Small Is Big! by Dale Tony Dale Felicity Barna George & Felicity Dale & George Barna

Author:Dale, Tony,Dale, Felicity,Barna, George & Felicity Dale & George Barna
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: RELIGION / Christian Church / Growth, RELIGION / Christianity / Evangelism
ISBN: 9781414360911
Publisher: Tyndale House (eBook)
Published: 2011-06-01T04:00:00+00:00

Here is an e-mail update on Jamie’s situation:

I thought you might be blessed by some of the new things going on in our lives and ministry. “House church” is not at all what we thought it would be when we first set out on this adventure.

First, as far as our actual house church, we still “only” have one other couple meeting with us. We have had several others asking questions, but no one else has made the plunge. We have found ourselves being mentors for the other couple, though. God has really used us. They have suffered a number of tragedies that we have previously been through, and it has been really wonderful to have a front-row seat for watching their marriage and family grow.

Second, I continue to make and deliver monthly baskets to new neighbors in our fast-growing neighborhood. We invite everyone to a big meal every other month. We had about twenty people join us on Saturday. It is wonderful to connect people to one another and to get their stories. Most people are so untrusting these days that it is really cool when people realize we really aren’t trying to sell anything or get anything out of them; we are just being good neighbors. We always have people ask if they can come to the next “eating.” We are going to have to split into multiple groups in multiple houses because our gatherings are growing so quickly.

Third is our spiritual discussion group. I finally received my first complaint, but it is about as good a complaint as I could receive: “Jamie, can we do them more often?” My house had gotten pretty full. A couple of meetings ago we had thirty-seven moms and kids here! So we are now going to start three meetings—one in the morning for those who nap in the afternoon, one in the afternoon for those with kids in school, and one in the evening for working moms. Incredible! We’ll have a “topic of the month” to discuss, and then each set of people will also exchange ideas on an Internet message board. I cannot believe how much this is catching on. These moms have a real desire to share their thoughts and spiritual journeys with other moms, but they’ve never been given the opportunity without feeling judged or “converted.” To have women raised Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Anglican, nondenominational, atheist, and agnostic all get together in my living room to say, “I just don’t know what I believe about . . .” is an amazing ministry opportunity! I just sit there and spur on the conversation with questions.

Finally—and this was huge for me—last night, three of us got together for coffee. An agnostic, a former Catholic, and I were all sitting there talking about how amazed we all are by these spiritual discussion groups.

One of them looked at me and said, “You know, I think I know what you believe, but I don’t think you’ve ever tried to sell your opinion. Where are you on your own spiritual journey?” I had prayed for this.

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