Maximize Your Summer For Community Impact
Summer is here again, yes! For many involved in a small group or missional community, summer is a time for taking a break from ministry… Don’t do it! Your neighbors and friends are all out looking for fun and relationships this summer.
This week on the Everyday Disciple Podcast, we’ll show you why and how to take advantage of these summer months to boost your community life and discipleship this fall.
In This Episode You’ll Learn:
- Why summer’s the time to “lean into” new relationships rather than take a break.
- Why kids are such a great opportunity for building relationships in the summer.
- How to set yourself up for autumn and discipleship with these new friends.
- A pile of fun, easy, and practical examples to try this summer in your neighborhood.
From this episode:
“After just a few weeks of hosting our Friday night BBQ with our neighbors, we started hearing them say things like, ‘You are giving us the neighborhood we always wanted to have and live in!’ and, ‘Could we start to have this over at our house once in a while too…?’”
Each week the Big 3 will give you immediate action steps to get you started.
Download today’s BIG 3 right now. Read and think over them again later. You might even want to share them with others…
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for joining us again this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Join us on Facebook and take part in the discussion!
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Also, please subscribe and leave an honest review for The Everyday Disciple Podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and we read each and every one of them.
Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
Register NOW for Cigars & Theology LIVE with Caesar and Heath
Coaching in disciple-making and missional living with Caesar.
Missio Publishing – More Missional Books and Resources
Transcript
You can do camping, you could do a zoo trips, like we're going to go, you know, every Monday morning, we're going to take the kids to the zoo and, uh, we got a group pass and it's all good or whatever.
Caesar Kalinowski:Um, you can do serving opportunities together.
Caesar Kalinowski:Right.
Caesar Kalinowski:My wife used to take our daughters and their friends, their little Girl Scout friends and brownie friends at that age.
Caesar Kalinowski:And they would go, in rhythm, they'd go pick up cats at the shelter.
Caesar Kalinowski:I've shared this before, and they would take them over to the old folks home.
Caesar Kalinowski:Old folks, nothing to do.
Caesar Kalinowski:Now all of a sudden, boom, brownies, cookies, kids, kittens, best day of the week for them, right?
Caesar Kalinowski:We do it over and over.
Caesar Kalinowski:You start to get to know certain people.
Caesar Kalinowski:Hey, now we invited them.
Caesar Kalinowski:They don't even have a family.
Caesar Kalinowski:We invite them to Thanksgiving.
Caesar Kalinowski:You're building a relationship.
Caesar Kalinowski:You're moving them towards the gospel in action and in deed and in word.
Caesar Kalinowski:There's so many of these things, and here's the magic of it.
Caesar Kalinowski:When you pick the thing, pick something you like.
Caesar Kalinowski:When you pick the time, pick a time that works for you, and then just start doing it in rhythm, predictably, right?
Heath Hollensbe:Welcome to the Everyday Disciple Podcast, where you'll learn how to live with.
Heath Hollensbe:greater intentionality, and an integrated faith that naturally fits into every area of life.
Heath Hollensbe:In other words, discipleship as a lifestyle.
Heath Hollensbe:This is the stuff your parents, pastors, and seminary professors probably forgot to tell you.
Heath Hollensbe:And now, here's your host, Caesar Kalinowski.
Heath Hollensbe:Yes, and summer is here.
Heath Hollensbe:It is here, yeah.
Heath Hollensbe:You know, one of the things we say a lot about the Northwest is this is For people that live up here, summer is the time to, that's when you start remembering what your neighbor's face looks like.
Heath Hollensbe:All that.
Heath Hollensbe:Everyone's inside.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah, it
Caesar Kalinowski:doesn't rain as much as everybody wants to think.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:TV makes it out like it's the cliche, like, Oh, it rains a lot there, huh?
Caesar Kalinowski:I'm like, yeah, you meet somebody on a plane.
Caesar Kalinowski:Then in the Seattle area, you're like, Oh, it rains a lot I guess, huh?
Caesar Kalinowski:Eh, not so much, but, but it's true though that Uh, summer is the time when everybody's just out and about a whole lot more.
Caesar Kalinowski:I mean like a lot more out and about yeah, it's a great time to establish like rhythms And I know some places it's so hot.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's the opposite in the summer of everybody just hides in the air con Yeah, so it's all about intentionality if you're going to meet people live a life on mission It's all about intentionality, but for sure here.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yep, the rhythm of the the seasons I feel like summer is just low hanging fruit that don't totally to, uh, to meet people kind of like neighbors and all.
Caesar Kalinowski:So today that's what I wanna talk about this like a, the level of intentionality that we get to live with during the summer months as we kind of breathe out.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:Beyond our own family and closer circle of friends so we can build deeper relationship with newer friends and our people of peace.
Caesar Kalinowski:So as to sort of queue up.
Caesar Kalinowski:things, you know, this autumn or in the fall for discipleship with these new friends.
Caesar Kalinowski:So I'm going to give everybody a ton of ideas on how to do this and have a bunch of fun and make it fit into their schedule and all
Heath Hollensbe:that.
Heath Hollensbe:That's awesome, man.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah.
Heath Hollensbe:I don't know what summers in Vienna, Austria are like, but, uh, the guy who left the review this week does, Nate BR, he says, Hey guys, just wanted to encourage you that this podcast really spoke to me with my current situation, planning a church in Vienna, Austria.
Heath Hollensbe:Here, things seem to be really small and really slow.
Heath Hollensbe:Uh, but I'm taking Jesus at his word and trusting him for that health and growth of the kingdom into multiplication and expansion.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah, man, follow the spirit.
