Group Leadership

February 18, 2021

Learning from the 70s Spiritual Awakening

Greg Laurie’s been there.

Laurie, pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California, experienced the spiritual awakening—the Jesus Revolution—of the early 1970s, and he has a message to share with churches and small groups today. In his just-released Bible Study, Jesus Revolution, Laurie explores powerful truths about revival.

Discover a Reason to Believe that God is Not Finished with Today’s Generation

We live in a time of spiritual apathy and sometimes outright hostility toward the gospel. Jesus Revolution draws important parallels between the early 1970s and today, offering insight and hope for a new generation of believers—and for the next great American revival. This Bible study is an inspiring reminder of the times and people that shaped the lives and faith of those who lived through the revival of the 1970s. Participants will discover a forgotten part of recent American history and, along with it, a reason to believe that God is not finished with today’s generation. (6 sessions)

Laurie highlights the role prayer plays in personal, local, and global revival. Read his thoughts, excerpted from the Jesus Revolution personal study section below:

On Earth as It Is in Heaven

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

(Matthew 6:10)

The second phrase of Jesus’ model prayer for His disciples summed up His earthly ministry. What better description is there of the Christian life? God’s kingdom is God’s rule in this world and the world to come. Jesus’ life inaugurated the kingdom of God on earth. Jesus’ miracles, teachings, and personal example were previews of God’s will being done on earth.

How did Matthew summarize the message Jesus “began to preach”?

What does repentance have to do with the kingdom and will of God?

Now, look at Jesus’ personal example near the end of His ministry, praying before His arrest and crucifixion.

What did Jesus repeatedly pray in Matthew 26:36–46?

Notice that Jesus expressed His natural human desire to our heavenly Father. Just because He wanted to do what honored God didn’t mean it was easy. Jesus knew He was heading to the cross to take on the sins of the world—including ours. Beyond the physical and emotional suffering that He was about to endure through betrayal, injustice, humiliation, torture, and death, Jesus was about to experience the reality of God’s righteous judgment on sin. But He trusted, obeyed, and desired God’s will above His own.

What is most consuming your thoughts and prayers lately?

Write a simple prayer, expressing your desire but also expressing your trust in God’s will, whatever that means.

What does it look like for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done? Most simply, it means that you desire for God’s holiness to be honored in this world and for Him to be loved, trusted, and obeyed by all people as their Father. This starts in your own life.

You have to believe that God and His will are truly more desirable than your own plans, wants, comforts, etc. A Jesus Revolution takes place when you want whatever God wants because He is that good. When you believe that God’s will is not only “right” but is truly “best,” your heart begins to look more like Jesus’.

Many people are skeptical of Christians. Yet many of those same people would say that they respect and admire Jesus. For these folks to see Jesus we need Christians with a revolutionary understanding of the Christian life. We need Christians committed to God’s agenda and His kingdom rather than their own. This is what Jesus lived, died, rose again, and is coming back for: God’s kingdom, not ours. This is what a watching world needs to see in our day-to-day lives.

To end, read and reflect on Matthew 26:36–46. Ask God to help you stay alert in prayer and to desire God’s kingdom and will above your own.

To see two full sessions of this Bible study along with their accompanying teaching videos for free, check our LifeWay’s New Bible Studies page. To find out more about Jesus Revolution specifically, click here.

February 4, 2021

CPR for Small Group Ministry

By Reid Smith

One of the greatest mistakes made by church leaders who want to reintroduce or reinvigorate a small group ministry is to make their first step an announcement from the pulpit. This well-intentioned step can have catastrophic results if those who had a less-than-favorable experience feel disregarded, retired leadership feel dismissed, and residual leadership (if any) feel disrespected. There is a critical pre-game plan that must be executed in private before going public. The life-saving practice of CPR offers a helpful pattern to follow.

When an unconscious or unresponsive person is being revived using CPR, it is vital for the person helping to follow the A-B-C steps for resuscitating another person:

AIRWAY – Open the airway
BREATHING – Breathe air into the opened airway
CIRCULATION – Perform cycles of breaths & chest compressions to restore the victim

There are equivalents for each of these steps when it comes to restoring life to your small group ministry. As with actual CPR, it is very important to follow them in order. Many church leaders unknowingly engage these steps in the reverse order (C-B-A). This can have devastating consequences for the ministry at large.

