The Advent of Jesus Christ (Christmas)

We started rolling out Advent resources in church last weekend so people can start preparing with them before the Advent season begins.

I have used these in small groups in the past, and am going to again this year with our current small group (in our December 3 meeting). Dwelling on Advent with your small group is a rich experience, whether it’s for an entire meeting or just a few moments during your Christmas party.

Here are the Advent Resources we are providing for you to explore and use in your groups and homes this Advent season.

PDF – “Five Steps to Create Meaningful Traditions During the Christmas Season”
Audio – Terrific interview by Pastor David and Kelli of John and Carissa Lewis (authors of resource #3…)
Book – Finding the Treasure in Christmas, by John and Carissa Lewis. While John is working on getting this book published he meanwhile gets it printed locally. This book has guided my family’s Advent season for four years and counting. We are happy to be selling them at church starting next week. They are not only beautiful, but the single best Advent resource I have found… and I have looked at every Advent resource I can get my hands on.
Christmas Concert of Prayer, this Sunday in the Gym, 12:45-2:00pm, and the five prayer hours that follow, next Monday – Wednesday. Bring your group! Corporate prayer is probably your most powerful Christmas resource of all.
Upcoming Advent Sermon Series, “Let there be Light.” Details appear below on this picture of an invitation card, which are also available for you to take and handout around town.
Last, but not least, my own family (all 7 of us!) is teaching a one-hour class this Sunday at 10:00am called “Getting the Most out of the Christmas Season.” I hope to pack out “Portable A” with people, props, stories, and Scriptures, and have a great time. You are all invited!

Glory to God in the highest; His peace to you all,

Pastor Reg

Apologetics NOT? When to Defend and When to Proclaim

September 12, 2017 / thecgblog / Leave a comment

Apologetics-1

by Catlan Sardina, Lake City Small Group “Coach in Training,” Army Psychological Operations Officer, seminary student, husband and father (not necessarily in that order)

God Questions2 In the upcoming God Questions series, Lake City is going to explore the world of apologetics. This will be an exciting season of growth for many of us, and reassurance of the truth and validity of the Bible as God’s Word for all of us. Apologetics, the $10 word for “defending our faith,” is a great tool for any maturing Christian. But, as with any other tool, it is important to know what it is, what it’s not, and when to use it. As I’m sure the Great Carpenter would have told you, “Don’t use a saw on a job that calls for a drill.”

In this post, I would like to humbly suggest a point of reflection for all my brothers and sisters at Lake City: Don’t confuse apologetics and evangelism, they are different jobs and require different tools.

A great starting point for differentiating apologetics and evangelism is by clearly defining apologetics, what is it and what isn’t it. The passage of Scripture most often quoted to introduce apologetics is 1 Peter 3:15b:

…always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, — English Standard Version

This is a passage often taken out of context, to turn apologetics into a commanded discipline. The context of 1 Peter 3 is suffering, where to place our hope when we face persecution, and what to do when we are persecuted. In this context, our greatest takeaway from verse 15 is that when things get terrible, believers should have so much hope that people ask us for a reason for it. Hope in the face of suffering is our greatest apologetic.

This seems almost unfathomable in our current cultural setting where Christians are prone towards becoming hopeless, downtrodden, and defensive every time America loses some of her Christian heritage. Just before the November 2016 elections, a writer submitted this question to Billy Graham:

I don’t see any hope for our nation. I think we’ve gotten so far from God that He’s just given up on us. That’s what happened to people in Old Testament times, wasn’t it?

Of course, Billy Graham answered the questioner by encouraging him to have hope, but this sort of thinking is not unique and does not portray the hope that Peter talked about in 1 Peter 3:15. Wouldn’t it be an amazing testimony if Lake City Community Church started The God Questions series by first preparing our hearts to have hope in times of persecution?

Imagine living out 1 Peter 3:15 as a community. Our hope in the grace of Jesus Christ would be longsuffering and unquenchable. People would see that we cannot be brought low, no matter how terrible the persecution or suffering. It would be in this context that we would provide a defense for the hope that is in us. This type of defense and witness already seems counter to the in-your-face brand of apologetics that tends to make Christians look like the defender of God. By the way, God doesn’t need a protector, we need God to be our protector.

If then, 1 Peter 3:15b does not primarily command us to prepare a logical, intellectual defense for the Christian faith, where does Scripture tell us to do this? The best passage in Scripture for understanding apologetics comes from 2 Corinthians 10:5.

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, — English Standard Version

The context of this passage is far more appropriate for the discipline of apologetics. Here, Paul is talking to Christians about worldly opinions influencing other Christians. In this chapter (just two verses later) Paul talks about people being confident that they are Christ’s. In this context we derive the instruction for using logical arguments to destroy lofty opinions that may cause doubts within the Church. Did you notice the difference here? Reaching back to the analogy that apologetics is a tool, the “job” that most appropriately calls for apologetics is the moment when a Christian begins to have doubts about the validity of Scripture because of a worldly argument.