Heath Hollensbe:It'll happen.
Heath Hollensbe:I'm
Caesar Kalinowski:glad that it encouraged him and we talk about that a lot small is big Slow is fast and he's experiencing that but it's real.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's not just cheeky book title It's the truth and it's all throughout the book You know parables and that's yeah.
Heath Hollensbe:All right, man.
Heath Hollensbe:Summertime.
Heath Hollensbe:We just talked about it.
Heath Hollensbe:It's the time of year At least here in the Northwest.
Heath Hollensbe:We all come out of our houses.
Heath Hollensbe:We spend time in the fresh air.
Heath Hollensbe:We get in the water It's my personal favorite time of year.
Heath Hollensbe:And like you said, it's easily I would say the best way to engage neighbors and friends setting up time into the fall.
Caesar Kalinowski:Would
Heath Hollensbe:you agree with that?
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, we get the most light.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, it's like we get these long days.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, it's mind blowing kids Don't want to sleep because it's late till like midnight.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, it's like
Heath Hollensbe:1030 at night I was sitting outside the other night and it's 1030 at night and it's still dusk.
Heath Hollensbe:It's weird.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah, I'll never get used to it So
Caesar Kalinowski:yeah, no, I do agree.
Caesar Kalinowski:I think I think that for many parts of the world, summer, and I know there's parts of the planet that flips.
Caesar Kalinowski:So just flip it to your, you know, whatever season works for you.
Caesar Kalinowski:But for us here in the States, we're coming into the summer months and parts of it are longer than others, but it is, yeah, man, everybody is out and about and there's a mood change too.
Caesar Kalinowski:Like I've noticed that when it's sunny out and you're out like at a parade or picnic or just in a downtown area or whatever and it's nice out, everybody's like in the best mood.
Caesar Kalinowski:Everybody will share their chips with you, buy you a round, like woo, you know, compared to like when it's nasty out, right?
Caesar Kalinowski:And people are just like about their business and in and out, let me get back home, let me get into my cave.
Caesar Kalinowski:So I think, I think summer is this queued up, you know, ball on a tee for building relationships.
Caesar Kalinowski:Uh, new friendships, deepening friendships in a very like, like loose and easy way.
Caesar Kalinowski:Not to try to close the deal with anybody, but just to get to know people, right?
Caesar Kalinowski:Like we call it high invitation, but low challenge, right?
Caesar Kalinowski:Absolutely.
Caesar Kalinowski:Boom.
Caesar Kalinowski:Right.
Caesar Kalinowski:And you know, it breaks my heart is.
Caesar Kalinowski:And I know a lot of our listeners are going, yeah, that's us, you know, or that's my church so many and this kills me So many churches say yeah our small groups we take off for the summer I'm taking them off or our missional community.
Caesar Kalinowski:We don't do it in the summer I think wait a minute a missional community is a family living on mission.
Caesar Kalinowski:So you take your family off for the summer Yeah, it's so weird Keith and Kathleen told the kids the other day kids.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's summer.
Caesar Kalinowski:We'll see you in the fall Yes, here's a cash card for some food.
Caesar Kalinowski:Don't kill your sister.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, it just doesn't work Well it betrays, it betrays who and what we think the church is and who we are in Christ when we say, We're taking the summer off as the church.
Caesar Kalinowski:What do you mean?
Caesar Kalinowski:You're just like, if you are the church, if you are a missionary, if you are a servant, you know, if you are a disciple who makes disciples, then there's never taking off.
Caesar Kalinowski:Sure.
Caesar Kalinowski:In fact, I say it's the opposite.
Caesar Kalinowski:I think in the summer is when you hammer the pedal now in the rhythms, you're already going to be living.
Caesar Kalinowski:Sure.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's not trying to create a lot of activity or extra work.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's like, Hey, everybody, you know, is out having a blast, figure out some stuff to do together, and we'll talk about what and how, and you know, to make all that work.
Caesar Kalinowski:And oh my gosh, man, yeah, it's a low hanging
Heath Hollensbe:fruit, you know another aspect of the low hanging fruit that we found in our life Just because you know, we have some kids that are you know, what do you say?
Heath Hollensbe:Sometimes you're the old horse the old buck That's not the old buck.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah, my kids are kids are gone We've got four in the house and one of the The most amazing things as far as missions concern is how kids are such an amazing opportunity at building relationships.
Heath Hollensbe:They're friendly.
Heath Hollensbe:They talk to everybody.
Heath Hollensbe:We've actually had many people of peace in our lives based off our kids connecting.
Heath Hollensbe:We're the pool.
Heath Hollensbe:And even more so in the summer, right?
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah.
Heath Hollensbe:Cause you're out doing stuff.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah.
Heath Hollensbe:But London comes on.
Heath Hollensbe:Our oldest comes home once a week with some kid that he met playing soccer.
Heath Hollensbe:He's like, yeah, I got his mom, his mom gave me his phone number.
Heath Hollensbe:So I want to hang out with them.
Heath Hollensbe:And the next thing you know, we'll have them over for dinner.
Heath Hollensbe:So yeah, we're recording
Caesar Kalinowski:this this week.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:School just let out.
Caesar Kalinowski:It was like a switch.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, my yard full of kids.
Caesar Kalinowski:Not mine, but you know, they all know like it's cool Mr.
Caesar Kalinowski:C, you can go in his yard.
Caesar Kalinowski:You don't care, you know?
Caesar Kalinowski:And we just got a whole new batch of otter pops, you know, like Mr.
