Here are some ways I/we began to connect when we planted just over 5 years ago.

Start in your own neighborhood and homeowners association
For a planter/pastor/leader to lead others, he or she must model what he wants others to put into practice.  Start with your own neighborhood or relationship circles closest to home.  There is nothing more powerful than a pastor sharing personal stories about how God has worked through his personal relationships to see people connect to God through Jesus.  I started getting to know neighbors through neighborhood events, homeowner association meetings and my wife and started a discussion group for couples on marriage and family issues.  As a result, we have seen multiple families and people from our neighborhood trust Jesus and get connected at Church at the Grove.

Local Schools
Our church’s two campuses both meet in public schools.  We began building relationships with the principles and staff through feeding them and loving on them in a variety of ways.  We told them we want to be their first call if they need something.  It has worked and they love us and have become “raving fans” of our church.  Here’s the deal:  If you tell them to call you, you better be ready to follow up and meet their request.  You must maintain a healthy credibility with the community.

Police Department
The Police Department knows as well as anyone what is going on in the community.  I went to the local police department and asked them if they had a chaplain.  They didn’t and I volunteered.  Within a year or so, we baptized the Chief and he now plays in our worship band.  We partner with the department on a number of things but the partnership with the greatest fruit has been our “Shop with a Hero” Christmas project that touches over a hundred children through the public schools.

Funeral Homes
One of my mentors told me that when he planted a church years ago he went to the local funeral home and volunteered to do funerals for people without a church. WOW!  I do over a dozen funerals a year for unchurched families.  It is a great way to connect with unchurched people and meet a practical need.  More and more people navigate death and loss without the security and hope that eternity offers us through Christ.  Several families have given our church a try through these connections and countless people have heard the gospel.

Counselors
We try to maintain relationships with what we call the “365 people” that deal with community needs everyday of the year. These are the police, firefighters and school counselors that deal with the basic needs of people on an ongoing basis.  We go to the school counselors and tell them that our church wants to be at the top of their list when it comes to helping meet needs.  They love us.  Here’s the deal: You better be ready if you make yourself available.

Social Workers
You will be able to meet practical needs if you make your church available to help with DFACS, county or city social workers or any leadership that is connected to everyday needs in the community.

Coach or volunteer in a local sports league
This is one of the best ways to connect with people in the community.  If you love what people love, they will listen to what you have to say.  If you pour your life into their children through coaching a sports team, it will be the easiest way to connect people to your church.  This may be the most productive means by which I have personally connected people into our church!  People are hungry for leadership with character and integrity and it is hard to find on the youth sports field unfortunately.  You can’t go wrong with volunteering to coach kids in the community!  Be ready, because people will be watching how you handle yourself on the field!

Prayer walk
There is nothing better than simply walking a neighborhood or town and praying over everything going on in a local community.  Prayer walking does not provide instant reward or feedback and it doesn’t seem like a glorified activity but God promises to reward prayer.  It is one of the best things a leader can do and it should be a regular part of a leader’s routine!

What have you done to successfully connect in the community?  I would love to hear one of your ideas that has worked!

SERVE
Why is this number 1?  I think so many followers of Jesus miss out on the impact of serving people around them in practical ways to demonstrate the love of Jesus.  Jeremiah 29:4-7 says to seek the peace and prosperity of a city and if the city prospers we will prosper as well.  One of the greatest ways to make an impression on the people and the world around you is to simply serve people in the name of Jesus.  The spiritual discipline of “service” is under-utilized in making Jesus known to people.  Serve in your church and in your community.  In John 13:3-5 Jesus demonstrates service as he washes the feet of the disciples.  Question:  How do we wash the feet of people around us in the 21st century?

GENEROSITY
In America, we have more money than we know what to do with. (And yet we are still in debt.)  We live self-indulgent lives and money has a stronghold on our hearts through greed.  Jesus told us that we cannot serve God and money at the same time (Matthew 6:24) The way we break the stronghold of greed and money is to give generously!  There is nothing like the discipline of generosity to change our hearts.

