Why Am I Here?

5 Reasons You Should be at the Ministry Summit this Saturday

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Ministry Summit Schedule, 2013

Click on the picture above to see the finalized schedule for this year’s Ministry Summit.

How do you know if you should come to the Ministry Summit this Saturday? Since you cannot foresee how significant this half day of training will be to you, let me do my best to foretell it to you. Here are five reasons you should be at the Ministry Summit this Saturday:

1. The vast majority of 90 year old churches are plateaued or declining (or long dead and gone). By God’s grace, Lake City is none of those, and this year’s summit represents why (Hint: We are committed to the mission!)

2. The LCCC Family is growing in every spiritual way, and you are a part of the family.

3. The summit title even has the word “Everybody” in it, so, therefore, you KNOW it is for you. (“Everybody Has a Mission and a Ministry.”)

4. The speakers are THAT good, and they love God and you, a LOT.

5. Besides great equipping, inspiring, unifying, fellowship  and food, you will get to hear all about the Why Am I Here? series, and be the first to purchase your study guides.

Hope to see you there,

Pastor Reg

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How We Prepared for the “Why Am I Here?” Series

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why am i here 4

“Why Am I Here?” It’s not only the most famous and important question of mankind’s history, but also the title of LCCC’s fall all-church series. Below is an email I just sent to our small group leaders, recapping our first big preparation meeting. I want to give the whole church family a peak at the preparations their leaders are making right now. After all, why just keep it to the small group leaders when it involves everyone??

Hi Small Group Leaders and Friends, 

We had a great turnout, and I think a great time, on Sunday – 44 veteran and new leaders and curious people. 

Our morning included eight parts to get us ready for the fall:

  1. A short devo on “communion” – in which I mentioned that our little Gabby has trusted Jesus and took communion for her first time Saturday night!!  I also urged everyone, again, to lead their groups in communion at least once a semester, for which I’ve given guidelines here – Communion in Small Groups: More than a Good Idea.  
  2. First Round of Prayer – PRAYER FOR US
  3. A look at the Fall Calendar (attached-Calendar – Fall Sermon Series 2013 – for small group leaders)
  4. A big picture reminder and way to process our commitment to THE MISSION of making disciples, and how LCCC is growing in that area.
  5. A walk through our in-house “Why Am I Here?” Study Guide for the fall, which was about 80% finished. I invited all who were present to give feedback on the draft’s content, and have since received some. Thanks, and keep it coming!  Our deadline for the final copy is the evening of September 5. The guides will be available for purchase, for $5 each, starting at the MINISTRY SUMMIT (9/14).
  6. Noted the exciting way we’re doing the “application” steps each week this fall. First, the sermon notes will fit into your series guides each week, for your group’s discussion and application of each sermon’s “Next Steps.” Second, the Faith In Action team is organizing several terrific opportunities for small groups and all LCCC family to reach into the community and/or meet needs within our church. I’m very excited how easy this will make it for our groups to put their faith in action, and even join others as they do.
  7. A look at some new, useful sections in the updated 2013/14 TOOLKIT; and then a look at a draft of the MINISTRY SUMMIT schedule, which you don’t want to miss, on Saturday September 14! (also attached-ROUGH SCHEDULE – MINISTRY SUMMIT 2013 – 4).
  8. And finally, the Second Round of Prayer – PRAYER FOR OUR PEOPLE.

I believe God is going to use us all greatly for His purposes and glory this fall. Glad to be in it with you,

Pastor Reg

P.S. Small Group Sign-ups begin this weekend!  The catalogs (list of our groups) will be distributed to everyone, so please take a look to see if we have all the accurate info for you.  If you are not pictured, and expect to lead or co-lead a group; plan to come to the MINISTRY SUMMIT, and let’s talk! 

Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lakecitycommunitychurch & www.facebook.com/lakecitysmallgroups 

What Does It Take To Lead a Small Group (in 2013-2014)?

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I posted this “small group leader job description” last year, but have updated for 2013!

Are you considering using your God-given gifts to lead in the LCCC Family? If so, praise God!  Now that raises the questions…What does it take to be a Lake City Small Groups Leader? What does small group leadership include?

Here is the official position description for this significant role:

Lake City Small Group Leader Description

Small Group Leader’s Qualifications:

  1. Be a member of the church, or be in membership process.
  2. Attend the leader trainings, in fall and January.
    • Small Group Leader Fall Series Material Meeting is Sunday, Sept. 1, 10:50AM (during 2nd service) in the Gym. It is primarily for small group leaders, but open to everyone.
    • Ministry Summit is Saturday, Sept. 15, 9am-1pm. It is for ALL leaders of LCCC, including small group leaders.
  3. Be approved and blessed by small groups pastor and an elder.

