the Young Life retreat center in upstate NY. The retreat is put together every year by the
Orchard Group which is a church planting organization that helped Christ's Church of the Valley get started.
What has been really valuable about the whole experience up here is networking with other new church leaders around the Northeast. I have been gather ideas and swapping stories about the joys and challenges in group ministry.
Sometimes we can get wrapped up in our own church context that we forget that there are others who have been where we are going. Even if they are not more experienced, a fresh pair of eyes can be very helpful in generating new ideas.
On this trip I met Nic (yeah he doesn't use a k), a new guy from Community Christian in MD, who gave me some new ideas about an approach to starting new groups that I have been hesitant to implementing. I will share more we get figure things out and I talk more with our team.
was the main speaker that spoke about the need for connection in American culture since it is becoming more and more relationally depreived. Here is Will's profile from the Willow Creek site:
Will Miller is a psychotherapist, ordained minister, and hospital and police chaplain. He has worked in community mental health centers and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs and has served as a spokesman for the
National Institute of Mental Health. Simultaneously, for 16 years, Will had a successful career as a stand-up comedian. He has headlined in clubs and theaters across the country, appearing with such stars as
Aretha Franklin and
Natalie Cole. He is one of the country’s foremost media and popular culture analysts, having served as host of
Nick at Nite’s “Why We Watch” segment for five years. Currently, Dr. Miller is a therapist and campus minister at
Purdue University, where he lectures on media effects. He has written three books, including the acclaimed
Refrigerator Rights. Will holds a master’s degree and a doctorate in urban education from the
University of Massachusetts at Amherst, a master’s in clinical social work from
Columbia University, and a master’s in divinity from
Union Theological Seminary.
/2007/09/ancient-futur-1.html">Session two was also very good. I have seen these two gentlemen do their thing on CCN in the Groups That Grow series and they brought that right to the stage at the Group Life Conference this morning. They have challenged our leaders in four ways:
- Create a safe environment - people will keep coming when they feel safe and they will begin to share
- Be authentic - When people feel safe they start to share in an authentic way
- Offer help - asking for and offering help can be a point of tension
- Providing care - don't try to just fix others problems really care for them emotionally as well
- Encourage growth - real shepherding is spurring others on in growth not just responding to crisis