SHARE
Most believers don’t know how to start a conversation that leads to sharing the hope that is found in Jesus.  We must cultivate the discipline of sharing our faith.  Regardless of your personality you are accountable for making Jesus known to people in your circle of influence.  You can learn how to get into conversations and actually share your faith.  You can click here to see how I equipped our church to share their faith.  I believe if you practice the disciplines of SERVE and GENEROSITY, this discipline will come more naturally.

Read God’s Word
Some will ask, “Why in the world is this discipline number 4 on the list of most important spiritual disciplines for a believer in America?”  Simply because most Christians that are involved in spiritual growth are “over-read and under-applied”.  We have no shortage of Bible studies available to us but most followers of Jesus are not actively applying the Word of God to their daily life.  Some of us need one less Bible Study in our life and need to get out in the community and serve and practice generosity.  Here’s the deal:  If you are serving and giving generously of your resources and sharing your faith, you will want to read your Bible even more.  God’s Word, the Bible is God’s revelation of Himself to us and we should read it daily, don’t get me wrong.  These disciplines are specifically applied to believers living in America.  READ IT THEN DO WHAT IT SAYS! If you do what it says, you will want to read it MORE!

Talk to God
We should communicate with God through the amazing gift of prayer.  This is an underutilized discipline with most followers of Jesus.  Prayer is learning to depend on God.  This discipline is so often a formality and ritual in the life of the American Christian because we don’t lack for anything.  We don’t HAVE to depend on God because all of our needs are met in our culture.  Real, life-transforming prayer is depending on God for what we don’t have.  Pray without ceasing!  Don’t just stand there, pray something!

Connect with other believers in a local Church
Go to church! Join with other believers for the purpose of glorying God and joining Jesus in His mission of redemption.  God has sovereignly chosen to involve us in His mission of redemption.  We get to take the gospel of Jesus to people that are far from God.  2 Corinthians  5:20-21 says that we are His ambassadors.  Go to church!  Hear the Word! Celebrate Jesus with others!  Put into action what you hear!  Do it every week!  Don’t forsake it!  Hebrews 10:25

Circle Up with a Few other Believers
Circles are better than rows!  Invest your life with a small group of believers that can put into practice together these other disciplines.  You can read the Word and study together, serve together, give together, pray together, love one another!  You can’t grow spiritually as God intends by sitting in rows every week simply staring at the backs of people’s heads!  Get into a small group and get to know others on a deeper level and discover what it is like to live on mission with God with a small group of other followers.

These are the disciplines I believe that followers of Jesus must put into practice to grow spiritually and join God in His mission of getting the gospel OUT into the world we live in.  Some may not like or agree with the order of importance I put them in and that is ok.  Let’s don’t argue but simply apply these disciplines in our lives and the lives of those we are responsible for ministering to on a daily and weekly basis!

If our church were to disappear, would Church at the Grove’s influence be missed?

Our role as a church is to be a bridge.  As we serve and love those in our community we form a bridge through our actions over which the good news of Jesus can travel!  I heard it said recently, “Influence is when you (church) become part of the fabric of the community.” My desire as a pastor is that Church at the Grove become a part of the fabric of the community. My former pastor Mike Linch spoke about this at a recent meeting of pastors and church leaders and it was a good reminder of the need for us to focus as a church on serving and loving our community.

Our community needs our church.  Our church needs our community.  True, lasting influence is gained over the long haul and leads to credibility with the community.

How do we “win” over the community….?

• We have to learn to love the things they love and get involved in the things that are important to them.

• My heart as a pastor is for God to raise up some leaders that will become the “flag waivers” (leaders) for our community ministry needs.

• We want to serve our community with “no strings attached” just like Jesus love on people He came into contact with.

• Popular author and blogger Seth Godin states, “If you are not remarkable, you are invisible.”

Church at the Grove, let’s dig in over the long haul, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, let’s serve our community in a remarkable way!

