Being Present Matters
Courtney Tenbarge and Lindsey Whitsitt are entering their second year of co-leading a high school girls group at One Life East. They don’t claim to be the best bible teachers, group facilitators, or coolest 20 somethings, but anyone from the outside looking in can see that when it comes to “Being Present” in the lives of their few, they knock it out of the ballpark.
This past spring their group decided they wanted to do a trip to “Rock the World” at Holiday World in August. The tickets were a little pricey, so their group came up with the idea of having a yard sale to help offset the cost of the trip. Through the process they both shared, “It was a cool experience for the girls because it allowed them to work together, even with small things like making sure clothes were folded, or carrying stuff out to someone’s vehicle. Experiences like that, outside of the living room are what build community within the group. That is why we are so excited about getting to go to Holiday World together.” The week of their yard sale they had someone new come to their group with one of her friends. She had a great time, and has been coming regularly ever since, and will be joining them this next weekend on their trip.
Throughout the school year when things tend to be busier for them and their few, they use social media outlets to send texts and messages throughout the week. They travel to Castle High School to watch their few at color guard practices, and meet their friends. They drop SAT care packages off at the school the day before the test. Why? “We want their friends to think ‘I don’t know what they do, but I want to find out’. We want our students to look different.”
Their presence during their small group on Tuesday evenings feeds their time outside of group just as much as their presence outside of Tuesday evenings feeds their small group time. It matters. It’s how they help students who are far from God experience Jesus.
