Summertime Jesus

I've been told by a few different people that the summer isn't a time that you want to start any sort of class at Springfield Faith Center. Attendance falls and getting people to commit to a class between summer vacations and just the break that people seem to take when the weather gets nice is all but unheard of. Chatting with several people about my wishes for a class have returned just as many comments as to what would work and why I shouldn't begin a class.

First, one of the elders, a very good friend of mine, managed to discourage my desire to have a Wild at Heart group take place by emphasizing the lack of attendance that the summer classes will draw. He has a huge heart for Christ and I was was left scratching my head as to why he would be opposed to the class and not help me discover ways to draw people to such a class. I have promptly ignored this discouragement and am proceeding with plans to start this July.

Second was the real encouragement that I received from the church staff. Pastor Steve feels the same way that I do about summer time, and if attacks by the enemy don't quit during the summer why on Earth should we step aside from fellowship and growth in these times that they are most needed. Ignoring the Devil doesn't make him go away. We discussed my wishes for a group to start and he has encouraged me and pointed me in the right direction.

Which brings me to Paul. Paul is head of Men's Ministry at SFC and I was hoping for if not expecting his enthusiasm behind a Wild at Heart group forming. From the first, he tried to steer me away from this course, but now he seems to be as eager as I am to get this group going. I'm hoping that my age will be an encouragement to many of the people in the Men's group to get their own groups going, as well as attend mine. I would very much like to take a turn at the class as a student before I dive in head first and try to lead one.

Continuing to move forward has brought a few words of encouragement from many of the guys that I have told about it. I have been informed that the best way to move forward is to first find someone to help me lead the group. This is where I got stuck and then just out of the blue a name popped into my head, Dan Lanning! Dan is the son of the Senior Pastor and he and I have been friends since high school. As of yet, I have asked Dan to help me move forward with this class and have not received confirmation from him one way or the other. I have no other people in mind, and I think the combination of Dan and myself might encourage others of our age to join in the class, which is really one of my main goals. I have several soft commitments from people wishing to join in the class and look forward to seeing who is truly willing to commit to the summer class. Depending on how well it goes, I may continue to push the class along and teach on in the winter and return to it next summer to a whole new round of discouragement. Right now, however, I'm going ahead with the idea, and am meeting with Paul to set up dates and times of when to get started. Once committed, I'm in this for the summer.