#1 Debate Item and Discussion Item

The first creative blog for the YWT concerns small groups. I was given a great idea by "The Godfather of JV" and I thought it was soooo good that I wanted to jump on it right away. We have always struggled with Small Groups at FOCUS Factor Ministries and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that we try to do them in 15 minutes (if we'ere lukcy) on a Wednesday Night. True small groups and True relationships usually come when people meet together outside of church having fun and laughing together. Here is the premise for strengthening our small groups.

If you are a small leader and want to participate you would contact me via email, blog, phone or in person and let me know. All you would have to say is something like this. "Joel, I am interested in trying this new small group thing. I enjoy playing video games and food so the teens who sign up for my small group get-together will be signing up for a dinner at Las Limas and then come back to my house and we will play Halo on my X-box for a few hours and then finish the night with some Mint Chocalote Chip Ice Cream." I would then put your name on a sheet a paper and put 5 to 7 lines underneathe it for some teens to sign up. If the teen is interested in video games and food he/she would sign up with some friends and then once all the spots were full your job would be to contact them and get together doing what you said was going to happen. They would be responsible for paying for their own meals and whatever else you want to do. If they need rides you could work that out with their parents and them and you! I would love to have at least 5 people who say they are interested in this and get the groups started ASAP. If you have any questions about this please blog about it. I hope this all made sense.

The point behind this is that you would hang out with some teens doing things that you all like and building relationships. The advantages to this include the fact that you get to work out the dates and times with them and your own schedule. You get to put together the whole night how you would want it to look. You can even do whatever you want. I think this will work awesome.

-Joel and his first real post