I in no way consider myself an expert when it comes to small groups but I have taken a strong interest as of late and I have gone to great length to learn as much as I can.
Below are some disciplines for preparing for your Small Group and/or Bible study. I have used these disciplines in the area of Bible study for years and now I am applying them to a new passion that I have for Small group ministry. I hope they are helpful for you as you take on the awesome task of transformation in the lives of God’s people.
Preparing For your Group
Pray
Your job as group leader is to prepare first in prayer. Open your heart by asking: “What is the burden of the Lord for this particular upcoming meeting?” and “What does God want to see happen because Christians have been exposed to fellow believers and to Holy Scripture?”
Reflect
Read and meditate on the main text of the session. What does God want the people in your group to start doing? Stop doing? Or Continue doing? What promises does He want them to claim?
Read the main text several times. Perhaps use several different translations to take advantage of the work of many Bible scholars.
Expand
Expand your understanding of the main text by reading related commentary on the text. Also, expand your understanding of the point of the lesson by looking through all the lesson material prior to your group meeting.
Apply
Ask “so what? Questions. What is the application for my life? What does God want me to do or stop doing as a result of this lesson? What am I going to do about it? What can my group do about it? Is there a sin I need to confess? Is there an attitude I need to adjust? Is there a promise I need to claim?
Sometimes the Spirit will convict you in an area of your own life. If He does you must bow in obedience as to model the behavior that everyone in your group will need in order to grow spiritually.
Feel free to comment with disciplines that have helped you out.
Showing posts with label Pastoral Help. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pastoral Help. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Five Enemies of Team Unity
As we close out 2008, I am looking forward to helping our congregation make a running start into 2009. My focus is more on Building and Strengthening our leadership/ministry teams, placing extra enfaces on Unity. God has designed for His people to live and grow in Community, to work together as a team. It is only when we are working together in Community that we can truly call ourselves The Church of Jesus Christ; The Body of Christ.
There are obvious things that get in the way of us being united and it is important to identify what they are and make sure to avoid or eliminate them. What are the opponents of team Unity; that get in the way of healthy Community? If we don’t find and eliminate these enemies, we will not achieve Team Unity.
Below are Five enemies of Team Unity
1. Poor Communication
When the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing, strife sets in
2. Gossip
Gossip is when a negative comment is discussed with anyone who can't help solve
the problem
3. Unresolved Disagreements
This happens when a leader doesn't know they exist or avoids confrontation
4. Lack of Shared Purpose
This happens when the leader doesn't restate the goal, the vision, and the mission early and often
5. Sanctioned Incompetence
Keeping an inefficient team leader because we feel sorry for them or because of who they are
There are obvious things that get in the way of us being united and it is important to identify what they are and make sure to avoid or eliminate them. What are the opponents of team Unity; that get in the way of healthy Community? If we don’t find and eliminate these enemies, we will not achieve Team Unity.
Below are Five enemies of Team Unity
1. Poor Communication
When the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing, strife sets in
2. Gossip
Gossip is when a negative comment is discussed with anyone who can't help solve
the problem
3. Unresolved Disagreements
This happens when a leader doesn't know they exist or avoids confrontation
4. Lack of Shared Purpose
This happens when the leader doesn't restate the goal, the vision, and the mission early and often
5. Sanctioned Incompetence
Keeping an inefficient team leader because we feel sorry for them or because of who they are
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
How Pastors and Leaders Can Work Together to Care for People
One of the greatest challenges for churches, pastors, staffers, and church leaders is the ability to work together. The reasons for an inability to work together appear endless: ego, pride, selfishness, a lack of vision, personality tension, church politics, and a failure to plug into a focused priority of Jesus first with a love for the Lord’s church that sets aside personal agendas. Such reasons may appear difficult to swallow on the surface, but the value of working together begins with a heart for God and His kingdom.
How can pastors and leaders work together?
1. Start with purpose.
Matthew 28:19-20 is a great place to start. Study God’s work in the early churches: Acts 2:41-47, Ephesians 4:12-16, and I Corinthians 16:13-14. A study will uncover five things:
The churches were Christ-centered.
Proclamation of the good news of Jesus and God’s Word were basic.
Discipleship transformed lives and culture.
The church engaged community and culture as worship, mission and specific mission activities like ministry to the poor.
The church enacted people to build God’s kingdom and people.
2. Put prayer at the center of the purpose.
Pastors and leaders, ultimately, pray to “join God in His work,” to borrow a Blackaby and King quote from Experiencing God. Prayer reminds the pastor and leaders of two things: 1. God’s plan in His love for people through salvation transforms lives; 2. Work cannot be done apart from God’s Holy Spirit and people-action-ministry. God’s work should not be done in isolation. It requires God working through people. Prayer engages that purpose.
