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Christmas Gifts for the Small Group Leader

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by Deborah Spooner

What if you could do more than spread holiday cheer to your group this Christmas season?

What if you could give gifts that spread faith, hope, and love? Relieve fear, stress, and anxiety? Point to Christ through Scripture?

You can.

These Christmas resources will equip your group members to finish off 2018 with a focus on Christ and catalyze them into Gospel-centered living as they enter 2019.

10 Minute Audio Devotions: Finding Strength in Faith, Hope, and Love (Only $5!)

This 10-Minute Audio Devotions CD contains twelve audio devotions by best-selling authors that will inspire you to find strength in God as you set your mind on eternal truths from His Word.

In the hurry and stress of life today, strength often seems to be in short supply. Maybe you feel that you’re running on empty. But God has an endless supply of spiritual resources to give you strength, perseverance, and victory. These twelve short audio devotions by best-selling authors will set your mind on eternal truths from God’s Word, inviting you to drink deeply of the faith, hope, and love that are always available to you in Jesus Christ.

10 Minute Audio Devotions: Finding Victory over Fear, Stress, and Anxiety (Only $5!)

This 10-Minute Audio Devotions CD can help you deal with the crazy twists and turns on the road of life, especially when you’re on the road. They can be perfect for commutes but can also be used anytime you have a free ear and a few minutes of downtime: exercising, folding laundry, tinkering in the garage.

Brief but powerful, these audio devotions will help you navigate through fear, stress, and anxiety while covering topics such as renewing your mind, overcoming various fears, the role of suffering, and battling temptation. The two-disc set containing 12 devotions, each about 10 minutes in length, features teaching from some of today’s best Christian communicators including Tony Evans, James MacDonald, David Jeremiah, Matt Chandler, and more.

Gospel Foundations: A one-year journey through the storyline of Scripture

Jesus’ first appearance in the Bible was not in a manger. This new small group Bible study series will lead believers on a one-year journey through the entire storyline of Scripture, showing how Jesus is the Hero from beginning to end.

Used in sequence, you’ll journey through six volumes, seeing the Gospel from Genesis to Revelation. Used individually, you can journey through any section of scripture through a stand-alone volume. There’s even a student version.

What makes it even better? You can try it now, for free. You can download the first two sessions of volume one, take a peek at the sessions of volume two, get free sermon outlines, and see the method behind it all. Find the free content here.

Merry Christmas!

Deborah Spooner is a Minnesota-born analytical creative serving as a Marketing Strategist for LifeWay’s Groups Ministry. As a pastor’s daughter with a background in Digital Communications and Media and Biblical & Theological Studies, you can find her at her local church, in deep conversation, or with a book or pen in hand as she seeks to know Christ more and make Him known.
Church Leadership

What to Study in 2019

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by Tyler Quillet

It’s getting to be that time to make plans for your group’s study focus after the new year.  I think we have some options that will really bless your group as you kick off 2019!  I’d like to share with you some studies in smallgroup.com that you can use, and even customize to make them your own, if you choose.  Not a smallgroup.com member?  No problem!  Just go to www.smallgroup.com and click on the 30-day free trial icon to access these studies!  If you are already a member of smallgroup.com, I hope these studies will be new to you as you seek your next small group series.

As you continue to read, you’ll find 3 studies that I believe will kick off your 2019 well as your group seeks after Christ, finds who you are in Christ, and lives out the mission of Christ.

As You Go

This series covers six passages in the book of Acts to explore what it means to live in a missional fashion.  This is a great way to start the year, as we seek to live on mission in every area of our lives!

Session 1: Acts 2:41-47 – As you go in your walk with Jesus, do so in community.

Session 2: Acts 4:1-20 – As you go and share the gospel of Jesus Christ, do so knowing you are loved by God and emboldened by His Holy Spirit.

Session 3: Acts 6:1-7 – As you go about living a missional life, your testimony is influenced both by what you say and what you do.

Session 4: Acts 9:26-31 – As you go about making Christ’s name known, do so in boldness.

Session 5: Acts 17:16-32 – As you go about reaching your world today, you must be willing to meet people where they are, yet not compromise the truth of the gospel.

