What's Next for Holynext?

The very first Holynext Retreat is officially in the books. If you haven't heard, around 80 people gathered in Fishers, IN on March 24 and 25 for this personal spiritual formation retreat. In the words of one attendee, "HolyNext… Not a conference, not a workshop. A “holy ground” experience…"

The victories, the testimonies and the very real presence of God convinces us that there is a hunger and a need for a set-apart experience where we can come clean with God and be transformed into His likeness. Now our task is to lead people across our denomination into the same experience that we have encountered. The vision for this retreat is that it would be happening many times a year all over our denomination in a variety of venues.

In the near future we will have a free download on the Spiritual Formation website that will include the Holynext 'recipe', all of the scriptures and set up materials, recommendations for worship, etc. Basically every component that we used here will be available as a download. It will also include a promo video from footage taken at the first Holynext. We need many who attended the launch event to host a Holynext Retreat in their regions. If you would like to know more about this retreat and how to make one happen for your church or district, PLEASE EMAIL ME @ guptillt@wesleyan.org

it gives us a chance to get acquainted and let them know we enjoy life ... then we shoot them:)

How's that for a catchy title for a blog posting?! Did it get your interest? OK, let me explain. It's from an email I reeived from a church planting pastor in Florida. The church bought 6 acres of land and they worship in a garage that sits on that property. They also have found that many people in the area enjoy playing paint ball ( you're catching on ). So, after they worship together and show people how much they enjoy life...they use their property to play some paint ball.

Now I know that many of you have wished that you could shoot a few people from time to time but let me ask you this: what innovations are you using to reach people? What do your locals enjoy doing that you could incorporate into your programming as an easy way for others to invite friends? Do you have any creative small groups like this that you can recommend to the rest of us? I'd love to hear about them.

Order of the Flame

Not sure if anyone has heard of the Methodist Conference: Order of the Flame. That's where I will be all of next week - St. Simons Island, Georgia. So my blogging will be suspended for a week or so.

Holynext happens tomorrow and Saturday! We are gearing up for the first spiritual formation retreat in the Wesleyan Church ( that we are aware of! )

F.O.R.M.

FORM is an acronym used to represent 4 different categories of small groups within the local church. The concept is that a church would attempt to be balanced in each of the following 4 areas:
F = Family; linking people by the unique characteristics of their family structure

O = Occupation; linking people around their occupational commonalities

R = Recreation; using recreational habits to link people with similar interests

M = Ministry; linking people either by the ministry they need or by the ministry they are involved in.

What do you think? Is this helpful? Would something like this work in your church? Are you overloaded in any one particular area?

Just Another Day on the Farm

Last week my brother in law Barry and his son Craig and I traveled 5 hours from Indianapolis to Moline, Illinois - the home of John Deere. For a farmer, or any tractor enthusiast, Moline is mecca. There were more tractors than people! If you know me, you know that I am not a farmer ;-) But I can usually recognize a tractor when I see one! We spent 5 hours touring the enormous facility where they combine their combines ( harvesters ). It was impressive for sure.

Here are a couple of shots from our field trip:

Throw Another Blog on the Fire

Here are a couple of sharp blogs from sharp people in sharp churches leading sharp ministries. May their tribe increase.

www.metrowesleyan.ca Dean Brown

www.revitalizeyourchurch.blogspot.com Mark Wilson

The final installment from Fellowship's Home Teams

If you have been involved in Small Group Ministry for any length of time, you know what an animal it can be to try to stay on top of the assimilation ( does anyone have a better word? ) of people into group life and community.

To 'combat' this, the Home Team Ministry @ Fellowship has hired a former marine to be their full time Pastor of Small Group Assimilation. OK, must of us just rolled our eyes and said, "I can't afford that". You probably can't. But, you probably can recruit a volunteer to help out in this area. In my previous pastorate in Moncton I had a young retiree ( mid 50's ) who attacked assimilation.

The retired marine's job is to call every person that goes to a small group and get them connected. He get's people's information off of welcome cards they use at each small group or off of their website where small group leaders can go in and post the info of all who were at their group this week.

What are you doing to make sure that people who come to your church or to a small group are getting connected into the fellowship?