Group Ministry

May 11, 2021

When It’s Time to Leave a Ministry

By Jared Musgrove

Knowing the right time to step away from a ministry—whether volunteer or vocational—requires wisdom. It’s typically not “if-then-this” but “if-then-else”.

Whether leading a small group, volunteering in a ministry, or pastoring a church, God’s people should consult the Lord, His Scriptures, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and godly counsel from believers who love God and want His best for you.

Some questions to consider in community with God and one another if you are thinking of stepping away from a ministry:

Have you completed the work that God gave you to do in that place for that time? (John 4:34; Acts 20:24, 2 Timothy 4:7)

What gives you the biggest thrill right now—to minister to people or to be ministered to? To be associated with “winners” or to serve even if it goes unseen? To rack up “wins” for recognition or to count recognition as loss for Christ’s calling on your life in this ministry? (Mark 10:45)

Are you running from something or to something? (1 Corinthians 16:9, 2 Corinthians 2:12-13, Revelation 3:8) Has the Holy Spirit closed one door and opened another for effective ministry? (Acts 16:6-10). Would your current church leadership consider this a leaving or a sending?

Are you persecuted or rejected for your gospel preaching, teaching, and ministry? Or is there mounting adversity or conflict that is not resolved after exhausted efforts? (Acts 15:36-40, Romans 12:18) It may be that you move from your present ministry to another (Matthew 10:14, Luke 10:10-11, Acts 8:1).

Is the opposition you feel as strong and widespread as it is loud?

Are you relying on your own power to keep you leading and coming up with ideas, or God’s Holy Spirit? Do you blame others when things don’t go as you’d hoped? What is the overall effect of your leadership on God’s people in your care?

Are you retaining a following or are you constantly trying to invent new systems to keep or get volunteers, leaders, etc?

Have you reached the limit of your ministry effectiveness here? Are you willing or not to seek growth, gain new skills, repent, or improve your effectiveness? Do you have the energy or resources to do so here?

Are you growing spiritually? Are God’s people in your care growing with you? Have you been wholeheartedly devoted to Christ, prayerful, diligent, humble, dignified, godly, and yet your leadership is not being followed? Consider if you are casting pearls to swine; there may not be a response to your spiritual life and ministry (Matthew 7:6).

What effect is this ministry having on your family? Is your family being adequately cared for? Are your spouse and children growing spiritually? (1 Corinthians 9:4-14, 1 Timothy 5:8, 19).

Have you fasted, prayed, and sought a word from the Holy Spirit about this? Have you shared and sought counsel with your community, pastor, friends, or mentors? (Acts 13:1-4; Proverbs 11:14, 15:22, 20:18, 24:5-6, 27:9)

Has God given you a vision for a new harvest field? (John 4:35-38)

Are you using your spiritual gifts where you are serving? Is your heart after God and talents aligning in this role?

Is this decision being made in isolation? Is it being made when you are awake, calm, well-rested, walking in obedience to God’s Word, and with sobriety?

Is there something in this role that you don’t want to do or some place you do not want to go in ministry? Are you open to laying down these preferences in order to obey God? Remember Jonah’s call to Nineveh.

Dr. Jared Musgrove is Pastor for Leader Development and Groups at The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX.

Group Leadership

May 4, 2021

Three Conversations to Activate Spiritual Gifts In Your Small Group

By Group Ministry

By Reid Smith

We tend to think about spiritual gifts on an individual level, but it can’t stop there! Small groups offer the best environments for discovering how the Lord has graced each member and they’re ideal outlets for believers to exercise their God-given gifts together. The biblical community that grows in small groups inspires Christ-followers to be faithful and bold in using what the Lord has deposited in them to advance His Kingdom.

A spiritual gift is a special enablement that God gives to each believer, according to His grace, to build up the Body of Christ (Rom 12:6–8). Spiritual gifts enable us to do things with greater spiritual effectiveness because we’re not operating by our strength alone. The Lord has called us and empowered us by the Holy Spirit to share our gifts by serving others.

