Recovery groups are powerful tools for meeting needs.
Mark Whelchel
The church I serve uses the slogan, "Central Christian Church … Where Needs are Met." It is often very difficult to live up to this slogan. We live in a community where the breadth and depth of needs are often staggering.
Most communities could be described the same way. They are filled with people who are struggling with life-controlling issues.
For example, one of every four families in American ...
Leader: Hope. Hope is a funny word used so flippantly in our every day lives …
Reader One: I hope my car will start today.
Reader Two: I hope they still have that peanut butter crunch ice cream.
Reader Three: I hope my check comes in the mail.
Leader: The word hope means so much more. Hope is more than wishing for something that will make our lives less complicated. Hope is knowing, deep down, ...
How the church treats homosexuals has eternal consequences.
How God's household treats homosexuals can have eternal consequences. In this three-session course, we learn that God transforms us through our struggles. The road to change is a slow, but worth the effort. As God's ambassadors, we need to learn to express our own weaknesses so that others will learn to trust us. Finally, we need to give God room to work, because only he can truly change someone.
Making a difficult decision is just the beginning on a journey back to health.
How can a divorced Christian work through guilt, overcome it, and find restoration and new hope in Christ? How can divorced Christians reconnect with God and find their way back to a healthy spiritual life and relationship? Are your friendships over, or can you take steps to forestall a complete disaster? How can you assure your children of your unchanging love for them? How do you put your life back ...
The initiative of some church members led to amazing results.
by Kenneth L. Bemis
As a pastor, I know the feelings of frustration and helplessness that surround the counselor who attempts to assist the chemical-dependent person toward sobriety. Counseling the alcoholic is a time-consuming and often discouraging project.
I groped about for a solution to my dilemma as a busy pastor with an increasing number of alcoholics and their families to counsel. I attended seminars and read ...
Small groups with severely wounded people can be a great success if you stick to some trusted principles.
by Pat J. Sikora
...
Whether we talk about it openly or not, many people in this country—even Christians—have suffered abuse, neglect, or other challenges while growing up. Often, these people find it difficult to fit in with a small group. They lack both the interpersonal and group skills necessary for success. Yet, who more than these wounded ones can benefit from the ministry of a small group? Just remember, ...
My dad left my mom for another woman when I was 11. I was the oldest of five children, so a lot of weight fell on my small shoulders when Mom had to go back to school and get a job. Because of my responsibilities at home, I didn't have a typical teenage life. I finally got away from home when I went to college, and I thought everything was fine.
But it wasn't. A boyfriend at the Bible college I attended ...
Note: This article has been excerpted from the SmallGroups.com training tool called Recovery Ministries.
Recovery groups share moments of fulfillment and frustration, exhilaration and exhaustion, growth and groaning. But the overall experience will be positive when the leader remembers these principles.
Allow time for personal healing. Most recovery-group leaders were once recovery-group members, but that transition from member to leader takes time, usually 18 to 24 months. Don't rush anyone into a position of leadership.
Printer view of these results
