What’s God’s greatest dream* for us? What’s the vision… A QUESTION: What’s God’s greatest dream* for us? * (hopes & aspiration)

A suggestion… God’s dream for us (His children) is … for us to reach our full potential.

How can that happen?

How can that happen? Through knowing Him. Knowing that He is GOOD. "You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees" (Psalm 119:68).  That all His paths are mercy and love. (Psalm 25:10) His plans are to PROSPER and NOT to harm us. (Jeremiah 29)

How can we really get to know God?

How can we really get to know God? Through reading the word (bible) Being guided by the Holy Spirit By following in the footsteps of Jesus. … Jesus came to teach us EVERYTHING we need to know about God the Father and His plans for our lives.

What did Jesus essentially say about this?

What did Jesus essentially say about this? He said He would build His church and hell would not beat it (Matthew 16:18) The church is a beacon of hope to a world in pain.

How does Jesus expect the church to bring hope to the world?

How does Jesus expect the church to bring hope to the world? The church’s role is to: Teach people how to be disciples of Jesus Nurture new believers Bring Correction & encouragement Be a place of healing, truth, authenticity Be a community where new behaviours could be practiced Help believers to discern gifts and talents AND MUCH MORE

QUESTION What is the one thing you can do in a BIG church that you CAN’T do in a small church?

HIDE!

Imagine if … We hid our need for encouragement, correction, guidance We hid from people who need us most We hid our resources so we didn’t have to share We hid our talents and skills We hid from each other all week as well as on Sundays We never stretched our comfort zone but played it safe in the back row? How would this impact our spiritual growth and depth?

BUT The church’s dilemma It’s GOOD to grow in numbers - more people hear the gospel… BUT

But there’s a downside… The bigger we grow – the more we can hide SO…. How can we hold this tension between growing size and becoming disconnected from each other?

MID week gatherings… a.k.a Small groups Home groups Bible study groups Prayer groups Cell groups House groups Connect groups

Welcome to ….

Eden LIFE GROUPS Based on Acts 2:46 As soon as church was invented, the believers began to gather In the TEMPLE (listening to teaching & worshiping) AND In their HOMES (breaking bread, having fellowship ALSO mentioned in 1 Corinthians 14:26 – When you come together, each one has a hymn, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation … (smaller gathering – a place of individual and personal contribution)

Life groups A smaller setting where everyone can share thoughts, ideas, hymns, prayers A setting where we ‘bear another’s burdens’, show kindness to one another, forgive one another (Ephesians 4 & 5) Yes – this is our attitude at Sunday morning church as well – but smaller settings are conducive to the privacy and intimacy necessary for the pastoral dimension Best of both worlds – large gathering worship as well as a more intimate community in Life Groups

Life group values… A: All involved

Life group values… A: All involved B: Become a disciple

Life group values… A: All involved B: Become a disciple C: Create community

Life group values… A: All involved B: Become a disciple C: Create community D: Do

Life group values… A: All involved B: Become a disciple C: Create community D: Do E: Encounter God (& EAT)

Life group values… A: All involved (not just up to the leader to do everything) B: Become a disciple (learn, grow, journey together) C: Create community (it doesn’t just happen) D: Do (reach out) E: Encounter God (& EAT!)

What happens at Life Group ? Welcome (All involved) Worship (Encounter God) Word (Become a disciple) Witness (Do - actively reach out)

How does it work best? A Host / home A Leader & assistant It’s not a bible study! You don’t need to be a professional Christian Group members could take responsibility for admin / pastoral connection Different times and days Teaching is tied to sermon, approach is Life application Groups have a shelf-life

What do we need to get going? Leaders Assistants Members Host & Home Material Training A sense of adventure Some organisation

What are the next steps? Train some leaders & assistants Starting: MONDAY 5 JUNE at 8pm at the Eden Church For 4 weeks. Week 1 to 3 will be content Week 4 will be a live demo of a LIFE group in action.

Time-line June: Training July: Group Members Sign up August: Allocation to leaders & groups September: Life Group leaders have a refresher session & make contact with group members October: Teaching materials on-line and tied in sermon June 2017: Training for new Life group leaders / assistants July 2018: Current Life-groups disband & sign-up begins