To fulfill God's purposes sometimes we have to let go of our own.
by Life Together
Five years ago, I was discouraged like never before. My colleagues had let me down at work, financial burdens overwhelmed me, and my marriage was splintering. Though my relationship with God was in a slump, I asked God, "Why?" and prayed he would turn things around.
I was previously immersed in worldly wisdom, but in my small group, I began reading Scripture about how to change the direction of my ...
Real commitment can lead to a deep small group experience.
by Life Together
I got involved with my small group about one year ago. At first, it seemed like the group wouldn't be able to relate to one another. There was such a mix of ethnic groups and varying ages; we also had a mix of both singles and couples. But I quickly found that we all shared one desirewe all wanted more of the Lord in our lives.
So we made a commitment to one another. We decided that for the six ...
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.
Each person divides reviews their lives in quarters.
by Tami Rudkin
Have group members take the number of years they have lived and divide that number by 4. For example, if a person is 44 years old, he or she would divide that number by 4 to get 11.
Once everyone in the group has their number, pass out pens and paper and have each person chart out his or her life in 4 sections, with each section corresponding to the increment he or she came up with.
Discover God's call on your life by learning from six men of the Bible.
God wants men to passionately pursue him. In this six-session course that looks at the lives of Gideon, David, Elijah, John the Baptist, Stephen, and Paul, you will find examples of men who did this faithfully. Their examples will inspire you to obediently and faithfully lead those around you, while acknowledging and dealing with your weaknesses.
John Stott challenges us in this four-session course to reach out to others.
John Stott challenges us in this four-session course to reach out to others. Stott's best-known work, Basic Christianity, has sold 2 million copies and has been translated into more than 60 languages. Other titles include The Cross of Christ, Understanding the Bible, The Incomparable Christ, eight volumes in The Bible Speaks Today series of New Testament expositions, and most recently, Why I Am a ...
Share your testimony through the lyrics of your favorite song.
Tami Rudkin
Use this worship idea for several weeks running as you won't have time to do it all in one evening. This is a wonderful time of worship, AND it will give each member an opportunity to share a small part of their testimony.
The week before you begin using this praise activity, explain to your group that you would like them to bring one of their favorite praise songs to group. Explain that they need ...
Sing a few simple praise choruses: "Give Thanks," "he is Exalted," "More Precious than Silver."
Leader: Purchase a box of blank inside thank you notes. Make sure there is one card per person.
Take a few minutes to talk about the blessings of the last year. Ask each person to share something for which they are thankful for in the past year. After you hand out a card to each person, say something like ...
Have a time of reflection for your group where you evaluate areas of of growth, and areas that need attention.
Sue Skalicky
At the start of the New Year, I find myself looking back over the past year, as well as looking forward to the coming year. It is in these sacred moments of remembrance and anticipation that I am often moved to make resolutions. I try to make physical, emotional, and spiritual resolutions by reflecting on the events of the past year. The desire to be healthier motivates me to be a better person. As ...