God’s power flows to and through a group in life-changing ways when spiritual gifts are being used in concert together. As a small group leader, you want to be sensitive to the supernatural composition of your group so as you think about how to grow and serve together, begin by asking who is in your small group rather than what you should be doing. You can facilitate three conversations to help in this discovery process.

Conversation #1: Introducing and Identifying Spiritual Gifts

Introduce spiritual gifts to your group and highlight how every believer has them. Refer to 1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12:1-8; Ephesians 4:7-16; 1 Peter 4:10-11.
Have everyone complete an assessment and bring their results back to share with the group. Here’s a couple of examples: https://www.freeshapetest.com/ or https://gifts.churchgrowth.org/spiritual-gifts-survey/
Invite your small group to affirm how they see the spiritual gifts evident in each person who shares.
Draw a circle and segment it according to the number of your church’s purposes (or core values). Brainstorm where each of your regular group practices fit under the purposes represented.
Talk about how the spiritual gifts represented in the lives of your group members relate to your…

Church’s purposes
Group’s practices
Group fulfilling your church’s mission

Spiritual gifts help believers discover their unique capacity to serve God and effectively advance His purposes in the world. They also help small group leaders empower each group member to carry responsibilities for the group and turn its energy and focus outward, keeping it healthy.

Conversation #2: Building Well-rounded Group Life Together

These questions can be used for a conversation on how to leverage spiritual gifts to build community within your small group and strengthen its impact:

How can each group member use their God-given gifts to strengthen and enrich the group (1 Cor 12:7)?
Which practices are frequent and active in our small group (Bible study, sharing meals, prayer, etc.)?
Which practices are infrequent or inactive that we need to somehow incorporate in our small group life (e.g. sharing the gospel in word and deed, etc.)?
What is needed to continue developing the frequent group practices and to elevate the infrequent or dormant ones?
How can each one invest their spiritual gifts in our larger church family and further what the Lord is already doing?

The goal is to empower each group member to connect their gifts to a group practice that will express your church’s purposes. Consequently, biblical community will grow and your group members will be empowered to live out your church’s mission together.

Conversation #3: Connecting Spiritual Gifts to Group Practices

One way you can empower your group members is to ask each one to champion an area of your small group life that’s in keeping with their gifts, you can approach this by…

Creating a list with two columns: One for what’s needed to continue developing the frequent group practices and the other for what is needed to develop the infrequent or dormant group practices.
Brainstorming with your group what an easy (baby) step could look like for one season or semester of your small group’s life together.
Asking group members to pick 1-2 group practices they can picture themselves developing and to give the group a snapshot of what that looks like. Which opportunities tug at their hearts the strongest?
Observing what people naturally gravitate toward and asking questions to explore their interest levels. Help people see connections between development opportunities and the deployment of their spiritual gifts in your group or your larger church family.
Inviting group members to take responsibility to develop or strengthen a group practice for a season/semester of your small group life or deploy their spiritual gifts in a ministry of your church.

As individuals are faithful to use their God-given spiritual gifts to build up others, they can be entrusted with greater responsibility in stewarding an area of your small group life. This will empower them in ministry, lift the load of responsibility you’re carrying, multiply leadership development, and grow biblical community, which is transformational for everyone!

Reid Smith has been equipping leaders in churches of all sizes and stages of growth for effective disciple-making since 1996. He lives in Wellington, Florida where he serves as a Groups Pastor at Christ Fellowship. You can find more of his helpful resources at www.reidsmith.org.

Group Leadership

April 27, 2021

Small Groups are Spiritual Warfare

By Group Ministry

by Jared Musgrove and Travis Cunningham

“Spiritual warfare has increased ever since we decided to step into leading a group.”

We just heard this from four more newly launched group leaders. And it’s not the first time.

Why are we constantly surprised?

Group leaders are often the most frontline ministry leaders in the local church. Of course the enemy of God targets those leading His children into a space for community with Him and one another.

