LEGOS & LIPs

At our recent Adult Bible Fellowship (ABF) Leadership Huddle I  challenged our leaders to think differently this year.  I challenged them to answer a question I heard Andy Stanley ask in a sermon once.  . .

Will we focus on reaching people or keeping people?

If we focus on reaching people we will always be fulfilling God's  purpose for the church.  If we focus on keeping people we will focus on what everyone else wants the church to be and we will never be the church God's desires us to be.

So how do we do that?  How do we become a place where we are focusing on reaching people?  Years ago as I was transitioning from the corporate world into ministry a friend of mine told me that people come to church for a million different reasons, but they will stay for relationships.  That, my friend is so true.  So I asked our leaders, "Where do people get connected in significant relationships at GGBC?"  The answer? ABFs.

If that's true, then we need to provide places where people can get connected. . .and the more the merrier.  That's when I turned to my visual aids. . .LEGOS! 

LEGOS are all about connecting!!  Each piece represented a person and/or ABF to whom someone attending worship or just checking us out can connect to.  And the more pieces we have in play the more people can get connected.

So how do we create an environment that continually provides a place for people to connect?  LIPs.  That's right, we provide LIP service.  And yes, I used another visual aid - those plastic lips that have the whistle inside them.

We, as leaders, have to help our ABF members become. . .

Leaders - without leaders ABFs will not expand and we will not be able to provide additional ABFs for people to connect to.  Leaders are very important!

Inviters - become a  place where ABF members want to invite others.  Create some excitement in your ABF. . .some buzz that can be heard in the hallway.  I've heard it said that when it comes to guests, they prefer environment down the hall to the name of the wall.  Then get some people out in the worship center, lobby, parking lot, neighborhood, workplace, etc. who will invite people to connect with your ABF.

Partiers - throw some parties and invite everyone on your small group roll!  It's difficult to build relationships in an hour and a half on Saturday night or Sunday morning.  Throw a party and people will hang out and begin building significant relationships.  It's also a non-threatening way to introduce new people to your small group.  Think about it,  Jesus was always going to parties to meet new people.

 Now before you teachers crucify me, let me just say that biblical teaching is essential in helping ABF members grow spiritually.  But  people will put up with a half-way decent lesson before they will put up with being lonely.  Without connections, we teachers will only be talking to ourselves.

So, let me ask you. . .
How do you get people connected?

What unique visual aids  have you used or seen in leadership training?

Which is more important to you, biblical teaching or establishing relationships?


Would love to hear from you,
Mike