October 13-15, 2011 James River Assembly, Ozark, Missouri – 30 miles north of Branson

“Impacting Our Communities” is the theme for the 2011 Living Free International Training Conference.

Our speakers this year will focus on uniting the church and community to bring freedom in Christ to those devastated by life-controlling problems. At the conference there will be plenary sessions and elective sessions covering topics that will help core team leaders and facilitators.

Pre-Conference Training

Thursday, October 13th - 8am registration. Sessions 9am-4:30pm. We will be offering a Lifeline Connection pre-conference leadership seminar. Lifeline Connection uses the Living Free curriculum and brings the faith-based community together to reclaim rural communities and urban neighborhoods from the devastation of addictions and other life-controlling problems. Come learn how you can take Living Free outside the four walls of the church.

Living Free International Conference

Thursday, October 13 - 2-5:30pm registration, 7pm plenary session & Friday, October 14th, 9am-4:30pm & 7pm The Living Free International Conference will be dedicated to learning how God has helped churches develop a strong Living Free ministry. James River Assembly in Ozark, Missouri, and Dayspring Church in Springfield, Missouri combined, have over 500 people attending Living Free small groups every week. Leaders from these two churches and others will be session speakers.

Keynote Speaker: Rev. Doug Abner

This year's conference will feature Rev. Doug Abner, pastor of Community Church in Manchester, Kentucky. Rev. Abner and more than 60 local pastors came together for prayer and to develop a strategy of taking their community back from the drug addicts and drug dealers. Manchester, Kentucky, has been featured in a film project called "Appalachian Dawn", the story of how God helped to transform a community from the “pain killer capital of the U.S.” to a city of hope.

Special Music: Huntley Brown

Huntley Brown's music ministry has taken him all over the world, with TV, radio, and concert appearances. In the United States, he has performed from coast to coast with ministry opportunities at churches of every size and denomination. Huntley was the artist in residence for the Total Living Network in Chicago with host Jerry & Shirley Rose for many years. He was also the regular crusade pianist for the recently retired Dr. Ralph Bell, an associate evangelist with the Billy Graham Association. He is now the pianist for Ruth Graham and Friends Ministries.

Leading a Living Free Small Group

As we draw the “Back to the Basics” blog series to a conclusion, it is important to remember that Living Free ministry is a process. This past week, we led a Living Free seminar in which one participant commented, “There is so much good stuff that we need to start all of it now.” Our response to that person was to see the work as a marathon, not a sprint.

The most effective Living Free ministry has been as a result of a person with passion developing a core team and leading them through the Living Free leadership training and through an Insight group. This process takes at least 10 weeks, but it sets the foundation before the Living Free ministry is officially launched for the entire church and community.

In the last few blogs, we have looked at the core team, the timeline, and curriculum choice. Now let’s look at a few tips for facilitators. Teaching others how to lead is exactly what Jesus did on this earth for 3 1/2 years. He taught his disciples how to disciple by facilitating his own small group of twelve.

Living Free facilitators would benefit from an initial training and continuing education in effective ways of leading a small group. Here are nine tips for facilitators:

• Prayer – As a facilitator, seek wisdom, discernment, and guidance from the Holy Spirit. Pray for your group members throughout the week and begin each group meeting with prayer.
  
  
• Training – Become a life-long learner by reading books and materials that can enhance your ability to lead a group, such as the Living Free Small Group Skills Guide and other resources focused on leading small groups. Plan to learn.
  
  
• Preparation – Good group meetings don’t happen by accident. Review and meditate on the lesson and prepare handouts, paper, pencils, etc. if needed. Make sure the meeting location has minimal distractions.