Listen, there’s nothing the enemy hates more than Christians joining together in unity. If he sees you getting along, developing friendship, experiencing healing, or even suspects that you might have a shot at this… he’s on the move.

We won’t get knocked back in our group ministry when we realize, recognize, and expect the reality of spiritual warfare. We should pray up and prepare our leaders for it.

We’ve come to realize that a large part of discernment is being aware of where the enemy is countering with resistance. Where are the places where it’s just not working? It just feels… off? Out of sync? Reminiscent of Babel?

Here’s the unexpected encouragement: the enemy doesn’t attack what doesn’t concern him. If you feel attacked as a group leader or groups point person in your church, lean into the resistance. There’s a reason for it. Maybe the enemy sees potential that even you don’t. Refuse to give the good ground and ask for discernment to see his schemes against the good God has for your group.

Instead, go on the offensive. Here are a few simple ways to keep your group from being pelted or pecked to death by the enemy of God.

Prayer Before

A simple, yet profound way to prepare for the warfare and the work in group is to pray over the seats in living rooms or classrooms. Many times a prayer team or volunteers will do this before a service meeting on a church campus. We should do the same before our group meets.

Your group members are likely people of habit who sit in the same general spot each time. Use this for the work and warfare. Pray for the individual who sits in each seat by name. Ask for the Lord to give you Scripture to pray for them, pray what you know, what they’ve shared, ask for God to meet them tonight in group.

Prayer Over One Another

The enemy hates friendship or even just healthy relationships between Christians. No wonder these are so hard. The enemy’s assault on them is constant.

So too should be our prayers over and for one another. Spend the first part of group time acknowledging the truth of the warfare in your group. Pray over and for one another. We’ve found the best method for this is to pray the One Another commands of Scripture when you meet. As you are apart, keep praying for one another and what the Lord is doing in your group.

Prayer Afterward

Small group is spiritual work and warfare. Pray to close the group and include a blessing over the house where it’s held. Ask that the Lord would guard and guide the souls in the groups and the homes represented. Such cleansing prayers are simple but essential to being sober-minded and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8).

In closing, when it comes it comes to demons and darkness and the spiritual realm, we face two common dangers in regard to our small groups:

On one side, we can attribute every problem to demons and darkness. Physical ailments, illness, injuries, depression, divorces, whatever else. It’s all demons and it’s all spiritual. And that’s not true. Sometimes a cough is a cough. And sometimes a talkative small group member is just a talkative small group member.

On the other end, we can attribute nothing to demons and darkness. There is no spiritual realm, there are no demons, there are no operators of Satan in our world out to oppress and possess people. Again, this is not true. We will face the enemy’s head-on resistance in our efforts to lead people into community with God and one another.

Prepare as leaders and prepare your leaders for this reality through prayer.

—

Dr. Jared Musgrove is the Pastor for Leader Development and Groups at The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX.

Travis Cunningham is the Lead Pastor for Preaching and Vision at StoryChurch in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

Group Leadership

April 8, 2021

9 Steps to Being a Great Group Member

By Group Ministry

By Cheri Liefeld

As ministry leaders, we spend time training our group leaders and helping them succeed. But 90% of the group is made up of group members who are not leaders. Our small groups will only be as great as the people attending and their involvement. Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a great group member? Here are nine steps to being a great group member.

