I've a new Bible hero of late: Lazarus. Not Luke's scabrous beggar, but Mary and Martha's ill-begotten brother. Most of his story is told in John 11—Lazarus's sickness, Jesus' reposeful delay, Lazarus's death, Mary's and Martha's upset with Jesus, Jesus' own upset ...
Here are five tips to help re-educate your church and group members.
Paul Anderson
Trying to convince computer-age people to practice spiritual disciplines—such as regular prayer, Bible study, and giving—is like trying to sell hair restorer to a bald man. He might accept that he needs the stuff, but he's not convinced your product can deliver. In response to an article I'd written on fasting, a lady wrote, "You don't really believe we're supposed to do that in the twentieth ...
Jon and Colin play vigorous racquetball every Wednesday and Friday at lunch. Every few weekends, they take time to talk and relax together. They have learned that their relationship doesn't grow without spending time simply enjoying each other's company. They have found a ...
Spend time praying for different areas of your life.
Tami Rudkin
It is easy to feel stumped in prayer and praise. Not because we don't have anything to praise God about but rather that there is soooo much to praise Him for that we don't know where to begin! So help your group continue to be purposeful in praise by focusing on certain areas as you get together.
Tell your group that your praise time is going to be focused on several different areas of their lives, ...
As a part of your worship, take communion together. Taking the Lord's supper as a group is a beautiful and touching experience. Go into this activity with lots of prayer that your group will be ministered to by the Holy Spirit. (In Acts 2 we read of the early church breaking bread together. We follow their example by meeting in homes to worship, pray and take the Lord's Supper together)
Ideas to keep your prayer time fresh and meaningful.
Michael C. Mack
Some people would rather have teeth pulled than to pray out loud, others look at prayer as an opportunity to gossip, and still others monopolize the time with long-winded prayers. Some groups spend more time talking about prayer needs than actually praying. And even prayer time can be dry and meaningless if it becomes just something you automatically do each week with little enthusiasm. How can your ...
Group power is powerful, don't let it become dry and meaningless.
Michael C. Mack
"After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly" (Acts 4:31).
I've been waiting for this to happen after prayer in my small group meeting. Unfortunately, it hasn't happened yet.
Small group experts talk a lot about small group dynamics. But none of them is as important as the dynamic of prayer and worship. ...
Ideas for making prayer more tangible and interesting to those in your group.
Michelle Howe
Praying To Make A Global Impact
Expand the vision of those you pray with by planning a global impact prayer session. Purchase a plastic blow-up globe shaped like a beach ball at a local dollar store. Toss the ball around the room (making a global impact) as you discuss the importance of praying for people around the world. To challenge your group's world-praying experience, each time the globe is tossed ...
When Jesus inhabits the space that believers occupy together in His Name, the space changes and so do we.
Reid Smith
Jesus was the ultimate storyteller. He did more than communicate with words; He communicated His heart. He used stories like The Prodigal Son to express God's love for people and to invite them into relationship with Himself. Jesus used storytelling to create a meeting space between God and people. Small groups recreate such meeting spaces. They form the relational intersections of the life of God ...
A framework of topics and questions to help guide you towards victorious coaching.
Rod Dempsey
When you think of coaching, what is the first thing you think about? Is it a football coach roaming the sidelines ranting and raving at some official? Maybe it is a coach from high school that either did or did not like you and treated you accordingly. Maybe when you think of the word "coach" you think of a mentor that has guided you through some life decisions and it is a very positive feeling. Hopefully, ...
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