Session 6: Acts 28:23-31 – As you go about your walk with Christ, it is imperative that you allow the Lord to work in your circumstances, so you might use any resources you have to proclaim His glorious name.

A New Identity

This 6 week series explores six identity traits of Christians.  It is necessary for us to be reminded often of who we are in Christ, as we fight against society telling us otherwise.  This series will focus your group on who you all are as followers of Christ, as you are sent back into the world reminded of your true identity!

Session 1: Christians Are Saints – 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Ephesians 1:1-3

Apart from their own conduct, all who are in Christ are saints of God.

Session 2: Christians Are Chosen – Galatians 4:1-7; Ephesians 1:4-6

We did not accidentally become Christians, but because of God’s great love, He chose us before the foundation of the world.

Session 3: Christians Are Forgiven – Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 1:8-10

Christians are completely forgiven, for when Christ died, He died for our sins past, present, and future.

Session 4: Christians Are Heirs – Ephesians 1:11-19; 1 Peter 1:3-9

Christians are co-heirs with Christ and enjoy the blessing of a sure and certain inheritance.

Session 5: Christians Are Sealed – John 10:22-30; Ephesians 1:13-14

Because Christians are sealed by the Holy Spirit, our relationship with God and our eternity are secure in Him no matter what happens in our lives.

Session 6: Christians are Victorious – Romans 8:31-39; Ephesians 1:15-23

Because Jesus rose from the grave and now reigns at the Father’s right hand, Christians share in His victory no matter what comes against us.

Dangerous Prayers

This 6 week series gives focus to walking more closely with God through prayer.  Throughout this series, you will be challenged to step outside of your comfort zone when praying, which leads to a deepened trust in Christ.

Session 1: A Prayer of Salvation – Matthew 14:22-33; Luke 5:1-11

God sacrificed His Son’s life in order to save yours. Praying for salvation and following Christ demands the full submission of our lives.

Session 2: A Prayer of Surrender – Isaiah 6:1-13

The appropriate response to God’s holiness is surrendering your life in service to Him.

Session 3: A Prayer of Humility – Genesis 32:24-32

Sometimes growing spiritually involves great struggle, even to the point of brokenness.

Session 4: Trusting God to Lead – Exodus 13:20-22

Wherever God leads us, we can follow, because He has been and always will be faithful.

Session 5: Help Me – Mark 9:14-24

God does not expect His people to exercise perfect faith but rather humbly dependent faith that cries out to Him for help.

Session 6: A Prayer of Obedience – Acts 26:9-23 When we pray for God to use us it is not always comfortable or safe.

There are so many great short and long term studies on smallgroup.com, as well as thousands of individual studies. A few others that I’d encourage you to check out are: “The Hebrews Initiative”, which is a 12 week study on the superiority of Jesus, “Marriage Matters”, which is a 6 week focus on the core issues in marriage, and “The Life of David”, which is a 9 week study on David’s life being in God’s hands at all times.  No matter what you choose, we trust that you’ll be encouraged, challenged, and pointed to Jesus in each of these studies.  I’m excited for you as you lead your group into 2019!

Tyler Quillet is the Discipleship Strategist for the Custom Bible Study team at LifeWay Christian Resources. He lives in the Nashville, TN area with his incredible wife, Cathie and two boys, Cylas and Bowen. Tyler spent 15 years as a pastor in Ohio before moving to the Nashville area and is passionate about serving churches and pouring into church leaders in a variety of ways.
Thursday Giveaway

Thursday Giveaway – Foundations: New Testament

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by Deborah Spooner

Each week on Thursdays we highlight a trustworthy discipleship resource that can help you in your mission to make disciples. This week’s post is adapted from and expands on Foundations: New Testament. Fill out the form at the end of this post by Friday,  December 7th at 11:59pm to enter for a chance to win this free resource!

What if you could do more than read the New Testament? What if you could H.E.A.R. it?

Good news. You can.