Caesar Kalinowski:Freeze pops, cause keep those on hand because then you're everybody's best friend, like, Hey, what are you guys doing?
Caesar Kalinowski:You look kind of sweaty playing ball.
Caesar Kalinowski:Hey, good hit, you know, want an otter pop?
Caesar Kalinowski:Heck yeah, they do.
Caesar Kalinowski:And so it was like a light switch.
Caesar Kalinowski:So I agree though, even still, so I don't want people to hear like, well, my kids are gone or I don't have kids yet.
Caesar Kalinowski:Like if you're listening, single, you know what I've done it for years.
Caesar Kalinowski:I'm the guy with the, for the freeze pops in the neighborhood and a kids And they love me even more for it, and it's just dialogue, and it's just a way to be nice, and build friendship.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, and we say, you
Heath Hollensbe:know, we say a lot that, that living on mission requires so much intentionality.
Heath Hollensbe:Like, it's thinking about those situations, going, Okay, bunch of kids, I've got kids at a house, how can I still live into the rhythm that's happening in my neighborhood?
Heath Hollensbe:It does
Caesar Kalinowski:freak their parents
Heath Hollensbe:out,
Caesar Kalinowski:cause I reuse the plastics, like when the kids are done with them, I leave them around the yard.
Caesar Kalinowski:fill them up with Kool Aid.
Caesar Kalinowski:I put a clothes pin on them.
Caesar Kalinowski:Like when we were kids, they're like, did this come open or closed?
Caesar Kalinowski:And it's like, well, there's
Heath Hollensbe:still some, there's still some blue popsicle left.
Heath Hollensbe:Um, so we wanted this episode to be really practical because a lot, we'll take theology quite a bit, but this one is like, let's just give some ideas.
Heath Hollensbe:Super practical.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Heath Hollensbe:Um, so maybe we jump into some of these practical suggestions that you might give for people who are feeling, maybe they've listened to this podcast the last month or the last year, maybe they've been reading some stuff and they're like, this is the This is the year that we really want to engage on mission.
Heath Hollensbe:Let's give some suggestions for how we could do that.
Caesar Kalinowski:Great.
Caesar Kalinowski:Let me, let me put an umbrella over the whole thing.
Caesar Kalinowski:Cause everything I'm going to share, I'm not sharing as like one offs.
Caesar Kalinowski:Hey, this summer, do this once.
Caesar Kalinowski:Sure.
Caesar Kalinowski:I want to put this umbrella over everything.
Caesar Kalinowski:Think predictable patterns, things that you're doing in rhythm, you know, that like a baseball season, it's not one game.
Caesar Kalinowski:You get season tickets, you go to a lot of games, right?
Caesar Kalinowski:Sure.
Caesar Kalinowski:Football, soccer, all that.
Caesar Kalinowski:Right?
Caesar Kalinowski:Rugby.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:Go SeaBus.
Caesar Kalinowski:. Um, so I want people to think rhythm, think predictable patterns.
Caesar Kalinowski:And, and the reason being is when you do things in rhythm, people come to know and expect them.
Caesar Kalinowski:Sure.
Caesar Kalinowski:And so they can't make it this time.
Caesar Kalinowski:That's okay.
Caesar Kalinowski:I'll make it next week.
Caesar Kalinowski:Right.
Caesar Kalinowski:And you get to also, it's so much easier to play when you go like, no.
Caesar Kalinowski:You know, like, we play cards on Friday night or No, we do a barbecue every weekend.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:What we do, you know, I'm gonna give a million ideas.
Caesar Kalinowski:Right.
Caesar Kalinowski:So I want everybody to hear that.
Caesar Kalinowski:All of these ideas are not in light of one offs like, Hey, remember the time when we had that Christmas party?
Caesar Kalinowski:Like, everybody came and said, Oh, it was so amazing.
Caesar Kalinowski:We never did it again.
Caesar Kalinowski:like, I don't know.
Caesar Kalinowski:I wish I knew my neighbors better.
Caesar Kalinowski:And we never did it again.
Caesar Kalinowski:Wow.
Caesar Kalinowski:So, summer, perfect opportunity to create some new predictable patterns that will lead into all kinds of stuff come fall and beyond, right?
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:So, so, like, um, when we first moved out to the Pacific Northwest, we saw like, whoa, weather opportunity.
Caesar Kalinowski:And we started doing, um, a barbecue every Friday night.
Caesar Kalinowski:You know, now I know my southern friends, they don't call it a barbecue.
Caesar Kalinowski:They said, no, you grill out.
Caesar Kalinowski:You grilled a barbecue.
Caesar Kalinowski:It requires smoke and things turning and I don't have any of that and no, I don't have that.
Caesar Kalinowski:So we call it a barbecue, so get over it.
Caesar Kalinowski:Southern friends.
Caesar Kalinowski:Um, so, but we do it every week, and it was real simple.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, We did flyers though.
Caesar Kalinowski:Okay, this is key.
Caesar Kalinowski:We went around the neighborhood with some very homegrown.
Caesar Kalinowski:cheesy flyers just said, you know, neighborhood barbecue, just getting to know the neighbors.
Caesar Kalinowski:Brings, bring a meat to grill or whatever you want to bring, whatever you want to grill.
Caesar Kalinowski:Cause some people are vegetarians or whatever in the grill, like giant mushroom caps.
Caesar Kalinowski:We're, we're doing meat.
Caesar Kalinowski:Um, and, um, and a beverage of choice.
Caesar Kalinowski:We'll have all the sites.
