Imagine a world where discoveries and knowledge weren’t shared.  I’m not talking about a place where “paparazzi” didn’t “inform” us of everytime Lindsay Lohan gets a new zit or DUI.   I’m talking about a place where if you wanted an automobile you had to literally “re-invent the wheel”.  A place where everyone had to discover how to “make fire” for themselves or live a life eating cold tuna salad sandwiches and leftover pizza (that is if they were gifted enough to have been able to assemble a refrigerator themselves.)   A world where no one communicated their “discoveries”…where everyone had to “figure it out for themselves”… would be a much darker, difficult, and lonely place. 

I think one of the greatest gifts God gave us beyond the priviledge of talking to him through prayer,  is the ability to communicate and share information.  We have the ability to access other’s knowledge and wisdom…to learn from their life experiences…we don’t have to always “figure it out for ourselves”.  I am so thankful for the people who are wiser than me…who have “been there, done that”…who are willing to share their struggles and victories…who help guide my thinking  in difficult times.  The difficulty, though;  is “opening up” and sharing our lives with others. It’s much “safer” to act like you have it all figured out than to admit that you have questions and “issues”.  

Every week as I prepare to speak I pray that the sermon will answer someone’s “life question”.  I pray that what God’s word says will encourage them to chose the right path instead of the “easy one”.  I share my experiences…we even allow txt msg questions during the service.  I know however, that inspite of all we can do as a church in one hour on Sunday morning, it’s not going to “answer” all the questions people have.  It’s not going to “cover” all the issues we deal with. 

Thank you for all of you who are offering your help (and homes) to provide a place where people can “access” the collective wisdom and experience of others…let’s keep the discussion and planning going…but let’s not stop there.  Let’s not wait for the “action underground” small groups to start to share our lives with others.  Invite someone over for dinner.  Make a phone call.  Open up.  We were not meant to live this life alone.  We don’t have to “figure it out for ourselves”…most likely, someone you know has already “been there-done that”.

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Yesterday I started a discussion about  “small groups” starting during the week at actionchurch.  (if you missed it go there).

So what would “actiongroups” do?

Have fun…hang out…get to know people in an environment outside church.   Fun is important…if it’s a chore or obligation it will fail!

Discuss questions raised Sunday morning in a small open environment.   (example: this week we would have discussed what it means to give “no strings attached”)

Celebrate Communion…old school…with fellow followers of Jesus…with either grapejuice or (gasp!) wine depending on the group.

Help those (outside) in the community.  I envision actiongroups taking on small projects as a group to help people they are personally connected to outside of actionchurch.

Help each other.   Visit each other if someone is in the hospital.  Network to find a job for an unemployed member.  In short…become “extended family” …a “gang”…a “tribe”…help each other “get through life” together. 

What would “actiongroups”  look like?

“Affinity Groups”   actiongroups would be made up of people who share like interests.   They could be made up of “20 something” gamers.  (Halo group anyone?)  Young families…empty nesters…Harley riders…moped riders…groups of people with common interests.

“Free Market”-   We have no plans to “assign” anyone to an actiongroup.  We will help groups “advertise” their existance…we will design a system to “refer” interested people to groups that might “fit” them…but everyone will be free to chose to attend…or not attend the group of their choice.  …kinda like church on Sunday morning.

“Mobile”   actiongroups could “happen” over lunch at starbucks…at a local bar or restaurant…at someones home.   We never want to base leading an actiongroup on whether someone has a sweet “MTV Cribs” style mansion to host it in…they can happen anywhere.

“Transformational vs Informational”   Like actionchurch on Sunday mornings I envision discussions and honest questioning leading to “learning”…but actiongroups will never be primarily “Bible Studies”.  

So that’s the “framework” for what actiongroups would “look like”.  Questions? Comments? Ideas?

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There’s been a lot of talk lately about starting some sort of small group environment so that actionchurch folks can “do life” with people who are also interested in putting the teachings of Jesus into action.  People stop me nearly every Sunday morning to ask… it shows up in the questions and comments…in short- “demand” is building for something more than “just Sunday morning”.   I’m excited about what I am hearing.  From the  beginning we intended for there to be “actiongroups” that met outside of Sunday morning toallow people to build friendships, share their stories, serve their communities, take their relationships with God and others to a “whole nutha level”.

Tomorrow I’ll post the vision for what I think “actiongroups” should “look like”…but I want to take a few moments today first to let everyone “in” on what we will need to be able to start “small groups” at actionchurch.

One year ago, when we started out as a church we made a decision to wait 6 months to a year to start any small groups.  We wanted to wait for people to build relationships…build communitiy…for potential small group leaders to “appear”.   I think one year later those things are happening.  We will need more- but several people have expressed interest in leading groups in their homes…restaurants…and yes, bars.

What we need to “make this happen” is a “community organizer”  (Sorry President Obama is too busy).  We need someone to organize a system to match interested folks with small groups.  Someone to set up a small group “plan” so everyone is on the same page.  Someone to “visit” the various actiongroups and “inspect rather than expect”.   Someone to organize occassional “all play” events (Parties, bbq etc)  where we could all get to know each other better…and possibly discover an actiongroup that “fits” us personally.  The actionchurch “small group czar” will have to be one part manager, one part revolutionary leader, and one part “party planner”.  Someone able to put together a proposal based on our vision…present it for approval…and then execute it…without a lot of input or “hand holding”.

I’m not sure who our new “small group czar” is.  Everyone on our crew is operating at or way above “capacity”  We’re too busy now.   My “prime directive”  for myself and family is to take on LESS reponsibility in this second year of actionchurch.  Beyond that, I SUCK at  management and organization…so the thought of designing and administering a “system” makes me want to put a gun in my mouth    I am certain that God has someone that is passionate about relationships…someone who “knows” about, or wants to learn how to run a small group system.  Someone who loves to organize “events” and parties.  Someone who wants to perform top level work for zero pay    Is it you?  Will you pray with me that that person will “show up”?    

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.  More tomorrow…

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