The first step in CPR is to make sure the victim’s AIRWAY is clear from any obstructions. The one responding to the emergency is to look, listen, and feel for breathing. The parallel for those who are trying to resuscitate community life through small groups is to look for, listen to, and feel out your past, present, and future small group leadership. Conversation opens the airway.

AIRWAY – Learning from your past, present, and future small group leadership

PAST: Set-up conversations over coffee with those who were key leaders (e.g. coaches and long-term leaders) and significant voices of influence in the past and ask for their input. It is very important to do the following in each of your meetings:
- Be sincere in expressing appreciation for their past involvement and inviting honest feedback. Then be humble and listen intently to what they tell you.
- Be discerning about who is supportive of you and the attempt to restart the small group ministry. There will be some who express support but are not personally ready to take part in reintroducing a small group ministry…and that’s okay!
- Beware of those who do not seem to have anything positive to say and use their conversation with you to vent negativity. Thank them for their input and move on. It may do more harm to try to win these people over. Your goal is not to gain everyone’s acceptance and enthusiastic approval. Your goal is to get the RIGHT people on your team. Having the wrong people on your team obstructs the airway and renders the next two steps ineffective.

Have phone conversations with the other leaders and volunteers who were involved in the past for a shorter term. It is well worth your time to interface personally with every past leader and this effort on your part will mean a lot to them. Regardless of whether they are optimistic, ambivalent, or skeptical, you will learn a lot from these people even when they are not ready to jump on-board with the new effort. They will also likely appreciate the respect you have shown by initiating conversation and inviting feedback.

2. PRESENT: Acknowledge those who are still involved. Commend them for their commitment and include them in your future planning. Ask them for their input as well by using the same tips above. Invite them to join you for a vision-casting experience that will include emerging small group leadership. Note: Where present leaders remain involved, it is important that you do NOT convey that you are starting something completely new to replace the past small group ministry. Rather, you are continuing to build upon the foundation of the biblical community the Lord has already established. This honors what God has done and may still be doing through these present leaders, and it shows respect for their continued loving service.

3. FUTURE: Review your church’s master list of members with your senior pastor. Highlight the names of those who have been or are presently involved. Next highlight the names of those you and your senior pastor think are good prospective leaders. As before, arrange sit-down conversations with people you would like to invite into further responsibility.

1. Whether you talk by phone or in person with prospective leaders, explain…
  1. What you are presenting (tell them what their role looks like as a facilitator)
  2. Why they specifically came to mind as a potential small group leader
  3. What their group might look like and how it fits into the overarching vision of your church
2. Dream with them about possibilities and give them the freedom of choosing a focus they are excited about (we are all called to be community-builders!)
3. Clearly communicate expectations
  1. Essential responsibilities
  2. Project the time commitment involved
  3. Suggest beginning with a shorter duration
  4. Request participation in a vision-casting event and initial training
4. Clarify that you (or a coach) will be with them every step of the way
5. Set a specific time to follow-up

BREATHING – Including all the leaders in a vision-casting experience

After you have opened the airway by carrying out your pre-game plan with the emerging leadership, the next step in resuscitating the small group ministry is to bring all those who have expressed openness to restarting the small group ministry together to cast fresh vision by communicating your church’s…

Mission and core values
Vision of how small groups will further your church’s mission by fueling the growth of biblical community
History with small groups and what you have learned from earlier attempts (based on feedback you have received from a number of leaders)
Belief in the importance of small groups and the benefits that come from them
Current and projected need for small groups to ensure healthy church growth
Renewed definition of a small group and support structure for the ministry
Dream of what the new small group ministry looks like in action
Ongoing plan for training, resourcing, and supporting your new community of leaders

The third step in CPR involves restoring breathing and sometimes even circulation to the unresponsive victim. Like people, small group ministries can have faint breath or no breath, irregular circulation or no pulse. Take heart! The Lord wants you and the community of your church to experience His resurrection life. Furthermore, He wants the community life of your church to explode out and impact your surrounding community. Jesus will build biblical community in your local church as He builds His Church!