Caesar Kalinowski:And so that Tina and I, and then a handful of the initial community would just make up giant things of potato salad or noodle salad or salad or what you just want.
Caesar Kalinowski:So it wasn't expensive.
Caesar Kalinowski:Then people brought what they wanted to grill.
Caesar Kalinowski:And they, so even if they decide to hand out the flyer, A, they need to know about it, but even if they couldn't make it, here we are, Hey, how's it going?
Caesar Kalinowski:We're nice.
Caesar Kalinowski:We're seeing them.
Caesar Kalinowski:Hey, we're going to be gone this weekend, but thanks for the invite.
Caesar Kalinowski:Maybe next time.
Caesar Kalinowski:Great.
Caesar Kalinowski:We're doing it every week.
Caesar Kalinowski:Now you see the difference from like, Oh, I missed it this year.
Caesar Kalinowski:I think I know, it's just around the corner again.
Caesar Kalinowski:Like the neighborhood block party that the city tells you to put on, like if you don't make it, like, I guess I won't see the neighbors this year.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's like, so, so predictable patterns.
Caesar Kalinowski:So we do it every week and the other thing is we start putting out a little like, I don't know we made it out of plywood or something, little A frame, you know?
Caesar Kalinowski:Like a little Easley thing that would sit out front of the house.
Caesar Kalinowski:Okay.
Caesar Kalinowski:And one of the gals in the community painted it up like Barbeque Tonight.
Caesar Kalinowski:Oh!
Caesar Kalinowski:And that way, as people are driving around the neighborhood, they're going, Oh, that's right.
Caesar Kalinowski:That's tonight.
Caesar Kalinowski:See, couple that with seeing us and us walking around the neighborhood, you know, for our evening or morning walks and the invites going out week after week.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yep.
Caesar Kalinowski:It grew from a handful of people to a handful more to like 40, 50 people.
Caesar Kalinowski:It started being regularly.
Caesar Kalinowski:Then people were like, you shouldn't have to be the only ones having it.
Caesar Kalinowski:We're going to have it out.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, exactly.
Caesar Kalinowski:We'll host it over here.
Caesar Kalinowski:So it's cool.
Caesar Kalinowski:Predictable pattern was key.
Caesar Kalinowski:I had people say like, well, we threw something in like only three or four couples came only how many people can you talk to at once?
Caesar Kalinowski:Like, so don't get hung up on big numbers.
Caesar Kalinowski:And you say, well, I don't know, man, like 40 or 50, that was awesome.
Caesar Kalinowski:That took, that took summer's worth.
Caesar Kalinowski:You know what I mean?
Caesar Kalinowski:You know, to get people.
Caesar Kalinowski:That's cool man.
Caesar Kalinowski:Um, you can do like drive by drinks or like we have, uh, we have driveway happy hour in our neighborhood.
Caesar Kalinowski:All you have to do is put up one of those little pop up white tents.
Caesar Kalinowski:You don't have to have the tent thing but you do.
Caesar Kalinowski:We go on the Facebook group that's for our neighborhood and you just go like, you know, Wednesday, Friday night, you know, whatever.
Caesar Kalinowski:driveway happy hour.
Caesar Kalinowski:Boom.
Caesar Kalinowski:People will see you out there.
Caesar Kalinowski:They'll come.
Caesar Kalinowski:I'm actually, you know, and, and so, but to do it once is cool.
Caesar Kalinowski:But if you go like, you know what, this summer come when you want, but we're going to do it every Wednesday, like hump day from five to seven.
Caesar Kalinowski:That's cool.
Caesar Kalinowski:Another thing that was, was and is still like the biggest hit, we call it Breakfast Club.
Caesar Kalinowski:Like, um, you invite people to like on a Saturday or Sunday morning.
Caesar Kalinowski:Okay.
Caesar Kalinowski:That's when people are off.
Caesar Kalinowski:So I know like, well, I can't do it on Sunday.
Caesar Kalinowski:I gotta go to church.
Caesar Kalinowski:Be the church.
Caesar Kalinowski:Try it out once in a while.
Caesar Kalinowski:Get into rhythm.
Caesar Kalinowski:Maybe months a month.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:God will forgive you.
Caesar Kalinowski:If you're not sitting in the seat talking about how to love people, just go actually love them.
Caesar Kalinowski:Just listening.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:Right.
Caesar Kalinowski:Don't do it.
Caesar Kalinowski:Just talk about it.
Caesar Kalinowski:So, um, no.
Caesar Kalinowski:So Breakfast Club is like this.
Caesar Kalinowski:Um.
Caesar Kalinowski:We invite people to like an open house breakfast y thing.
Caesar Kalinowski:So we always do super mounds of cheap food, like, you know, big thing of pancake batter.
Caesar Kalinowski:Bake up some bacon.
Caesar Kalinowski:By the way, that's the best way to make bacon.
Caesar Kalinowski:Don't fry it.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's a mess.
Caesar Kalinowski:It curls up.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's weird.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's half cooked.
Caesar Kalinowski:Bake it on a sheet.
Caesar Kalinowski:Golden.
Caesar Kalinowski:Okay.
Caesar Kalinowski:Um, usually mimosas in our case.
Caesar Kalinowski:People love the mimosas.
Caesar Kalinowski:And here's the magic of it.
Caesar Kalinowski:People love breakfast.
Caesar Kalinowski:As you know, we, we owned a breakfast restaurant for eight years.
Caesar Kalinowski:People.
Caesar Kalinowski:Nuts for breakfast because no one takes the time for breakfast anymore.