Check out my friend Brian Dodd’s thoughts on serving the community as a church:  http://briandoddonleadership.com/2011/10/25/13-tips-on-how-churches-can-best-serve-their-communities/

I feel a little like that this week!  It is very similar to the emotions I experience just over 5 years ago when we had our first preview services for Church at the Grove.

• This Sunday night we will have our first preview gathering in Social Circle at the Middle School Activities building at 6pm.  We would love for you to be there!

Although we have been through something similar to this when we launched CATGrove and we may be a little more prepared than we were over 5 years ago. Nevertheless, we really don’t know what to expect, who will be there and exactly how things will go! Isn’t that great!

It is in times like this that we get to experience God at work in the most intense and fresh manner.  We take a step of faith and He works in and through our faith!

I am hoping to have a great turnout from our Walnut Grove “Grovers” this Sunday night. We need some of you to come early and greet.  We would love to have some of you join us in the afternoon and set up and we will need some of you to stay a little late and help us breakdown.

On Saturday November 5 at 6pm we will have a Social Circle Launch Team Meeting for those feeling God’s leadership to be a part of this new endeavor.  The location is to be determined.

Please keep praying, keep investing and keep inviting!

I was talking with a friend today sharing some of the story of Church at the Grove and I was so excited talking about what God has done in five years of life-transforming ministry.  I get excited when I reflect on the past, rest in the present and envision the future of Church at the Grove!  My friend commented about how many churches struggle maintaining their focus on reaching people outside the church over the long haul.  It is a difficult task to maintain an outward focus but it is the very heart of God to make His name known to all people.

I came across the Spurgeon quote in the first line above and my heart ached at the thought that CATGrove would ever be negligent of the out outside world.

My prayer is that we would continue to flourish in the years to come by focusing on The Great Commission.  Let’s resolve to maintain our focus on the outside world and God’s love to for those that are yet to be reached.

Luke 15:7 (ESV)
7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Let’s stay focused!

This Week in The Grove:

5 year anniversary!
On September 11 we will celebrate an incredible 5 years as Church at the Grove! (Insert applause & cheers) These 5 years have been significant in seeing many people turn to follow Jesus & seeing lives transformed as we have impacted our local community and even touched lives around the world.  September 11 will be a big day and we want everyone who calls Church at the Grove home to be there and to bring your family and friends to join you!

Two Services on September 11
We have continued to see our CATGrove family grow and as a result, we need to create more space for new people.  On September 11 we will launch with 2 Sunday morning gatherings at 9:30 & 11am.  This is to create another opportunity for you to invite your family and friends that you have been praying for and investing in!

Community Groups begin September 11
Our new Community Group semester will begin Sunday September 11! I am convinced that one of the important elements to our growth this past year (God gets the credit, of course) was our Community Groups this past year.  We had more groups and more people connected to groups than ever before!  Please choose a group over this next month and get connected to other people in the church!

Church at the Grove Social Circle
This coming January we will launch a 2^nd location gathering in Social Circle.  God has called us since before we ever launched our 1^st gathering to be aggressive in ADVANCING the gospel through planting new churches and new locations of CATGrove!  I am asking everyone to please pray about being a part of this launch team that will help get this new gathering started.  It will be one of the most exciting things you have ever been a part of.  Consider making this your campus, consider giving one year or six months to help get Social Circle started.  We can’t do without people like you.

There was one little boy that particularly caught my attention (and everyone) each time he rounded third base!

Each child is greeted with the crazy applause of parents, grandparents and other attendees as if it was the seventh game of the world series as they round third base on their way to home plate.  One little boy would round third base every time with a huge smile on his face and he would maintain eye contact with the fans in the stands the whole way across home plate.  Often, he would actually miss home-plate because he was so focused on the fan support. He was absolutely enthralled with the encouragement from the fans as he made his way down the third-base line to cross home plate.