Communicate. Basic communication with your leader and your group. Respond when they reach out. Engage in group texts. Let them know you will be there, and if you have to miss, please let them know. They would rather have a heads up instead of a “no-show.”
Show Up. In my experience, only 1/3 of people who sign up for small groups make it to the first meeting. The others are missing out. Be the one that overcomes first-night jitters and joins. Then keep showing up. It is hard to fully experience the small group and build the relationships you desire if you attend sporadically. Fight the urge to stay home when you feel tired. Once you get there, you’ll be glad you did. Showing up is a simple key to success both in your group and your life.
Listen. Show your group you value them and want to get to know them by being present and actively listening. Yes, people overshare, but haven’t we all at some point? Fight the urge to look at your phone or drift off. Remember how you feel when someone is present and engaged as you talk. Listening is one way to honor your group. This creates a safe space for people to wrestle and grow in their faith.
Join the Conversation. We want to hear from you. This can be challenging for those who are shy or don’t have a friend in the group. Be courageous and share your thoughts. You have something important to contribute to the group. Nod your head, especially on Zoom groups, to show you are engaged and listening. Be willing to be vulnerable. When we can be ourselves, honestly share our struggles, and celebrate our wins, we grow closer to each other.
Do the work and be prepared. We all experience busy weeks, and there will be times we don’t complete the homework. Let that be the exception, but still show up. Honor your group by being prepared, ready to engage and contribute to the discussion. It can be discouraging for a leader to ask a question and be met with silence because no one read the book or watched the video. It’s like hosting a potluck, but only one guest brings a dish. Dinner isn’t quite the same. You get out of the group as much as you are willing to contribute.
Encourage others. We live in a challenging season; everyone could use a bit of encouragement. Affirm other’s contributions. Ask how they are doing. Follow up on a prior prayer request. Little acts of kindness tell others you value them, and that is how great friendships begin. Text someone in your group each week. Write a note of encouragement. Send someone money through Venmo for coffee. These gestures are contagious and will spur others on to do the same (Heb 10:24-25). You won’t regret it.
Serve Your Group. Offer to bring a meal when someone is sick. Reach out if someone is absent to see if they are ok. Invite someone to coffee to hear their story. The Bible says to outdo ourselves in honoring and loving others (Rom 12:9-10) and to serve others, faithfully using our God-given gifts (1 Pet 4:10).
Take Initiative. Offer to bring snacks or plan a social event for the group. Be courageous and pray at the end of the group. Ask how you can support your group leader. Offer to lead when they want to take a week off. This type of support is meaningful to your leader. When we take next steps, relationships start to grow.
Pray. Take time each week to pray for your group and your leaders. Pray over their requests and for their families. Ask God to bless your group and create community among you. One of my leaders said of their group members, “I love how they pray for each other and support each other on their own. It is so beautiful to see how they have a supportive community within the group.”

Which of these resonates most with you? Which would be an area of growth for you? Try one of these steps this week and see how it impacts your group.

Cheri Liefeld is the Director of Small Groups at Eastside Community Church in Anaheim, California. She was previously Director of Women’s Ministry at Mariners Church. She is a writer and loves to gather people around the table. You can read more at adventuresinthekitchen.com.

Group Leadership

April 1, 2021

Meet Levi Lusko: Author of Through the Eyes of a Lion

By Group Ministry

It’s here!

Through the Eyes of a Lion releases today from an author new to Lifeway Adults. This study takes us through a personal story author Levi Lusko and his family experienced and shows how we can find incredible power despite impossible pain.

But, who is Levi Lusko? This pastor, father, and leader serves in many capacities where he’s located in the northwest.

Levi answered some “get-to-know-you” questions exclusively for Lifeway Adults at the outset of this new release:

When did you first feel called into ministry or know that you wanted to be a pastor?

When I was two years old. I either wanted to be a pastor or a baker (mostly so I could eat cookies and white sugar). I didn’t pursue baking nor do I know how to bake. I always knew I was called to be a pastor since a young age.

What’s your favorite thing about your wife?

Her laugh, making her laugh, and being around her when she laughs.

What’s the most underrated Montana restaurant?

In my family, it’s Taco Del Sole.

Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?

Do ice baths count? If not, what about saunas? If not, I like reading.

What’s your favorite spiritual discipline or habit?

Spiritual discipline: silence. Habit: tithing.

What’s the best part of being a pastor for you?

Being there for people in the most difficult moments in their lives, and in the most happy times—weddings, funerals, and everything in between.

What’s one sentence of encouragement you would give to other pastors doing ministry in 2021?

