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Lifeway Bible Studies Podcast
April 12, 2021

Lifeway Bible Studies Episode 8: Making Space Session 8

By Chris Surratt
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On this week’s episode, we’re wrapping up the Bible study called Making Space by Pastor Jeff Vanderstelt. Making Space gleans wisdom from the Book of Proverbs and from the example of Jesus to show you how to center your life on God’s priorities.

In this last session, we address the final area of wisdom—hospitality—and ways we can welcome others into our lives. Hospitality is making space for people to be with us in community—to be who they are and to become more like Christ. In Scripture, strangers are people who live in a society other than their own. Strangers are people who aren’t yet assimilated into our community. Hospitality means making space for strangers.

If you would like to go deeper on this topic, you can purchase the full Making Space Bible study book here at Lifeway.com.

The Lifeway Bible Studies Podcast is where you’ll find audio teaching from some of our most popular authors and Bible studies. It’s hosted by Chris Surratt and Deborah Spooner.

Group Leadership
April 6, 2021

Tony Evans’ Message to the Men in Your Group

By Deborah Spooner

A man is ______ .

What words come to mind when you first read that sentence? What would first come to mind for members of your small group?

A man is:

  • Leading
  • Working
  • Interceding
  • Caring
  • Providing

Yet sometimes, men can be missing. Absent. Disengaged. Disinterested.  

On the whole, our culture is confused about what it means to be a man. Notions of masculinity have, in many corners, become toxic. Perhaps now, more than ever, we need the answer to this question. Tony Evans steps into this need to help your group wrestle with masculinity in his new Bible study Kingdom Men Rising. This study speaks truth into a poorly defined and disoriented culture about the purpose and future of masculinity from a biblical perspective. 

Through this Bible study, men in your group can grapple honestly with the unique questions and circumstances they face today. It invites men deep into their own stories to reveal the true expression of masculinity—God’s intent.

Why not see for yourself?

Below is an excerpt from a “personal study” section that follows one of the study’s weekly teaching sessions. 

Three Principles of a Purpose Driven Life

Never measure God’s movement without first taking a look at your own. Far too often, God is waiting on us as men to do something before He will make His move. Whether it is Moses holding out the rod before He parts the sea, or Peter keeping his eyes on Jesus before He rescues him from the storm—God frequently waits to see how we respond in faith before He fully reveals His hand in our lives.

In the story we are studying this week found in Joshua 3:7-17, the priests had to literally “walk by faith” before they would see God move. They had to put their feet in the water prior to God parting it for all to cross. Their example reveals three important principles we should all live by as kingdom men: Listen, Obey, and Stand.

  1. Listen

The priests had been asked to dedicate themselves for the specific task at hand—stepping into the flooding Jordan River. In order to do this, they needed to focus on what God said by consecrating themselves before Him. They wouldn’t be able to hearHim if they had distractions in their lives at that time. Kingdom men need to set aside distractions in our lives as well so we can better hear God in order to understand His instructions clearly.

Ask yourself: What are you hearing from God recently? 

  1. Obey

I don’t know about you, but stepping into the water of a river in order to get that same water to go away doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. Yet that is what God asked the priests to do. Obeying God as a kingdom man doesn’t always involve understanding His methods. Faith doesn’t always make sense. But it can make miracles. Be willing to obey God when He makes your part in His plan clear to you.

Ask yourself: How are you obeying based on the time you spend listening to God?

  1. Stand

In verse 17 we read that the priests had to stand their ground in order for the Israelites to pass safely. It says,

And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood

firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed

on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan

Kingdom men must never waiver when called upon to serve God. Standing in the middle of what was previously a raging river isn’t the safest place to be, from a human perspective, but God doesn’t call us to live safely, He calls us to live by faith. Sometimes that means standing strong where you are and in what you believe in so that those you love can get to where they need to go as well.

Ask yourself: Why is it better to trust in God’s power than in human limitations?

This content was excerpted and partially adapted from from Tony Evans men’s Bible study: Kingdom Men Rising.

Group Leadership
April 2, 2021

Restarting Groups (and Lawnmowers)

By Ken Braddy

Tools. I love them.

If you want to make me happy, drop me off at a home improvement store for a few hours. I can walk up and down the aisles absolutely mesmerized by the myriad options to get any job done.

I must admit that I am not much of a handyman. That’s not to say that I can’t fix things, but normally it takes me longer because I never seem to have the right tools at hand. If I have the right tools, then inevitably I cannot locate them. Most of the time, though, I find myself making a run to the big box home improvement store to buy one or two specialized tools to complete a repair job at the house. 