CIRCULATION – Reintroducing small groups through public communication

One mistake leaders make when relaunching small group ministry is going public prematurely. Do not circumvent the process of securing and uniting your new community of leaders with the fresh vision that will undergird your new attempt. Your small group leadership community provides the necessary backbone to this church-wide initiative, especially when there is a history of unsatisfactory results. In other words, you need to have your team together before game time. This provides confidence for the whole congregation that the necessary groundwork of preparing a new small group leadership group has already been done.

When it comes to reintroducing small groups as a church-wide ministry, it is vital the senior pastor joins with the small group ministry staff (paid or not) in communicating the new vision. Earlier attempts at small group ministry that never really took root can oftentimes leave a bad aftertaste. Hearing the philosophical “why’s” directly from the senior pastor and the fresh, practical “how’s” from those leading the new effort can help to neutralize this distaste.

There are a couple of things the senior pastor should recognize: 1) The past attempt(s) and the leadership’s appreciation for all of those who were involved and 2) The new attempt and how it is different. As a continuation of explaining the why behind small groups it is also important for the senior pastor to communicate why the church values small groups, why they are so important to the church’s mission, and why it is vital for everyone to be involved. The communication of opportunities for people to connect into a small group may be done by the small group/discipleship pastor once the why foundation has been laid by the senior pastor.

Another strategy that dissipates the bad aftertaste of earlier small group ministry short-comings is to talk about group life in the context of seasons or semesters. In other words, say “The first season of our small group ministry will look like such-and-such.” This lets the church know you are asking for a shorter-term commitment to begin with. It also affords you the flexibility to change tact from season-to-season in order to remain relevant for the ever-changing make-up and needs of your church community.

The other advantage to doing this is it gives you a “new excuse” to talk about small groups in a big way two to three times per year. Regardless, a key principle to ensuring the success of restarting your church’s small group ministry is to keep groups in front of your people. Give your newly-fashioned small group ministry plenty of “face time.” Advertise new groups, highlight existing ones, encourage people to connect. Talk about groups regularly in front of the whole church. Doing so shows the value you place on them.

Restarting an unresponsive person’s circulation usually requires some cyclical repetition of breathing and chest compressions. Likewise, there can be some repetition to the application of this third step of CPR to restoring life to your small group ministry by feeding your emerging small group ministry fresh communication and different opportunities for people to connect. Stay creative in helping people to connect and grow together in Christ! Networking with other like-minded churches and sharing creative ideas and resources helps this process.

A person who is revived through CPR does not immediately spring back to their feet and take off running. Similarly, a small group ministry that has life restored to it needs to be nurtured and nursed back to full health over time. It requires careful and clear communication. It requires consistency in prayer and the promotion of small groups in your church’s weekend life. And it requires a united leadership front and an openness to new seasons of community life that connect with your church’s mission. If you follow the A-B-C steps for restoring life to your small group ministry, the odds are strongly in favor of revival and real impact on your surrounding community.

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.

February 1, 2021

Leading My Group Through Seasons of Fear and Anxiety

By Tyler Quillet

2021 hasn’t changed too much from the 2020 that we experienced, has it? We continue to live with so many questions, so much heartache, and much trepidation. Between COVID and a heavily divided country, there’s a lot going on. So how do we respond to this in our group times and throughout the week as we engage with one another?

First, let’s address some of the fears that so many are facing:

Will I still have a job in six months?

Will I get COVID, and if so, what will happen to me?

What if one of my loved ones gets COVID?

What if the economy tanks?

I’m scared to go to _______ because I might get COVID.

How do I protect my family during this time?

What if the unrest in our nation gets worse?

This list could go on all day, but these are just a number of the questions that bring much fear and anxiety. Without a doubt, these are fears and anxieties that have set up shop in the minds of your group members. As leaders, friends, and those desiring to point people to Jesus, how do we help combat these thoughts alongside others?