Our ministry is the most important when it’s the most difficult. It’s difficult right now because it’s complicated, so don’t quit just because it’s hard. It’s the most necessary it’s ever been.

Find out more about Levi Lusko and his new Bible study at lifeway.com/lion.

About the study:

It’s hard to understand in the moment, but sorrow can give you perspective, purpose, and a platform. It’s called a “roar story.” And you can use it to inspire others to see the bright future beyond their darkest days. Whether you’ve suffered in the past, are in a trial now, or want to prepare for the inevitable challenges to come, this Bible study can provide help, hope, and healing, all for the glory of God.

About Levi:

Levi Lusko is the founder and lead pastor of Fresh Life Church, located in Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Utah. He is the bestselling author of Through the Eyes of a Lion, Swipe Right, and I Declare War. Levi also travels the world speaking about Jesus. He and his wife, Jennie, have one son, Lennox, and four daughters: Alivia, Daisy, Clover, and Lenya, who is in heaven.

Group Leadership

March 30, 2021

Navigating the Gray Areas with Scripture

By Group Ministry

By Jared Musgrove

More often than not you are presented with gray situations in ministry leadership: these aren’t black and white, but somewhere in between. They aren’t clear, but seem murky. Such situations in your own leadership and the lives of God’s people whom you shepherd require hokma (wisdom) to navigate.

Here is a short consideration of ten wisdom considerations from Scripture that can help you personally and pastorally traverse an ever-changing world with God’s unchanging principles.

Would involvement in this activity be prohibited by one or more of the Ten Commandments or violate the law of love?

Exodus 20:1-17

Deuteronomy 5:1-21

Matthew 22:34-40

Romans 13:8-10

Can I do this thing to the glory and honor of God?

1 Corinthians 10:31

Can I ask God’s blessing on this activity or endeavor?

Proverbs 10:22

Would this thing be a hindering weight?

Hebrews 12:1

Is it of the world, the flesh, or the enemy?

1 John 2:15-17

Ephesians 4:27

Does it honor the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Has it the appearance of evil?

1 Thessalonians 5:22

Will it be a stumbling block to others?

Romans 14:13, 21

1 Corinthians 8:9-13

Can I do this in faith, without doubt?

Romans 14:22-23

Would I want to be doing this when the Lord returns?

1 John 2:28

Dr. Jared Musgrove is Pastor for Leader Development and Groups at The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX.

Group Leadership

March 26, 2021

How Jesus “Turns Off the Dark”

By Group Ministry

One thing all people have in common is a desire to be happy. God wired human beings with a desire for joy and fulfillment. Have you ever met someone who hasn’t pursued happiness? Me neither. But it doesn’t take long to realize this world is filled with pitfalls that can derail happiness. Evidence of darkness is everywhere we look, and we even see it in our own lives. Maybe it’s in the form of loneliness, fear, depression, or guilt. Deep down, we know things aren’t the way they are supposed to be, but we don’t know how to fix it. Thankfully, in His mercy, God sent light into the darkness.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it. John 1:1-5

The opening verses in John’s Gospel are known as the prologue, and this passage is one of the most informative accounts of Jesus’ coming. Right away, the apostle John reveals that Jesus is more than a teacher or a prophet— Jesus is God (John 1:1,14), and He is the source of all light.

In Scripture, the words “light” and “life” are often referred to as the opposite of “death” and “darkness.” Metaphorically, death and darkness refer to sin and its effects on the world. Jesus came to shine light in the darkness—to turn off the dark. Since Jesus is all-powerful, He could’ve done this in any manner of His choosing. Certainly, Jesus could’ve shined His light from a distance, and it would’ve been powerful enough to reach us, but that’s not what He did. He made the choice to come to us.

The Light of Immanuel

See, the virgin will become pregnant

and give birth to a son,

and they will name him Immanuel,

which is translated “God is with us.”

