Non-meeting Meetings — continuing education for shepherds

How do you continue to get better ideas for shepherding the flock you lead?

Not long after Dale Jenkins came to Spring Meadows church, I received an invitation to one of their Non-meeting Meetings. They asked me to tell them about Family Meetings. This was something we did successfully at Berrys Chapel. The elders led a meeting each quarter for communication. It wasn’t an elders’ meeting. They made no decisions. It was giving and receiving information.

That’s what the elders at Spring Meadows wanted me to describe.

We met at Panera Bread in Franklin, Tennessee. After ordering our meal, we began to talk. I told them about our Family Meetings. They asked questions. We talked. We ate our meal. After about an hour, we went home.

I don’t know if they learned anything or not, but I’ve talked about this in workshops for the past decade. I think it’s an excellent idea for elders and preachers to learn about things other people are doing well. The investment was an hour of time and the price of a meal.

Spring Meadow Rules for Non-meeting Meetings

  1. Discuss only one topic.
  2. Meet off sight.
  3. We can bring in an outside resource person.
  4. We can’t discuss any topic other than the one designated. Not: “As long as we’re here, let’s take a few minutes to finish what we started in our last meeting.”

A simple idea. Do it once a quarter, and it’d be amazing what you’d learn in five years.

What ideas have you seen, heard, or experienced to increase effectiveness and encouragement of shepherds?

[reminder]

(Visited 444 times, 7 visits today)
Jerrie Barber
Servant of Jesus, husband to Gail, father to Jerrie Wayne Barber, II and Christi Parsons, grandfather, great-grandfather, Interim Preacher, Shepherd coach, Ventriloquist, barefoot runner, ride a cruiser bicycle

3 Responses to “Non-meeting Meetings — continuing education for shepherds

  • Joe Mohorn
    6 years ago

    Just a note to say that I appreciate you and your labor of love and concern for those who serve as elders in His Kingdom.
    Keep up the good work.
    God Bless

    • Jerrie W. Barber
      6 years ago

      Joe,

      You are welcome.

      Thank you for reading.

  • I presume you mean “off site” and not “out of sight.”

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