Bruce Raley Director Church Education Ministry LifeWay Christian Resources

People Reached For Christ People Matured In Christ Commonalities…and Distinct Differences

Southern Baptists 2012 Worship attendance 188,000 less than previous year Group attendance120,000 less than previous year Baptismslowest since 1948 Over 800 SBC churches die each year One of four American churches is dying

Program-driven era (1950’s – 80’s) What’s hot now era (1980’s – 2000’s) Customized church era

Potential: Evangelism

“To separate Bible study from evangelism takes us away from the biblical model. Biblically, education and evangelism are intricately related”

Potential: Evangelism Maturing Disciples More people engaged in ministry

More resources for Kingdom work

“…We have come to realize not one of those (new) groups started on its own. Not a single one. No group just organically sprang up…a catalyst was necessary every time” Catalysts are essential …

 Does the circle look like this?  “The natural inertia of any group is to turn inward” Is there another way to form a circle and still hold hands?

Every church has everybody they need right now to do the work the Lord wants that church to do right now Group leaders are essential …

“The success of a Sunday School leader is not measured by how large the class grows, but by how many leaders are sent out”

Start with the right DNA… D isciple-making at the core N etwork of people on mission A ccountable for sending leaders and starting new groups

The Word of God is the focal point of life transformational groups

What is discipleship? 1.Discipleship is not information. 2.Discipleship is not behavior modification. 3.Discipleship is transformation.

Catalysts are essential for the creation of new groups New groups are created proactively

Organization attendance will increase approximately 10 for every new adult groups properly started.

Every church begins at least one new group each year … one group for every hundred people in attendance.

Watch For The Breaks in the Sandbar