During this off season, my lawnmower decided to stop running. It wouldn’t start, no matter what I did. I kicked it. I ordered a tool to help me adjust a setting in the engine (I did it wrong and really messed it up).  Do I throw it away, or do I look for some help? After trying every repair trick I knew to get it to restart, I decided to find some help. I found a repair shop, and the owner tuned my 10-year-old lawnmower. He replaced the oil and the blade, changed out the air filter, and replaced my old spark plug. He reset the engine to factory specs. Now she runs like a new mower! That may be the best $99 I’ve spent in a while.  

Restarting Bible Study Groups

The church has a big job ahead of it this year. It’s time to begin the process of restarting Bible study groups for all ages. Like my old lawnmower, there is no need to toss out Sunday School (insert whatever name your church calls your Bible teaching ministry)—it probably just needs a quick tune-up. We want to be sure that our teaching ministries are running at peak efficiency. I needed some help because I lacked the right tools and know-how. When I found the right person, he solved my dilemma and now my lawnmower can provide service well into the future.

As we look at the needs of churches this year, Lifeway has developed a series of webinars to help churches of all types focus on some foundational principles. Think of this as giving you the right tools and information to help you tune up your church’s most important ministry. With a little effort, you can have it running like a top! Here is a quick look ahead at the upcoming webinars designed to help you restart your church’s teaching ministry this year (for a more complete look at these webinars, and to sign up, go to lifeway.com/restartgroups):

  • Breathing Life into Sunday School – There are 12 essentials that can help any Sunday School become healthier. Get your Sunday School off of life support and put it on the road to recovery.
  • Restarting Sunday School – During the first year of COVID, groups struggled to meet. As groups begin to regather, there are considerations for their successful relaunch.
  • How to Have all the Workers you Need – Never struggle to enlist group leaders after you learn a process for recruiting new leaders.
  • 3 Roles for Guiding Groups – Teacher, Shepherd, and Leader—every group leader must embrace these important roles and balance them to create a healthy environment for the group’s members.
  • Leading Small Groups – Learn how to gather, lead, and multiply your small group.
  • Teaching with Style – Jesus was an expert in communicating His messages. Discover the eight learning approaches and how to use them to teach engaging Bible studies each week.
  • 5 Steps for Building a Disciple–making Ministry – For over 100 years churches have used a simple formula for creating great groups and a strong disciple-making ministry. Do you know the steps to take in order to grow your Bible-teaching ministry?

This series of webinars will be offered on weekends, at night, and during the daytime. We tried our best to give you options because we know you need something flexible. 

Don’t throw out Sunday School! Use these webinars to give you the tools to make it run like a new teaching ministry. COVID has created a hard year for the church. As we restart groups this year, let’s tune up the church’s most important ministry—its Bible study groups!

 

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 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 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:

  1. 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?
  2. 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.
  3. 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).
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.

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, Online Bible Study
February 19, 2021

The Best Life for Discouraged Groups and Leaders

By Deborah Spooner

Where can we find the best life?

This is a question most of us (including those in our groups) are asking. As we head towards a full 365 days of life under the pandemic, many of us have had additional time to evaluate our lives. As we’ve recognized what’s missing externally, many of us have also recognized what’s missing within ourselves. Our frustration compounds. I know I should spend my time differently, but I just can’t seem to make a sustainable change. I know that if I want a “better life,” I need to live more from who I am in Christ. But how?

Our need for the best life may have never been more apparent than now.

What if we told you that the best life can only be found in the love of the Father? Matt Carter suggests exactly this as he walks us through the parable of The Prodigal Son. Whether you feel like you can relate to the prodigal son or not, Carter has much to unpack for everyone within this powerful parable about the love of the Father and our place as His children.

If this study sounds like what you’ve been looking for, we’ve got great news.  We are launching an Online Bible Study through The Prodigal Son in less than two weeks. Our Online Bible studies (OBS) are free experiences giving you free access to the teaching videos (typically requires purchase) and opportunity to  join in discussion with people from all over the nation and world. To find more information, check out this post. To sign up for the study, go to the OBS page here.

In the meantime, consider the excerpt below from this powerful Bible study:

The Solution

Many people are asking serious questions about what it means to follow Jesus. People all around us are asking, “If I follow Christ, what will it cost me? If I fully commit to Jesus, am I missing out on life’s best?” What is the answer to these questions?

The answer is a resounding “no.” In fact, the shocking answer is that the only life worth having is found in knowing God the Father through His Son Jesus Christ. This is the central claim of Christianity. However, we need to realize that these questions are not new. People have been asking them since the first century. Jesus encouraged His disciples to ask. Today we’re going to looking into one such account in the Gospel of John.

