rvaYM

I’ve been counting down the days, eagerly awaiting the first night of LSM (lower school ministry @ GBC). I didn’t know what to expect.

• We took a room and gave it a modest makeover (a couple cool rugs, mounted a few screens, put some pics on the wall, added some lamps)
• We invited a lot of 6th and 7th graders
• We enlisted leaders, including Craig to lead worship, his wife (Jessica), Tony and my wife (Kim)
• We prayed
• We waited.

The kids had a blast! There were great comments from parents about what their kids were saying in the car last night. A great night of worship, a fun game (led by my amazing wife, pic on the left), conversations about what our friends mean to us. All in all, a great night.

And we start the countdown to next Sunday!

Driving home last night, I knew that I was right where God had called me. That’s a great place to be.

Delicious Ping This Post

Series graphic for the first LSM (Lower School Ministry, Gayton’s ministry to 6th & 7th graders), myFRIENDS:

[thanks to Johnny Flash for the Photoshop tutorial/seminar last week]

Delicious Ping This Post

JM already posted about our time with Doug Murren last week. Another point he made stuck out to me — especially after hearing it twice [I also spent Tuesday with Doug at Fairview at River Club in Fredericksburg, and he told the story in both contexts].

Doug said that a few years back, they studied assimilation/visitor follow-up in two different style churches. One church had a 12-step follow-up process, and the other church did nothing. Doug found that both churches assimilated the same number of visitors. Why? Because 85% of people who visit a church already have a relationship with somebody in that church. When they visit, the assimilation is dependent upon the pre-existing connection. Some stay, others do not.

Last Monday, Kara Powell at Fuller Youth Institute also posted about 85%. She writes that Dr. Christian Smith at the National Study of Youth and Religion recently published a book where he says “that 85% of those 18-23 who have ever made a commitment to God did so before age 14.” That makes me even more excited about LSM at Gayton!

Also last Monday, I stopped in at Ukrop’s for a quick grocery shopping trip. Their Monday sale item was 85% beef. [this really has nothing to do with the other two points, aside from referencing 85%].

Delicious Ping This Post