Joining a small group helped a mother embrace her new role.
by Life Together
Melanie was in the middle of pursuing her Ph.D. in History when she found out she was pregnant. Academic achievement was always her first priority. Children would come after her career. Perhaps they'd never come. She always said, "I'll never, ever have kids. I was not meant to be a mom!"
But nine months later she found herself swaddling a wailing baby who swathed her in sour-milk spit-up. Far from ...
Sometimes the most important part of clearing up misunderstandings is talking about them.
by Life Together
Recently, my grown daughter asked me to join her in attending six sessions on learning one's purpose in life. I decided it would be wonderful to spend some time together since my daughter was soon to be married.
In preparation for the study, I pondered my purpose in life. I specifically contemplated how I raised my children to know God.
As a mother, I knew that I needed to teach my children values that ...
Follow these principles to help people fulfill their longing for true community.
by Brett Eastman
Don't we all long to be a part of something fun, exciting, and life-giving?
The sitcom Friends captured this desire. Every week 50 million people watched six actors pretending to have relationships with one another. Its popularity was fueled by the deep longing we all have to be connected in community.
The advertising world has caught on to this yearning as well. Ads like MCI's promise to connect ...
Telling your story is a great way to engage seekers and other Christians.
by Life Together
One skill every small group leader should have is the ability to talk with unbelievers about your experience of God in ordinary language that an unbeliever will understand. In the church we use some specialized words like "repentance" and "being saved." Of course, the average person who hasn't been to church very often has no clue what these words mean.
Focusing on a couple qualities can make you a better leader.
by Life Together
Few traits describe a good group leader as effectively as "authentic" and "patient."
When you lead a group, just be yourself. God wants to use your unique gifts and temperament. Don't try to do things exactly like another leader; do them in a way that fits you! Admit it when you don't have an answer and apologize when you make a mistake. Your group will love you for it.
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."
Learn about accountability from the early Methodists.
by Christianity Today
...
In late 1738 and early 1739, under the influence of Moravian pietists, the Wesleys began forming small groups for mutual accountability. These groups, called "bands," comprised about six people and made radical demands on the lives of believers—though no more radical than the gospel. Here are the 1744 Rules of Bands.
* * *
The design of our meeting is to obey that command of God, "Confess your ...
Humans need to experience belonging in four spheres: public, social, personal, and intimate.
Joe Myers
I enjoy watching patterns—traffic patterns, numerical patterns, musical patterns, facial patterns, and the list goes on. All patterns have interesting dynamic. Patterns help with ease of use, familiarity, and predictability. Patterns help us to recognize an old friend, remember phone numbers, and predict where a bouncing ball will take its next leap.
However, patterns do not produce clones. Their ...
Fellowship does happen when we come face to face with one another—and with God
Michael C. Mack
How do small groups help build community in ways that can not be built in larger groups? Small groups are more capable of meeting people's needs for care and support. Why? First, small groups are in a better position to be aware of people s needs, struggles, stresses, feelings, and victories than in larger groups, even Sunday school classes larger than 15 people.
If you want your small group to go to the next level, you have to lead the way.
Jay Firebaugh
I recently talked with a cell leader who was afraid to be real with his cell group. "If they knew I had these type of struggles, they would never respect me." In truth, just the opposite is true. I have found when cell leaders open up and share what is really going on in their life: good, bad, and ugly, rather than being repulsed by it, group members are drawn to the leader. They are struggling with ...
Printer view of these results
