Life Together - Small Groups

First of All...Prayer

2012-02-02T08:51:00.000-08:00

Restless! For several months I have felt a restlessness. I have had to grab the four corners of my mind and shake it to attention. Focus! Stop wondering to and fro! Get it together! Geeze... this kind of distraction hinders production and tramples all over my daily tasks and goals. Because of distraction, my prayers have become shallow. Group prayer has been a challenge. How do I lead this group of spiritual babies if I cannot control my restless spirit?

Jeremiah 29:

11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

¹²Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

¹³And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

¹⁴And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

First of all...Prayer! I asked the Lord and received his reply. Prayer must be the forefront of our daily walk with Jesus. Distractions will come, schedules will be filled, phones will ring, babies will cry, and normal functions of life will continue to pull at you and steal your focus and time. We cannot allow business to steal our relationship with Christ. We cannot allow cluttered schedules to steal our relationship with our family. We must have the "mind of Christ" (1Cor. 2:16) and seek his will for us.

Reggie: You Can't Change Your Past, but You Can Change Your Future

2011-09-30T07:10:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to change your past? Of course not, however it is possible to use the disappointments of the past change your future. Dabbs, conceived as a result of a $20.00 decision is given up for adoption by his young mother and grows up in a Christian home. He is challenged by his worthless feelings and discovers that he has a choice of how he responds to life's challenges.

Reggie shares real life troubles and challenges with an inspirational message of positive choices. He writes about his many messages to youth and ends with a message of salvation and hope. The book contains pages of reflection and is a possible resource for small groups.

I received this book free from BookSneeze.

Praise Break

2011-08-19T06:03:00.000-07:00

Leap of Faith

2011-08-15T19:10:00.000-07:00

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

2011-07-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Thomas Jefferson

What an amazing declaration! More than a year after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War in 1775, the Continental Congress adopted the United States Declaration of Independence which was a formal declaration explaining why our original 13 colonies should be independent from the rule of Great Britain.

The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 representatives from 13 colonies uniting together for the common cause; turning their vision of freedom into reality. Proclaiming independence from Great Britain and their union to each other, the thirteen colonies became thirteen independent states united together as one nation, now separated from the law and taxes of Great Britain.

The Bible teaches the truth of Thomas Jefferson's proclamation. Paul wrote, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). Jesus told his disciples in John 8:32-33 that they should hold onto His teachings because then they would know the truth and the truth will set them free! If we want to experience liberty, we must seek the Lord and be filled with the Spirit because,"...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (2 Corinthians 3:17b).

Psalm 146 proclaims this truth and today I declare that as a citizen and as a nation we need to acknowledge our Creator and follow the Word of God so that we can again become one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all! Then, we can practice our unalienable Rights to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness in God.

May you be blessed this Independence Day and find peace, love, happiness, life and liberty in your Creator, Jesus Christ - the flesh (son) of God.

Small Groups Digital Magazine

2011-03-16T06:29:00.000-07:00

Small Groups Digizine- Check it out today!

A Small Group of One

2011-03-10T04:53:00.000-08:00

Managing Stress in 2011

2011-01-02T20:02:00.000-08:00

US.Gov has posted a list of several popular New Year's resolutions. Among them is stress management. As I pondered, I realized that your productivity level is greatly increased when you are able to manage the stress levels in your life. As leaders of small groups, this is one area that I believe would help each one of us to become more productive in the New Year. Prayerfully, you will be able to share some of these practical management tools with your groups. God Bless, and Happy New Year!

Manage Stress

The Basics

Preventing and managing stress can help lower your risk of serious health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, and depression. You can prevent or lessen stress by:

Planning ahead
Preparing for stressful events

Some stress is hard to avoid. You can find ways to manage stress by:

Noticing when you feel stressed
Taking time to relax
Getting active and eating healthy
Talking to friends and family

What are the signs of stress?

