Creative Community

7 Signs Your Small Group is Healthy

2012-02-15T12:51:00.004-05:00

When was the last time you gave your small group a check-up? How do you know if your group is healthy? How do you know what aspects of your group need improvement? Here's a good evaluation tool you can use.

The following list was originally created by Rick Warren. I've taken his seven main points and modified/enhanced them a bit to be more applicable to my context. Here are Seven Marks of a Healthy Small Group:

1. Healthy small groups study the Bible. Acts 2:42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching …” The teaching of the apostles is what we call the New Testament today. Every week at Calvary, we provide small group questions that focus on the same passage that was preached on Sunday. The benefit of this is that it helps people focus on one Bible truth, instead of having them try to focus on 5-6 different ideas each week.

2. Healthy small groups share life together. The Book of Acts says the early believers were devoted to fellowship (Acts 2:42). Notice the Bible says they were devoted to the fellowship, not just to fellowship. In other words, fellowship is not just something the church does; we are the fellowship. Jesus calls us to be committed to one another, and it is through small groups that we learn the skills of relationship. Small groups are laboratories of love, where we learn to obey the command of Jesus to love your neighbor as you love yourself.

3. Healthy small groups remember Jesus together. The Bible says the early believers devoted themselves “to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). Communion is an important ceremony that reminds us of Christ's work on our behalf. Spending time to remember this together is a great way to grow together.

4. Healthy small groups pray together. The Bible says the early believers devoted themselves to prayer (Acts 2:42). In the intimacy and confidentiality of small groups, we can pray for each other as we share our hurts, reveal our feelings, confess our failures, disclose our doubts, admit our fears, acknowledge our weaknesses, and ask for help.

5. Healthy small groups are generous. The Bible says these small groups gave “to anyone who had need” (Acts 2:45 NIV). Small groups allow us to help each other with practical needs. Can I loan you a car? Can I provide you with some meals when you are sick? The early Church had decentralized ministries, people just took care of one another as they were able. The small group model enables this kind of care and generosity.

6. Healthy small groups worship together. The Bible says the New Testament small groups worshiped together, “praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people” (Acts 2:47). We need to worship God more than once a week, and small groups offer an opportunity to worship together. Worship is more than just singing songs. Worship can be a time of thanksgiving, or just recounting the blessings God has provided over the course of the previous week.

7. Healthy small groups witness together. As these small groups met together, “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). They were inviting others to join them. One of the proofs of a healthy small group is that it grows. True Christianity is contagious, the excitement of new life in Christ should spread outward from every small group and into the community.

How to Handle Conflict in Your Group

2012-02-13T08:44:00.002-05:00

Last week, I met with one of our LIFEgroup leaders who is doing a great job leading his group through the awkward stages of growth. Sometimes, growth causes discomfort and that can lead to conflict. This is a repost from last year that uses a story from the life of King David to address conflict resolution.

Conflict is always awkward. Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a conflict between two other people? These situations are always awkward, especially when everyone is friends, and deep relationships are at stake. Most small group leaders will face this dilemma at some point in their ministry. What will you do?

2 Samuel tells an interesting story from the life of David that provides us with three great principles to remember when you find yourself trying to help resolve conflict.

David and his followers are on the run from Jerusalem. His son, Absalom, has led a rebellion and seized control of the capitol city. As they leave, they are approached by a man named Ziba who brings them many gifts of food, drinks, and animals. David knew that Ziba was the servant of Mephibosheth (a crippled descendant of Saul to whom David had shown great kindness). David asked Ziba where Mephibosheth was, and Ziba answered that his master had stayed in Jerusalem to welcome Absalom.

After the rebellion was squelched, David returned to Jerusalem and began to deal with all those who had been loyal to Absalom. Mephibosheth came to greet him, claiming that he had wanted to go with David, but Ziba had not assisted him (he couldn’t leave on his own because he was lame). Mephibosheth claimed that Ziba had seized the opportunity to ovethrow his master and ingratiate himself with David.

Faced with two completely opposite stories, David makes a wise decision (the outcome of which ultimately demonstrates Mephibosheth’s loyalty).

Read the whole story in 2 Samuel 16 and 2 Samuel 19.

Out of this story come THREE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES to remember when you find yourself trying to negotiate conflict:

1. The first story you hear is almost never completely right.

I find this to be true so often. Someone will come to me with a story about another person, and when I talk to the other person, I hear a completely different tale. Usually, you need to talk to both parties several times, and ultimately bring them both together in order to get close to the truth. (I’m not saying the truth always lies in the middle, but it is often somewhere in-between) Proverbs says:

The one who states his case first seems right,
until the other comes and examines him.