Caesar Kalinowski:Sure.
Caesar Kalinowski:No one wants to, you know, but when you offer breakfast, and then here's the other magic thing.
Caesar Kalinowski:When you offer it as like, it's an open house thing, like, yeah, we'll be doing it from like nine 30 ish to like, I don't know, 10 30, 11 30.
Caesar Kalinowski:Whenever I don't just swing in as long as you can pop in, pop out, whatever.
Caesar Kalinowski:What do, what do I, what can I bring?
Caesar Kalinowski:Don't say nothing, we have it all, even if you do, because people feel better and feel more like family.
Caesar Kalinowski:Sure.
Caesar Kalinowski:So say, well, I'll bring some fruit salad or bring a bottle of champagne.
Caesar Kalinowski:We'll be doing mimosas, right?
Caesar Kalinowski:Or bring, you know, and if they, well, they brought fruit.
Caesar Kalinowski:I have so much fruit.
Caesar Kalinowski:Freeze it.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, right?
Caesar Kalinowski:Use it next week.
Caesar Kalinowski:Make a salad with it next week, whatever.
Caesar Kalinowski:So let people, people are so much more Interested when they think they can pop in and pop out so you don't feel stuck Way less of a challenge to people who they're not sure about you to come to a formal meal Like I met these neighbors walking in the day never met him before you guys want to come over for dinner
Heath Hollensbe:What
Caesar Kalinowski:yeah, but we're doing a neighborhood thing in rhythm Yeah, we'll be doing it every other Saturday or every other Sunday all summer come get to know each other Yeah, I'll tell you what man breakfast club.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's the most popular thing we ever did, huh?
Caesar Kalinowski:There was there was a friend of ours several years ago that started doing it He was an engineer for it.
Caesar Kalinowski:He is an engineer for a living Okay He built his breakfast club cart like out of like steel and wheels and all and it held all his chairs He needed the grill a cooler was in it How cool he had it down to the penny of how many people he could feed for like a buck twelve each and all this Because he was an engineer and then the neighbors flipped on it They loved it and so then the neighbors started borrowing the breakfast club cart Huh, so they could host their own like breakfast brunchy things So, it's a beautiful thing.
Caesar Kalinowski:Um, we already talked about happy hour, easy ones, short, it's just drinks and snacks, right?
Caesar Kalinowski:Make sure you have non alcoholic beverages, some people don't want them.
Caesar Kalinowski:They just want to hang, it's not about boozing, but some people appreciate a beer or a glass of
Heath Hollensbe:wine, okay?
Heath Hollensbe:Well, and we shouldn't have to say this, but I think, just kind of, like you said with the umbrella, the other thing is like, Don't feel like you have to seal the deal of, of, of leading them to Jesus, that, you know, that happy hour.
Heath Hollensbe:In fact, please
Caesar Kalinowski:don't.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, like, don't
Heath Hollensbe:even go
Caesar Kalinowski:there.
Caesar Kalinowski:Unless it comes up.
Caesar Kalinowski:You know what I'm saying?
Caesar Kalinowski:Like, that's not the goal of this.
Caesar Kalinowski:Just like, when Jesus said, come and follow me, he didn't say, but first, sit down, let me explain a bunch of stuff, say this, you know, prayer, you know, after me.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's like, he said, come and follow me, like, see the life, taste the life, see the, you know, see what generosity feels like.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, I had a friend the other day.
Caesar Kalinowski:and freedom looks and tastes like.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, I
Heath Hollensbe:was having a conversation the other day and he's like, well, there's no point in doing that sort of stuff if you're not leading them to the gospel.
Heath Hollensbe:And you're like.
Heath Hollensbe:No, your life is leading into like.
Heath Hollensbe:No, I'm going to get there.
Heath Hollensbe:I want to get
Caesar Kalinowski:there, but leading into the gospel in every area of life, not just in a say your prayer, wait for heaven sort of way.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, exactly.
Caesar Kalinowski:So if the first thing that they move from unbelief to belief in, when we talked about that's what discipleship is, is, Unbelief to belief is God's kids aren't weird and they can throw a good party or they're fun to hang with.
Caesar Kalinowski:That's game on game on.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:Um, here's another idea.
Caesar Kalinowski:A predictable pattern.
Caesar Kalinowski:Again, do this.
Caesar Kalinowski:Don't do it once.
Caesar Kalinowski:Say, Hey, we're hosting like a Friday movie night at our house, or, you know, borrow that spirit projector from the church or your buddy, who's a salesman, or they're out there and throw it up on the side of the wall.
Caesar Kalinowski:Or like, I can't wait to get dark.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's too late.
Caesar Kalinowski:Then open your garage.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's darker in there and shoot it in the garage.
Caesar Kalinowski:Let the kids put the blankets all and leave the door up.
Caesar Kalinowski:It'll be dark an hour earlier that way.
Caesar Kalinowski:You know what I mean?
Caesar Kalinowski:Or something, right?
Caesar Kalinowski:Work it out.
Caesar Kalinowski:Or do movie night in the house.
Caesar Kalinowski:If it's really hot where you live in the air conditioning.
Caesar Kalinowski:And just pop up tons of popcorn, have sodas, have some adult beverages for the adults if you so care to.
Caesar Kalinowski:I would suggest it.
Caesar Kalinowski:And, but do it in rhythm.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, and what'll usually happen with those because we've done the kids are all like on the blankets loving it making a mess with the Popcorn you'll back it up later and the parents all retreat and talk and hang out and you get to know them and you got Like a two hour window.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, and they're grateful for it because the kids loved it and you loved it I'll tell you you do it rhythm and it's like I can't make it this week.
