IF I HAD ANY SENSE

I'd be sleeping right now if I was in my right mind, but since I have never been accused of that, I'm sitting here blogging with half an eye on American Idol while I unwind after a long day.

We left our hotel in North Carolina around 6.15 this morning and I have been pretty much on the move since then (wait a second, why are they showing a clip from last week of Annie Lennox murdering my favorite song? - this show is nonsense!).

Anyway, the small group leaders' meeting tonight has got me fired up. We're going to be offering quite an array of groups for folks to choose from on Sunday and they'll be getting under way next week.

From time to time I am asked if we will start a mid-week service once we have our own building, as if small groups are a temporary fix for our current homeless condition. The questioner is generally shocked when I point out that I am totally commited to small groups and we will not be having the traditional Wednesday night service that is part of church life right across America once the day comes that we have a building in which to base all we do.

I believe in small groups because -

1. Relationships can be developed in them.

2. They provide scope for leaders to function.

3. They generally have great snacks.

4. People can share with one another in a way that doesn't happen on a Sunday.

5. They can offer sufficient variety that most people can find a group that strikes a cord with where they are at.

6. Some groups serve cheesecake.

7. As people get to know each other, they look out for one another, so the body begins to take care of the body which is the way it's meant to be.

8. Sometimes you can draw people into a small group who are not ready to attend a Sunday service.

9. There are always brownies at good groups.

So we're all set to go for our late spring/early summer cycle and I'm pumped!