Our leadership at LC3 has already framed The God Questions series in a light very similar to this, with a goal of preventing our youth from doubting their faith in middle/high school. Bryan Osborne, from Answers in Genesis, showed some troubling figures about Christian children finding doubt and referenced the book titled Already Gone. Our church does an excellent job at discipleship. If we want to continue to take discipleship seriously, then we need to build up the hope in our less-mature believers. Apologetics is a great tool (alongside prayer, testimony, exposure to Scripture, and the power of the Holy Spirit) to assist in “destroying arguments of doubt to help take every thought captive to obey Christ.” One step further, Romans 14 proclaims that mature Christians have a responsibility to sacrifice our Christian liberties, time, and effort to disciple immature believers.

If apologetics is a hammer, the seeds of doubt within the Church are the nail. But, what about when dealing with lost-unregenerate people outside the Church? Well, now we aren’t dealing with the same problem, and if the problem doesn’t call for a hammer then we shouldn’t reach for it. It is important to remember that no one has ever been saved by a good argument, but only by the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here is some Scripture for thought on why not to use apologetics for arguing with lost people:

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing — 1 Corinthians 1:18a, English Standard Version

Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles — 1 Corinthians 1:20b-23, English Standard Version

“Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”… After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. — John 6:56-58, 66 English Standard Version

All three of these passages have something in common: lost people think the Gospel is foolish. Jesus did not try to make the Gospel more appealing and more believable, he made it powerful. In another passage, Jesus was sending out His disciples to evangelize and he explicitly told them not to prepare an apologetic-type message:

When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. — Matthew 10:19-20

A last passage of Scripture to help us when preaching the Gospel to the lost as opposed to combatting them with logical (albeit truthful) arguments comes from the Gospel according to Paul:

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. — Romans 10:17, English Standard Version

Halfway through The God Questions series, when you are at work at the water cooler and you find yourself in a position to use your newfound apologetics Kung Fu, practice restraint. The Gospel that lives in us is not revealed through arguing over the age of the earth. The Gospel is not represented by a defensive know-it-all. The Gospel is represented daily by faithful, humble, submissive, persecuted, longsuffering, and HOPEFUL Christians. When your hope has stretched to the point that people around you have no choice but to ask for a reason, defend it with the Gospel. By your preaching of the Word of Christ they will hear, and by hearing they too will have faith. Use your hammer on a nail, but don’t try and repair a broken window by hammering it back together.

Our Fall 2017 Series: The God Questions

July 20, 2017August 17, 2017 / thecgblog / 1 Comment

God Questions

This fall, we will explore some of the most difficult questions about God. This post contains the details!

About the Series

Have you ever ignored people’s difficult questions about God, telling them that they should not ask those questions, or to just have more faith? Maybe you haven’t. But, sadly, those responses are a major reason people cite for leaving the church. That does not need to be!

The God Questions is our six-week sermon series and small group study designed to address the toughest questions head-on.

These include:

God Questions1

Is God real?
Is the Bible really HIS Word, or just an ancient text?
Is there really only one way to heaven?
If God is so good, why is there so much bad in our world?
Why do evolutionists and creationists disagree so heatedly?
What happens when I die?

We have the confidence to believe God is big and loving enough to answer all of these, and many more that will surface. We will uncover truth, grow our own faith, and be equipped to answer others’ questions. We will do so all together in sermons and in relationship in small groups. Will you join us?

Calendar

Month of August – August is our busy and active month of identifying and equipping new Small Group Leaders. Is God calling you to lead or host a group?

Sunday, August 27 – The God Questions Small Group Leader Connection and Training – In the Upper Gym, during 2nd service, 10:30AM-12:00PM

August 26/27 – Small Group signups begin, via small group catalogs in service, signup display in foyer, or church website)

Saturday, September 9 – LCCC Ministry Summit – An exciting day of equipping for several areas of ministry. 9:00AM-1:00PM. (Includes Apologetics training in preparation for the God Questions, and the Small Group Leader Training makeup session.)

Week of September 10 – Small Groups Kick Off! – The first two weeks are to get to know each other and set group expectations, dates, and goals.
September 16/17 – Introduction to the God Questions

September 23/24 – The God Questions #1

September 30 – LCCC Membership Class, 9:00AM – 12:45PM

September 30/Oct. 1 – The God Questions #2

October 7/8 – The God Questions #3

October 14/15 – The God Questions #4

October 21/22 – The God Questions #5

Oct. 28/29 – The God Questions #6

November – mid-December – The series finishes six weeks before the fall semester ends, allowing leaders to schedule semester-end activities such as outreach and service projects, worship/communion nights, fun nights, planning for next semester, Thanksgiving Dinner, and a finale Christmas Party!

Books and DVDs

God Questions2

Small group leaders can pick up their group’s books and DVD beginning at the God Questions SG Leader Training on Sunday, August 27. Small group members can get their books as they join a group, starting August 26/27. Children’s and youth small groups will do this series, too, adding to the family experience!

How to Join a Group

Beginning on August 26/27, we will pass out the “small group catalogs” in the worship services, have a signup display in the foyer, and update the online “Group Finder” on lc3.com/connect/small-groups.

I am looking forward to all this fall holds for us, and praying for it now!

Pastor Reg

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” – 2 Peter 3:18