Robby Gallaty describes what it was like reading Scripture when he first became a believer. Instead of using the H.E.A.R. method, he tried the O.P.R.A. technique: randomly opening the Bible, pointing to a passage, reading the verse, and applying it is his life.

The result?

Stunted growth. His lack of an effective reading plan didn’t produce the spiritual growth he longed to experience.

Enter the H.E.A.R. journaling method, used in a 260-day reading plan that journeys through every chapter in the New Testament during the course of a year. Providing a devotional for each chapter, Foundations: New Testament is flexibly designed to use the H.E.A.R. method for five days per week.

The method? Simple. Here’s a glimpse.

H: Highlight

Write the letter “H” at the top left-hand corner of your page. As you read, one or two verses typically stand out and speak to you. After reading the scripture passage, highlight each verse that is particularly powerful to you and copy it on the page. Also record the book’s name, the passage of scripture, the chapter and verse numbers that particularly speak to you, and a title to describe the passage.

E: Explain

Write the letter “E” under the previous entry. Here, you’ll begin to explain what the text means. Through some simple questions and with the help of God’s Spirit, you can understand the meaning of a passage or verse. Try asking:

  • Why was this text written?
  • To whom was it originally written?
  • How does this text fit with the verses before and after it?
  • Why did the Holy Spirit include this passage in the book?
  • What does the Holy Spirit intend to communicate through this text?

At this point, you’re beginning the process of discovering the specific, personal word God has for you from His Word. What’s important is that you’re engaging with the text and wrestling with its meaning.

What comes next to complete your process with the H.E.A.R. method? A: Apply and R: Respond.

All the steps are actions. God doesn’t want us to sit back and wait for him to drop truth into our laps. Instead of waiting passively, we can actively pursue Him. Jesus said:

“Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you” (Matt. 7:7).

Compared to what you can gain through an intentional method for studying God’s Word, what do you have to lose? Try it. Enter to win a copy of Foundations: NT to get the full description of the H.E.A.R. method and start your intentional reading plan.

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by filling out this form you agree to receive more information regarding this resource
Deborah Spooner is a Minnesota-born analytical creative serving as a Marketing Strategist for LifeWay’s Groups Ministry. As a pastor’s daughter with a background in Digital Communications and Media and Biblical & Theological Studies, you can find her at her local church, in deep conversation, or with a book or pen in hand as she seeks to know Christ more and make Him known.

 

Group Answers Podcast

Group Answers Episode 77: Robby Gallaty

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Our guest today is Pastor Robby Gallaty. Radically saved in 2002, Robby was mentored and discipled by former Senior Pastor of The Church at Brook Hills, David Platt. Robby completed his Masters of Divinity Degree in Expository Preaching in 2007 and his Ph.D. in Preaching in 2011 from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Robby is the founder of Replicate Ministries and the author of seven books, in addition to his pastoral leadership at Long Hollow Baptist Church. Robby is married to Kandi, and they have two young sons, Rig and Ryder.

Questions:

  • What are you learning about discipleship in groups as you lead Long Hollow and interact with other churches?
  • How do you move people from being insider focused to discipling others?
  • What is the leading indicator of a growing disciple of Jesus and how can group leaders leverage it?
  • What’s the most interesting disciple-making or group practice (approach) you’ve been exposed to as you have engaged different leaders and churches?

Quotes:

We have to mobilize people from coming to the church building once a week and show them that ministry happens Monday through Saturday.

Lost people don’t wake up and say, “I think I’ll go to church today,” but they will come to your house.

There’s no greater joy as a pastor than seeing your people in church on Sunday morning taking notes during your sermon. They realize they’re not learning for them. They’re now learning for the person they’re passing the information on to.

The gospel came to you because it was heading to someone else.

Most churches that are declining or plateaued are because the pastor and staff are executing the ministry themselves.

We have taught people what they’re saved from, but not what they’re saved for.

Resources Mentioned:

This Episode’s Sponsor:
What happens when the Bible and humanity collide? Not what you’d expect. Living & Effective, a podcast collaboration between Christianity Today and the Christian Standard Bible, journeys through history, current events, theology, and the human condition to uncover surprising ways the Bible accomplishes God’s plan in the world.”