3. Respect each other.
Max DePree has a book entitled Leading Without Power. Many pastors and leaders seek to dominate and lead with personal power, that is, out of their own independence, insecurity, or authority, rather than God’s power. Depree quotes Peter Drucker as saying that “manners are the lubricant of the organization.” Depree also calls for building community, deciding what is significant and measuring it together, and service to people.
These goals are achieved through respect for others. I find that tension, anger, and conflict arise many times when rudeness, pride, and disrespect prevail. The fruit-of-the-Spirit kindness never hurts. Try good manners.
4. Resolve conflict.
Differences about church, ministry, preaching style, and local church vision, mission, and programs abound. Conflict is inevitable because humanity sticks to all of us like peanut butter to the roof of your mouth. My father grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. He says, “Everybody has an opinion!” Often conflict arises over differences of opinion. Still, I am amazed at pastors, staffers and church leaders who carry unresolved conflict deep in the soul. It causes bitterness and kills the joy of service to Christ. Differences may stay, but conflict must be resolved to work together for Christ.
5. Build a team.
Team building through retreats, a monthly staff luncheon, or even an activity like bowling can open communication and encourage unity and ministry to people. Work toward working together by appreciating the grace-gifts of each individual. Aim for harmony like an orchestra sounding music. Train leaders. Focus on people’s needs.
6. Live in Christ’s Joy and Wonder.
What can you do when conflict is unresolved? Return to number one in this article and start over. Read Philippians to recapture Christ’s joy in service. Joy? Working together requires it. Such Christ-joy supplies purpose, wisdom, restraint and togetherness to glorify God. That’s the goal, isn’t it?
Discover the joy of serving Christ and working together to care for people.
Written by John Duncan
How can pastors and leaders work together?
1. Start with purpose.
Matthew 28:19-20 is a great place to start. Study God’s work in the early churches: Acts 2:41-47, Ephesians 4:12-16, and I Corinthians 16:13-14. A study will uncover five things:
The churches were Christ-centered.
Proclamation of the good news of Jesus and God’s Word were basic.
Discipleship transformed lives and culture.
The church engaged community and culture as worship, mission and specific mission activities like ministry to the poor.
The church enacted people to build God’s kingdom and people.
2. Put prayer at the center of the purpose.
Pastors and leaders, ultimately, pray to “join God in His work,” to borrow a Blackaby and King quote from Experiencing God. Prayer reminds the pastor and leaders of two things: 1. God’s plan in His love for people through salvation transforms lives; 2. Work cannot be done apart from God’s Holy Spirit and people-action-ministry. God’s work should not be done in isolation. It requires God working through people. Prayer engages that purpose.
3. Respect each other.
Max DePree has a book entitled Leading Without Power. Many pastors and leaders seek to dominate and lead with personal power, that is, out of their own independence, insecurity, or authority, rather than God’s power. Depree quotes Peter Drucker as saying that “manners are the lubricant of the organization.” Depree also calls for building community, deciding what is significant and measuring it together, and service to people.
These goals are achieved through respect for others. I find that tension, anger, and conflict arise many times when rudeness, pride, and disrespect prevail. The fruit-of-the-Spirit kindness never hurts. Try good manners.
4. Resolve conflict.
Differences about church, ministry, preaching style, and local church vision, mission, and programs abound. Conflict is inevitable because humanity sticks to all of us like peanut butter to the roof of your mouth. My father grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. He says, “Everybody has an opinion!” Often conflict arises over differences of opinion. Still, I am amazed at pastors, staffers and church leaders who carry unresolved conflict deep in the soul. It causes bitterness and kills the joy of service to Christ. Differences may stay, but conflict must be resolved to work together for Christ.
5. Build a team.
Team building through retreats, a monthly staff luncheon, or even an activity like bowling can open communication and encourage unity and ministry to people. Work toward working together by appreciating the grace-gifts of each individual. Aim for harmony like an orchestra sounding music. Train leaders. Focus on people’s needs.
6. Live in Christ’s Joy and Wonder.
What can you do when conflict is unresolved? Return to number one in this article and start over. Read Philippians to recapture Christ’s joy in service. Joy? Working together requires it. Such Christ-joy supplies purpose, wisdom, restraint and togetherness to glorify God. That’s the goal, isn’t it?
Discover the joy of serving Christ and working together to care for people.
Written by John Duncan
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