Big is small in Lake Pointe's strategy
___By Ken Camp
___Texas Baptist Communications
___ROCKWALL--As attendance at Lake Pointe Baptist Church in Rockwall tops 5,000, the church seeks to maintain the same sense of community that characterized the tiny group of believers who started the church in an old bait shop.
___"Lake Pointe will grow smaller as it grows larger by promoting and facilitating Bible fellowships, growth groups and one-to-one discipleship," said Pastor Steve Stroope.
___Every member who joins Lake Pointe pledges to become involved in a Bible study fellowship and small care group.
___The adult Bible study fellowships essentially are organized along the model of Sunday School, with classes meeting weekly on the church campus. A typical class has about two dozen members. Last year, attendance in adult Bible fellowships averaged 3,725.
___While worship experiences at Lake Pointe are designed so they do not create barriers for seekers, the adult Bible fellowships are intended as growth and discipleship opportunities for believers.
___The one exception is the "adult Bible fellowship for rookies." It was created specifically for new believers with no background in church and for non-Christians who are seeking answers through Bible study.
___Members build lasting relationships in the adult Bible fellowships, and new members are encouraged to visit several fellowships to find one that is a "good fit" for them.
___"Large church does not have to mean impersonal," Stroope tells candidates for membership as they attend the mandatory new members orientation.
___"If you're coming from another church, you'll know as many people in this church as in the little church you came from. The only difference is that you won't know everybody here."
___Each adult Bible fellowship is encouraged to adopt a specific ministry or mission opportunity. "Our vision is that each adult Bible fellowship at Lake Pointe will adopt a different country" for which it prays and where members can be involved in hands-on missions, Stroope said.
___Out of the adult Bible fellowships, members are encouraged to join a smaller "growth group." These home-based groups--usually consisting of four couples--meet once or twice a month. Their purpose is to provide care, fellowship and ministry opportunities.
___From the home-based growth group, the church encourages members to develop "accountability friendships." The goal of these relationships is mentoring and one-to-one discipleship, men with men and women with women.
___In addition to these discipleship opportunities, members also are encouraged to enter "Lake Pointe University." This school of discipleship offers a basic "Christian Growth 101" course that offers guidelines for Christian living and a class on "Personal Growth and Discipleship." Other courses include biblical money management, discovering spiritual gifts and natural abilities for ministry, personal evangelism and impacting the world through missions.
___Lake Pointe also offers a variety of family and personal enrichment opportunties. Small "discovery groups" learn about appropriate boundaries, untangling relationships, "Making Peace with Your Past" and "Search for Significance."
___Twice each year, the church presents a four-hour "Marriages that Last" seminar for married and engaged couples.
___The church offers support groups for those who are experiencing grief, caring for elderly or infirm family members or learning to adjust to step-family relationships.
___Lake Pointe has divorce-recovery groups, a post-abortion recovery group and a traditional 12-step Al-Anon group, as well as a "Celebrate Recovery" group based not only on the 12 steps, but also on the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount.
___Lake Pointe makes available licensed professional Christian counseling to members.
___
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