God has ways he wants to use us if we are willing to follow his leading.
by Life Together
Amy had completed a year of leadership in a women's ministry at her church. When asked to lead a small group of stay-at-home moms, she immediately agreed. Days earlier, she had felt the Holy Spirit nudging her in this direction.
The announcement was made, and many women eagerly joined when baited with free babysitting. Bible study and fellowship with other women was a satisfying break during those ...
Practical suggestions for equipping your kitchen to serve
by Erin Brownback
OK, you're hosting a small group. You've got a date, a time, guests, and food. But your kitchen isn't equipped with enough dishes to serve everyone. What are your options?
Paper. Paper or Styrofoam dishes are convenient and relatively cheap. They come in all shapes and sizes and can be thrown away, making cleanup simple and easy. For a little more money, party stores carry attractive and themed patterns, making the dishes more inviting. The down side to taking the paper route includes the dishes' lack of sturdiness, the abundance of trash they make, and that the cost can add up over time.
The most important ministry a host can accomplish is to help people feel completely welcomed and wanted. Hosts are likely to be the first people with whom newcomers come in contact, so they have a tremendous opportunity to initiate an atmosphere of love and acceptance to all who walk through their doors. Hosting a small group is an honor, and it should be done with a commitment to excellence.
Make a visitor's first time at your cell group as comfortable as possible.
Jim Egli
Ellen came to my cell group the first time with her neighbor, one of our cell members. She was an older woman who was recently divorced. While she came with mixed feelings, she was hungry for God and glad for the invitation. She trusted the new friends who had invited her, but she had never heard of a cell group. "Perhaps this was some kind of cult!" Ellen thought.
It's hard for people to believe we want them in heaven if we don't want them in our living room.
Ralph W. Neighbor Jr.
"Practice hospitality" (Romans 12:13).
"Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling" (1 Peter 4:9).
"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it" (Hebrews 13:2).
The story of Lot inviting strangers (actually angels) into his house and protecting them from the mob outside his door is a clear example from Scripture of how important ...
By providing a comfortable atmosphere where Christianity is lived out and where non-Christians feel at ease, homes can be great tools for bringing people to Christ.
Keith Wright
God has given many Christians the gift of hospitality. By providing a comfortable atmosphere where Christianity is lived out and where nonChristians feel at ease, homes can be great tools for bringing people to Christ. Try some of these "inreach" ideas in your home.
Dinners for Eight
Dinners for Eight are popular among our church's membership. Eight people gather for dinner, fellowship, and fun. By ...
As a pastor of a small groups church, I have visited various groups through the years. I have found that one can often quickly predict much about the future of the group within the first few minutes.
There are groups where people obviously enjoy each other's company. They rapidly flow from laughing to crying together. They respect one other. Group members share more than surface situations and short ...
Do you remember the first time you were invited to a small group?
Michael C. Mack
Do you remember the first time you were invited to a small group? I do. I had visited Centerville Christian Church in Dayton, Ohio, and met a few people my age. (I was 28 at the time, and was shopping for a church. I had not yet given my life to Christ.) They invited me to their group, and I noticed that some of them were single and others were married, but that didn't matter; they all seemed to have ...
Atmosphere is important to aiding interaction in a small group.
Michael C. Mack
I'm leading a group that must meet at the church building. The classroom we use doesn't have the atmosphere I would like to have for the group, but it's the best we can do right now. Any advice?
Atmosphere is important to aiding interaction in a small group. You can bet that if a room is too hot, too cold, too bright, or too dim, discussion will suffer. The following is a list of advice I've gathered. ...
Sometimes you may not follow it, but an agenda can help God work within your small group.
Joel Comiskey
"But what about the Spirit's leading in the small group," a lady asked me during my lesson on small group agendas in Krosnodar, Russia. By the way she asked the question, I perceived she was questioning the "spirituality" behind following a pre-planned agenda. "After all," she thought, "wouldn't a pre-planed order hinder the Spirit's work?"
This Russian lady sincerely wanted to follow the Spirit, not ...
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