Jesus spoke to this. He gives us HIS peace. While the world gives us fear, anxiety and trepidation, Jesus gives real peace. That doesn’t mean the circumstances change or there aren’t things that could go wrong, but it means that when we place our full trust in Him, His Spirit will overwhelm our hearts with HIS peace.

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.”

-John 14:27

Not only does Jesus give us His peace, but He asks us to lay before Him all that burdens our hearts. And, as we do this, His peace will guard our hearts and minds.

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

-Philippians 4:6-7

So how do we lead our groups with this in mind?

If you are an open and transparent group, sharing your deepest fears and anxieties won’t be difficult. If transparency is a difficult thing for your group members, this is a good starting point. Ask each person to share their real fears or anxieties when it comes to all that we are dealing with in the world today. Allow tears, allow hard questions, and also allow silence or even a desire not to share. That’s ok. As group members share, stop, and “through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Spend time going to Jesus on behalf of your group members. Don’t take their fears lightly. While some of these concerns may not seem like something that’s worth being fearful about to you, it may be a deep anxiety that someone else is battling. Run to Jesus on their behalf and pray for them often.

Several years ago, my wife and I were about to embark on an incredibly scary journey. It was a life transition that we were unsure of and it brought us much fear of the unknown. As we shared our deepest fears with our small group, one of our other leaders asked if they could all stand around us and pray. They took our requests to God and we were SO overwhelmed by God’s peace. I’ll never forget that moment when my “people” took so seriously the fears we had that they immediately ran to Jesus with them on our behalf. And God was faithful to grant us His peace.

As you move forward in life while also feeling “stuck” in difficult times, give your group members opportunities to pour out their fears. As they do so, go to the throne on their behalf. Purpose to continue to check in on their hearts after your formal group time has ended. Be sure to also allow time in your group for praise in how God has overwhelmed your hearts with His peace.

These are difficult days. Watch your group grow together as you share your fears, run to Jesus in trust, and praise Him for the peace of heart He gives.

Tyler Quillet is the discipleship strategist for the Custom Church Resources team at Lifeway Christian Resources. He lives in the Nashville, Tenn. area with his incredible wife, Cathie, and two boys, Cylas and Bowen. Tyler 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.

January 22, 2021

Derwin Gray on Making Peace

Peace.

Throughout history, the world has been devoid of lasting peace. In this midst of this reality, followers of Jesus seek the deepest peace that only Christ can give.

How do we understand biblical peace? How can we start to let it rule our hearts and minds? How can we strive to bring peace into our groups? How can these conversations even begin?

In his latest Bible study on the Beatitudes, Derwin Gray shares about peacemaking. We can learn from his wisdom excerpted below.

The Call to Make Peace

As Jesus continued His prescription for happiness, He said,

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called sons of God

Matthew 5:9

Reread Matthew 5:7-8. How are these three Beatitudes related?

Pursuing peace (Matt. 5:9) is intertwined with hungering and thirsting for righteousness and being merciful (Matt. 5:7-8). Becoming a peacemaker requires that God has first brought us into peace with Him through the forgiveness that comes by grace through faith in Jesus. Then out of the overflow of the Holy Spirit’s power God enables us to live righteously and mercifully in response to the gospel.

Read Romans 5:1.

What did God do to pursue peace with us?

Notice that Jesus said happy are the peacemakers not happy are the peaceful. What’s the difference between those two things?

God’s righteousness has always been about embodying God’s love, and God’s love is always merciful. The good life—a life of happiness—is loving God, ourselves, and all of humanity. In the kingdom of God, there‘s “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17). Peace isn’t passive. Being peaceful is a fleeting state of mind. Peacemaking is an active, God-given pursuit. It’s the intentional act of God in Christ reconciling us to Himself through the cross and enabling us to extend peace to others. Making peace is hard, happy gospel-work.

Does it surprise you to hear that peacemaking is “work”? Why must peace be actively sought instead of passively assumed?

