About Matt:  Matt Landis has been working in the explosives business for over 29 years.  He enjoys his job, and it has afforded him many opportunities to meet people and influence some in a positive way.  Matt describes himself as content with where God has him, both professionally and in his involvement with the body.  His dad taught him to do his best and not worry about who gets the credit.  Matt believes that life is about "we, not me" and he strives to always think of others' needs before his own.
Matt and Terry first met on a blind date, and have now been married for almost 25 years. They have three kids-- Bethany, Erin, and Josh.  Bethany is an athletic trainer at a Christian school in Birmingham, AL, and she runs a community pool in the summer.  Erin works at Carestone, an assisted living community in Brentwood.  She also works as a caregiver for a home health agency and for Opryland Hotel.  Josh is finishing up at MTSU this spring.  Matt and Terry are glad that all three have accepted Christ as their savior, and they hope God will lead them into serving Him in a great way.  They all enjoy sports, the outdoors, and animals.  Bethany, Erin, and Josh have provided them with four granddogs, which they drop off with Matt and Terry at convenient times.  Matt also enjoys being a referee for soccer, playing golf and other sports, and working with kids of all ages, especially the Sparks in Awana.
What he enjoys about leading a life group:  Matt and Terry first got involved at Lighthouse through life groups.  Their life group has especially helped Terry get involved with the body.  Their group has grown closer over the time they spend together.  They have all had their struggles, hurts, and issues through growing together.  They are all very willing to help each other, as well as others in the community.
Encouragement for other life group leaders:  Matt encourages all life group leaders to make the effort to stay committed, connected, and transparent to your group and be involved in the group members' lives throughout each week. 
Favorite Bible passage: Psalm 100

This weekend is our first annual DWELL (To the City) Conference!  During this conference, we'll be casting vision for reaching and redeeming the city of Antioch for Jesus. The conference will be specially designed for life groups.  Please make sure your life group is there!  We'll be equipping individuals and life groups for reaching the city, and we'll be helping life groups partner with key stakeholders in the community.

Friday: 7:00 - 9:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am - 3:00pm
Sunday: 9:00am and 10:00am services

• Every person can't attend every breakout session.  In order to allow your group to get all the information you can, we suggest that you have your group members attend different breakout sessions and share what they've learned at your next life group meeting.
• Lunch on Saturday will be with your life group at an Antioch restaurant. 
  
• Each life group will have a service project on Saturday afternoon.

If you haven't signed up for your life group's restaurant and/or service project, please email me as soon as possible!

Click here for more information on the conference.  If you have any questions about the conference, please reply to this email.

What:  Important life group leadership training session

Who:  ALL life group leaders, apprentice leaders, and life group coaches

When:  Monday, April 5, 2010 from 7:30 - 9:00pm

Where:  LCS Library

"Churches and individual Christians typically have faulty assumptions about the causes of poverty, resulting in strategies that do considerable harm to poor people as well as to themselves. When Helping Hurts is a book by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development that directly addresses these assumptions.  The book provides foundational concepts and clear principles for helping the poor without hurting them. It then presents proven interventions and relevant applications for churches to use when ministering to the poor both at home and abroad."
     On Saturday, April 24, we will be offering a seminar on this book at Lighthouse for anyone who wants to learn how to better help the poor without hurting them.  Please feel free to come and invite anyone you think may be interested!  More details to come.  Click here for more information on the book.

Vision:  We believe that God's vision for the life group ministry here at LCF is to spread the gospel in the greater Nashville area. 
Strategy:  In order to see this vision become reality, life groups must reach out to their surrounding communities.  As a result of reaching out, life groups will grow and multiply.  Our goal is to go from the current total of 21 life groups to a total of 40 life groups in 2010.
Action Steps:  How will your group help make this vision a reality?  You need a plan!  To develop your group's plan:

1. Each life group leader should discuss the vision and strategy with their life group members and decide on specific action steps they will take as a group to accomplish the goal.
2. Then, each member of the group should plan specific action steps for himself or herself to help the group accomplish the goal.

Some examples of action steps are hosting a neighborhood block party, inviting people in your neighborhood to a men's or women's movie or game night, having dinner with your neighbors, etc. 
Don't forget to make this discussion a priority in your life group meeting!