Bob Mayfield

Small Group-Large Group

I ran across this spoof of the Apple vs PC commercials that are taking place right now. Now although it is a spoof, it carries an excellent message about the importance of small groups and Sunday School classes (small communities) in connecting people together in more than just superficial ways. I enjoyed it and I thought you might too...

John Piper on Small Groups

I've never really thought of "John Piper" and "small groups" in the same thought, but here is this very well-spoken pastor encouraging his church to get involved in a small group, and sharing why it is important.

Lately, I have been trying to update the definition of Sunday Schoo/Small Groups. The age-old axiom is this:

Sunday School is the church organized to do the work of the ministry.

My new definition is simply a 21st century expression of the one above:

Small Communities is how the church organizes for mission.

It is imperative for church leaders to understand that the church's classes and groups need to be the organization carrying the major responsibility to carry out the church's mission of making disciples. This is best done by impacting lostness in the culture, bringing them to repentance and salvation in Christ, and then walking with people in their journey as Christ-followers.

I am finding it very common now for churches to assign the church's mission to the missions team, or the youth group, or through broad appeals from the platform to just go. Our classes and groups want to be involved in the core mission of the church, and should be the platform through which the church organizes itself for mission. Smaller groups are easier when it comes to understanding mission, communicating mission, and also for accountability.

30 Seconds Of Life - The Tebow Ad

I don't generally jump into politics and stuff on this blog, although I do have some definite beliefs about some key issues. However, I find it difficult to fathom that believing in life is a political issue. I mean, isn't the government there to protect its citizens from harm? But the flap over the Super Bowl ad of Pam Tebow deciding to keep her unborn baby against a doctor's advice has become a political football (pardon the pun).

I find myself watching the debate on tv and pulling for the Tebows and Focus on the Family, but when I watched this video on FOX news with Jim Daly of Focus on the Family and Jehmu Green of the Women's Media Center, my blood started to boil.

Focus on the Family is trying to "fool America"? Fake pregnancy testing? Fake Crisis Pregnancy Centers?  What's next - moms giving birth to fake babies from those fake sonograms?

If anything the Tebow ad has done, it has shed light on the pro-choice movement's true agenda: It's not about choice after all, or they would be celebrating PamTebow's choice to give birth to Tim! Apparently there is only one choice in the pro-choice movement, and that is abortion.

I celebrate CBS's decision not to give in to the pressure to not run this ad (so far anyway). In an ironic twist of how God works, the loud protest of the Women's Media Center has just about guaranteed that the Tebow ad will be watched by hundreds of millions of people worldwide - who will see what it is like to celebrate a culture of life!

Honda Cog - Plan, and Plan Some More

This commercial by Honda is just fun to watch. It's captivating and creative

Now some behind the scenes information:

• It is not CG (Computer Generated)
• The commercial took one year to design
• Once the producer was ready, it took four days to shoot the video
• The ad required 600 takes before they finally got it to work
• 140 pieces of a Honda Accord were used

Go here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh4zWeUDW-E&NR=1 for more information about the making of "Honda Cog".

But the last line of the commercial captures the intent of the two minute video, "Isn't it nice when things just work?"

Like you, I kind of like it when our small groups work. It takes some time and effort by a lot of people to have an effective ministry of small communities. The more harmonious the ministries of the church are, the more effective it will be. It's nice when ministry is happening!

J.D. Greear and Alvin Reid

This year we are thrilled to have J.D. Greear and Alvin Reid as our live keynote speakers at the Missional Ministry Conference in Norman, OK on March 25-26. I say "live" because Ed Stetzer is going to join us via the web to share new insight regarding "Missional Intersections". J.D. and Alvin sent us this video where they share their excitement about coming the MMC and also the importance of communicating truth in the missional context of the church.

J.D. Greear and Alvin Reid talk about the upcoming Missional Ministry Conference, March 25-26 and the importance of communicating the gospel in a world of opinion.

For more information about the Missional Ministry Conference, and to register, go to www.missionalministry.net.