First-Century Expectations

The world Jesus lived in was chaotic, violent, and tumultuous. Jewish men were awaiting the Messiah to usher in peace by eradicating the Romans from their homeland, and the Romans believed Caesar would usher in peace. Rome’s method of ensuring peace was through force and brutality.

How was Jesus’ peace different from the peace the world expected?

Jesus saw and experienced Roman oppression, hardships of being poor, and living on the margins. Jesus’ peace extended beyond the borders of circumstance. Others’ expectations couldn’t contain it. People could only experience the peace Jesus taught about through communion with God. When we say the happiness He taught about was more than the good feeling you get when something nice happens to you, we know Jesus meant it. He experienced it constantly.

Making Peace When It’s Hard

Read Romans 12:19-21.

Why must we make peace despite difficulty?

What keeps you from experiencing peace and making peace with others?

Is there anyone against whom you’re holding a grudge and withholding peace? How might letting that go lead to a greater sense of happiness?

When Jesus correlated our happiness with being peacemakers in a world of violence, injustice, and hardship, people would have seen that as radical. Jesus’ method of eradicating the Romans from the Promised Land wasn’t to cast them out with the sword but to usher them into the peace of God, so they could become peaceful people. For Jesus, seeking vengeance is a tool of the ungodly. The Prince of Peace entered a world devoid of peace to create peacemakers.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, help us to be people of peace in a world that needs the peace You secured with Your blood on the cross.

This post has been excerpted from The Good Life Bible Study. To try the first two complete Bible study sessions and their corresponding teaching videos, visit Lifeway.com/NewBibleStudies.

January 19, 2021

Help Your Group Biblically Rethink Their Thoughts

We’ve all been there.

We made a choice; we faced a consequence. We may have also faced regrets.

Whether you personally regretted a moment, conversation, or choice or helped a group member work through their own regretted life decision, Tony Evan has wisdom for these situations.

Can we reverse life’s consequences? How do we find redemption even amid sin and brokenness?

In his new Bible study for group or individual use, Dr. Evans opens up key ideas that we can carry with us as we engage with our groups in 2021. You can begin exploring these ideas through his “Rethinking our Thoughts” personal study excerpted below.

One of the most important passages of Scripture for each of us to memorize and come to understand the truth within it is found in Isaiah 55:8-9. This chapter speaks to the importance of returning to God so that He will have compassion on you. It urges us to seek the Lord and find Him. To call on Him and know that He is near. It asks us to embrace the u-turn God has for us. But, perhaps even more important than all of that, this chapter reminds us who we are and who God is. We are finite. God is infinite. We see through a mirror dimly. God sees past, present, and future simultaneously. We comprehend little. God comprehends all. We think we know the way. God really knows the way.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9

We can learn two key principles from this powerful passage.

1. God’s thoughts are not our thoughts.

They are higher. Once we realize that God sees so much more than us, we can let go of trying to manipulate things according to our own understanding. God is intimately involved with the minute details of His creation, yet He also stands above all creation. He sees all. He knows all. He comprehends all. Thus, He can consider all. We are finite and can only consider what we have come across at some point in time. In order to experience a reversal of seemingly irreversible circumstances in our lives, we must trust, follow, and obey the One who knows and understands all. We must look to Him and His Word as our ultimate guidance.

2. God’s ways are not our ways.

They are higher. Just as God’s thoughts are beyond ours, His ways are also much more sophisticated than any plan or path we could concoct. God knows all the options on the table, and then some, so we would be wise to let Him lead. If God can guide an entire nation across a sea to escape an oncoming army, He can do anything. He is not bound by time or matter like we are. Look to God to show you your next step in order to reverse the seemingly irreversible scenario you may be facing right now.

In what areas are you relying on your own thoughts and your own ways when you need to rely on God’s thoughts and God’s ways?

This post was excerpted from Tony Evans’ U-Turns Bible Study (session 6). To access two complete Bible study sessions and their corresponding teaching videos for free, please visit Lifeway.com/NewBibleStudies.

January 11, 2021

Small Group Launch Checklist

By Reid Smith

Leaders launching new small groups want to have a strong start and welcome input on how to do so. Try offering just enough guidance so they know what to do BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER their first meeting without overwhelming them. This is an example of a resource you can customize to help small group leaders think through important steps so their new group can launch successfully and stay together for the long-haul.