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 Small Groups for the Rest of Us.

Group Answers Podcast

Group Answers Episode 76: Avoiding Burnout as a Leader

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In today’s episode, Brian, Chris, and Brandon talk about the signs that you may be headed for burnout as a leader, and a few ways to hopefully avoid them.

Signs of burnout discussed from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero.

  1. You are using God to run from God.
  2. You are ignoring the emotions of anger, sadness, and fear.
  3. You are dying to the wrong things.
  4. You are doing for God instead of being with God.
  5. You are spiritualizing away conflict.
  6. You are living without limits.

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 Small Groups for the Rest of Us.

Church Leadership

6 Ways to Minimize the Stress of Leading a Group

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by Dwayne McCrary

If you have led any kind of Bible study group, you are familiar with the stress that comes with it. As soon as the group time is over, another one sits in the future awaiting your attention. Responding to individual’s questions that come from the group time just adds to the stress all the more. And it always seems that some crisis at work happens right before a group meeting. Here are a few things we can do to address the stress of leading a group.

  1. Prepare. This may be a shock, but winging it only adds to the stress. We may buy into the “I want the Holy Spirit to be free to work in the group time” excuse, pretending that our failure to prepare is somehow more spiritual. The truth is the Holy Spirit is at work outside the group time just as much as He is during it. Sharpened axes tend to be the most effective.
  2. Start Early. It is one thing to prepare, it is another thing to prepare on your way to the group meeting. The urgent adds stress and gets in the way of us doing our best. The moment the previous group time concludes, we can start our preparation for the next group time. This gives us time to think about the group time and put together a great experience.
  3. Delegate. We can’t do everything and we shouldn’t. The more we take on, the more we cheat someone in the group of using their giftedness within the group. Delegation is a subset of starting early; asking a person to volunteer the day of the group time is unfair.
  4. Use a Plan. Half of the stress of leading a group is deciding what will be studied and when. Rely on your church leaders and other experts like LifeWay to create a well thought out study plan for your group. Adapt as needed, but having some plan to adapt removes the pressure of deciding on your own.
  5. Get feedback and act on it. Ask someone you trust in the group to evaluate the group time. Look for constructive actions you may need to take to improve as a leader. This is not about being perfect, but about being better.
  6. Remember you are not alone. Nothing adds to our stress more than feeling like we are on out on the limb will all eyes on us.The Holy Spirit is present in our preparation, present in the lives of the believers in our group, and stands with us during the group time. God shows up when His truth is examined and we are in partnership with Him.
Dwayne McCrary is a project team leader for ongoing adult Bible study resources at LifeWay, including the adult Explore the Bible resources. He also teaches an adult group and preschool group every Sunday in the church he attends.
Group Answers Podcast

Group Answers Episode 75: Power Ranking Disciple-Makers in the Bible

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On today’s episode, Chris, Brian, and Brandon power rank disciple-makers in the Bible.

Criteria:

A. Degree of Difficulty (How challenging was their discipleship situation?)

B. Disciples’ Impact (How world-changing were their direct discipleship descendents?)

C. Paradigm Development (How much did their discipleship example shape future disciple-making ministry?)

Chris’ Top 5

  1. Jesus – 30
    Degree of Difficulty – 10
    Disciples’ Impact – 10
    Paradigm Development – 10
  2. Paul – 25
    Degree of Difficulty – 8
    Disciples’ Impact – 8
    Paradigm Development – 9
  3. Peter – 23
    Degree of Difficulty – 8
    Disciples’ Impact – 8
    Paradigm Development – 7
  4. John the Baptist – 19
    Degree of Difficulty – 9
    Disciples’ Impact – 6
    Paradigm Development — 5
  5. Elijah – 16
    Degree of Difficulty – 8
    Disciples’ Impact – 5
    Paradigm Development – 3

