Who do you consider your real friends? What factors do you look for to know that someone is your "real" friend? Real friendship is something we all long for. Some of us have really great friends and some of us have felt like we have been "alone" most of our life. Yet, we have been hard-wired by our creator to experience deep meaningful relationships. Share this Bible Study with your group and encourage ...
Here are four things you can do to make sure you new group takes flight.
by Reid Smith
Launching a new small group is never easy. There are several different variables to consider, different steps to take, and different types of people to interact with. If one thing goes wrong in the launch process, the whole group can unravel in a hurry.
Fortunately, there are some broad factors that can increase your chances of success when launching a new small group. I've outlined them below. Group ...
A creative way to introduce the concept of accountability into your group
Sue Skalicky
Being a part of the over-forty crowd, I now know people who have had a face-lift. One acquaintance, a lady ten years older than me, had "the works" done - brow-lift, eye-bag removal, and whatever else was involved to make her look extremely surprised 24/7 for weeks after surgery. The process seemed agonizingly painful to me. The moment I saw the row of staples that crossed her hairline from ear to ...
If Martians were to visit your group and ask to be taken to your leader, they should end up meeting everyone!
During the early meetings, the leader must take the most initiative, but each member is contributing as well. Furthermore, leaders should delegate responsibilities from the very first meeting, for symbolic reasons if for nothing else.
Leaders should watch and encourage role playing within ...
We had to undergo transition as people decided a cell church wasn't really what they thought it would be.
Bryan R. Stevenson
Even though we started purposefully as a pure cell church at Acts 2 Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia, we've still had to undergo transition as people decided that a cell church isn't really what they thought it was. (Where are the midweek services, the military ministry, and the youth group?) Our vision at first was to have the youth go with the parents to cell group. This didn't work, primarily ...
Learn what it takes to lead, what models to follow, and what fruit to expect.
by Alice Fryling
Group spiritual direction is very similar to individual direction. A small group of people meet together to provide spiritual direction for each other. Members of the group are given the opportunity, one at a time, to be the directee, and the group responds prayerfully to whatever the directee chooses to present.
The format is simple. The group starts with a time of silence or a short meditation. After ...
Break out of the world's mold by learning to be genuine with God and one another.
Feeling boxed in by life? These four Bible studies challenge you and your group to break out of the world's mold by learning to be genuine with God and one another. These studies encourage you to be available and accountable to each other so you can impact the world around you. Note: This course was developed with Community Christian Church and New Thing Network.
Pain is difficult, but is also a catalyst for spiritual growth.
by Brett Eastman
Nobody likes pain, and nobody likes to experience pain alone. Even Christ, while hanging on the cross, asked God, "Why have you forsaken me?" Yet God often uses it to trigger some of the greatest life-giving moments.
We often fail to appreciate that pain points out a problem that's blocking personal growth. In order for God to deal with certain areas of our life, he allows certain levels of discomfort ...
There is an old Celtic saying: "Anyone without a soul friend is a body without a head." There are not many Celtic sayings about what people without success are—the Celts didn't seem to be terribly interested in success. But they were pretty big on friendship.
I've been thinking about this because I just got back from a once-a-year weekend with four of my oldest friends. We've been friends for ...
Implement the accountability factor in your group.
Esther M. Bailey
When you throw out a challenge to your group members, you hope for good results. Even if they are inspired to move closer to God or modify an unhealthy behavior, they may still follow through with action for a while but lose heart when the going gets tough. There are times when human discipline is not enough.
As the leader, you can introduce the accountability factor. Just as students study harder ...
Printer view of these results