When people are under stress, they may feel:

Worried
Irritable
Depressed
Unable to focus

Stress also affects the body. Physical signs of stress include:

Headaches
Back pain
Problems sleeping
Upset stomach
Weight gain or loss
Tense muscles
Frequent or more serious colds

What causes stress?

Stress is often caused by some type of change. Even positive changes, like marriage or a job promotion, can be stressful. Stress can be short-term or long‑term.

Common causes of short-term stress:

Too much to do and not much time
Lots of little problems in the same day (like a traffic jam or running late)
Getting lost
Having an argument

Common causes of longer-term stress:

Divorce or problems in a marriage
Death of a loved one
Illness
Caring for someone who is sick
Problems at work
Money problems

What are the benefits of managing stress?

Managing stress can help you:

Sleep better
Control your weight
Get sick less often and heal faster
Lessen neck and back pain
Be in a better mood
Get along better with family and friends

Take Action!

Being prepared and in control of your situation will help you feel less stress. Follow these 9 tips for preventing and managing stress.

1. Plan your time.

Think ahead about how you are going to use your time. Write a to-do list and decide which tasks are the most important. Be realistic about how long each thing will take.

2. Prepare yourself.

Prepare ahead of time for stressful events like a job interview or a hard conversation with a loved one.

Picture the event in your mind.
Stay positive.
Imagine what the room will look like and what you will say.
Have a back-up plan.

3. Relax with deep breathing.

4. Relax your muscles.

Stress causes tension in your muscles. Try stretching or taking a hot shower to help you relax.

5. Get active.

Physical activity can help prevent and manage stress. It can also help relax your muscles and improve your mood.

Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, like walking fast or biking.
Be sure to exercise for at least 10 minutes at a time.
Do strengthening activities (like sit-ups or lifting weights) at least 2 days a week.

6. Eat healthy.

Give your body plenty of energy by eating fruits, vegetables, and protein.

7. Limit alcohol intake.

Don’t use alcohol and drugs to manage your stress. If you choose to drink, drink only in moderation. This means no more than 1 drink a day for women or 2 drinks a day for men.

8. Talk to friends and family.

Tell your friends and family if you are feeling stressed. They may be able to help.

9. Get help if you need it.

Stress is a normal part of life. But if your stress doesn’t go away or keeps getting worse, you may need help. Over time, stress can lead to serious problems like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or anxiety.

If you are feeling down and hopeless talk to a doctor.
If you are feeling anxious talk to a medical professional.

A mental health professional (like a psychologist or social worker) can help treat these conditions with talk therapy (called psychotherapy) or medicines.

Lots of people need help dealing with stress – it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Win the Liquid Bible Study Collection Set

2010-12-16T12:37:00.000-08:00

Click Here

Live a Life of Blessing

2010-12-03T07:36:00.000-08:00

Life is unpredictable. Change happens during a wink of the eye. One minute your are smiling and the next you are crying. I have pondered these things and have come to the understanding of the scripture in James 4:14, "whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." Today I will purpose myself to live, love, laugh. I will be a blessing and not a burden. I will give the gift of a smile and a meaningful touch. I will purpose to do good and flee evil. I will bless the Lord and sing praises to His name. And if my life ends today as a vapor, I will live an eternity with the Lord. May your life be a blessing to others.

A Warning to Small-Group Leaders

2010-11-23T10:52:00.000-08:00

Recently, I came across this excellent Small Group Leader's Guide and found a great article on Small Groups.com that posted the following exerpt from this resource. I pray this will enhance your understanding of the Leader's roll and responsiblities.

The following is located at: http://SmallGroups.com/articles/2010/warningtoleaders.html

A Warning to Small-Group Leaders

Beware of several bad habits that can knock you off track.

Una Lucey-Lee | posted 8/02/2010

Note: This article has been excerpted from the Small Group Leader's Handbook (InterVarsity Press, 2009).

Leading a small group is a lot of fun, but it can also be grueling, confusing, and exhausting work. It is a dynamic activity that keeps us on our toes. Filled with risk, leadership trains us to live into God's presence and seek the leadership of Jesus.

