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June 3, 2020

June 1, 2020

Gospel of Mark Bible Study, Week 5

LifeWay has been offering a free Bible study to anyone who wants to participate. This is week five of our study of Mark. The last session discussed Jesus’ use of parables. In session five, Jesus multiplies His influence.

Bringing His followers together, Jesus paired them off and sent them out. To this point, the message of the kingdom had gone wherever Jesus had gone. His ministry expanded only where His feet could take Him. The disciples could move out in multiple directions so the gospel could spread.

To access the fifth week of the study, entitled Sends, just click here.

This six-week Bible study is an excerpt from a 13-session study in the Explore the Bible Daily Discipleship Guide. Explore the Bible helps your whole church grow together in God’s Word one book at a time, learning how to know, love, and invest in God’s truth in a way that is practical enough for daily application, sustainable in individual and group settings, and age-appropriate for the entire church.

Group Answers Podcast

May 27, 2020

Church Leadership, Uncategorized

May 26, 2020

The Next Season of Groups [Replay]

By Group Ministry

Enjoy this replay of a Facebook Live discussion with three church leaders on the next season of small groups.

Ashley Anderson is community groups leader at Church of the City in New York, New York.

Dave Enns is the pastor of life group ministries at North Coast Church in San Diego, California.

Jon Hughes is adult ministries director at Community Christian Church in Chicago, Illinois.

Chris Surratt is the discipleship and small groups specialist at LifeWay and author of Small Groups for the Rest of Us and Leading Small Groups. You can follow his blog at www.chrissurratt.com.

Church Leadership

May 25, 2020

Gospel of Mark Bible Study, Week 4

By Group Ministry

LifeWay is offering a free Bible study to anyone who wants to participate. This is week four of our study of Mark. The third session covered the escalating tension between Jesus and the religious elite. This week, Jesus throws them another curveball.

As the crowds around Him grew, Jesus shifted His teaching method. He began telling parables—stories about real-life things that taught spiritual truths. Some in the crowds got what He was saying; others didn’t. But He always shared the meaning with His disciples so they could understand His heart and the substance of His message.

To access the fourth week of the study, entitled Restores, just click here.

Group Answers Podcast

May 20, 2020

Group Answers Episode 153: Adam Griffin & Elizabeth Woodson from the Culture Matters Podcast

By Group Ministry

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On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk to Adam Griffin and Elizabeth Woodson from the Culture Matters podcast.

Adam Griffin is the lead pastor of Eastside Community Church in Dallas, Texas, a church plant of The Village Church. He is also the author of the forthcoming book, with Matt Chandler, titled Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home Through Time, Moments and Milestones.

Elizabeth Woodson is a writer, minister and sought-after teacher. She serves a minister for The Village Church Institute, where she teaches and writes curriculum for classes and other learning environments.

Culture Matters started as a podcast of The Village Church, but now it’s its own, separate thing. It’s been going for over three years now. The podcast focuses on the intersection of faith and culture, exploring everything from sports, TV and movies to technology to politics and social issues.

Questions Discussed:

What are we learning about ourselves during this time?
In terms of suffering well, what counsel would you give group leaders about how to manage our current circumstances?
How would you advise someone in managing a constructive — or even redemptive — conversation about COVID-19?
How do you envision the post-pandemic church?
What kind of leadership is required during times like this? Is it different than “peace time” or is leadership more universal?
How can we model what it looks like to abide in Christ?

Resources Mentioned:

The Culture Matters Podcast

Episode Sponsor:

For more than 25 years, Portable Church® has helped thousands of churches launch strong and thrive in a mobile setting. They design custom solutions that fit each budget, vision, and venue. Everything you need to launch a mobile church — an inviting worship space, kids ministry areas, welcome spaces, storage cases, etc — all in a system refined to make it fast, easy & fun for the weekly volunteer teams.

The Group Answers Podcast is a weekly show designed to resource, train, and encourage small group leaders. Each episode considers current trends and resources as well as timeless truths and methods of discipleship. It is hosted by Brian Daniel, a Bible study and discipleship expert in LifeWay’s Groups Ministry, and Chris Surratt, the small group and discipleship specialist at LifeWay and author of Leading Small Groups.

Church Leadership

May 19, 2020

A Facebook Live Discussion: Coast-to-Coast

By Group Ministry

Tired of hearing bad news about COVID-19? Let’s turn our attention to the future possibilities for small groups!

This free Facebook Live event will present how three churches in three different parts of the country are preparing for a new season. Hosted by Chris Surratt, discussion points will include:

What is working and not working for your groups right now?
What questions are you asking as you look at the future for your groups?
Is there a future for having online and in-person group meetings?
How will you assimilate people into groups when the gathering ban lifts?

Watch here at 2 p.m. CDT on May 21

Church Leadership

May 18, 2020

Gospel of Mark Bible Study, Week 3

By Group Ministry

LifeWay is offering a free Bible study to anyone who wants to participate. This is week three of our study of Mark.

The second session covered some of the miracles of Jesus. This week, the tensions between Jesus and the religious elite continues to escalate. Some of the leaders had accused Him of blasphemy—claiming equality with God. They also had serious concerns about His attempts to define the Sabbath in ways that ran contrary to their accepted traditions. Session three begins with another Sabbath showdown…

To access the third week of the study, entitled Unites, just click here.

Group Answers Podcast

May 13, 2020

Church Leadership

May 11, 2020

Gospel of Mark Bible Study, Week 2

By Group Ministry

For a period of six weeks, LifeWay is offering a free Bible study on Mark to anyone who wants to participate. The first session last week was all about the authority of Jesus being revealed. This week, session two covers how some rejected that authority.

After recording Jesus’ interactions with His first disciples (Mark 1:16-20), Mark described a series of miraculous events. In addition to revealing Jesus’ power and compassion, these accounts validate Mark’s argument that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah and that the kingdom of God had come to earth. But some refused to believe.

To access the second week of the study, entitled Forgives, just click here.

Gospel of Mark Bible Study, Week 5

The Next Season of Groups [Replay]

Gospel of Mark Bible Study, Week 4

A Facebook Live Discussion: Coast-to-Coast

Watch here at 2 p.m. CDT on May 21

Gospel of Mark Bible Study, Week 3

Gospel of Mark Bible Study, Week 2

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