Sunday February 26, 2012 by Jeff Helpman
Transmission
Sunday February 19, 2012
Church Is Not...
We've tried so hard to be appealing to the masses that I fear we're becoming background noise in a post-Christian culture. Where I live in Western North Carolina there are just over 415,000 people. Of those, more than 190,000 people do not associate with any religious organization. Forty-six percent (46%) of our friends and neighbors (almost 1 in 2) don't affiliate with our church or any other church in the area. In a lot of ways, I fear it may be that we don't know who we are. To rediscover this, sometimes it is helpful to know what we are not. These may sound like some really bad marketing strategies for a church, but hear me out....Continue Reading
Monday February 13, 2012
Church Is A Lonely Place
By far, one of the saddest things I've ever seen in today's Christian church is not the mishandling of funds or sexual indiscretions (sad in their own rite) but rather when cliques form at the expense of those on the fringes. Following Christ is meant to be done together, for sure. But somehow our affinities isolate others. This isolation it's especially evident on Sunday mornings. The regulars pool together and the new folks sit alone. Without a connection, would they continue to come back? They already feel vulnerable and out of place. So why so often do we leave them to fend for themselves on the outside of our circles? Have we left them for the proverbial wolves?...Continue Reading
Friday December 23, 2011
Winter Small Groups
Our Fall Small Groups have wrapped up and we are prepping for Winter Small Groups to kick-off in just a few weeks....Continue Reading
Thursday November 10, 2011
Our Ethos
Every church has a statement of beliefs. Some actually let those beliefs transform the way they live....Continue Reading
Sunday July 17, 2011
What's A Volunteer?
All over the world there are those who see something so compelling they are driven to give of themselves, their finances, and even sometimes their entire lives....Continue Reading
Friday June 24, 2011
Live Generously
If we were able to see people increase their giving from 2.5% to 10% of their annual income, an additional $165 billion would flow into the Kingdom. To show the global impact those resources could make, consider the following: $25 billion would relieve global hunger, starvation, and deaths from preventable diseases in 5 years. $12 billion would eliminate illiteracy in 5 years. $15 billion would solve the world’s water and sanitation issues, specifically at places in the world where 1 billion people live on less than $1 per day. $1 billion would fully fund the Great Commission. $100 – $110 billion would still be left over for additional ministry expansion....Continue Reading
Thursday June 16, 2011
Community Means All of Us
At the Grove, we value community, especially when we get the opportunity to be present in the community, engaging our friends and neighbors right here where we all live, outside of the four walls of this weekly gathering space. ...Continue Reading