Intentional Learning Fellowships

This group is for anyone serving in vocational ministry (pastors, associate, worship, students, children, missions).

Leader:  Roland Contreras (The Grove BC)

Logistics:  Meets Monthly on Tuesdays; 9:30--Noon with Lunch Out

Learning:  Collaborative Sermon Writing

From ILF Leader, Roland Contreras

This fall, we’ll be dedicating our meetings to collaboratively building a 6 week sermon series that each of us can take back and adapt for our own churches.

I am a firm believer that there’s something powerful about a room full of pastors who bring their own experiences, voice  and wisdom as we unpack the word of God together. You know just as well as I do that preaching is a sacred calling and a privilege not to be taken lightly. Our ILF gatherings this fall will serve as an opportunity to sharpen one another and steward the gift we’ve been given.

Here’s the plan:

• We’ll meet 5 times (possibly 6) beginning in August

• During each gathering, we’ll pray, study a passage, and work together to develop a full sermon outline (intro, body, and conclusion)

• At the end, we’ll walk away with a fully crafted, biblically rich series that’s ready to be preached in our local contexts.

To get started I need your input. We’ve put together a short survey to help decide what direction we’ll take. It will take just a couple minutes and your response will help shape the journey we take together.

👉 https://forms.gle/RCb9WuJJd5RFai9t7

This group is for anyone serving in vocational ministry (pastors, associate, worship, students, children, missions).

Leader:  Jay Fleming (Shiner BC)

Logistics:  Meets Monthly on Thursdays; 9:30--Noon with Lunch Out

Learning:  Christianity's Surprise: A Sure and Certain Hope by C. Kavin Rowe

From ILF Leader, Jay Fleming

People say that dynamite comes in small packages, and that is true of the book we will be reading for our Gonzales ILF this Fall. Christianity's Surprise by C. Kavin Rowe is only 5 chapters long, spread over a mere 95 pages. But it does an incredible job of taking the reader back in time to recapture the revolutionary excitement of the Gospel message as it burst onto the scene in the 1st century, and of rekindling that same excitement in our hearts and ministries in the 21st century. Its thoughts on how to counter the rise of the modern heresy of the autonomous self are worth your time.

The book is available both in print and as an ebook. I would recommend a paper copy, as mine is marked up from end to end! Here's the reading schedule. Come prepared to discuss the appropriate chapter.

• August 21: The Introduction

• September 4: The Story of Everything

• October 2: The Human

• November 6: Institutions

• December 4: Conclusion

This group is for pastors seeking to revitalize their churches through a partnership with Pave: Texas Baptist Church Revitalization Strategy. This is a closed group that will meet for one year. 

Leader:  Kevin Skinner (FBC Stockdale) & Matt Singleton (SCBA DOM)

Logistics:  Meets Monthly on a Weekday; 10:00 am

Learning:  Pave Program

From ILF Leaders

Here are the meeting dates for 2025:

• Wednesday, Aug. 13th @ 10:00 am

• Wednesday, Sept. 24th @ 10:00 am

• Wednesday, Oct. 29th @ 10:00 am

• Thursday, November 20th @ 10:00 am

• Wednesday, Dec. 17th @ 10:00 am

This group is for anyone serving in vocational ministry as a second chair leader (associate, worship, students, children, missions). 

Leader:  Chad Humphrey (FBC La Vernia)

Logistics:  Starts on Monday, September 8th at 10:00 am

Learning:  “Leading from the Second Chair”

From ILF Leader, Chad Humphrey

This group will resume meeting on Monday, September 8th at FBC Stockdale, 10:00 am. We will likely be reading “Leading from the Second Chair”

This group is for any women serving in vocational ministry (associate, worship, students, children, missions). 

Leaders:  RoseMary Vickery (FBC Kenedy) & Molly Gordon (FBC La Vernia)

Logistics:  Meets Quarterly on Mondays; 10--Noon  with Lunch Out

Learning:  "The Leader's Journey"

This group is for anyone serving in a bi-vocational capacity (pastors, associate, worship, students, children, missions).

Leader:  Matt Singleton (SCBA DOM)

Logistics:  Meets Quarterly on Saturdays; 7--9  am with Breakfast Served

Learning:  Various Resources

From ILF Leader, Matt Singleton

In August we will meet at Enchilidita's Restaurant in Nixon, rather than FBC Nixon. Come hungry!