A Bold Claim 

Read John 6:53-58.

Jesus did not literally mean that people should eat His flesh or drink His blood. What did He mean?

Why did the crowd find this statement offensive?

At this point in Jesus’ ministry, huge crowds of people followed Him wherever He went because He was working miracles, feeding the hungry, and healing the sick. Jesus paused, looked at the crowd, and exclaimed unless the crowd ate His flesh and drank His blood they could not follow Him (v. 53). Jesus did not mean this literally.

By “flesh and blood” Jesus was referring to His whole being. In other words, Jesus was saying that unless they devoted themselves entirely to Him they could not find life.

Why is the claim that Jesus made still shocking?

How does this claim still offend people today?

The claim that Jesus made—that true and abundant life can only be found in Him alone, is the most shocking and inflammatory claim in all the world. And Jesus made this claim repeatedly. It offended people in the first century and it offends people today.

The swelling crowd following Jesus–drawn in by His teaching and miracles– didn’t understand what He meant, so they turned and walked away. His disciples were standing with their mouths wide open, stunned that the popularity of their leader had just plunged—but Jesus was unmoved by it.

A Bold Response

Peter realized life is found in only one place—Jesus.

Read John 6:66-69.

What does Peter’s confession in verse 68 affirm to us about Jesus?

What have you experienced while walking with Jesus that let’s you know that Peter’s confession is true?

How have you found full and abundant life in Jesus?

All people are hardwired to pursue a life filled with purpose and meaning because we were all created to relate to God. Two-thousand years ago, Jesus made a bold claim when He said that the fullness of life can only be found in following Him, and following Him completely. The problem is that if we are not finding life in Jesus, we are looking for life in places we could never hope to find it.

Peter asked Jesus a straight forward question: “Lord, to whom shall we go?” Think for a moment about your friends who don’t know God. Where do they turn to find life?

As you’ve watched these friends search for life in other places, what were the results?

We live in a culture where people are desperate for a different way to live. No amount of friends, success, accomplishments, money, promotions, or social media followers can give us the life we all so desperately desire. These things may make us feel good for a moment, but they can’t ultimately satisfy us.

Those of us who know Jesus, have a responsibility to show other people the way to experience abundant life (John 10:10). How will the people around us see or know a better way if those of use who know Jesus aren’t willing to show them? How are we going to turn the tide of death and despair riddling our culture if Christians live no differently?

How does the way you live show people what it means to follow Jesus?

This world desperately needs to be shown a new way. The world needs ordinary people, who decide to go all-in when it comes to following Christ. Our culture is desperate for a generation of believers that don’t just make Jesus a part of their lives, but passionately put Him first and show this world with their everyday lives, that yes, there is a better path—a path of peace, love, and happiness.

What might you need to let go of to follow Jesus more closely? Is there anything you need to give up?

Think again about your friends, neighbors, family members, or maybe even other Christians, who are trying to find life by chasing the things of this world. What might it look like to have a conversation with them and point them towards Jesus?

End your time praying that God will help you to find life in Jesus alone. Use Psalm 16:11 as a guide for your prayer.

You will make known to me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Psalm 16:11

 

Group Leadership
February 18, 2021

Learning from the 70s Spiritual Awakening

By Deborah Spooner

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.

Church Leadership
February 16, 2021

Why Martin Luther Didn’t Do Small Groups (And Why We Should)

By Group Ministry

by Jared Musgrove

If you ask Martin Luther what it would take to be a true community of faith in a local church, he would tell you that it takes the priesthood of all believers. That is, that all believers can read and understand Scripture’s plain meaning, that all believers have equal access to communion with God, and all believers are actively involved in the work of ministry. Said differently, there’s no special class of mediators for knowledge of God, presence of Christ, or ministry to others.

This is a doctrine he fought for years to reclaim in the Reformation, so he was certainly invested.

Then, if you asked Martin Luther (so kind of him to entertain all our questions) how the priesthood can be activated in a local church, he’d tell you through his tracts and letters that small groups meeting in homes are necessary to see the priesthood activated. He’d go on about how meeting in homes leads to deeper expression of some spiritual realities surrounding the priesthood of all believers; and these groups are best positioned to “do other Christian works” that are not possible in the institutional church meeting once a week.

But then Martin would admit to you (because he is an honest man) in later tracts and letters that he couldn’t go through with establishing such groups. It would be too costly in his estimation. He instead wanted (needed) everyone in Germany to come under one church organization and feared that small groups might create a lack of control.