Beware of Stagnation

As we get comfortable in leadership, our inclination to seek God or depend on Jesus might wane. The temptation will be to settle into the plateau and rest. We start looking around at others and comparing our performance to theirs. Unfortunately, one of the byproducts of this stage in leadership is stagnation.

This is why it is important to seek Jesus, pursue more training and participate as a follower in your church. It is a fabulous truth of Christian leadership that we have Jesus as our leader, who pours into us blessings, insight and encouragement. It is not his intent or purpose to use us up until he can find another willing victim. He is the Good Shepherd who is leading you and Ito good pasture while we are leading small groups.

This does not mean that leadership will always be easy or without incident. But if we continue to set our sights in Jesus, then he can use the unpleasant leadership experiences to shape our character and develop greater leadership skills.

Beware Thinking You've "Arrived"

In addition to not forsaking your relationship with Jesus, do not forsake ongoing leadership training. One of my assignments in campus ministry is to lead Bible discussions with up to 25 students. As the leader I am expected to both teach students an inductive method of Bible study and to guide the whole group through a good discussion in the Bible. It was a juggling act to help people learn how to ask good questions of the text as well as to monitor the discussion that would lead to group consensus and application. Whew!

During one of these times I asked a colleague of mine to sit in on the group for the express purpose of giving me some feedback on my teaching and discussion-leading skills. I sensed that I needed some help and I could not figure out on my own why some things in the group were not going as well or how to move the group forward toward deeper application.

After a little over an hour the group took a break and my friend and I sat down for me to hear my friend's assessment. After only one hour of watching me lead a group discussion, he had some 28 points of constructive criticism. We talked through all of his input, I asked for clarification where I did not understand, and I came up with a game plan for the next session. I experienced much success in leading the group to better group Bible study as well as application of the Scriptures. My leadership improved because of his feedback.

Whether informal or formal training, leaders need continuing instruction and feedback. It is easy to slack on training either if we feel comfortable in our leadership or if we are experiencing some insecurity. I read leadership books with friends and have attended a seminar on prayer ministry and group intercession. I have called my pastor to ask the meaning of a biblical phrase or to seek his interpretation of a passage. The goal is to nurture a learning posture our whole lives.

My co-leader and I met with someone in our training group as preparation for him to lead Bible study. He came to the meeting having studied the passage and developed a good set of discussion questions. As we were talking through the passage, it became obvious that we had divergent opinions about a few things. The more questions we asked, the more defensive the responses became until he said, "Who do you think you are?" Then it got really awkward. I took a breath, counted to ten and said, "We are trainers. You are in a training program. We are here to help you succeed in leading a small group for the first time." Part of being a leader is training.

As you take on the responsibility of leadership, do not forsake the necessity for input, evaluation, and training.

Beware of Isolation

One resource for helping me stay focused on Jesus and to receive instruction on my leadership is to stay connected to a Christian community. Even though I am involved in leadership, it is vital for my growth to be reminded that I am part of a community of believers. I stay connected through attendance, developing real relationships, and celebrating key moments in the community.

Interacting with people in my church from different generations and socioeconomic backgrounds reminds me that being a small group leader is part of the bigger thing happening among God's people. I can see how my leadership contribution helps expand the kingdom in the neighborhood or the city. The Christian community is also a place where I can participate as a follower of other leaders.

You have decided to lead a small group. You want to lead other people to good and safe pasture where they can receive and grow from God's Word. No training will perfectly prepare you for what actually happens when you lead a small group. However, if you set your sights on Jesus, focusing on the Good Shepherd instead of the surrounding circumstances, then you will receive from him what you need to lead.

You would be wise to seek ongoing instruction or specific help to strengthen your leadership, and it is important to stay connected to the community of believers who love you, will pray for you and celebrate with you. You can lead because anyone can lead; everyone who calls Jesus Lord is a partner in his mission and a beneficiary of his Spirit.

