The website of The Gathering (http://www.thegatheringfamily.com/ says they began in 1999 and 10 years later have 1300 - 1400 attending their multiple services.
Their stated purpose is: "We offer contemporary, biblically-driven worship services that are alive with energy and creativity, as well as excellent childcare, exciting children's and student ministries and challenging programs for the men, women and senior adults."
I recognize they have a selected vision when it comes to the Bible. I am not addressing the rightness or wrongness of their activities I am addressing their activeness. Their activeness draws people, at least once.
What is the difference in the growth of Great Smoky Mountains Church of Christ that began in 1992 and today has a membership of 140 or so and The Gathering that began in 1999 and today has an attendance of 1300 or so? I suggest the primary difference is The Gathering has at least one and maybe more "activities director(s)."
Groups do not survive without leaders with vision and I suggest we do not have leaders, not to mention leaders with vision. Our Men's Meetings take too many sessions to come to any conclusion of significance. We are afraid to call men or women leaders due to our not understanding how elders oversee congregations. When elders are the only leaders congregations have, those congregations aren't doing anything and do not survive long term.
No one looks at the "activities director" on a cruise liner or at resort hotel as the captain of the ship or the manager of the resort. They are not leaders; they are not usurping the authority of the captain or manager. They have a job to do and that is to keep the guests active.
The Gathering has a man or woman or both or more than one of either coming up with ideas for the group as a whole to become involved in. It is most likely all of the ideas are not adopted nor does everyone participate in all of the ideas that are but they are doing things, they are active, they are involved. They have been planning their new building for several years and talking about what they will do but at the same time we were receiving mailers announcing what they are doing at the time and what they will be doing. We have nothing on the table for our new building. We have nothing to announce to the public.
Great Smoky Mountains Church of Christ needs activity directors, idea generators, cheerleaders, encouragers, Barnabi (multiple Barnabases) and they will need our support, our participation; our involvement.
What is "unscriptural" or "unbiblical" for Great Smoky Mountains Church of Christ to hire "activity directors?" If you believe the concept to be sinful, what alternative do you suggest? How about no negatives without a corresponding positive.
How many of us will be around in fifteen years, how old will we be and will we be as active or more active than we are today?
Groups cannot and will not survive long term without leaders with vision.
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