Making the Connection » Groups

Group Leader Quickshot: The Circles of Life

Cole — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:29:39 +0000

Small groups (At TCC, we call them Connection Groups) are messy! Because they involve people, things rarely go just like you want them to. But anyone can learn the skills and, yes, art, of being a great group leader.

Nic and I have recorded some leadership training audio resources for anyone who is in a leadership position. I’m going to be posting these free resources here over the next several weeks so you can check them out. My prayer is that you will grow in your leadership as you make a difference in lives through your group.

Are you having trouble filling up your group? This first audio podcast will give you some practical ideas about how to find people and invite them to join your group. So get ready and “Fill ‘er Up!”

Quickshot: Circles of Life

No related posts.

Free Training Material for Small Group Leaders

Cole — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:22:42 +0000

Our newest quarter of Connection Groups started this week with lots of new people connecting with a group. We’re already getting great reports of things that are happening as groups have started meeting.

Last summer, we overhauled our group system in some key areas and have improved our group system to make it healthier and help them grow.

I am making our most recent Connection Group Training Guide available for free to anyone who wants to use it for their own groups. I recommend that you adapt it to your own setting and culture. If you’ve got questions about some of the specifics, feel free to comment on this post. I’d also love to hear from you about what’s working in groups at your church so that we can learn from you too.

Click on the link to download:
Connection Group Leader’s Training Guide

No related posts.

Adopt a (Stuffed) Pet

Cole — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:24:27 +0000

We’re gearing up for this year’s Trunk Or Treat on Saturday, October 31st from 6-8pm in the Cabela’s parking lot in Buda. At TCC, we want to be THE place that people know they can bring their families to for the best community events. They are our gift to the community so that we’re always giving back. Our events are free and we meet tons of people from the area. In fact many people made their first connection with us, and ultimately, God, through one of our events.

Our groups (and others) team up to bring their cars, a game and hand out tons of candy. My group is doing an Adopt-a-Pet booth. Here’s how it works, kids choose a color, we spin the wheel, and the winners get to choose a stuffed animal to take with them. My question for you: Do you have gently used stuffed animals that are just taking up space that you would want to donate so that the children of Hays County will have a new stuffed pet to take home? Here’s your chance to find good homes for your old stuffed animals and share the love. Just bring ‘em by the office and we’ll be happy to take ‘em off your hands.

No related posts.

Making Church Sticky

Cole — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:34:57 +0000

Sticky Church

I just finished reading my first full ebook on the Kindle that Pam gave me for my birthday. I was amazed at how fast I was able to fly through this one and I’m not sure if it was due to the format or the content, but suffice it to say that Larry Osborne’s Sticky Church was paradigm shifting for me on many levels.

Larry Osborne pastors North Coast Church in Vista, California and has grown the church from 128 people in the early 80s to now over 7000 people.

He writes that while there are some churches that are very good at getting people to come through the front door, many of them are ineffective at helping people stick around long enough to develop fully devoted followers of Christ. Sticky Church focuses on the importance of closing the back door through an effective small group ministry. I think he’s onto something.

A lot of what we’re already doing was affirmed in this book, but there were so many ideas that I received from this book that I’m excited about putting them into practice this Fall. At The Connection Church, our purpose for Connection Groups has always been to help people connect with each other in authentic relationships. That will not change. But Osborne’s ideas have given me some tools to facilitate this happening on a larger scale.

Sticky Church offers time-tested principles for recruiting and training leaders as well as practical programming ideas for churches to take their groups to the next level. If you’re a small group leader in your church, let me encourage you to get your hands on this book. Good stuff!

David Platt calls us to get Radical Together

The Power of Connection

Cole — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:15:56 +0000

This part of John Eldredge's book Waking the Dead really hit home with several Connectors who emailed me about the power of community:

Church is not a building.
Church is not an event that takes place on Sundays. I know,
its how we think of it. "I go to First Baptist." "We are
members of St. Luke's." "Is it time to go to church?" Much to
our surprise, that is not how the Bible uses the term. Not at
all. When the Scripture talks about church, it means
community. The little fellowships of the heart that
are outposts of the kingdom. A shared life. They worship
together, eat together, pray for one another, go on quests
together. They hang out together, in each other's homes. When
Peter is sprung from prison, "he went to the house of Mary the
mother of John…where many people had gathered and were
praying" (Acts 12:12).

Anytime an army goes to war or
an expedition takes to the field, it breaks down into little
platoons and squads. And every chronicle of war or
quest will tell you that the men and women who fought so
bravely fought for each other. That's where the acts
of heroism and sacrifice take place, because that's where the
devotion is. You simply can't be devoted to a mass of people;
devotion takes place in small units, just like a family.

We have stopped short of being an organization; we are
an organism instead, a living and spontaneous association of
individuals who know one another intimately, care for each
other deeply, and feel a kind of respect for one another that
makes rules and bylaws unnecessary. A group is the right size,
I would guess, when each member can pray for every other
member, individually and by name.