2. Don’t be beholden to the one who comes “bearing gifts.”

Often those who NEED to convince you they are right will “sweeten the deal” by bearing gifts. These gifts may not be tangible, but may come in the form of flattery. Not too long ago, I was in a meeting with a person who has typically not been my biggest fan. However, in this context he realized that he could benefit from my support; and surprisingly, he began to extol my many virtues in ways I’ve never heard before. While it feels good to receive gifts (and we need to avoid being overly cynical), we should also be careful of having our judgment swayed because of gifts we’ve been given. Proverbs says:

A man who flatters his neighbor
spreads a net for his feet.

3. Beware of the one who quickly slanders others.

Ziba sought to gain David’s favor by tearing down Mephibosheth. In any conflict, it is very easy to be distracted by “ad hominem” attacks rather than dealing with the actual issues. It is easier to simply say bad things about another person and call their character into question, rather than try to determine the truth behind specific events that have happened.

A few years ago a group of people in our church became very irate with some of my co-workers. I spent hundreds of hours sitting down with many of them to try to resolve the conflict. In the end, though, it was fruitless because we could never consistently identify exactly what was causing the problem. Sadly, all I ever heard was attacks against the character of other people.

Someone who tries to win an argument by slandering, likely doesn’t truly have a case to make. Proverbs says:

He who conceals hatred has lying lips,
And he who spreads slander is a fool.

Hopefully, you’ll not often be in a situation like this. Hopefully, you’ll spend much of your life in the midst of healthy relationships and people who love one another. However, if you do find yourself caught between two friends…

Remember David, Ziba, and Mephibosheth.

5 Easy Steps to Grow More Mature Disciples

2012-02-10T14:27:00.003-05:00

As small group leaders, we need to regularly remind ourselves that more than anything else, we want to be growing disciples. We want to see people constantly being formed to look more like Jesus.

I picked up these five easy steps to discipleship from Eddie Moseley's blog. If nothing else, these are good reminders of the types of things we want to be thinking about as we lead our groups.

1. Identify: prayerfully identify five people God is leading you to disciple; (help become more like Christ tomorrow than they are today.) You know God is also working in their lives to prepare them, so why not ask Him who you are supposed to be walking with?

2. Enlist: Talk with each of the five individually and invite them to be part of your group. Clearly explain what is expected. When I asked men to join my group I also clearly explained that this was a weekly meeting for an hour, daily reading from the Bible and a manual and they would be asked to repeat this process with 5 people in the next six months. A couple of them were very hesitant to respond, which led me to allow them to not participate. The five I am meeting with (2 car salesmen, 1 police officer, 1 shoe salesman, 1 rock star) immediately said ‘Yes, count me in’ which told me they were feeling the need to be committed.

3. Meet: Spend the next Xnumber of weeks meeting, discussing, challenging, praying, learning, reading, growing, etc. We meet for a planned one hour a week, same time, day and location each week. However, we also allow God to continue the meeting or conversation as long and as often as He chooses.

4.Grow: Listen as your group shares what God is doing in their lives and share what He is doing in your life right now. Over the course of these weeks make notes of issues, prayer requests, challenges, fears…watch (and share) what God is doing in and through the stories. Point out the growth of each other as celebration of what God is doing. Did I mention “listen”? This is very important when helping people grow as a disciple. It is not allow about bestowing knowledge to them, but about hearing how God is growing them. Dallas Willard in The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship gives a wonderful definition of a disciple: “A disciple is a learner, a student, an apprentice—a practitioner, even if only a beginner. … Disciples of Jesus are people who do not just profess certain views as their own but apply their growing understanding of life in the Kingdom of the Heavens to every aspect of their life on earth.”

5. Challenge: Each week I challenge our group to ‘watch for God at work and join Him’ (Experiencing God) . Each week I also explain how they will be asked to lead 5 through this material in the next 6 months. We are not meeting/walking through this growth for ourselves, but as Luke 6 shows us, for those around us. Then is what it means to be a true disciple, when we use our energy, resources, life to make disciples.

Are your "church friends" a Clique or a Small Group?

2012-01-30T22:26:00.001-05:00

SOAPY Bible Study

2012-01-23T10:53:00.002-05:00

In the past, I've written about and talked about the SOAP method of Bible study. This is a simple Bible study method which can be utilized by an individual or a small group. All you need is a passage of Scripture and 15-30 minutes (a journal is helpful). Recently I came across an evolved form of this method. Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church uses the SOAPY method of Bible study. They've modified the SOAP method by adding a Y. Read more about it below:

SOAPY BIBLE STUDY:

This Bible study is an intentional focused effort of growing in the understanding of the scriptures. This form of study will assist in the transformation of our inner lives as we mature in understanding and in faith.

