Monday, September 28, 2009

Leading a Home Group... and other updates.

For our friends and family that track us here and have not yet found the joys / pains/ and distration that others call facebook, I apologize for the lack of posts.
We are totally moved into our new home and new roles as a CARES team at Coldwater Springs apartments. Leah is literally days away from completing school. We are hoping and pushing for an Oct. 15th graduation. Septemeber has been very overwhelming with moving and a trip to CA to celebrate with Leah's brother who got married. We have a string of flu like viruses through our little family which I am currently trying to see through...


Last Night we had a great homegroup with folks from our church. I find great value in God's people meeting in homes, with food, and discussing the scriptures, sharing life together, and impacting each other's stories. I think everyone should do it. Its just not that easy...

Who's house will we meet at? Who will provide the food? What about kids? pets? football? curriculum? These are just the easy questions. Put together a diverse group of people from different traditions, cultures, and point of views and ask questions like "what do you think?". Oh My! On top of those you have to navigate both the "babbling brooks" (those who talk to much) and also the "dead seas" (those who don't talk at all). You navigate those who think every question is "too personal" and those with PHD's in TMI... either could potentialy sabotage healthy discussion. As a leader I struggle with gently steering the conversation. It might be easier to be hands off, watch the sparks and ignorance fly and then call time after 35 minutes. The other easy option would be to script and control the whole thing. Nah. There's something wonderful about the organic process of people learning courtesy, grace, and community together.

I'm getting better at it. It's an interesting skill. I'm just wondering how to put it on a resume.

3 comments:

Elizabeth said...

You did an excellent job last night -- it had the potential to be a trainwreck, but I was impressed with how you handled it.

Brian said...

May a bright shining light throw you all to the ground and take away your "sight", leaving you helpless for some days pondering together an incredible new Passion of Love that will forever change your life... a potential total loss of all things present for the sweet savor of something Above and Beyond. :)

StrongNHim said...

I love this post because it describes the troubles of your group and of the world; mixing cultures, lives, lifestyles and different temperments. It can't be easy.

Sometimes I wonder who (in my life) shares the same passion for him as I do? Not to say that I am the most passionate or the best person, I am far from those things. However, sometimes I feel like no one understands my love/desire for Him.