BEFORE

1.Invite as many of your friends as you can think of…

◦Share your vision for the group—why you’re doing it and what you hope people will walk away with.

◦Try to describe the dynamic of the group and the people who will be a part of it.

◦Create an invitational ripple effect by having your friends and new group members invite their friends too.

2.Invite more people than you have room for (usually only one-half to two-thirds of those who confirm actually show up!). Start with as many people as possible at the beginning because there’s usually some attrition.

3.Tell people this will initially be a short-term experience that you’re confident they’ll love and then they’ll be able to decide if and in what way they’d like to continue.

4.Let them know there will be food…lots of good food! (If group members commit to bring food to the next meeting, this increases the likelihood they will return.)

5.Phone or text those interested a day or two before your first meeting.

6.Pray for your new group and those who plan to come!

7.Review any leader/host material and the upcoming study session in advance.

DURING

1.Welcome and introduce yourself (be relaxed, be real, and have FUN!).

2.Share a little background as to why you chose the focus of the group and tell them basically what each meeting will look like.

3.Allow time for people to introduce themselves and to share why your group stood out to them.

4.Acknowledge God’s Presence with you (Mt. 18:20) and share how you believe the Lord will use your new group experience to transform your lives. Depending on how many people are present who are not a part of your church, you can touch briefly on how your group will help to fulfill your church’s mission by living out the biblical purposes of God together.

5.Model authenticity and affirm each person’s input as you facilitate discussion.

6.Encourage participants to invite their friends, co-workers, neighbors, parents of their kids’ friends, and other unconnected people at your church to future meetings.

7.Close your group time in a brief prayer and get a picture.

AFTER

1.Let your Pastor or Coach know how everything went and how they can pray for you!

2.Follow-up with those who didn’t show up by calling them to let them know you missed them, how great the first meeting was, and also to remind them of when the next meeting is going to be.

3.Spread the word on social media with your photo and welcome people to join you.

4.Remind your new group members of your next meeting (and any food they might be bringing) a day or two beforehand.

5.Review the upcoming session and tailor the discussion questions based on who God has placed in your group.

6.Start pondering and praying about who you believe could co-lead with you and eventually launch out with their own small group.

7.Over time, share bite-size roles and responsibilities with your group members, see what people gravitate toward, and let them run with it! Rotate the facilitation of the study and discussion as well.

January 4, 2021

Why I Joined My First Group and Why I Would Do It Again

By Cheri Liefeld

Five years ago, I both started and joined my first small group. I wanted friends at my church and desperately needed community. I felt alone in a big crowd, yet each week I ran out the door to my car instead of stopping to get to know other people.

I was going to join a small group until our church launched free-market groups based on interest. I discovered I could start a group based on two passions: being a foodie and my faith. In the weeks leading up to our launch, I worried no one else would share the same desire. To my surprise, six women showed up that first night. They were just like me, longing for connection. For most of them, it was also their first small group.

At the time, I didn’t realize how beneficial joining a small group would be. It ended up being the starting point for reengaging in ministry, deepening my relationship with Jesus, and making Eastside my home. Here are just a few of the reasons I would do it again.

We crave community. Each week we gathered around the table for a meal, shared our lives, and talked about Jesus. I fell in love with small groups and saw the vital role they play in both the church and people’s lives. Most people don’t join a group and lead one, but many people in our churches feel isolated and feel like the community they see around them is escaping them.

Owning a small business where I worked alone most days made it hard to meet people. Sitting around the table that first night, I realized how much I missed the community of other believers. The laughter and honest sharing around the table each week filled my soul. God did not create us to live life alone. When we come together each week, we find power in encouragement, conversation, and prayer.

Accountability is key. Agreeing to be in a small group brings some much-needed accountability, in a good way. When someone is tired at the end of the day and wants to go home, a text saying, “Can’t wait to see you!” provides the extra motivation to attend. Making plans to sit together at church or worship nights also keeps people on track. Going through a study keeps us in the Word. We can wrestle over passages of Scripture together, allowing people space to work out what they believe.