Small Group Leader’s Job Description:

(Trying to do less than this will fail almost every time.  Co-leaders or “Inner Circles” will share this load.)

Time Commitment:  Prayer and preparation before the group; the group meeting time; relationship-building and discipleship time outside the group.

Length of Commitment: Semester and/or entire 9 month ministry year. 

Primary Roles:

  1. Be a model of someone who desires to become like Jesus.
  2. Delegate leading and caring responsibilities to group members so they can use their gifts for the benefit of the group.
  3. Regularly contact group members between meetings (through phone calls, emails, cards, coffee, invite for dinner, notes on Facebook, etc.)  Follow up with absent members to let them know they were missed.
  4. Disciple and raise up new generations of leaders, as you are able.
  5. Complete the simple evaluation reports requested by small groups pastor from time to time.

Tools Provided for Leaders

1.  As the small groups pastor, I sit down personally with everyone who expresses interest in leading or co-leading our small groups. I always come prepared with our Lake City Small Groups Toolkit (a collection of our best training materials over the past sevenyears), and an enthusiasm to answer the frequently asked questions and the intriguing questions that are new to me.

2.  Because of the importance of this role, all leaders are designated a pastor (that’s me), an elder who prays for and is available to them, and a coach (if desired), for assistance, encouragement and accountability of their own growth as a follower of Jesus.

3.  This blog is also an ever-increasingly more comprehensive quick-reference for many areas of small group leadership.

4.  And, stay in touch with everyone throughout the year by “liking” the Lake City Small Groups page on Facebook!

How to Become a Leader

As you can see, these are attainable qualifications and expectations. We are happy with our bar for leadership – not too high and not too low.
You can sign up to become one of our great team of leaders this year, by:
  1. Contacting me at reg.overstreet@lc3.com or 253-582-8040
  2. Marking your interest on a Communication Card in the weekend services
  3. Attending the Sept. 1 “Why Am I Here?” Materials Meeting
  4. Attending the Sept. 14 Lake City Ministry Summit
Blessings on our stewardship of leading God’s people,
Pastor Reg

SUMMER UPDATE for Lake City Small Groups

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Are you joining a small group this coming year? Here are a few things you need to know about the upcoming 2013/14 year!

Summer of Coaching

The pivotal season has arrived in our unfolding small group coaching/infrastructure plan. After praying, strategizing and building relationships with leaders, the five coaches will seek one one-on-one meetings with each returning leader this summer, to achieve two purposes: 1.) To hear from them and pray with them; and 2.) To work through the exercise in Small Group Vital Signs #4 – A Healthy Group Has Proactive Leadership, so that 100% of our groups have a clear unique but aligned vision for 2013/14.

Fall Series: “Why Am I Here?”

You are now the first to know the title of this fall’s all-church series!  “Why Am I Here?” is going to be a great one; created in-house, for the people and community of LCCC.  This direction and title are fresh off the drawing board; so give us a little more time, and we will roll out all the exciting details.

You Are Wanted!

We want you, your children, your neighbors and friends to join a Lake City Small Group this fall.  Lake City Small Groups are our best representation of the New Testament Christian community for which Jesus shed His blood to establish.  You will engage in great things. You will be cared for, and care for others. You will be on a mission with brothers and sisters.

Here are the important dates:

  • August – Small group leader recruiting
  • Late August – Small group leader training begins
  • Early September – Small group signups begin
  • September 14 – Our third annual Ministry Summit (learn more by looking at last year’s details, here)
  • Week of September 21/22 – Small Groups officially kickoff
  • September 28/29 – “Why Am I Here?”, Part 1
  • [October-November] – “Why Am I Here?” continues
  • November 16/17 – “Why Am I Here?” Finale
  • Week of December 8 – Small Group Fall Semester ends

Discipleship Path

Finally, also coming soon is the long anticipated “Discipleship Path.”  A discipleship path provides an easy answer to every person, in any demographic or life stage, to the question: “How can I grow in Christ at this church?” It ties together all the already excellent things our groups, families, ministries do, into one, clear, aligned path towards connecting and growing in Jesus, together.

Those are your updates. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Blessings on our Church Family,

Pastor Reg