Caesar Kalinowski:But Oh Incredibles to a kids are like they're nuts for that.
Caesar Kalinowski:You know, it's coming out when soon as a DVD we're gonna have it You know and like All that stuff.
Caesar Kalinowski:So
Heath Hollensbe:yeah, it reminds me, um, back on episode one 60, we talked about how to celebrate according to the gospel.
Heath Hollensbe:So if you haven't, this ties in well, because we say in that episode, why do Christians typically suck at partying?
Heath Hollensbe:Like how do we throw better parties?
Heath Hollensbe:You know, so if there's popcorn all over, don't be the hovering helicopter that has to scold all the kids.
Heath Hollensbe:Like, this is a time of celebration.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah, give it up.
Heath Hollensbe:That's okay.
Heath Hollensbe:You'll deal with it later.
Heath Hollensbe:If you have a dog, it's
Caesar Kalinowski:already covered.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, exactly.
Caesar Kalinowski:Uh, you can do camping.
Caesar Kalinowski:You could do zoo trips.
Caesar Kalinowski:Like, we're gonna go, you know, every Monday morning, we're gonna take the kids to the zoo and, uh, we got a group pass and it's all good or whatever.
Caesar Kalinowski:Um, you can do serving opportunities together.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:Right?
Caesar Kalinowski:My wife used to take our daughters.
Caesar Kalinowski:And their friends, their little Girl Scout friends and Brownie friends at that age, and they would go, in rhythm, they'd go pick up cats at the shelter, I've shared this before, and they would take them over to the old folks home.
Caesar Kalinowski:Old folks, nothing to do, now all of a sudden, boom, brownies, cookies, kids, kittens, best day of the week for them, right?
Caesar Kalinowski:We do it over and over, you start to get to know certain people, hey now we invited them, they don't even have a family, we invited them to Thanksgiving, we're building a relationship, You're moving them towards the gospel in action and in deed and in word.
Caesar Kalinowski:There's so many of these things and here's the magic of it.
Caesar Kalinowski:When you pick the thing, pick something you like.
Caesar Kalinowski:When you pick the time, pick a time that works for you.
Caesar Kalinowski:And then just start doing it in rhythm predictably, right?
Caesar Kalinowski:It's we're not, you know, people say like, well, we were so busy.
Caesar Kalinowski:I'm like, wait a minute.
Caesar Kalinowski:Do you eat every night?
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:Everybody's going to do that.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, you're gonna.
Caesar Kalinowski:So, so plan it out and there's a bunch of tips how to do it.
Caesar Kalinowski:Plan it out in a way that's easy.
Caesar Kalinowski:Now I will, word of caution.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:Um, if you're doing this as a missional community bonus, but be careful that you don't have like 20, 30 of your Christian friends and three you're not yet believe in neighbors and they feel all weirded out and overwhelmed.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah.
Heath Hollensbe:We
Caesar Kalinowski:would do these things and I would have certain key people that are just like everybody's friend immediately.
Caesar Kalinowski:Sure.
Caesar Kalinowski:Right.
Caesar Kalinowski:And I'd have them there.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, just they would get it.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:I mean, um, I've had people that I had to uninvite.
Caesar Kalinowski:Like they came, they were newer to the community and they just started like, you know, washing the blood language all over people and, you know, born again and everybody and you're like, it ain't the time for that.
Caesar Kalinowski:We're watching movie night here.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's good.
Caesar Kalinowski:You know, or we're having a mimosa with some bacon and eggs, you know, And they didn't get it because there again, they were there thinking the goal is to get everybody saved and in and you know And getting to go on the church like no the goal is to make disciples Yeah Who make disciples and that's a process because that's all of life and I want them to know Christ and I want to be set free from their sin and have all of life salvation and We're gonna start here.
Caesar Kalinowski:So that's
Heath Hollensbe:the work of the Holy Spirit.
Heath Hollensbe:That's not even on us on our job
Caesar Kalinowski:So, so be careful that you don't accidentally live on mission to the point with so many people, especially if they're not hip to the language and being generous and like living out the gospel through celebration.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:Just be careful who, you know, sometimes you want certain mature, good party and hanging Christian to do this kind of stuff with you.
Caesar Kalinowski:And I would suggest do it with some friends.
Caesar Kalinowski:You know, because then multiple people are kind of work in the room and getting to know people and you're cross pollinating relationships And you're not gonna hit it off with everybody, you know, we talk about your people of peace man Heath that guy loved you bro.
Caesar Kalinowski:Like that's your buddy.
Caesar Kalinowski:I don't know.
Caesar Kalinowski:We just hit it off Thank you the same guitars and yeah, like, you know, we're talking about all that And so we're gonna get together and share some stuff and I'm gonna do a little recording like dude That's that's there's these little micro communities.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah, Tina's not gonna pull that one off, you know But like just like I'm not gonna pull off the thing.
Caesar Kalinowski:Like hey, we're getting together You to, to learn all these new desserts for, you know, summer fun, like, I'm not, I'm not leading that, you know, I'm not building a relationship there, but maybe talking Harleys with a guy, I will, or like, rugby, or, you know, or whatever, so, yeah, yes, we need each other, get in rhythm, pick something you love, and a time that fits your schedule, and get after it.
Heath Hollensbe:You know, one of the things, uh, one of the things we did as a family, and it was just an idea that I had that I thought would be really fun, and we tried it, and it worked really well, We did a night where we had, we invited the neighborhood over, there was about 15, 20 people that showed up, and they had to bring a dish that came from their country of origin.
