LIFE Community
LIFE Community Testimony - Comfort - December 6, 2009
LIFE Community Video Testimony - Pray Hard - November 1, 2009
LIFE Community Video Testimony - Live and Learn - September 20, 2009
By Kent Sterchi, Director of LIFE Community
The growth of the LIFE Community ministry at FPCO is one that will unfold in phases, knowing that its success and longevity will be determined by our faithfulness to raiseup servant leaders to shepherd each LIFE Community in the years ahead. As the LIFE Community director, I, along with my assistant Sarah Mattheus, have joined with the LIFE Community team to develop a systematic plan that is in the early stages of being rolled out. We view this year as our time of preparation, as God directs us to the people that He desires to help shepherd and lead LIFE Community groups in 2010 and beyond.
Our vision of the LIFE Community initiative is, one day, to be a church where all are loved and cared for and developed as disciples of Jesus Christ. We wish to prepare for the fulfillment of this God-inspired dream by having LIFE Communities meet all around our city. I think of what the Apostle Paul wrote in I Corinthians 11:1, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” Our work in 2009 has been focused on developing, training and investing in LIFE Communities Shepherds (leaders) that will grow to follow Jesus more faithfully.
The purpose of LIFE Community is to move each person in our church family towards Christ-like living. We are committed to investing in our LIFE Community Shepherds to move toward this purpose in them, so that they, in turn, will be prepared to serve our church family by leading and loving you in a LIFE Community in the years ahead (Matthew 20:26).
To fuel this vision and purpose, on March 23, we will host our second dessert, for those who have led small groups in the past, including our most recent Crown leaders. At these desserts, we shared the vision and invited all to prayerfully consider becoming a LIFE Community “Shepherd in training.” From those desserts, we had nearly 60 people, individuals and couples of all ages, commit to participate in a Turbo Training Group, where each group of 8-12 people will meet weekly, learning and living the Biblical values of a LIFE Community. In addition, each Turbo Group member will participate in ongoing training outside of their group, in order to prepare all Shepherds to grow in their love for Jesus and others.
These Turbo Groups met throughout 2009 and then split apart, so that each couple or individual will then shepherd their own groups, primarily with those that live near them. Many in our church family are unclear as to the similarities and differences that exist between what we know of a typical small group compared with the values and purpose of a LIFE Community. The diagram below will hopefully be a way for us all to learn, embrace, and ultimately become a part of the LIFE Community vision for how we will seek, share, and serve together in the years ahead.
If you are interested in joining us in our year of preparation for LIFE Community, please let us know! We would love to give you some more information on how you can join one of our existing Turbo Groups or become part of a new one. For more information, please contact Sarah Mattheus at smattheus@fpco.org or 407.423.3441 x1497.
Values of a LIFE Community
Frequently Asked Questions
Shepherd Training
LIFE Community Interest Form