Matthew 1:23

Did you catch that? Immanuel means “God with us.” Jesus entered into this dark world because He wanted to be with us. He isn’t distant or aloof. Jesus willingly took on flesh. In doing so, Jesus entered into our pain and suffering with the intention of being present with us and shining a light in the dark cracks and crevices of our lives.

Because Jesus came to earth and took on the form of a man, He can sympathize with our sins, sufferings, and weaknesses (Heb. 4:14-15). Jesus understands the hardships of being a human being, and He has compassion for us. Jesus not only understands our plight—He makes Himself entirely approachable and available to help. Consider this invitation from the Book of Hebrews.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

The Light that Destroys Death

It’s one thing to believe that Jesus can shine light into darkness and eradicate things like loneliness, fear, despair, and guilt. But what about when we are grieving the death of a loved one? Or what if we fear death ourselves? Paul addressed this topic in a letter to Timothy, his younger understudy. Paul wrote:

Jesus Christ […] has abolished death and brought life

and immortality to light through the gospel.

2 Timothy 1:10

Jesus came to turn off the darkness of death by turning on the light. Hebrews 2:15 says Jesus came to “release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” The incarnation came before the resurrection—so we could live with hope and die without fear. Paul wrote:

O Death, where is your sting?

O Hades, where is your victory?

1 Corinthians 15:55

Ask yourself:

How does the hope we have in Jesus diminish the sting of death?
How does the ability to grieve with hope make Christianity distinct?
How does Jesus, through His death and resurrection, turn on the light?
How can this impact how you encourage those in your group?

_____

This content has been excerpted and partially adapted from Personal Study 1 of Session 1: Turn off the Dark from Levi Lusko’s Through the Eyes of a Lion Bible study. Find out more about the study here.

Group Leadership

March 16, 2021

Building Relational Ministry Teams

By Group Ministry

By Reid Smith

How much thought do you give to the relational dynamic of your ministry teams? It is worth taking the time to help your church’s ministry teams function more like small groups because healthy ministry flows from healthy relationships. By adding some intentionality to building community among people who serve together, leaders will see powerful outcomes they want everyone on the team to experience. Members of relational ministry teams…

Are naturally motivated to invite others to serve alongside them
Feel a deeper sense of belonging and purpose
Are more inclined to remain committed to serving
Ooze more joy while serving, resulting in greater impact together

So how can a team experience more of the life-giving dynamic we see in Acts 2:42-47 and have an even greater ministry impact?

Appoint somebody on the team to compile everyone’s contact info and then distribute to the members on that team. Consider setting up a group on WhatsApp, GroupMe, or Facebook so people can stay in touch between times of serving together.
Pray together for one another before your ministry task. Prayer knits people together and makes the combined effect of their service even greater. Again, you can appoint somebody on the team to help champion this.
Periodically host a social gathering (e.g. 3-4x/year). Prioritize having fun together because that goes a long way when times of need or hardship arise. Find ways to spontaneously express appreciation.
Find out birthdays and anniversaries (in marriage and ministry) and celebrate them with your team by gifting that person/people one of their favorite treats. Your communications person (see first point) or someone else on your team can help look after this.
Stand together, facing outward. Help one another think and operate evangelistically. This can happen by praying for the lost each week, welcoming others on the team, engaging in a local service opportunity together a couple times a year, etc.

Team members who experience community while serving together are more likely to catch the vision of small groups in your church and be champions of serving within them. Taking the steps above will help your teams function more like small groups so that everyone can experience the joy that comes with fulfilling the church’s mission together!

Group Leadership

March 11, 2021

Leading My Group Through Seasons of Grief

By Group Ministry

By Tyler Quillet

Grief is inevitable. Throughout life, we lose loved ones. It is a part of life that either pushes us closer to Christ, or drives us away from Him. Certainly, you will face grief as a group, if you haven’t already. This may be the loss of a group member, which you all grieve together, or maybe it is an individual or couple in the group who loses a loved one, and you walk that journey of grief alongside them. No matter the loss, it is great, and people in your group will be desperate for reminders of the hope that only Jesus can provide.