Set aside 15 minutes every day for the study. You might want to take more time after you have gotten started. Don’t overload yourself in the beginning. Keep a “soapy” journal because there will be the need to write everyday. As you develop your routine, share what you are learning with your Discipleship Group, Sunday school class, Circle, other groups in which you participate, or with friends in conversation.

S – SCRIPTURE: Read the scripture passage aloud so you can hear it. Second, write every word of the scripture in your journal. Both reading it aloud and writing it will help put the scripture in your mind and heart.

O – OBSERVATION: Ask yourself the question, “What is God teaching me in this scripture?” As you ask yourself the question, your mind will be full of thoughts. Write those thoughts down. You will know what is being communicated as you reflect upon what you have written.

A – APPLICATION: Ask yourself the question, “How does this scripture apply to my life?” As you reflect upon the question, look for promises to claim, attitudes to change, challenges to accept, sins to confess, commands to obey, actions to take, examples to follow, or skills to learn. Write in your journal how the scripture applies to you and to your life situations.

P – PRAYER: Write a prayer to God. Depending on what you have read and written the prayer might be one of praise and thanksgiving, a prayer asking God to help you apply the teaching to your life, or a prayer of confession. This is your prayer to God. The discipline of writing your prayer will lead to transformation.

Y – YIELDING: As you complete your “SOAPY” Bible study, ask yourself the question, “What of my life must I yield to God?” This is the question that leads to obedience. Everyday, through Bible study, you will have the opportunity to yield a little more of your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The prayer I use each day that leads to yielding is, “Lord, by your grace grant me the obedience to yield another part of my life to you today.”

The Art of Asking Questions

2012-01-12T15:18:00.003-05:00

In a small group setting, questions are far more than just a way to pass the time. They need to be more than a list of spiritual discussions we need to work our way through. Well-timed and well-asked questions have an enormous amount of untapped potential.

We've all heard the saying, "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach". While this may be true, I would also suggest that questions can be the entryway to a person's heart. When used appropriately, the right questions at the right time can be the catalyst for spiritual introspection and formation as well as community growth.

Asking questions is an art form. Every small group leader should constantly strive to become better at asking spiritually probing questions.

From the blog of Josh Robinson, here are three things to think about as you seek to become a "question artist".

1. What is the main thought of the biblical discussion? Preparing a goal for each lesson into one sentence will help drive the main thought in each person’s heart. If a leader does not know where they are going, it can easily become distracted and run off course. Keeping the nights focused on life application will keep it fresh and engaging. As a leader, the goal should not be simply answering the questions. If a leader knows where they are going they will create tension that helps people seek God for the answers in life. The goal of discipleship is that people grow in their relationship with Christ. The most important aspect of growing in Christ is to understand and apply His word.

2. Am I willing to embrace the awkward art of asking questions? What happens when we only share information? It is called info dumping! People disconnect and look to one or two people who are the experts. If a leader quickly gives answers the rest of the group will become disconnected from the discussion. We have all seen it, especially in student ministry. “Okay, what does Jesus mean when He says, blessed are the poor in spirit?” The air in the room is quickly depleted while most look at their shoe laces. The leader feels the awkward silence and quickly answers the question. What happens is the students realize that each time a question is asked, if they are patient, they will not have to engage in the discussion. Many times I will simply say, “I enjoy the awkwardness, let’s keep thinking about this question” and repeat the question in a fresh way. Embrace the awkward moments and do not let them off the hook or you will create a lecture based small group with people disconnected from God’s Word.

3. Are my questions leading to more questions? Healthy small groups discuss the Bible rather than listen to one person give a lecture. I’m guilty of being the main one talking when I lead a small group. Discussion gives people the chance to ask questions and voice their struggles, opinions and thoughts. People want to know what God’s words means and how to apply it to their own lives. Questions should always lead people back to scripture. If a question is based upon an agenda, it is not a Bible study, but an opinion study. Opinions are important, but God’s Word is the final source of truth. It is important to set aside one’s ideas, personal experience and opinions when studying and applying God’s Word.

8 Tips For Better Small Group Discussions

2011-11-04T14:24:00.001-04:00

I borrowed this list from discipleship journal, but these are some helpful hints for leading discussion:

1. Wait out the silence. After you ask a question, don't rush to rephrase or answer it. Allow group members time to think.

2. Watch faces. If you see the wheels turning, invite members to think aloud: "Mike, did you have a thought you'd like to share?"

3. Ask follow-up questions. This draws the speaker out and helps everyone think about the subject more thoroughly. You might ask,

- "What do you mean by that?"

- "In what way?"

- "Why do you think that is?"

4. Know when to contribute. You don't need to do what your group members have already done. If a member has offered a gentle, appropriate correction to a wrong answer, it's not necessary to add to it. If the group has covered a question well and your answer is the same, go to the next question. However, if you have a different answer to offer, do so respectfully. "I thought of it from a different angle" and, "We really see this differently, don't we?" are good ways to introduce your idea.

