And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” – Matthew 4:19

We are excited to announce that our fall series for 2014 will be based on the series, GO FISH, by Andy Stanley. It has great potential, and a backstory that includes the entire LCCC Family.

The Backstory

LCCC has been growing steadily for several years, adding members, small groups, discipling relationships, ministries, and a third worship service which is also now filling up. This growth continually prompts our leadership to pray and make decisions for the future. Our leadership and congregation have agreed, now, to both expand our present facilities and look towards church planting in the next several years. With these major decisions behind us, by God’s calling and through the leadership of Pastor Jim and other church leaders, LCCC’s focus returns this fall to Jesus’ Great Commission for His church to go and make new disciples in the world where He has planted us. Our church is surrounded by people in our community, and we in our personal lives, who do not yet know Jesus’ love and righteousness. That needs to change. They need to be told. The mission of the church is to reach them; to be “fishers of people.” We are setting out to do that; to GO FISH, this fall at LCCC!

Here are the details:

The Plan

As always, fall is LCCC’s season of unity and momentum, when every small group, ministry, and every sermon shares a united focus.

We will follow the same basic plan as in our previous fall series (such as Forgotten God, Heroes, and Why Am I Here?). Small groups, Family, Children, and Youth Ministries will design their fall ministries to coincide with the emphasis. It is always a great time of unity and momentum.

The Resource

Our team of researchers, Chuck Mathews, Pastor Jim, and my wife and I, reviewed eight highly acclaimed church resources for evangelism, seeking the best fit for our church this season. From these excellent possibilities, we chose Andy Stanley’s GO FISH. It comes with a six-session DVD and participant’s guide.

Here is the assessment I wrote to the team regarding this resource:

We (Sarah and I) really enjoyed reviewing GO FISH. In fact, Andy Stanley’s message in the first video penetrated me personally, and I have thought about it often over the last couple days. He is a great communicator, and his team did a great job abbreviating his messages for small group use. We read every word of the workbook, and even filled out several of the discussion pages together. It was a rich experience. Again, it is perfectly laid out for our small groups’ use – in simplicity, form, function, number of weeks, coherence with our philosophy, and impact.  As we noticed before, the only apparent weakness is lack of in-depth Bible study. But, his teaching is biblically authoritative. And, of course, our sermons will provide biblical depth. I believe the resource’s simplicity will actually prove a strength by making the study usable by everyone, and allowing us to add our own relevant supplements to the groups through the sermon applications and through additional small group leader resources, especially including the “Love the World” section in the updated Small Group TOOLKIT. The theme verse given each week could easily be made into memory verses for the week – a strong idea.

The Schedule

So, pull out your calendar. Here is the complete fall schedule, including leader training, small group signups, kickoff and events:

• August – New leader recruitment month. Is God possibly calling you to lead? Read all about that, here.
• Aug. 23/24 – Small Group signups begin, via foyer table, small group catalog, and church website
• Sunday, Aug. 24 – GO FISH Small Group Leaders Materials Meeting – Gym, 2nd service (10:50-12:10PM)
• Week of Sept. 7 – Small Groups Kick Off – start meeting weekly; getting to know each other
• Saturday, Sept. 13 – LC3 Ministry Summit – An exciting day of equipping, for everyone wanting to do better ministry for Jesus in our church, communities and homes.  (9:00AM-1:00PM)

• Sept. 20/21 – Go Fish Series begins.  Go Fish #1 – We Were All Fish Once
• Sept. 27/28 – Go Fish #2 – Why Fish?
• Oct. 4/5 – Go Fish #3 – Fish Guts
• Oct. 11/12 – Go Fish #4 – Fishing Buddies
• Oct. 18/19 – Go Fish #5 – Muddy Water 
• Oct. 25/26 – Go Fish #6 – The One That Got Away
• Nov. 8/9 – Veterans Day – Big Outreach Weekend, with Scotty Smiley
• November – December 14 – Since the series finishes a few weeks before the fall semester ends, leaders will schedule their own important small group activities like worship/communion nights, outreach and service projects, fun nights, planning for next semester, a Thanksgiving Dinner, and a finale Christmas Party to end the semester on a joyful note!

The Rest of the Story

Everyone should be in a Lake City Small Group this fall. Leaders will be well equipped and encouraged in the two training events listed above, and by their coaches throughout the year. The GO FISH books and DVD’s will go on sale in the second half of August. Couples can share a book, but it’s usually preferred for each person to have his or her own. One DVD is needed per group. The cost of the DVD’s will be factored into the price of the book.

It will be easy to join a group in any of three different ways: our Small Group Catalogs will be passed down the aisles in the weeks leading up to kickoff. Groups and registration instructions will also be listed on the website, and displayed at the foyer table during the weekends.

Take a moment to pray for Lake City’s unity and effectiveness in reaching the lost world around us with the Good News of Jesus. Spread the word and excitement to everyone you know.

In Him, by Him, and for Him,

Pastor Reg