New Opportunities for Small Groups

We are in the midst of our first ever semester break for small groups at StoneBridge. Beginning the week of July 9th, we will embark on a new semester for small groups that will take us to the holiday season. Since May, Jason and I have taken a real hard look at how we view small groups, looking beyond the traditional Bible Study only model of doing groups. We are incorporating a couple of principles learned at the Buzz Conference in May, the most important one being that small groups should accomplish two main purposes: they should be relational and missional. With that in mind, we have some unique opportunities to expand our current small groups portfolio with the new semester begining July 9.

I will be starting a hiking small group where we combine local hikes each week with a 15-20 Bible study/scripture reading onsite. I am excited about this because we have many outdoors enthusiasts in our church, and many are not currently plugged into a small group.

This morning Jason mentioned starting a ministry-oriented small group that focuses in the short term on making follow-up visits to the 104 people that accepted Christ during CR06. This is a cool idea that will accomplish several purposes including building intergroup relationships, discipling new believers, and giving StoneBridgers a new ministry opportunity.

Two of our current groups are facing the urgent need to multiply, which will most likely take place in September. Our college small group is realizing that better community is realized and better Bible studies take place when there are 8-12 people in a group, instead of 18-23. I believe that they are seeing the need to multiply through their own eyes now instead of hearing about the need from me. Good stuff.

So we went to Disney

It's great to be back in Morgantown at my Blue Moose office. Here are a few more details concerning the family vacation I previously promised. So, after we finished the ABA meeting in Daytona Beach, our family cruised down I-4 to Orlando for 4 days of Disney World. My brother's wife Jenny hooked us up with a great vacation rental about 2 miles from the parks...a 5 bd, 5 bath house with a screened in pool and spa. Relaxing at the house and being with Mom and Dad, and Mark, Jenny, and family was a consistent highlight of the trip.

I think Ryan and Janna enjoyed Disney, but they enjoyed playing in the pool at the house just as much. Going to Disney is a working vacation. Battling the heat, the crowds, standing in lines, dropping big bucks for food and drinks, it's work. But its was also a neat experience for our family, and now we can cross DisneyWorld off our list of obligatory vacation destinations. Next year our family vacation will consist of a week camping in the MNF in WV, once again life as it should be.

On Monday, I again leave Motown for a week of church camp at Summit Lake. This year will be more rewarding than years past, because several fellow StoneBridgers are making the trip with me. Jason is the camp speaker this year, David will be leading worship, and Manny, Krista, Dan, and Ashley (StoneBridge collegians) will be going to lead rec teams for the week. It should be a good time.

CR06 Snapshots

I promised to post some pictures from CityReach so here are a sampling of pictures from each of our ministry tracts: COPS (Christian Opinion Polls), Free Car Wash, Sports Camp, and Construction. One of the pics posted is Jason, myself, and Aaron Johnson posing with Marc Magro, starting linebacker for the Mountaineers. Marc is a great guy and came to Sports Camp one day to speak to the kids about good sportsmanship and ethics.

Waking Up in Daytona Beach

My two week blogging hiatus is over. The past two weeks have brought an insane flurry of activity in the life of the Knight family and my StoneBridge family. Here a quick rundown...150 HS students and adults come to Morgantown for CityReach...2500 homes surveyed...415 cars washed for absolutely zero dinero...2 homes built in partnership with Habitat for Humanity...60 kids from Morgantown attended our 3rd annual sports camp...105 residents of Morgantown accepted Christ...bought a new Grand Cherokee...officiated my first wedding...hastily packed for Daytona Beach...drove 850 miles to Daytona...ate world class onion rings at Johnny Rocket's... hit the beach at sunset with the family....woke up this morning for a day of meetings at the American Baptist Association national meeting.

I will be posting more details and stories about CityReach and life during the last two weeks in upcoming posts.

good times at the moose

day 4 of CityReach is winding down, and I'm sitting in the Moose catching up on old times with some friends I haven't seen in quite a while. good times...

new promo piece

I wanted to share a new promo piece for our church. Please feel free to comment...

my head is spinning

T-Minus 3 days and counting...this week is one of the two busiest weeks of the year, the busiest being next week, the week of CityReach. 140 high school students and sponsors from around America are coming to Morgantown this Friday to begin a week of intense hands on ministry and worship.

I like to think that I'm a fairly organized person, but this event annually stretches my administrative capabilities. After CR06 on Saturday, I'm officiating my first wedding ever, then its off to Florida with the family for our church's National Assocation meeting in Daytona Beach, then off to Orlando for 4 days of Disney World, then home for 5 days, then off to Summit Lake Camp in Emmitsburg, Maryland for our summer church camp. Verse for the day...

"I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint" - Jeremiah 31:25 (NIV)

The next step in the movement

The vision God gave us for planting a mulitiplicity of churches along the I-79 corridor took a major step yesterday. Aaron Johnson and his family, and Andrew and Allison Johnson rolled into Washington, PA from Little Rock, AR with a full Penske truck and a couple of cars in tow. A team of 10 people, including 4 StoneBridgers and 6 guys from FBC had both families moved into their homes in 90 minutes.

David made the comment that he believes the Johnsons will be able to reach the 20 and 30-somethings of Washington with great success. Their new plant will be a parachute drop and there are some serious challenges that come along with that territory, but I pray that God will give them some amazing victories in the months to come. Be sure to pray for this planting effort in the weeks and months ahead.

It was just three years ago this week that our family moved to Morgantown to begin the process of planting StoneBridge Church. We have enjoyed a God-sized adventure and look forward to future windows of opportunity to plant churches in the region.