5. Consult the group. When a member asks you a question, let the group add its input first. Someone else may have an excellent response. You can summarize with your answer afterward if it would help.

6. Monitor tangents. Decide if a tangent fits the purpose of the group. Allow those that are beneficial, but refocus a discussion that's gone too far off subject or degenerated into meaningless chatter. Sometimes a knowing smile and a "Getting back to question seven..." are sufficient. If your group wants to address a tangential issue in more detail, consider scheduling a separate meeting to examine it.

(David's Note: Sometime it is okay to abandon the planned discussion in favor of something which comes up as a tangent. As the leader, it is your responsibility to guide the group, not push and pull it. If your sense is that the group is significantly engaged, and truly sharing, on the tangent; it might not be wise to ruin that moment)

7. Affirm member's input without condescending. Don't over-comment. Correct their responses gently when necessary.

8. Encourage quieter members. Some members are more reluctant to share than others. Consider gentle invitations: "Jan, we'd love to hear from you. Do you have any thoughts on the subject?"

10 Reminders Small Group Leaders Need

2011-10-31T11:30:00.003-04:00

I came across this list last week, it's a nice reminder of some of the things that should be important to every small group leader. You can read the entire blog post here. The author, Jon Stolpe, expands on each of these points with his own thoughts:

1. Small group leaders are important.
2. Small group leaders set the tone.
3. Small groups are not about small group leaders.
3A. Small groups aren’t just about the groups either.
4. Small group leaders aren’t supposed to live on an island.
5. Small group leaders must be invitational.
6. Small group leaders aren’t perfect.
7. Being a small group leader isn’t always easy.
8. Seek advice and wisdom from trusted advisers.
9. Lean into the small group leader community.
9A. Be patient. It may take time for your small group to grow.
10. Be passionate!

9 Ways Your Group Can Be Missional Right Now

2011-10-28T10:27:00.003-04:00

One of my desires is that every small group to which I am connected will develop a missional strand in their DNA. In other words, I want them to exist for a purpose greater than just meeting together. Groups can become missional in many ways, but often it requires taking a few baby steps to get going. Here are some thoughts I came across yesterday which can be good first steps for a group that wants to be more externally-focused:

1. Find a single mom or single dad with whom your group can develop an ongoing relationship.

2. Have your group trained to provide respite care for foster families and volunteer to babysit for a local foster family.

3. Plan a group project to raise money to care for orphans.

4. Your group can throw a shower for a family adopting or fostering an older child.

5. Consider donating medical supplies, an appliance, or other items to an orphanage or women’s shelter as Christmas gifts.

6. Build a long-term relationship between your small group and a widow.

7. Go Christmas caroling with your group to several widows’ homes and take a basket of holiday goodies.

8. Speak up together for the oppressed, including widows, orphans, and others.

9. Sponsor a child (or children) as a group.

This list comes from a blog post entitled, "9 Ideas for Small Group Ministry to Widows and Orphans." That title is, of course, ripped directly from James 1:27 which says:

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

You can read the entire post by Rick Morton by clicking here.

Relationships Are Like Legos

2011-10-26T15:10:00.001-04:00

I borrowed this article from Matt Lane. He has some good thoughts about making room for new relationships. Plus, I like legos!

You can read Matt's blog at: http://www.lanewaves.com/

Last Wednesday during our small group we had a discussion about Legos. Yes those Legos. We took a break from our normal sermon based discussion to talk about why we meet and what we hope to accomplish.

And here is the main point: deep spiritual relationships

Our hope of course is that there is fruit from that main point but that is why we meet.

Now to the lego part.

Larry Osbourne in Sticky Church says, “I think of people as being like Legos. We all have a limited numeber of connectors. Introverts have a few. Some extroverts have dozens. But either way, once they’re full, they’re full. And when that happens, we tend to be friendly but to not connect. It’s what happens when when you move to a new town and are exited by everyone’s friendliness, only to be discouraged three months later that you haven’t connected with anyone.” (pg 79).

So I told the group that by joining, they are saying they will make room on their Lego. If they are already relationally full they might be friendly to other members in the group but they won’t connect. (Osbourne, Sticky Church pg 117). And if someone doesn’t want any of the other members on their Lego, well that is saying something very specific.

By gathering every Wednesday night and doing life during the rest of the week, we are being very intentional. By pursuing deep spiritual relationships with others in the group, we are purposefully trying to move through the stages of Acquaintance->Friendship->Trust & Openness->Authenticity & Accountability (Osbourne, Sticky Church, pg 112). We are not the perfect small group and we have had to fight for some things but God has blessed us with tons of grace. And it’s been way worth it.

