Some Baptist Press?

I was contacted by email this week by a writer working on an article for publication in Baptist Press. He was looking at church plants that are using Bible storying in their churches. Now, I don't feel like Ridgeview is a church plant anymore. We are so past that; we are seven and a half years old! We have our big boy pants on now! All kidding aside, I enthusiastically shared with the writer the wonderful things I witnessed this summer in our Growth Groups using Bible storying.

This past Sunday night at my home fourteen people gathered together for our once a semester Growth Group leadership training. We ate together and heard from our Growth Group leaders the celebration stories of what God had done in their groups. For about an hour we poured into them much of what we know in leading a successful Growth Group. There was a great energy in the room. I had much excitement from that meeting anticipating what God is going to do this Fall semester. As we started with three Growth Groups this summer, we are seeing "disciples who are making disciples." We are seeing people grow up in their faith and are looking to lead others to do the same. New Growth Groups are being spawned from existing groups because we are doing something right; we are making disciples!

As we begin our time of promotion for the Fall 2011 Growth Group semester, I am extremely excited about the Growth Groups we have formed and the Bible storying sets we are ready to dive into. Let me challenge you this Fall to join a Growth Group. Ninety-percent of our church was involved in some type of small group this summer. Many people have grown in their faith this summer due to connecting with God, God's people, and through the stories in His Word. There is no better tool we have in our church to disciple people than our small groups gathered around God's Word. For the ninety-percent of our people who know this; don't stop being part of Growth Groups due to the busyness of the Fall. Life will always be busy! For the ten percent who are not involved in Growth Groups at Ridgeview, why not give them a try this semester? It could be the most helpful tool you have this Fall in your spiritual growth!

Lastly, I'm looking forward to this Sunday as we start our new "Frequently Asked Questions" series. We'll look at questions on homosexuality (can a gay person be a Christian?), Christians having tatoos, Heaven (cremation, marriage in heaven, recognizing loved ones, can they see us from heaven?), and suicide. Where the Bible speaks clearly on these issues, I will lay it out. Where the Bible does not, we will apply biblical principles. In all things, we will show love. This should be fun!

See you Sunday!

Pastor Tommy (aka Little Tommy, the Big Nasty, Daddy, Stud Muffin- if you have no idea what these names mean, then you are just going to have to listen to last Sunday's message from our website found at the "media" tab.)