Beyond application – increase Participation

I always wanted to do this so I went ahead and did it.

Inspired by Off-the-Map where I got the idea of Five-minute meetings after the session speaker finishes, so starting this year (I think) after my Sunday message sharing I’d invite people to pair up or form triplets and share something that touched them or struck them with each other. The whole idea was to allow immediate application. Sometimes this would end with a time of mutual prayer.

Then a couple of weeks ago I was toying with the idea why don’t we view the whole “sermon” (message) – Word sharing moment as a process we all participate together. I still do what I think I’m gifted and called for – i.e. the preaching & teaching (where the picture is one who proclaims what we trust is God’s message for us)- kind of a more vertical process. Then, building on the 5 minute idea let’s expand it to getting into groups of 5 or 6 for a time of comments and even Questions! All this done with a scribe-presenter who takes all these comments and questions down.

Yesterday, each group shared at least a couple of comments and posed one or two questions, and I responded to the questions on the spot. There was a kind of spontanaity and dynamism in the approach (a bit more western socratic approach or Asian confucian approach).

I was trusting the Spirit to speak horizontally through one another and was delighted with some of the responses.

Picked up a cool Acronym (from Leonard Sweet)
NUTS (Never Underestimate The Holy Spirit)

I collected the Questions & Comments and hope to deal with them more reflectively through the week. Probably sending the answers to everyone via email – or blogging … haven’t decided yet.

I believe coming to be part of a worship gathering where nowadays about 45 of us adults gather together it’s not about attendance and showing up, it’s about participation, conversation and of course RENOVATION of our hearts!