The Bible is very clear that as a Christian we are designed for deep community. Community that is sometimes messy and sometimes painful. Life experiance seems to say that by default many of us get by with several shallow friendships but few if any, deeply spiritual ones.

Here is my push. Say no to many people so you can say yes to a few. You may not like it at first. You might even fight it. But it’s worth it. They are worth it. You are worth it. And Jesus is more than worth it.

So who’s on your Lego?

How to Handle Conflict Within Your Group

2011-10-25T15:58:00.004-04:00

onflict is always awkward. Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a conflict between two other people? These situations are always awkward, especially when everyone is friends, and deep relationships are at stake. Most small group leaders will face this dilemma at some point in their ministry. What will you do?

2 Samuel tells an interesting story from the life of David that provides us with three great principles to remember when you find yourself trying to help resolve conflict.

David and his followers are on the run from Jerusalem. His son, Absalom, has led a rebellion and seized control of the capitol city. As they leave, they are approached by a man named Ziba who brings them many gifts of food, drinks, and animals. David knew that Ziba was the servant of Mephibosheth (a crippled descendant of Saul to whom David had shown great kindness). David asked Ziba where Mephibosheth was, and Ziba answered that his master had stayed in Jerusalem to welcome Absalom.

After the rebellion was squelched, David returned to Jerusalem and began to deal with all those who had been loyal to Absalom. Mephibosheth came to greet him, claiming that he had wanted to go with David, but Ziba had not assisted him (he couldn’t leave on his own because he was lame). Mephibosheth claimed that Ziba had seized the opportunity to ovethrow his master and ingratiate himself with David.

Faced with two completely opposite stories, David makes a wise decision (the outcome of which ultimately demonstrates Mephibosheth’s loyalty).

Read the whole story in 2 Samuel 16 and 2 Samuel 19.

Out of this story come THREE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES to remember when you find yourself trying to negotiate conflict:

1. The first story you hear is almost never completely right.

I find this to be true so often. Someone will come to me with a story about another person, and when I talk to the other person, I hear a completely different tale. Usually, you need to talk to both parties several times, and ultimately bring them both together in order to get close to the truth. (I’m not saying the truth always lies in the middle, but it is often somewhere in-between)

The one who states his case first seems right,

until the other comes and examines him.

2. Don’t be beholden to the one who comes “bearing gifts.”

Often those who NEED to convince you they are right will “sweeten the deal” by bearing gifts. These gifts may not be tangible, but may come in the form of flattery. Not too long ago, I was in a meeting with a person who has typically not been my biggest fan. However, in this context he realized that he could benefit from my support; and surprisingly, he began to extol my many virtues in ways I’ve never heard before. While it feels good to receive gifts (and we need to avoid being overly cynical), we should also be careful of having our judgment swayed because of gifts we’ve been given. Proverbs says:

A man who flatters his neighbor

spreads a net for his feet.

3. Beware of the one who quickly slanders others.

Ziba sought to gain David’s favor by tearing down Mephibosheth. In any conflict, it is very easy to be distracted by “ad hominem” attacks rather than dealing with the actual issues. It is easier to simply say bad things about another person and call their character into question, rather than try to determine the truth behind specific events that have happened.

A few years ago a group of people in our church became very irate with some of my co-workers. I spent hundreds of hours sitting down with many of them to try to resolve the conflict. In the end, though, it was fruitless because we could never consistently identify exactly what was causing the problem. Sadly, all I ever heard was attacks against the character of other people.

Someone who tries to win an argument by slandering, likely doesn’t truly have a case to make. Proverbs says:

He who conceals hatred has lying lips,

And he who spreads slander is a fool.

Hopefully, you’ll not often be in a situation like this. Hopefully, you’ll spend much of your life in the midst of healthy relationships and people who love one another. However, if you do find yourself caught between two friends…

Remember David, Ziba, and Mephibosheth.

11 Reasons Home Groups Fail

2011-10-19T15:16:00.001-04:00

An article by Dennis McCallum points out eleven reasons "home groups" fail. Read the whole article by clicking here. Read the main points below:

1. They are often not based on New Testament theory

2. The wrong criteria are sometimes followed for the selection of leaders

3. Frequently, insufficient authority is given to the leaders

4. The groups may have an unhealthy inward-focus

5. There is often no provision for church discipline within the small group

6. All groups may be the same, rather than diversified and matched to their members

7. There may be no adequate equipping offered to would-be leaders

8. The church may set no multiplication goals, and may have no good plan for multiplying home groups

9. Small groups are sometimes viewed as peripheral rather than central to the life of the church

10. They are sometimes viewed as a threat by the pastor(s) of the church.

11. Home groups are often introduced in a programmatic, not a natural way.

3 Things Every Small Group Needs

2011-10-18T08:56:00.002-04:00

Gene Getz wrote in his book, Sharpening the Focus of the Church:

Believers need...three vital experiences to grow into mature Christians. They need good Bible teaching that will give them theological and spiritual stability; they need deep and satisfying relationships both with each other and with Jesus Christ; and they need to experience seeing people come to Jesus Christ as a result of corporate and individual witness to the non-Christian world.