Martin Luther thought small groups in homes were the way to truly activate the priesthood of all believers but he never started them. Yet, before we pile on Martin (and forget the debt we owe him), we should recognize that he was facing the exact same opposition that we often do: a lack of trust in God to make other brothers and sisters who Scripture calls them to be.

“Sounds Good In Theory…” 

One church leader recently shared with a group, “Yeah, priesthood of all believers sounds good in theory…” then pantomimed a verbal ellipsis with a shoulder shrug meant to imply that it doesn’t really work in practice. It doesn’t pan out. Hire staff to do the work. If you can pay them, you can fire them. Volunteers are messy—like farming. So mechanize the ministry. Yes, all of this can be said with a shrug.

I empathize with this line of thinking. I get it. But it’s also what keeps so many of our churches from seeing an empowered priesthood. Our first mistake may be that we too often talk about the “priesthood of the believer” (singular) instead of the biblical “priesthood of all believers” (plural). But it’s not about individuals. The community of saints is the consideration when it comes to church.

The biggest opposition that I see to the activation of the priesthood of all believers in my church and yours is that favorite idol of church leaders: control and comfort. Yes, these two form a singular idol. The two are so intertwined that it is nearly impossible in most cases to unravel them. The inner critic of the church leader who’s lived too many disappointments throws his soul’s hand in the air and gives in to the voice that says that “what you can control can’t hurt you.” And we listen far too often to that voice instead of God’s.

We are so committed to arranging a happy little church that suits our needs and comforts and caters to our gifts but God often thwarts those efforts by allowing for continued frustration. You feel it, right? That’s the loss of wonder. It happens because we want a climate-controlled church but also want to make an impact for God’s kingdom. That dichotomy can’t hold. It has devastating consequences when we try to carry it out.

For Luther, there was deep depression in realizing that he just couldn’t bring himself to release this kingdom of priests fully as he wanted. For some it may be a lack of joy in equipping saints. You may be unable to stand the saints altogether. You grow short with them. You find ways to avoid them. You figure it’d just be easier to run a company, a capital campaign, or a Christian non-profit. It probably would be.

Equipping the saints for the work of the ministry in a local church is agriculture. If you’re truly called to pastor and lead in the church, you’re running a farm, not a manufacturing plant. Live human beings and their souls are your sheep and soil. And there’s no chance of seeing lasting growth without an activated priesthood in your church. People are our true capital campaign. Flesh and blood human beings are our building program. The priesthood of all believers (plural) is both our occupation as well as our product.

Relationships of Trust Are Stronger Than Theory

The good news is that this priesthood already exists. It only has to be discovered, developed, and deployed throughout your church. It all comes down to trust.

Relationships of significant trust in the local church… who would’ve thought it possible? Apparently not many pastors and church leaders, from the Reformation up to today. This is understandable. There’s no pain like vocational ministry. But to give up trusting is far too cynical. And certainly not biblical.

1 Peter 2:9 speaks to the sleeping giant of frontline ministers that exists right now in church small groups: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Since this is true, how do we lead like it? There’s a simple answer as old as the church herself.

Small groups are the best way to activate the priesthood of all believers in a local church. There has been over 2,000 years of practice, trust, and equipping saints for the work of ministry in such spaces. Luther saw it and defined it as such in his letters.

Entrusting the priesthood through groups discipleship might seem overwhelming. It did to Martin Luther. It feels unpredictable. Unknown. But isn’t that right where our faith is most tested and refined?

People in our church don’t exist so that paid staff can parade their gifts. They aren’t spectators. They’re priests ready to be set loose to reap a spiritual harvest. Oftentimes they do so just as well or better than the paid priests. That’s God’s design, not this year’s conference strategy.

Every time a small group meets, there exists that potential for harvest. People want to be changed and see change. Church leaders often simply don’t want the interpersonal rub required to see this through in their church. It’s risky, but I’m convinced that the less relational a church is the less transformational it will be. Small groups can still surprise unlike any other environment and be used by God’s Holy Spirit to transform lives for Christ.

Equipping and entrusting saints with one another has always been the best means of true growth and transformation in a local church. That’s the power in the local priesthood of believers meeting in small groups throughout the week. Martin Luther envisioned it. He didn’t activate it, but we can. This is a vision older even than the Reformation itself. And it’s far more effective in the history of God’s people.

 

**History courtesy of Joel Comiskey’s 2000 Years of Small Groups: A History of Cell Ministry in the Church and some of Martin Luther’s collected letters and tracts.

—

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

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