This is the wisdom of
Brother Andrew, who smuggled Bibles into communist countries
for decades. It's the model, frankly, of the church in nearly
every country but the U.S. Now, I'm not suggesting you don't
do whatever it is you do on Sunday mornings. I'm simply
helping you accept reality – that whatever else you do, you
must have a small fellowship to walk with you and
fight with you and bandage your wounds. This is essential.

I am so glad that I get to be a part of a biblically-functioning community where real relationships happen in small groups. We believe that every person who attends TCC needs to be a part of one
of these groups, and as we grow larger, we've got to grow smaller by
adding more groups.

We've just taken some big steps with our Connection Groups as we've rolled out several new ones over the last few weeks. Now we're gearing up to launch a new semester of groups.

Check one out this week. You won't regret it. Go here to find out more or to sign up today.

No related posts.

Guest Blog: Sherri McArdle

Cole — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 07:34:00 +0000

We were talking to people about leaving California and they thought we were “running from God”. I knew better… I knew I was running TO God. The Lord let me know I was coming to Texas and I would be involved in helping a new church grow. I hadn’t been particularly active in my church back home but I always had a desire to be involved. The first Sunday in Texas we attended TCC and we have come every week except 1.

The thing I love most about TCC is there is no pretentiousness. What you see is what you get. Everyone is real; starting with our Pastor, leading by example. The sermon is based on the Bible as it applies to life today. This reinforces that the Bible is living and is the same today as it was yesterday and will be tomorrow. God’s Word doesn’t change, only the world around us does.

I’ve grown so much since I’ve started coming to TCC and joined a Connection Group. I instantly had a sense of belonging, even though I was far from the place I was raised for 43 years. My faith has been tested, repeatedly, since I’ve been coming and it stands strong today because of the person God is turning me into. The Lord has freed me from bonds I was held by before I came; things such as pride, materialism, insecurity. He has replaced all that with humility, a sense of well being – no matter what my finances are, and a feeling that I am an okay person; as long as God stays by me, I will be fine.

This means so much to me. I don’t ever want to lose what I have today, down deep in my spirit. The fact that I can walk through this valley I’m in and fear no evil because God is with me is priceless. Money can’t buy this peace. People can’t give me this warm feeling that all is going to be okay. Circumstances can’t offer this genuine joy. It is all a “God thing”. He means more to me than anything on this planet.

It took me awhile to get my priorities straight. I struggled and rearranged and God watched and I’m sure he shook his head a lot. Any parent knows what it’s like to stand back and watch your children try to figure life out when they lack knowledge and wisdom. Let them figure it out, we must. This is where growth comes. Thanks God for the growth. I hope you are proud of me. Thanks for loving me even when I didn’t make you proud.

No related posts.

Welcome Baby Martinez

Cole — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 17:13:37 +0000

One thing’s for sure, TCC people know how to keep our nursery full of little bundles of joy. Welcome to David and Ruth’s new little boy, David Matthew, who was born on Friday night at around 7:30 after more than 10 hours of labor. Whew, that’s a long time! The coolest thing is that they were surrounded all day with their Connection Group. And they had the prayers of many others.

David Jr. weighed in at 7 lbs 10oz and was 20 1/2 inches. We are praying that God blesses this new Martinez and we welcome him to our church family.

No related posts.

Salt Lick

Cole — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 18:14:50 +0000

What am I doing after another incredible TCC Sunday? Chillin over some unbelievable BBQ with my C-Group. The guy with the guitar is singing The King of rock n roll’s Suspicious Minds (my favorite Elvis song). I’ve always thought he protested too much.

No related posts.

Commence Egg Stuffing

Cole — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 15:18:21 +0000

Last night was the annual Easter egg filling at our group. Lots of brightly colored plastic eggs and sugary sweet candy. Of course, we had to sample some (a lot) to make sure it was allright for the kids. Sure enough, it was fine. We stuffed around 1500 eggs, only 5500 more to go. We’re well on our way to the total TCC goal of 30,000 eggs. I hear that some of the eggs are even going to be stuffed with better stuff than just candy. How many have you stuffed?

No related posts.

Walking on Water

Cole — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 10:54:07 +0000

Last night, I was invited to one of our Connection groups. This group is led by a couple who has been with us from our launch, Raul and Carol Vela. They asked me to (ie: let me) come and start their group with a few songs. I know I don’t have time to go to all of our groups and do this, but I love it when I get to play and sing. That’s what I would do if God hadn’t called me to lead a church (and if I had more talent).

About 6 people had gathered together at that group. There was a couple just checking out group for the first time. They started by sharing some tasty snacks as they got to know each other better and caught up on life. They spoke about what God was doing and what God wants to do in their lives. They have a support network to help them through the struggles they are facing.

After an amazing time of worship (smile) they started talking about Peter’s faith as he got out of the boat. Someone said, "At least he had the faith to step out on the waves and walk toward Jesus." As I slipped out, I was pumped, realizing how awesome this simple thing really is.

It really amazes me that this is going on just about every night of the week in homes around our community. Ordinary people are connecting with an extraordinary God and with each other. Where else does this happen? I’m glad I get to be a part of this.

Giving Away My Birthday For Water