Busting Out!

2010-11-23T04:57:00.000-08:00

Have you ever experienced divine restlessness in your ministry? I am talking about the kind of restlessness that keeps you awake at night. Your mind races and you cannot sit still. There is no satisfaction in the ordinary. You have just got to break out of the box that has trapped you! You feel as though you will just burst. This is the time when you need to stop, take a deep breath. Focus. Think. Dream. Seek Jesus. Get a vision. Become missional. Find a family you can pour yourself into. Who is lonely? Is there a stuggling single mom in reach? Is there a new family in your neighborhood? Step out and begin that new small group. It does not have to carry a "small group" label in order to be effective. Begin with a Bible Study. Invite your neighbor to have coffee. Be intentional and allow your daily routine to birth a new group by reaching out to someone different. Break out of your box and look around. God has a new mission for you!

Killer Community

2010-08-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

Taking it to the Streets!

2010-08-24T21:25:00.000-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2055891&id=1081786054&l=e21fe51fad

Abundant Life Church's Small Group Ministry took it to the streets on Saturday. With the backing of the church, a Community Day Back-2-School fair was held in the Fontana Village Community. Back packs, and other supplies were given to the children who came out. Many contacts were made and many families were blessed!

Small Group Dynamics: Contest Time: Get the Word Out

2010-08-20T18:34:00.000-07:00

Small Group Dynamics: Contest Time: Get the Word Out

When Children Misbehave

2010-08-19T06:40:00.000-07:00

Small Groups. com have posted a wonderful article to help with managing the children in your small group. Check it out!

http://www.smallgroups.com/articles/2010/childrenbehave.html?tCode=F21CA9D41A

Missional Small Groups - Alan Danielson

2010-08-18T07:19:00.001-07:00

JESUS IS:

2010-08-16T22:56:00.001-07:00

Following Dad

2010-08-16T21:35:00.000-07:00

Early one morning while driving to work I stopped at a traffic light and was immediately drawn to a young boy who was on the sidewalk walking and crying. Approximately one half block in front of him on the incline of the sidewalk was this boy's dad, slowly but steadily walking. My first inclination was to criticise this young man for not paying attention to his crying toddler who certainly had no means to catch up with Dad. I was appalled, and my thoughts were "How could this dad be so mean and inconsiderate of his son's crying? Didn't he realize that the boy would never catch up to him?"

Tears welled up in my eyes as I wore my grandmother hat that morning. The nerve of that young man to make his son fear that his daddy was leaving him behind! "How could he be so insensitive?" "What's wrong with society today? " On and on my thoughts raced until in one split second the dad finally stopped and turned around to wait for his son. Oh what a moment in time that was. The little boy ran to his daddy as his daddy opened his arms to receive him. All crying stopped, all fear was gone!

Isn't that just like us. Jesus keeps walking and leading us as we fall more and more behind wondering if we will ever catch up to Him. We cry and stomp our feet and scream, "Wait for me Lord!" All the while the Lord is keeping a steady pace, leading us in the direction of that straight and narrow way that leads to life that is abundant in Him. Then, in a second when we feel like we cannot take another step, He turns and receives us into His arms and we are safe and protected from all fear. Proverbs 3:5 tells us to "trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." (NIV)

I had no idea what was in the mind of that young man. I did not understand the lesson that he was teaching his son. Likewise, when we are stomping our feet and having our tantrums, our Heavenly Father is planning for us a lesson, a way out of our calamity. We need to learn to trust Him and follow Him wherever He leads us and forever how long he desires us to wait. 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "He guides me in the path of righteousness for His name's sake." (Psalm 23:3) NIV

Next time you find yourself running to catch up, don't fret. The Lord will turn to receive you in due time.

Joanne

Small Group Dynamics: Contest Time: Get the Word Out

2010-08-16T20:21:00.000-07:00

Small Group Dynamics: Contest Time: Get the Word Out

2010-08-16T13:00:00.000-07:00