Heath Hollensbe:So, we have a Moroccan neighbor and he brought a Moroccan dish, and that just opened up, they felt valued, they shared about their dish.
Heath Hollensbe:I love that.
Heath Hollensbe:Tina does that so well.
Heath Hollensbe:Which should I bring?
Heath Hollensbe:Bring whatever is, like, part of your
Caesar Kalinowski:tradition.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah, tell us about it.
Heath Hollensbe:Like, what's your favorite summer
Caesar Kalinowski:thing, or what's your favorite Christmas thing?
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah,
Heath Hollensbe:and then we did a YouTube viewing party, so everyone would submit their five favorite funny YouTube clips.
Heath Hollensbe:Oh, that's brilliant.
Heath Hollensbe:And so then you had, I mean, it was just a night, we were laughing our butts off, man.
Heath Hollensbe:Because some videos we've never seen, they're short clips, they're three minutes long.
Heath Hollensbe:Beep, beep.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah, yeah.
Heath Hollensbe:But it was just amazing.
Heath Hollensbe:You get to see people's sense of humor.
Heath Hollensbe:It was really fun.
Heath Hollensbe:That's awesome.
Heath Hollensbe:So we, uh, we, we did set this up at the beginning that summer is the best time to start setting some rhythms that could keep relationships.
Heath Hollensbe:I think you can do this all year, but I
Caesar Kalinowski:just, like I said earlier, that, that we take the summer off thing or, or I've planned out my whole summer around me and my family vacations.
Caesar Kalinowski:And we go here with this and we do that.
Caesar Kalinowski:Like, like notice, I said, like, I'm going to be gone.
Caesar Kalinowski:Um, last week I talked about, I'm going to be gone.
Caesar Kalinowski:up until the third, but I'm in my neighborhood on the fourth.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:Very intentional.
Caesar Kalinowski:Very intentional.
Caesar Kalinowski:Right.
Caesar Kalinowski:Because one year I wasn't, and I felt like, gosh, I miss so much fun in the neighborhood.
Caesar Kalinowski:So if you say, well, we already planned out the whole summer, like, well, like what, like 90 days of it.
Caesar Kalinowski:There's got to be a predictable pattern you can find in there brings a new level of intentionality.
Caesar Kalinowski:I think you can do it all year, but I think you're absolutely right.
Caesar Kalinowski:He summer is just it's it's easy.
Caesar Kalinowski:It's just easier
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah, and what do you say on the practical side as we're moving towards looking at even the fall inviting people into More discipleship opportunities.
Heath Hollensbe:How can we intentionally move?
Heath Hollensbe:Do you think that comes just from that that rhythm or is that there you go?
Caesar Kalinowski:Exactly it You're doing these things but for the purpose of building relationships So you're looking for who are your people of peace meaning those people that are kind of they like you that are leaning into relationship They know you and your family are Christians and have faith.
Caesar Kalinowski:It doesn't weird them out because you don't weird them out Yeah, and so you're looking for opportunities, you know, I've got neighbors here that I've like, hey Let's go do this together.
Caesar Kalinowski:Like I got an extra ticket for that or that like I'm down Yeah But how did I get to know him through these other things?
Caesar Kalinowski:Yep and then that thing bridged another thing and now we're walking together and hanging out and you know in our mornings getting some exercise and Next thing, you know, our families are pals, you know what I mean?
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah And so don't don't do the event check the box because you heard it on the podcast and you know Caesar he's told you to You're looking to build relationships of trust.
Caesar Kalinowski:We've said it before, but the kingdom expands.
Caesar Kalinowski:It moves along the lines in the, in the tracks of relationship.
Caesar Kalinowski:And then the gospel moves along the lines of trust.
Caesar Kalinowski:And, and sometimes you're going to build relationship in these summer predictable patterns, but you're going to build trust through the offline things that you begin to do as well.
Caesar Kalinowski:Now I'm always looking to the fall and going like, okay, can we build out enough relationships and can we build out enough trust and rhythms and predictable patterns that when.
Caesar Kalinowski:We pray, what's next, Lord?
Caesar Kalinowski:And we start to invite people into the story and God prepares their hearts.
Caesar Kalinowski:People are like, yeah, I'll do the story of God with you.
Caesar Kalinowski:Now we may not state, I'm not call it that way, but you're like, we explain what we're doing and why this is important to us.
Caesar Kalinowski:And they're like, that sounds so different than the way I was raised, you know, under the Bible is a story, you know, like, yeah, you know, that way.
Caesar Kalinowski:And so I'm always thinking that way.
Caesar Kalinowski:I'm moving relationally towards that both with believers in the community and unbelievers.
Caesar Kalinowski:Cause like, no one knows the story hardly.
Heath Hollensbe:It's a beautiful story, man.
Heath Hollensbe:Okay, so we gave a lot of practical, but there's still a big three we can mine out of this, I think.
Heath Hollensbe:And you can get the big three, which is the, what, like we say when we distill the showdown, three takeaways we want you to walk away with.
Heath Hollensbe:If nothing else.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah, you get these three.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah.
Heath Hollensbe:And you get it for free by going to everydaydisciple.
Heath Hollensbe:com forward slash big three.
Heath Hollensbe:Caesar, what are the big three for this
Caesar Kalinowski:week?
