3-H Club

It occurred to me recently that there are a lot of clubs that people join. There are social clubs, civic clubs, professional organizations, sports groups and hobby or interest clubs. All of these recruit members who have similar likes and dislikes. They share priorities and interests. Wouldn't it be interesting if we started our own clubs?

These clubs would not be churches or cell groups as such, but social communities that share the same interests. The members would not necessarily have the same viewpoints or belief systems, but could join together for discussion and mutual encouragement. The objective of the club would be to join in times of social gathering and fulfill the Three Hs.

• Follow God with your heart. This has to do with spiritual searching and commitment. Every human is involved in a search for spirituality. Some seek it in religion, others in drugs, sex, gambling or other places. In the 3-H club members will share their search for God.
• Follow God with your head. Many people have an intellectual problem with matters of faith and religion. Unsubstantiated belief does not make sense to them. The 3-H Club should allow honest (but not hateful) questioning, discussion and doubt.
• Follow God with your hands. This is the practical side of spirituality. If we must get it into our heart and head, we must work it out in our daily lives. The 3-H club should encourage members to work out their faith by giving, going, serving and sharing with others.

Faith Teams Program

The Christian life, if it is to be truly balanced and healthy, must contain three elements; fellowship, discipleship and ministry. To that end, each meeting of the faith team must include all three components. The goal of the faith team is to reach new people, but also to grow in faith those who are already reached.

Therefore, each meeting of the faith team should follow this outline to some degree.

• Fellowship. There must be an allowance for sharing, visiting, catching up in interpersonal relationships. Fellowship is what bonds the members of the faith team together. It would be good to include a meal or other refreshments. The faith team that meets at a coffee shop or restaurant is in a perfect position to fulfill this need. There should be a sense of openness during this time. Everyone should feel welcomed and free to share. The faith team is no place for judging or criticizing. Support, concern and love are all appropriate.
• Discipleship. Roughly one third of the time in the faith team should be devoted to spiritual growth. This could include singing, Bible study, prayer, sharing of sacraments, Bible reading, meditation and more. Accountability is a big thing here. There should be an assigned Scripture reading for the meeting. Everyone should share their insights and impressions on the selected text. Although the faith team is in essence a mini-church, pains should be taken to avoid a traditional church-style worship experience. Another good resource for the discipleship segment could be video teaching. There are many excellent and thought-provoking, discussion stirring videos available.
• Ministry. The last one third of your meeting time should be devoted to ministry. In the faith team setting ministry will primarily be devoted to prayer. Team members should pray for one another and specific needs of the group. There should be an expectancy that God will meet these needs and answer prayers. Prayers for healing and miraculous intervention should be encouraged. Use oil to anoint those who are ill. The segment of the faith team meeting can also be used to plan outreach events and programs. Missions and service projects should also be considered.