I don’t know about you, but when I am overwhelmed, stressed, or grieved I tend to have blinders on. I easily get uber-focused on the task or circumstances at hand, and have a hard time seeing anything outside of that. It’s a laser-focus, but not in a good way. And, when this happens, I don’t think things through, I don’t have clarity, and most importantly, I often don’t seek Jesus. I’m too sidetracked by what has me overwhelmed at that moment. Grief does this to many of us. There are constant thoughts of the person that we lost, the what-ifs of our own future, the empty hole that has been left in our lives, and so much more. Those thoughts tend to dominate our minds and keep our focus off of Christ.

As Christians, we desperately need one another to point to Jesus. Especially in times when we struggle to turn our own hearts to Him, it’s vitally important that we remind each other of who Jesus is. What an incredible opportunity we have to point those who are grieving to Jesus. This doesn’t have to be in a large group setting where the griever may feel “ganged up on.” Those who are grieving should be allowed to be there—grief is healthy and ok. Allow your people to grieve, but help them to trust in Jesus while they grieve. I believe doing both is not only possible, but also what God desires from our hearts. Grief is unhealthy without hope in Jesus, but it’s an amazing step of faith when we can say, “God, my heart is shattered, and yet, I trust in you.” So how do we help each other get to that place? What kind of reminders can we give those who are grieving so that they can take steps of trust as they grieve? Here are a few ideas:

Write a note to the grieving person. This is not to help them move beyond their grief, but to remind them of who God is as they grieve. Use simple words like, “I’m praying that God would overwhelm your heart with His peace as you trust Him in this time.” Remind them of His goodness by sharing scriptures like Psalm 34:18, Lamentations 3:21-23, Zephaniah 3:17, Isaiah 41:10, or Psalm 34:4-8, 17-18.
Send a simple text with one of the Scriptures above. Or, simply text, “Praying for you right now.” If you do this, actually spend time praying for them in that moment. Reminding them of God’s Word may prompt them to dig into that Scripture on their own.
Call them and simply ask if you can pray with them. Praying with someone is an incredible reminder of God’s faithful presence with them. Pray that their trust in Him would deepen, that He’d remind them of His goodness and faithfulness to them, and that they’d grow in their love for Him.
If/when this person is back in group, allow them opportunities to share their grieving heart. Don’t force them to share, but allow them to do so if they desire. Don’t use this time to try and “fix” anything about their grief, but speak truth and remind them of God’s goodness in response.
Be sure as a group that this person has relational outlets. They may be incredibly lonely, but not able to reach out to someone. Without forcing your presence on them, invite them to dinner, ask if you can bring over a meal, go on a walk, or invite them back to group if they haven’t returned yet. Use these moments with them to listen to their heart and respond with grace and truth.

Many who are grieving think, “Why me?”, “Where is God?”, “How could a good God allow this to happen?”, “What have I done to deserve this?” and more. Use every opportunity you have to speak the truth of God’s love for them, His faithfulness to them, His presence with them, His grieved heart over death, and most importantly, the hope that only Jesus Christ provides. As we continually point the grieving heart to Jesus, those blinders I spoke of earlier begin to come off. And, in the midst of grief, your group members will be able to remind themselves of God because you helped them to keep their eyes focused on Him on this journey.

While God will do the heart work in those who are broken and hurting, He is calling us to come alongside and point them to Him. Remind them of Him. Reassure them of Him. It’s all about Him, and while they may know this truth, they’re likely in a season of needing that reminder. I’m thankful that they have you to walk this journey alongside them.

Tyler Quillet is the team leader for the Custom Church Resources and Smallgroup.com team at Lifeway Christian Resources. He lives in the Nashville, Tenn. area with his incredible wife, Cathie, and two boys, Cylas and Bowen. Tyler is the author of Yet: Embracing God’s Faithfulness in the Midst of Grief. He also speaks, writes, and coaches alongside Cathie as they pour into and care for those battling infertility through Cathie’s, The Quillet Institute. Tyler previously spent 15 years as a pastor and is passionate about serving churches and pouring into church leaders in a variety of ways.