We sum up these "three vital experiences" with the words:

FORMATIVE

CARING

MISSIONAL

While you are re-launching your group this fall, it's a great time to talk to your group about these three foundational activities of a LIFEGroup. Discuss how you are presently accomplishing them, and what you might do this year to better accomplish these vital experiences.

10 Simple Ice Breakers for Small Groups

2011-10-17T09:49:00.001-04:00

While digging around in some old archives, I found this list. I didn't write it; but it's absolutely worth sharing. If your group is in need of some relational building, try this list of 10 Simple Icebreakers:

10. Share one food item that best describes the last year of your life. (example: "frozen pizza" because I did a 180-degree turn this year, or "cinnamon roll" because it had lots of twists and turns but overall was pretty sweet)

9. What one item in the kitchen best describes you and your personality?

8. What's your favorite concert you've ever attended?

7. What cartoon character best describes you?

6. If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be?

5. Complete the statement "I recommend..."(it can be a show, movie, book, restaurant, website, activity, etc.)

4. If you knew could you try anything and not fail (and money was no object), what dream would you attempt?

3. What super-power would you most like to have, and why?

2. If you had $5 million to spend in 5 days, but couldn't spend any of it on yourself or your family, what would you do with it?

1. "2 Truths And a Lie" - Share 3 unique things about yourself and your life, 2 of them true, 1 false, and let the group guess which one isn't true.

21 Bible Passages Every Small Group Leader Should Study

2011-10-14T13:38:00.002-04:00

The following passages are not necessarily THE MOST important passages a small group leader needs to know, but each of them are useful for developing a leader's understanding of his or her group dynamic. I would recommend taking time to read and contemplate each of these passages, asking yourself the following questions:

What does this passage teach me about the character and attributes of God?
How should the character and attributes of our group be formed by this passage?
Can I envision a specific instance in our group to which this passage might apply?

Matthew 5:23-24.
23"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Luke 10:1-11.
1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

5"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

8"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.'

John 13:34-35.
34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

John 15:10-17.
10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.

John 17:20-23.
20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Acts 2:42-47.
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 4:32-37.
32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.

Acts 6:1-7.
1In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

5This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

7So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Romans 12:3-13.
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his[a]faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Love
9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Romans 14:13-21.
13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. 14As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food[a] is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 15If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. 16Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

19Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.

1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 3:5-9.
0I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas[a]"; still another, "I follow Christ."

13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into[b] the name of Paul?

(3:5-9)
5What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27.
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by[a] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13.
1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Galatians 6:1-6.
1Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5for each one should carry his own load.

6Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.

Ephesians 4:1-13.
1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8This is why it[a] says:
"When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train
and gave gifts to men." 9(What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Philippians 2:1-11.
1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

1 Timothy 4:9-16.
9This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance 10(and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

11Command and teach these things. 12Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 13Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

15Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

James 1:19-25.
19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

James 2:8-13.
8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself,"[a] you are doing right. 9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11For he who said, "Do not commit adultery,"[b] also said, "Do not murder."[c] If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

James 5:13-20.
13Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

17Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 19My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

1 John 3:11-18.
11This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. 13Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Sometimes Simple is Best

2011-10-12T18:21:00.005-04:00

Most small group Bible studies consist of anywhere from 12-20 questions. I think the rationale often is that you need a lot of questions in order to fill the group time. However, for my group tonight, we'll just be focusing on four simple questions. We've been together long enough that I know we can have a pretty robust discussion no matter how many questions we ask. Therefore, I tried to identify four simple questions that will enable us to unpack the texts we are looking at, as well as take the time to let them seep into our hearts. Hopefully, we'll all come away with something.

Here's what our discussion guide looks like for tonight (it's postcard size)

I imagine our discussion will last about 45 minutes to 1 hour. If it's shorter, that's okay; we'll just use the time to pray.

7 Character Traits of a Spiritually Formative Small Group

2011-10-12T11:27:00.002-04:00

What makes a group discussion a spiritually-formative discussion?

I don't have a definitive list, but here are a couple thoughts I had that might be a starting point:

dedication to finding the best possible representation of God's truth
communal sensitivity to the moving of the Spirit
humility to avoid authoritative posturing and proclamations
acceptance of Scriptural authority...being mindful of appropriate interpretation
openness to new ideas and new paradigms
desire to be corrected and re-formed
ability to live with tension (mentally, socially, spiritually, etc.)

