Review of Scouting The Divine by Margaret Feinberg
Jul/100
Review by Evan Crass
This study, Scouting The Divine – Searching for God in Wine, Wool, and Wild Honey, which is produced by Threads, includes some great content on many of the metaphors used by Jesus in his teachings. The study shares its name with the book authored by Margaret Feinberg and unpacks many of the key thoughts through group discussion. The discussion provides for a richer understanding of the role of a shepherd, the intricacies of making honey, and the work of a vintner placed in the context of today’s culture.
The leader kit includes a DVD with six teaching sessions, a member book, and a CD with a leader’s guide plus additional content that can be sent to group members via e-mail throughout the week. This kit is fairly standard for studies produced by Threads and provides an abundance of information … so much so that the group leader must selectively choose what is worth discussing. The presentation format and quality of Margaret as a speaker are not the strengths of this study.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5 (4.5 stars out of 5 for content / 2 stars out of 5 for presentation)
NOTE: The member book was not used by the group participants, although it was mentioned as a resource. The lack of member participation likely contributed to the lack of discussion. As such, consider the available resources – full book, member book, leader’s guide, and DVD – to determine what is most relevant for your specific group environment.
Review of Breaking Free: The Journey by Beth Moore
Jun/100
Review by Judy Frietze
No matter whether you did the original Breaking Free study by Beth Moore or not, anyone who is serious about their relationship with God and living a life of freedom in Christ can and will benefit from doing the updated version, Breaking Free: The Journey. Though Beth’s target group is women (as she uses more examples/stories to which most women can relate), the biblical principles she cites would be applicable to men as well. The workbook is an essential tool because it allows one-on-one time with the Holy Spirit as you dig into God’s Word and have that time to gain deeper insights into what might be holding you captive and keeping you from enjoying the benefits God intends for each of His children. Our group met every other week, which enabled those who work fulltime and our young moms to have more time to do their lessons. The video with Beth’s teaching in a group setting is an excellent supplement for the workbook so together they provide optimum impact for all participating in this study.
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
NOTE: Because of the nature of this particular study, it is critical to have each participant read through the “personal note from Beth” (provided in the Leader Guide) DURING YOUR INTRO MEETING so that everyone understands from the beginning that this is an in-depth Bible study focused on exploring/applying truths to your lives and is NOT a support group to assist others in dealing with and overcoming specific issues.
fellowshipOne: Navigating Group Manager, Attendance, and Working Contacts
Feb/100
fellowshipOne is a church management software tool developed by Fellowship Technologies that allows churches to, among other things, stay connected to its people. What this means as a group leader is you have a tool that can be used to collect a group member’s contact information, track his or her participation, and stay in touch with the group as a whole through group e-mails. It also allows the church office to track progress towards our church-wide goals and determine who is eligible for church membership. And since we measure what matters, it is vital we understand if each individual is connected in a group or service opportunity.
So to equip you to use fellowshipOne appropriately, some quick tips have been provided to give you access to this powerful tool.
Quick Tips:
1. Go to fellowshipOne to log in.
(Alternately, you may find the link by going to http://faithpromise.org/groups and selecting “Manage your group”.)
2. If you are a current user, provide your username and password on the left-hand side of the page to proceed.
(If you are a new user, you can create a new account by selecting the link on the right-hand side of the page. NOTE: Although you will have immediate access to register for events through fellowshipOne, you will not be able to access your group information for up to a week until your identify has been verified.)
3. Once logged in, there are three tabs on the top left of the screen with associated functions.
Members
- View Members
- Add Member
Attendance
- Post Attendance
- View Attendance
(NOTE: When reporting attendance, choose the same date for reporting period and meeting date.)
Contacts
- Email Group
- View Contacts
For more in-depth information regarding the use of fellowshipOne’s group manager, including adding and deleting group members, posting attendance, and working contacts, go to fellowshipOne’s video library. Click the links on the left titled “Using Group Manager”, “Attendance”, and “Working Contacts” for the most relevant information.
To gain access to the video library, you must provide your name, e-mail, church code, and church name. Faith Promise’s code is “fpctystn”.
A Sneak Peek at the Group Life Conference
Oct/090
For those who are more visual in their orientation, take a minute to watch the promo video for the upcoming Group Life Conference.
Group leaders, you can now reserve your spot online. Make sure to use the promo code “fpgroupleader” to receive your discount. To register by check, contact Evan at
evanc@faithpromise.org or 865-251-2590 x 1404.
Leadership tips … and much more
Sep/090
In our continuing efforts to bring relevant resources to you as group leaders, we have partnered with the Church Communication Network (CCN) to gain access to up-to-date content from some of the best communicators across the country and the world. It is this same partnership with CCN that allows us to host the Group Life Conference on October 24th. And now CCN is allowing access to all their content to every person connected to Faith Promise.
CCN programs are available online for 60 days after the air date. This includes sessions on marriage, leadership, spiritual growth, relationships, health & fitness, parenting, personal evangelism, and more. Featured speakers include Erwin McManus, Lee Strobel, Jim Burns, Dr. Henry Cloud, Dr. John Townsend, and many others!
It’s easy:
• The Subscriber ID for our church is 110742.
• Go to http://www.ccn.tv/online.
• Log in using the Subscriber ID, a username and password of your choosing, and your email address. (Remember your username and password as you will need them the next time you login.)
• Click on the title of the program you want to watch and it will automatically open.
Please use this resource as you continue to grow and share it with your group members to help them grow too.
The Group Life Conference is October 24th
Sep/090
In one month from today, October 24th, we will be hosting the Group Life Conference. The schedule has been set and it promises some great opportunities to hear and interact with some great leaders. Many of you have already put your name on the list to be here. And now, other area churches are making plans to join us as well. Because seating is limited in Satellite 1, I want to make sure you are given the first opportunity to save your seat.
To save a spot, simply reply back to me with the name(s) of those attending. We can exchange money in the next two weeks. Remember, for active group leaders, we are covering half of the $69 registration fee. The remaining cost of $38 includes the remaining registration fee plus lunch and snacks for the day.
Please feel free to invite others to attend with you, be they group members, weekend attendees of Faith Promise, or others in no way associated with Faith Promise. They can register online by going to http://tinyurl.com/ydwy4kp.
We have never undertaken a conference such as the Group Life Conference and we are hopeful this experience will challenge and energize you and, in turn, make our groups more effective in creating environments where people can connect with God and others.
At your service,
Evan
P.S. In order to receive your group leader discount, please contact me directly rather than registering online.
Protected: July leadership tip
Jul/092
Protected: June leadership tip
Jun/092