In a group, we can challenge each other to rethink what is not working in our lives and the next step to bring about healthy change. Most of all, we point people to Jesus. The group is hopefully a safe place to express opinions and doubts. With a mix of love, encouragement, and truth, we can honestly look at ourselves and admit when we need help.

We grow in Groups. One of my favorite things about joining a small group is watching others take the next step on their spiritual journey. I experienced this. My life improved spiritually, socially, and emotionally when I took that first step to join a small group. Each time we launch new groups, I hear stories from other people who experience the same thing.

We encourage small group leaders to help people take their next step. They will introduce this idea to the group and ask them to pray about where God is calling them to grow spiritually. This exercise helps people intentionally pray and take their next steps. People start reading their Bible, they get baptized, and sometimes they launch a new small group.

When people are isolated, and without community, it’s easy to doubt their value and forget who they are in Christ. As a group, when we see someone’s gifting and encourage it, it’s life changing. As leaders, it is a privilege to encourage people to follow how they feel God is leading. When they nervously take that first step, we are there to cheer them on. My friend Jen kept saying she was not a leader to anyone who would listen. One day she responded to my invitation to join a leadership group saying, “God told me to, but I am not a leader!” Years later, she is still leading a small group of women.

Small groups are natural connections for discipleship to take place outside of small groups. One of our small groups of young women invited a few older women to come and share with their group. After those meetings, connections formed, which built one-on-one discipleship relationships. Mentor moms from our MOPS groups started a yearly 6-week discipleship class. In a church our size, these types of relationships wouldn’t have happened outside of the connections made in small groups.

We long to belong. The first Sunday after our meeting, I ran into two of my new small group members. I found a reason to stay and talk, eventually met more people, and felt like I was part of something bigger. It’s funny how I had gone there for two years, sat in the same section, and had never seen any of them before.

A sense of belonging is essential. Feeling like we are part of a bigger picture, being known, and valued breaks down walls.

With each new small group I launch, I witness the same phenomenon occur. Group participants are excited to recognize their new friends at a service and soon start making plans to sit together. Being in a small group creates that bridge to making the church feel like home.

We have the opportunity to help others. Every time our group serves together, I am amazed at the depth of bonding that occurs. We want our groups to make a difference and ask that they serve together at least once a session. Coming together to help others is powerful. Small talk combined with the shared experience of serving and making a difference adds a layer to our friendship that doesn’t occur while sitting in a circle each week.

When we serve, we get to be part of God’s bigger plan. The opportunities to connect locally and globally crack open our hearts and help us discover passions God has placed within. We see the needs in our community.

We need each other. Life is hard and messy. I started taking steps to get involved because I was caring for a parent and had a moment when I realized if anything happened, we didn’t know anyone at our church to turn to for comfort, support, and prayers.

The New Testament has numerous “one another” verses telling us how to care for others. How we care for each other is important to God.

We have the opportunity to care for one another, pray for one another, and celebrate with one another. Whether we are raising kids, caring for aging parents, or facing personal health or financial challenges, we will all find ourselves in need at some point. Small groups keep us from facing these issues on our own. Through our Group Me text chain, one of my group members will jump on and say, “I need prayer right now.” We stop and pray. We have seen the power of prayer and the impact that it has had on our friends and families.

I might have started my first group for personal reasons, but the group changed me. I will never tire of watching people join a group and find their place.

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 adenturesinthekitchen.com.

December 21, 2020

Five Methods for Studying the Bible on Your Own

By Cheri Liefeld

As small group leaders, one of the best gifts we can give our group members is to teach them how to study the Bible on their own. It is inspiring to watch a Bible study teacher or discuss this week’s sermon, but the benefits of personal Bible study are immeasurable.

If we only surface-read a passage, we can miss out on hearing from God. The Bible says that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled (Matthew 5:6). As we’ve experienced God communicating to us while studying Scripture on our own, don’t we want people in our groups to experience that too?”