I think most small group leaders want their groups to be spiritually-formative. However, sometimes that is difficult to achieve because formation means CHANGE and change is DIFFICULT. However, if the culture of the group is designed for change, it can perhaps be easier. I think the above thoughts are an indicator that groups need to be really open to change in many ways if they are going to be formative.

A group culture that stifles personal change, will ultimately become a group that is little more than a social club. Of course there is nothing wrong with a social club, but don't deceive yourself that your social club is somehow the church gathered and is somehow contributing to your spiritual growth.

10 Questions To Help Develop Life-Sharing Relationships

2011-10-11T14:12:00.002-04:00

Getting to know one another requires conversations to go deeper than, "Nice weather, huh?"

We all want the people in our small groups to develop life-sharing relationships. We all want them to have the kinds of relationships that will permit them to open up and talk about the deep hurts and struggles in their lives. We want them to have the type of relationship that enables them to celebrate one another's victories.

So how do we build those kind of relationships? By listening to people as they talk to one another.

Here are a series of questions you can use to help the people in your group get to know each other a little bit better:

Who are your heroes? Why?

What do you think are your greatest strengths?

What unique skills do you have that you enjoy using?

Using only 1-2 sentences, explain your belief about God.

What is something you value more than most other things in life?

If you had a mission statement for the coming week, what would it be?

What television show or book interests you so much you can never stop watching/put it down?

If you could accomplish one dream in the coming year, what would it be?

What is something no one here knows about your life story?

What song best expresses the way you feel right now?

TiVo Church (or "How Small Groups Solve Everything")

2011-10-10T10:50:00.000-04:00

TiVo provides:

unlimited opportunity to
watch whatever i believe to be valuable
whenever i desire to watch it.

TiVo also provides a nice acrostic to describe what i perceive to be three critical factors that hinder volunteerism in the church.

T -- Time -- people are rarely willing to give up any of their time to add a new activity to their schedule

V -- Value -- most people have not bought into a vision/lifestyle that places a high value on church volunteerism. this is probably a greater reflection of our inability to sell a vision and build buzz than anything else.

O -- Opportunity -- many people who might be willing to volunteer are not sure where they can, or worse yet, there are so many options they are not sure which one too choose, so they don't do any.

What is the solution?

LIFEGroups. (am i serious? what? are LIFEGroups the solution to everything?)

You betcha.

LIFEGroups get people together. When people are sharing their lives, time ceases to be a big issue. We make time to be with our friends. If we choose to serve together, it is no longer an addition to our schedule, it is another element of our relationship.

If the church can do a good job of presenting and communicating the opportunities for service, the marriage of LIFEGroups and service can add value both to the church and to the time people are spending together.

How can the church do this?

1) Identify a few specific projects instead of many vague possibilities.

2) Clearly communicate 3-5 goals repeatedly to generate excitement.

3) Regularly encourage LIFEGroups toward missional expressions.

anyway, thats what i think

Getting Re-Acquainted With Your Group

2011-09-28T18:15:00.002-04:00

The first night of a group meeting is often a good time to "get re-acquainted." This is an exercise our group often does to simply promote discussion. Everyone gets a chance to talk, and no one is allowed to go twice until everyone has participated. Each person simply chooses a category and then adds to the list in that category. Once a category is full, no one else can use that one (this helps encourage people to participate early rather than waiting until the end!):

A 7 Step Process for Small Group Prayer Meetings

2011-09-21T11:50:00.003-04:00

Praying together in small groups is often one of the most awkward and difficult disciplines to develop. Here is a seven step process you can use to devote one of your group meetings to prayer. This will help the group to become more comfortable with the idea of prayer together, while also providing a good model for them to adopt in their personal prayer practice:

1. Focus – Relax, be calm, be still. Give everyone a moment to clear their mind of the day's clutter, and to simply be present in the moment. Perhaps choose an applicable verse or passage you can read during this time.

2. Thanksgiving – Have group members simply call out some of the things for which they are grateful. These might be big items or small items. They may be something that God has done for them or they may be thankful for an attribute of God. Close the time by leading the group in a short prayer of thanksgiving.

3. Requests – Take a couple minutes and have everyone speak to the people on each side of them. During this time, they should each share one request with the people on their sides. After a few minutes, have the group conclude their conversations and allow about 30 seconds for everyone to silently pray for their neighbors.

4. Reflection – Have 3-5 people share something that happened during their day that made them aware of God's presence. Encourage the others to also be thinking about their own experiences during this time. (if more than 3-5 desire to share, go ahead and take the time)

5. Confession and Forgiveness – Having spent time thinking about the previous day, many in the group have undoubtedly been reminded of parts of their day they would like to do differently. Take about a minute for silent prayer. Have the group members use the time to confess their sins to God and ask forgiveness. Encourage them to ask for strength so that today's mistakes won't repeat themselves tomorrow.

