How one person learned that sharing his faith was about relationships.
by Life Together
Trevor grew up in a Christian home, attending church every Sunday. He knew the gospel, and he believed it. But when it came to sharing his faith with others, he never really gave it much thought. In his mind, explaining the gospel to someone who wasn't a believer was something only "super spiritual" people did.
When Trevor arrived at college, he met guys who were really serious about their relationship ...
Challenging people to host small groups can turn into an evagelistic opportunity.
by Stacie K. B. Maslyn
Finding leaders is an ongoing bottleneck in the process of growing any church or ministry. Having too many leaders is rarely a problem. But that's exactly the situation that Overlake Church in Redmond, Washington, faced as they launched a small group movement.
"People in the Seattle area like to congregate around issues and ideas," says Dean Orrico, Senior Associate Pastor over Connect Ministries. ...
I have been a Christian for as long as I can remember—though I've gone through definite periods of being a "good" Christian and times of being fairly lazy about my faith.
I thought I was in a time of "goodness" until my small group was working through the "40 Days of Purpose" campaign and took a quiz to see how we were doing in the five purposes. My worst was in evangelism. With the exception ...
God can use a group's ability to be open to new people.
by Life Together
I'm really glad that our hosts were bold enough to take this step forward and open their home for the small group study. My cousin has just moved to town with her fiancée. I had asked my cousin if she and her fiancé would like to join the small group that my husband and I were going to be in, and they agreed. Then I had to ask our hosts if it would be okay that I had invited two more ...
A Bible study group led a young woman to Christ through their love and acceptance.
by Life Together
Jane was miserable. She'd never really wanted to start having sex with David. Even though she cared deeply for him, she was only a freshman in college, and it seemed like a big step to take.
"But it will make us so much closer, Jane," David would say. After a while, Jane gave in. At first, it did make her feel closer to David. But two months later, he broke up with her, and she was left feeling used ...
Truly loving people in the midst of persistent sin is easier said than done.
by Life Together
When Allen first met Steve, they were in high school gym together. Steve was quiet and insecure, with few friends. Then Allen began to include Steve in his social life. At first their mutual love for partying drew them together. But as Allen started to grow spiritually, he lost interest in drinking and wild parties. In college, they drifted apart.
When Allen reconnected with Steve after college, Steve's ...
Small groups that thoughtfully use Scripture can serve an evangelistic purpose.
by Marilyn Kunz
It is now clear that large numbers of people have become Christians through peer-group discussions of the Bible. And when unchurched participants become serious about the Christian faith, they normally begin attending church, often the church of their group's initiator.
Whole churches have been built using this method, and the gospel has penetrated neighborhoods and workplaces that likely would not ...
Five ways your small groups can turn this movie into an opportunity for ministry.
by Brett Eastman
This Easter may be the biggest opportunity for small group ministry, yet.
Mel Gibson's The Passion of The Christ grossed $23.6 million opening day. This one-day sale rivals blockbusters like The Matrix Revolutions, The Lord of the Rings, and The Phantom Menace. The numbers may baffle Hollywood, but for months churches across the nation have been anticipating America's rush to the theaters.
Sharing your faith in Christ might not be as difficult as you think.
by Life Together
Does the very thought of sharing your faith with an unbeliever make you sweat? If so, as a leader you understand exactly what the rest of your group feels regarding evangelism. There's nothing more important for a leader than empathy.
Because you know how they feel, a principle you need to pass on to your group is how simple and natural it can be to offer Christ's love to people.
An innovative small-groups ministry for a neglected group of people
by John J. Van der Graaf
Late one July afternoon, as another recently divorced woman left my office wiping tears from her eyes, it struck me that people like her really had no place of their own—particularly in church. They didn't fit in single's groups comprised mainly of young adults never married. They didn't feel fully accepted in the church's family activities. In the one place people come to seek support and solace, ...
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