Reflect on Scripture that reminds us to take time to be still.
Tami Rudkin
Leader: So often our lives are hectic, to say the least. Our lives are full of duties and demands. Some of the things we are called to do bring contentment and pleasure. Some of our day to day living is wrought with disappointment and pain. But we can experience something that those who do not know Jesus cannot … we can experience peace and pleasure and protection even amidst the craziness ...
The walls around Jerusalem were broken and needed mending. The same could be said for the lives of God's people. Nehemiah was sent by God to repair both problems. When Ezra read the Law of the Lord to the people, their first response was open weeping and mourning as they realized how far they were from God's moral standards (Nehemiah 8:9, 10). But Nehemiah instructed them that this was not a time ...
Introducing the concept of community into a church can be painful, but there are ways to ease the pains.
Sue Skalicky
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This process of growth is also true for the church.
I have spent the last six months consulting with several local churches interested in beginning a small group ministry. This has posed a new challenge for me. My previous experience had taken place in churches with an existing small group ministry. But I have enjoyed the challenge and have learned a lot more about growing pains along the way.
Knowing how much God loves us gives us confidence in our relationship with him and others.
Christians sometimes think that having good self-esteem makes us prideful and self-centered. However, just the opposite is true. As we come to terms with how God has made us and look for the worth he has ascribed to each of us, we will gain confidence in our relationships with him and everyone around us. This three-session course will help you get started.
A creative way to find out how group members are feeling
by Tami Rudkin
Pass out the following pairs of words to the group, and ask each person to circle the one that they most identify with today. After everyone is finished writing, go down the list of paired words and allow group members to give their answers—and explain why they choose them—if they wish.
Living life in relationship with others is God's pathway for living a life of purpose.
by Brett Eastman
In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren writes, "God intends for us to experience life together. The Bible calls this fellowship … real fellowship is so much more than just showing up at services … It includes unselfish loving, honest sharing, practical serving, sacrificial giving, sympathetic comforting, and all the other 'one another' commands found in the New Testament."
How one reluctant small group participant discovered God's purpose for her.
by Life Together
I knew God was leading me to be a part of a small group. Every time I heard an announcement about sign-ups or saw a flyer, I felt more and more convinced that I needed to get involved.
But I was nervous about it, and a little reluctant. The first night my group met, I had butterflies in my stomach as I walked toward the front door. But after everyone started showing up, I began to relax. They were ...
An elderly woman embraces the call to minister to others in her nursing home.
by Life Together
Edith, recently widowed, was depressed. After her husband's death, she experienced a stroke and was partially paralyzed. Against Edith's will, her daughters urged her to move to a nursing home. Nursing homes, Edith thought, were for Alzheimer octogenarians in Depends—not for the youthful in spirit like herself.
For the first few months, Edith refused to mingle with the residents, despite numerous ...
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