There is a sense of empowerment when believers can sit down, read the Bible and discover truth for themselves. We each grow closer to God in the process. Time spent studying the Bible equips us (2 Timothy 3:16-17). We become more confident in sharing what we know with others and discover that the Word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) in our daily lives.

Common barriers people experience include feeling overwhelmed, lacking time, and feeling under-qualified. Learning about different methods and study tools will make study seem more approachable. Experimenting with different study methods helps individuals identify the most accessible study.

A few tools will help you, no matter what study method you choose:

Study Bible (digital or paper)
journal or notebook
pen or pencil
highlighter

For those who prefer to study using a computer or tablet, digital versions of the Bible and resources make in-depth study extremely easy.

Whether you are just starting out or looking for fresh ways to approach your Bible study, let’s look at a few study methods to consider. Whichever method you choose, start with prayer, asking God to give you wisdom and new insights.

S.O.A.P. Study of the Bible

This devotional style study method is a simple approach to go with your daily Bible reading. SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer.

Scripture: Write the verse in your journal.
Observation: Write down observations about the Scripture.
Application: How can you apply what you observed in your life?
Prayer: Write out a prayer to God based on what you just learned and ask Him to give you opportunities to live out this truth.

Study a Book of the Bible

Select a book of the Bible to read through. Each day read through a passage or entire chapter. Then read through a second time and underline keywords and phrases.

Write down what God is saying in this chapter and identify a theme.
Take a few minutes to identify the spiritual truth or principles in this chapter that are applicable to your life.
Finally, write down how you will act on the lessons learned in this passage.
As you work through the book of the Bible, create an outline.

Topical

When you want to know what the Bible says about a certain topic, use a concordance to search what the Bible says about it. For example, when you look up the word courage in your concordance, you’ll find several references.

Select a topic and look it up in a concordance.
Choose 10-20 verses on the subject.
Read the verses.
Write down observations.
Make conclusions and identify how you can apply something you’ve read to your own life and also share with others.

Biographical

Did you know that there are more than 3,000 people mentioned in the Bible? The Book of Genesis tells the stories of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. There are epic tales filled with challenges, heartbreak, and family drama. But that is not the end of the story. Each of their stories illustrates how God met these people and tells of promises He made and fulfilled.

For this method, select a person from the Bible to study. Look at their strengths and weaknesses and consider what could be applicable to your own life. What about them encourages you? Inspires you? A few potential characters to study include Abraham, Sarah, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Ruth, Rahab, Jesus, Mary, Elizabeth, and Paul.

Here are the basic steps.

Select a character. Start with someone with a few references you can easily study. Save characters like David and Paul for later.
Read the passages of their story and create a timeline.
Note their background, key events, relationships, and the challenges they faced.
Identify their strengths and weaknesses. Try to imagine what it might have been like to be in their shoes,
What Biblical truths do you discover while researching this person’s life?
Write out a personal application for your own life.

As you conclude, ask yourself if you see any of yourself in this person’s story. How might God be leading you to make a change or take the next step? What impressed you about their story and how does it challenge you and your choices?

Inductive

If you want to take a deep dive into Scripture, along with its historical and cultural context, the inductive method might be right up your alley. This method examines a passage and its context to determine what it says, what it meant to the original audience, and what it means to us today.

Start with observation. Approach the passage like a journalist asking the five “W” and “H” questions. As you continue along, note key words, contrasts, and comparisons. Keywords are words that point to biblical truth and are often repeated for emphasis. If there are time and geographical references, write them down.
Next, look to interpret the passage to understand the deeper meaning. Ask questions like:

What is the cultural and/or historical context of this passage?
What else do I know about the book, author, and broader context of the passage?
What other Scripture passages might help me better interpret this one?

Is there anything you have overlooked, and have you made any underlying assumptions that filter your interpretation?

Summarize what you see as the clearest meaning of the text based on your research.

Finally, you’ll want to apply what you have learned. Ask yourself what the biblical truths you have discovered mean to your life, your priorities, and your relationships. This application step can be uncomfortable, for it is where truth and life might conflict. Don’t stop; it is important, and it is worth it.

December 14, 2020

Bible Studies for the New Year