Caesar Kalinowski:Alright, first one, your neighbors, friends, and your people of peace, those people that are just kind of leaning into relationship, they're all out looking for fun and relationships this summer.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:So, don't believe the lie that everyone's too busy, or they prefer to keep to themselves.
Caesar Kalinowski:Okay?
Caesar Kalinowski:We usually tend to live with a sense of self fulfilling prophecy in connection to that.
Caesar Kalinowski:Like, no one wants to do this.
Caesar Kalinowski:Did you ever try?
Caesar Kalinowski:No, but no, really, you don't want to.
Caesar Kalinowski:So you, so reach out, have fun, let God do the work and work it out for who accepts your invitations and who leans back.
Caesar Kalinowski:Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski:You know, into relationship with you, right?
Caesar Kalinowski:But just trust me, I wanna loan you some faith on this as the, what you call me, old buck, ha, ha, ha, older brother, I like, I like that.
Caesar Kalinowski:But, um, uh, who does this a lot, people are, they're, they're looking for fun, man, they are.
Caesar Kalinowski:They're always looking for a good time, alright?
Caesar Kalinowski:So, secondly, um, God's given you this summer for your pleasure!
Caesar Kalinowski:and His Glory.
Caesar Kalinowski:So have a blast this summer.
Caesar Kalinowski:Have fun.
Caesar Kalinowski:This isn't like, I gotta kill my Sabbath.
Caesar Kalinowski:No, have a blast Sabbath, have fun, but it's all, he's given it to you for your pleasure and his glory.
Caesar Kalinowski:So with a little preplanned intentionality, you can pick fun things to do that fit your schedule and serve to include others in, you know, ways to invite your friends and neighbors to sort of a place at dad's table, if you were.
Caesar Kalinowski:So it won't happen accidentally.
Caesar Kalinowski:Um, and And I just, I just want to tell you, you know, don't let fear of man or self love rob you of some awesome opportunities this summer.
Caesar Kalinowski:That's good, dude.
Caesar Kalinowski:Okay.
Caesar Kalinowski:Third, pick one thing and we just gave you about six or eight ideas.
Caesar Kalinowski:Make up your own, whatever.
Caesar Kalinowski:Pick one thing and start this week.
Caesar Kalinowski:You know, I was talking to some people were coaching the other day and they're like, Hey, we got to start doing the Friday night barbecue thing.
Caesar Kalinowski:This was on a Monday.
Caesar Kalinowski:I'm like, great.
Caesar Kalinowski:You have five days, four days, you know, like doesn't have to be fancy.
Caesar Kalinowski:Doesn't have to be perfect.
Caesar Kalinowski:It doesn't like you're going to eat, like just invite people.
Caesar Kalinowski:That's all.
Caesar Kalinowski:See what happens.
Caesar Kalinowski:Right.
Caesar Kalinowski:So pick one thing.
Caesar Kalinowski:Start this week and plan on predictable patterns.
Caesar Kalinowski:So whether it's a weekly barbecue, breakfast club, happy hour, some service projects, trip to a park or the zoo, whatever.
Caesar Kalinowski:Getting into a rhythm that fits your schedule.
Caesar Kalinowski:And others, you know, so they can be certain that you're doing it, you know, with or without them.
Caesar Kalinowski:They know that's key.
Caesar Kalinowski:That's key to building trust and building relationships that, that sort of predictable pattern.
Caesar Kalinowski:So these new repeated rhythms of life together, you trust me, they'll grow and they'll extend into greater opportunities in your relationships and for discipleship and community life as things progress.
Caesar Kalinowski:So have fun with this, get started.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah, you get to, that's so fun, man.
Heath Hollensbe:And we'd love to invite you to join our Facebook group if you haven't yet.
Heath Hollensbe:You get there by going to Facebook, up in the search bar typing in Everyday Disciple Podcast.
Heath Hollensbe:And that's another place to share ideas.
Heath Hollensbe:We give you six or eight like Caesar just said, but there you can go and say, Hey, we tried this.
Heath Hollensbe:It worked.
Heath Hollensbe:We tried this.
Heath Hollensbe:We learned from this.
Heath Hollensbe:The best stuff coming from others.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah.
Heath Hollensbe:We did this last year.
Heath Hollensbe:It didn't work because of this.
Heath Hollensbe:So we tweaked it this year to I mean, just super helpful for one another.
Heath Hollensbe:It's a good way to serve one another by joining that group.
Heath Hollensbe:Next week we're gonna talk about idolatry.
Heath Hollensbe:How can you determine idols that are in your life and how to actively destroy them when they appear?
Heath Hollensbe:Ooh, destroy.
Heath Hollensbe:When I was coming up with some topics, I was like.
Heath Hollensbe:That's, so that's why you have all those totem poles and statues.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah.
Heath Hollensbe:We're gonna destroy those.
Heath Hollensbe:Yeah.
Heath Hollensbe:We're gonna destroy those.
Heath Hollensbe:No, I just, I could not get away from that.
Heath Hollensbe:This, I felt like the spirit just kept saying like, Idolatry, idolatry.
Heath Hollensbe:As I was working out what we're gonna talk about.
Heath Hollensbe:Dude, I keep telling you, you're a big ol sinner.
Heath Hollensbe:I am.
Heath Hollensbe:My heart is an idol factory, as John Calvin would say.
Heath Hollensbe:Thanks for joining us today.
Heath Hollensbe:For more information on this show, and to get loads of free discipleship resources, visit EverydayDisciple.
Heath Hollensbe:com.
Heath Hollensbe:And remember, you really can live with the spiritual freedom and relational peace that Jesus promised every day.