Group Leadership

March 2, 2021

Eight Keys for Building a Community Culture

By Group Ministry

By Reid Smith

Culture is something you feel. Every group of people and organization has a distinct culture. It’s the water in which you swim when you’re hanging out in an environment or with a group of people. It’s what you experience through all your senses when you are gathered with others who are a part of it.

For example, you are experiencing more than just coffee when you sit inside a Starbucks. There is a culture that has been intentionally and artistically created to entice customers to return and build brand loyalty. Although our motivations differ, church leadership want people to return and consistently engage in their community life for infinitely more important reasons.

Pastors love it when people say their church feels like family. It’s always a win when folks say they feel like they belong and enjoy connecting with others each week. However, most leaders are not conscious about all the factors that make it that way. The DNA of culture must be deliberately molded, and just like a potter with clay, it is best to do this at the very beginning of a new work.

Regardless of where you would consider yourself in building a community culture in your church, here are eight keys I’ve discovered along the way that will help in this process:

Discern God’s plan for building community in your church and reaching your surrounding community with the power of the Good News. It’s safe to assume the Lord is already at work building His Church where you minister and your primary job is to figure out how that’s happening. Invariably, this will be through a community of two or more people pursuing Christ together. So how is God already moving in your midst to reach the lost?
Decide together with your core leadership team how everyone will prioritize community and relationship-building. How will each one live it and lead it? The involvement of pastoral leadership in a church’s community life is the linchpin to the ongoing growth of biblical community. There is no substitute for what the most influential and visible people in the church model and advocate, particularly on the weekend.
Don’t allow groups to be viewed as simply another ministry program/department of the church or to be perceived as something that “good Christians” do. A programmatic paradigm can be lethal to organic community. It is not groups that we’re after ultimately…it’s what happens in them. Biblical community empowers believers and churches to function as the Body of Christ should (Rom 12:4-5; 1 Cor 12:21-27).
Dedicate resources to building community. Invest time, energy, and money into the leaders and resources that serve as the life-source of community in your church. By virtue of resourcing this area of your church, you will be enhancing all areas. There is no short-cut to healthy ministry, which flows out of healthy relationships.
Discover who is gifted in communications and beat the drum of community every chance you get. You want to show and tell people what you believe about the importance of biblical community to their spiritual growth and well being. Use all forms of communication: platform, print, digital, visual, and stories to convey what God is doing through the community-life of your church.
Design a community-life calendar and include no less than three church-wide opportunities per year for people to get plugged in. Present new ways for people to get connected in new types of groups. Feature existing groups and new group start ups in your weekend announcements, website, social media platforms, slides, etc.
Determine that every event you host or program you run will be used as an opportunity to help people take their next step toward greater engagement in your church’s community life. Churches tend to pour a lot of time and energy into planning events while the next steps for people to take is an afterthought. Flip this. When events are built around a clear next step, more people are inspired to actually do something and you’ll see measurable fruit from your organized activities.
Devote yourself to building a community culture. The journey will be filled with successes and set-backs, but stay with it! Study churches that do this well and read books by leaders you respect who are community-building champions. Attend groups conferences in-person or online and include other staff and key volunteers. In other words, be a learner and bring others along with you. Never settle.

This is all worth doing wholeheartedly because healthy spiritual relationships are essential to having a growing relationship with Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 John 1:7, 3:14, 4:20). Furthermore, when spiritually lost people come to a loving community, they tend to come to Christ (Acts 2:47; John 13:34; 1 John 4:12). Building a community culture is not optional for a church that wants to advance God’s mission in the world and these keys will help you and your team in the process.

When It’s Time to Leave a Ministry

Three Conversations to Activate Spiritual Gifts In Your Small Group

Navigating the Gray Areas with Scripture

How Jesus “Turns Off the Dark”

All Ministry Sites

Digital Resources

Lifeway Network