This is a great picture of how important “community-life” is to the individual Christian as they “run the base paths” of life in the world.  We are not meant to live our Christian lives alone.  It is the encouragement of others that offer Christ’s strength and support as we travel through life.

Remember that you can run farther when others are watching!  That is why you should not neglect being involved with other believers in small groups or teams that serve together.

Here are a few things going on at The Grove this week:

Volunteer Appreciation Night August 28 6:30pm-8:30pm at Lenora Water Park
Make sure you get your reservation in for this fun night for you and your family!

5 year anniversary!
On September 11 we will celebrate an incredible 5 years as Church at the Grove! (Insert applause & cheers) These 5 years have been significant in seeing many people turn to follow Jesus & seeing lives transformed as we have impacted our local community and even touched lives around the world.  September 11 will be a big day and we want everyone who calls Church at the Grove home to be there and to bring your family and friends to join you!

Two Services on September 11
We have continued to see our CATGrove family grow and as a result, we need to create more space for new people.  On September 11 we will launch with 2 Sunday morning gatherings at 9:30 & 11am.  This is to create another opportunity for you to invite your family and friends that you have been praying for and investing in!

Community Groups begin September 11
Our new Community Group semester will begin Sunday September 11! I am convinced that one of the important elements to our growth this past year (God gets the credit, of course) was our Community Groups this past year.  We had more groups and more people connected to groups than ever before!  Please choose a group over this next month and get connected to other people in the church!

Church at the Grove Social Circle
This coming January we will launch a 2^nd location gathering in Social Circle.  God has called us since before we ever launched our 1^st gathering to be aggressive in ADVANCING the gospel through planting new churches and new locations of CATGrove!  I am asking everyone to please pray about being a part of this launch team that will help get this new gathering started.  It will be one of the most exciting things you have ever been a part of.  Consider making this your campus, consider giving one year or six months to help get Social Circle started.  We can’t do without people like you.

In light of this day, let’s look at an excerpt from Washington’s Farewell address that connects these valuable freedoms to the True GIVER of Freedom!

September 26, 1796

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice ? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

May we never forget from where our true freedom comes!

God Bless America!

Weekly fast on Mondays
Please continue in our church-wide fast this week.  You may change the day since July 4th is on Monday but please don’t forget to continue to pray and fast for our Social Circle Launch; the continued focus of CATGrove; our Romania mission team and for God to work personally in your life!

Group Link
We will gather again in our Group Link gatherings on July 10!  Let’s get together for some fun and fellowship.  If you have any questions about where you need to be, simply ask!

Community Groups
Community Groups will be launching before too long!  Be thinking about where you will connect for relationships and spiritual growth this fall!  True spiritual growth doesn’t happen sitting in rows starring a the back of people’s heads!  It happens in circles sitting face to face with people!  Make it a priority!

This past Sunday:  Matthew 5:8

Purity of Heart comes from a singular devotion to God.

Purity of Heart is about living a life of integrity

Purity of heart cleanses the eyes of the soul so that God is visible.

Jesus is our reward

This is the great story Nathan shared about how we tend to focus on the exterior rather than the inner heart!

Story from Max Lucado
“Once, when we were leaving for a week-love trip, I remembered I hadn’t unplugged the  ham radio.  I ran back in the house, puled the plug and dashed out again.  But I pulled the wrong plug.  I unplugged the freezer. It was summertime, and it was hot.  For seven days, a freezer full of food sat in a sweltering apartment with the power off.  When we came home, my wife decided to get some meat out of the freezer. As she opened the freezer door – well, I won’t go into details as to what she saw but I will say it was a moving experience.  We then figured out that I had unplugged the freezer instead of the radio.  Guess who would be responsible for cleaning it? You got it. So I got to work.

What is the best way to clean out a rotten interior?  I knew exactly what to do.  I got a rag and a bucket of soapy water and began cleaning the outside of the appliance.  I was sure the odor would disappear with a good shine, so as I polished and buffed and wiped.  When I was through, the freezer could have passed a Marine boot-camp inspection.  It was sparkling.  But when I opened the door, that freezer was revolting.