6. Renewal – Go around the room and have each person share one area of their life which God is currently renewing, or they might share one area of their life which they desire to see renewed by God.

7. Closure – Choose an appropriate Psalm and have the entire group read it together in unison. (it may be wise to print it on paper ahead of time so that everyone is reading from the same translation)

(this process has been very loosely adapted from what is sometimes called the practice of Examen)

10 "Must Do" Things for Every Small Group Leader

2011-09-20T15:21:00.002-04:00

This is a great list for every one who leads a small group of any size. Thinking about these 10 things every so often will help you keep your focus on what is really important in your group. I borrowed this list from the Bay Area Momma blog. You can read the entire post by clicking here.

1- Keep yourself pure. Right heart, attitude, motives, actions, speech and expectations! I tim. 5:22

2- Come Ready. Be there early, Be prayed up, read up (bible) and ready with a plan.

3- Pray Before You Say. Speak only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.

4- Don’t dominate or be dominated. Interact.

5- Love those in your group more than you expect from them. Invest into their lives by Loving them and knowing about them. Contact them outside of group setting. (FB- twitter, phone, email ect.) Seek them out!

6- Don’t tolerate negativity. In yourself or your group. Choose Joy! Smile!

7- Incorporate Jesus and The Word Of God into every mentoring moment! Small groups should inspire people to grow closer to God!

8- Have fun. laugh. play. inspire.

9- As a leader, at minimum do what you are asking your group to do. God is a REWARDER of those who diligently seek Him. Be ready to live out the words… follow me as I follow Christ.

10- You must be a Disciple before you make disciples. You can only be a great leader if you are first a great follower. Submit to your leadership willingly … Pure Heart issue.

What's On Your Group's "Kill List"?

2011-09-19T12:07:00.000-04:00

The goal of Small Groups is SPIRITUAL FORMATION of the members. If people in the group are not being formed by the Spirit into the image of the Son, then the group is not worth having. One of the Bible's great passages about spiritual formation is Colossians 3. It includes some vivid pictures of the necessary work if we are to become like Christ.

We must remember when we read these passages that the “you” is plural. Paul did not have the individual in mind first and foremost, he had the community in mind. Again, it is fair to say that God’s intent is for us to be formed in his image within a community where our individuality can truely become all it was meant to become.

Spiritual Formation from Colossians 3.

Put to death

Sexual immorality
Impurity
Lust
Evil Desires

Rid Yourselves

Anger
Rage
Malice
Slander
Filthy language

Clothe yourselves

Compassion
Kindness
Humility
Gentleness
Patience

A Small Group WorkSheet Based on These Lists

Small Groups: Helping to Synthesize John 13 and Acts 2

2011-09-14T14:17:00.003-04:00

Just before he died, Jesus gave a "new" command to his disciples, telling them to love one another with the same love he had loved them. (This is recorded in John 13)

Acts 2:42-47 gives us a vivid picture of how Jesus’ first followers lived this out. Four key words help us understand how Calvary is living out these relationships, particularly through LIFEgroups:

“devoted” (vs. 42) – Being part of the church is a crucially important element of a person’s life; LIFEgroups allow someone to be devoted to relationships rather than programs or meeting times.

“everyone” (vs. 43) – No one was sitting on the sidelines of the Acts 2 church. Because of their size, LIFEgroups provide an environment in which everyone can actively participate.

“together” (vs. 44) – Lone Rangers were not an option in Acts 2. Individualism was non-existent; LIFEgroups are formed on the idea that Christians should be living life together with other Christians, not alone.

“every day” (vs. 46) – Acts 2 believers were Christians seven days a week. There were no “Sunday-only” believers; LIFEgroups emphasize the importance of Christianity beyond the regular Sunday gatherings.

15 Ideas to Help You Share Your Life This Week

2011-09-13T14:43:00.001-04:00

1. Meet with someone to share a half an hour of prayer.

2. Read through a chapter or book of the Bible with someone.

3. Write a note of encouragement to everyone in your LIFEgroup.

4. Invite a family to your home for dinner and games.

5. Volunteer with a friend at a local ministry agency.

6. Give away an evening to help someone else with a home project.

7. Start or join a Facebook group centered around prayer for one another.

8. Have lunch today with a group no smaller than 10.

9. Make one encouraging phone call each night of the week.

10. Invite two or three others to join you for coffee and fellowship.

11. Visit a hospital just to bring encouragement to strangers.

12. Share with your LIFEgroup something you discovered in the Bible this week.

13. Bring a meal to your neighbors for no reason.

14. Find someone at church you don’t know and invite them for ice-cream Sunday night.

15. Adopt a highway mile with your LIFEgroup.