FAMILY

MEETING GUIDE

Dont be intimidated by the idea of a family meeting. No gavels, minutes, or rules of order are involved. Even if youve never done this kind of thing before, we think youll nd it to be a special, holy moment for your family.

THE PURPOSE & BASIC INFORMATION

At this gathering, your family will determine what God is leading you to give to the Putting Down Roots movement.

WHEN TO HAVE THE MEETING, AND WHO LEADS IT

Preferably, the leader of the meeting should be the head of the household. Our Commitment Sunday is March 18, so schedule your family meeting sometime between March 12 and March 17. Plan it for a time when all family members can be present, since the entire family will be impacted by your nancial commitment. To be safe, block off one distraction-free hour for the meeting...although it may not take that long.

HOW TO PREPARE
Talk regularly as a family about what God is teaching you through Putting Down Roots. Ask your family to be praying individually about this movement...and about your familys involvement. Challenge each family member to begin thinking of sacrices that your family can make in order to give generously. Schedule a time for the meeting, and read through the following discussion guide several times to get comfortable with its ow. Look up the verses and make sure that the questions and instructions are clear to you.

HOW TO LEAD THE MEETING

As you guide your family through this discussion, remember that this is an important meeting...but it doesnt have to be a somber one. Your family will be able to sense your attitude, so be excited about what God may be doing in and through your household! Additionally, try to keep each family member involved in the conversation. If you sense that someone isnt engaged or getting a chance to share, ask him/her a question and wait for a response. This often helps draw people back into the conversation.

RIGHT BEFORE YOUR MEETING STARTS

Do your best to eliminate possible distractions. Ask your family to help you turn off televisions, computers, phones, and other electronic devices that might ring, beep, or buzz. Encourage each family member to bring his/her Bible. Also, be sure that you have a copy of the Putting Down Roots commitment card (see back cover for an example)youll need it during the meeting.

DISCUSSION GUIDE
1) Open in prayer, inviting Gods Spirit and His leadership to your meeting. Ask God to give a spirit of love and unity to your family. 2) Read Colossians 2: 6-7 to your family. Then say something like: The last few weeks, weve talked at church about Putting Down Roots in our community. These two verses encourage people to live [their] lives in [Jesus], to become rooted and built up in Him, and to be strengthened in the faith. How do you think this ministry facility will help people to do those things? Write your answers here: __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 3) Ask family members to recall things theyve learned about giving and sacrice throughout the Putting Down Roots movement. Write down those principles or lessons here: __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 4) Ask for volunteers to read aloud the passages below while the rest of the family follows along in their Bibles. After each passage, ask: What does God teach us about giving through these verses? Write down your familys answers in the corresponding space under each passage. Proverbs 3: 9-10 __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Proverbs 11: 24-25 __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 2 Corinthians 9: 6-15 __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 5) Ask family members to discuss sacrices and lifestyle changes that they could individually makeand that your entire family could makein order to give nancially toward the Putting Down Roots movement over the next three years. If you have any children, be sure to get their thoughts (you might be surprised by what theyre willing to sacrice)! Record your ideas here: __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________
PUTTING DOWN ROOTS | FAMILY MEETING GUIDE

6) Spend some time in prayer as a family. You might try forming a circle and joining hands the prayer can start with you and move around the circle (youll also close the prayer). During the prayer, be sure to: a) Spend time thanking God for His faithfulness, for the way He provides for your family, and for the chance to be a part of a movement that will make an eternal spiritual impact in our area. b) Praise God for His own abundant grace and generosity in sending Jesus to save us. Ask God to make your hearts more like His. c) Ask God to give clarity and guidance on the nancial commitment He wants your family to make. 7) Compare Gods principles for giving (which you wrote down in Step 4) with the practical ideas and suggestions your family came up with in Step 5. Ask if there are any other suggestions to add to your list in Step 5 before you make your nancial commitment. 8) As a family, determine what God is leading you to give and record it on your Putting Down Roots commitment card. Note that your gift has three facets: a one-time cash or check donated on March 18, non-cash gifts donated to WellSpring, and a three-year nancial commitment.

A COMMITTED RESPONSE
Name(s) Address 1 Address 2 City State E-mail Phone ( Zip

9) Close in a prayer of commitment and 1) Kick-off amount: $ thanksgiving. Ask God to provide for your family as A one-time gift (cash or check) 2) Non-cash gift(s): $ you step out in faith, and to give you cheerfulness in your (estimated value) Description of item(s): giving over the next three years. Then seek His blessing on the 3) Three-year commitment :$ We will in give $our community Putting Down Roots movement; pray that we would grow deep roots and that every: week month other many people would become spiritually rooted to Him as we move forward. Finally, thank God GRAND TOTAL OF ALL COMM ITMENTS LISTED ABOVE: $ for your family and ask Him to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) through you and this ministry facility over the coming years.
(see chart on reverse side)
todays date

After much prayer and discuss ion in our family, God is calling us to join WellSpring in Puttin Were joyfully making this nancial g Down Roots. commitment above and beyond our regular giving:

AFTER THE MEETING

Our familys signatures

Be sure to bring your completed commitment card (sealed in its accompanying envelope) to a WellSpring morning worship service on March 18. Save this Family Meeting Guide so that your family can look through it occasionally over the next three years and be reminded of your commitment.

PUTTING DOWN ROOTS

A M O V E M E N T I N O U R C O M M U N I T Y , F O R O U R C O M M U N I T Y.