No problem, I thought. I knew what to do.  This freezer need some friends. I’d stink, too, if I had the social life of a machine in a utility room.  so I threw a party. I invited all the appliances from the neighborhood kitchens.  It was hard work, but we filled our apartment with refrigerator, stoves, microwaves, and washing machines. It was a great party.  A couple of toasters recognized each other from the appliance store.  Everyone played pin the plug on the socket and had a few laughs about limited warranties.  The blenders were the hit, though; they really mixed well.  I was sure the social interaction would cure the inside of my freezer, but I was wrong.  I opened it up the stink was even worse!

Now What?  I had an idea. If a polish job wouldn’t do it and a social life didn’t help, I’d give the freezer some status!  I bought a Mercedes sticker and stuck it on the door.  I pained a paisley tie down the front.  I put a “Save the Whales” bumper sticker on the rear and installed a cellular phone on the side.  The freezer was classy. It was stylish. It was … cool.  I splashed it with cologne and gave it a credit card for clout.  Then I backed away and admired the high-class freezer.  “You just might make the cover of Popular Mechanics, I told it.  It blushed.  Then I opened the door, expecting to see a clean inside, but what I saw was putrid – a stinky and repulsive interior.

I could think of only one other option.  My freezer needed some high-voltage pleasure! I immediately bought it some copies of Playfridge magazine – the publication that displays freezers with their doors open.  I rented some films about foxy appliances.  (My favorite was The Big Chill.)  I even tried to get my freezer a date with the Westinghouse next door, but she gave him the cold shoulder.  After a few days of supercharged after-hours entertainment, I opened the door.
And I nearly got sick. –END–

Here it is summer time and we are having tons of guests every Sunday!  What I am even more excited about is the fact that our guests are coming back a second and third time! That is HUGE and it confirms that God is doing some incredible things in the life of The Grove.

I was absolutely thrilled about how our GROUPLINK went on Sunday night!  In three different homes we had over 120 people connect together to fellowship, eat and share in the vision that God has given Church at the Grove. That is huge for a hot Sunday night in June.  Huge thanks to Craig and Amy Story for coming up with the idea and organizing GROUPLINK.  Huge thanks go out to Chad and Anita Spinks, Russ and Joanna Spires and Craig and Amy again for hosting groups in their homes.  Remember, our church is only as strong as the relationships cultivated in authentic community! We can’t grow as disciples simply sitting in rows starring at the backs of people’s heads.  Authentic community comes from sitting in circles face to face!  Keep growing GROVE and don’t miss out on the relationships God wants you to have.

In light of that, please don’t take the summer off from Church at the Grove!

You are going to travel and take vacations.  You are going to visit with family.  You are going to spend time at the pool.  But don’t take a vacation from your faith community.

You potentially can wake up on a Sunday morning and realize the summer is gone and you haven’t connected with your church for weeks or months.  God doesn’t want that for you.  It is not spiritually healthy for you and it will not advance the gospel and the mission God has given our church.  Please make it a priority to be a part of our gatherings this summer when you are not out of town!  I miss seeing you and I know others miss you.

Don’t forget about our CATGrove fast that goes through July! Fast your two early meals on Mondays for CATGrove’s continued missional focus and our Social Circle Launch next January!  God is working and we want to continue to see HIM accomplish His will and purpose through us.  Some things only come by prayer and fasting. That is what Jesus said!

• Be praying for our Romania team as they complete preparations to go at the end of July.

• Be praying for the Sports Camp taking place in Holt, Alabama outside of Tuscaloosa this week.

• Be praying for our children’s and youth ministry leadership as we seek to fill that position.

• Be praying for UNITED, our summer youth ministry on Wednesday nights at the local High Schools.

• Try to come by Chick Fil A on Wednesday’s Spirit night to help raise money for our Romania Team.

Keep praying, Keep investing, Keep inviting!