Brandon’s Top 5

  1. Jesus – 30
    Degree of Difficulty – 10
    Disciples’ Impact – 10
    Paradigm Development – 10
  2. Barnabas – 26
    Degree of Difficulty – 9
    Disciples’ Impact – 9
    Paradigm Development – 8
  3. Paul – 24
    Degree of Difficulty – 8
    Disciples’ Impact – 7
    Paradigm Development – 9
  4. Jethro – 18
    Degree of Difficulty – 4
    Disciples’ Impact – 4
    Paradigm Development – 10
  5. Elijah – 15
    Degree of Difficulty – 10
    Disciples’ Impact – 4
    Paradigm Development – 1

Brian’s Top 5

  1. Jesus – 30
    Degree of Difficulty – 10
    Disciples’ Impact – 10
    Paradigm Development – 10
  2. Paul – 27
    Degree of Difficulty – 8
    Disciples’ Impact – 9
    Paradigm Development – 10
  3. Moses – 26
    Degree of Difficulty – 10
    Disciples’ Impact – 10
    Paradigm Development – 6
  4. Peter – 25
    Degree of Difficulty – 9
    Disciples’ Impact – 8
    Paradigm Development – 8
  5. Aquilla and Priscilla – 18
    Degree of Difficulty – 4
    Disciples’ Impact – 9
    Paradigm Development – 5

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 Small Groups for the Rest of Us.

Church Leadership

The Transformational Practice of Thanksgiving

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by Reid Smith

I love Thanksgiving! Most people love the holiday because it’s a time to enjoy family, friends, and lots of great food! Most of my favorite memories in life revolve around the combination of these three things, which is why this time of year brings the hope of passing it on by making similar heart-warming memories with my own kids.

Thanksgiving, however, is more than a holiday for groups: it’s a transformational practice that we can’t do without in our small groups. God uses thanksgiving that honors Him to build community, boost faith, and bless the people circled up with us. There are biblical truths about what the Lord does in our lives as a result of showing God-honoring gratitude in our relationship with Him and one another. Thanksgiving:

  • Deepens our communion with God and one another, which advances the Church’s mission (John 17:20-21; 1 Cor 11:23-26, 33; 2 Thes 1:2-3)
  • Strengthens our worship and prayer life because we’re being obedient to give thanks as a part of each (Ps 69:30, 95:2, 100:4; 1 Cor 1:4; Col 1:3)
  • Ushers in the peace of God, which protects one’s whole being against the enemy (Php 4:6-7; 1 Thes 5:11; Heb 3:13)

Experientially, I’ve found that giving thanks reminds me of God’s nature and what He has done for us all. I believe this is one of the reasons why we see so many laments turn to praise in the Psalms and why the Apostle Paul usually opens and closes his letters with giving thanks. Thanksgiving helps me to set my mind on things above and fix my thoughts on Jesus (Col 3:2; Heb 3:1). It helps me to be more forgiving and full of faith, and it even has a way of enhancing my love for my brothers and sisters and Christ.

There’s power in giving thanks. It goes hand-in-hand with encouragement. For example, when I’m encouraging people, I’m usually showing gratitude for something I admire or appreciate about them. Furthermore, when people thank others out of their love for them, how can they not be encouraged? God uses encouragement and thanksgiving together to build community and further His purposes in the world (2 Cor 13:11).

The more I express thanks to God and encourage others, the better I’m able to walk in God’s will, which 1 Thessalonians 5:18 plainly spells out: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Regardless of what we’re facing or up against, God’s will for us is that we are to give thanks. Let’s be honest…that’s a tall order! However, when thanksgiving is a regular practice, it becomes more a part of my natural disposition and response.

Giving thanks invites God’s blessings into our lives because we’re being obedient to live according to His will in Christ Jesus. Consequently, we get to walk in the favor and power of the Lord, which overflows to the people He has put in our lives. As you circle up with the people in your group, give thanks in everything that you do together – fellowship, eating together, worship, prayer, Bible Study – so that you can experience more of God’s life-changing power in your life together.

Reid has been equipping leaders in churches of all sizes and stages of growth for effective disciple-making since 1996. He currently serves as a Pastor of Groups at Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach County, FL and has been a contributing author for various publications, including LifeWay’s Ministry Grid. Learn more about how to start and multiply healthy groups throughout your church at www.reidsmith.org.
Thursday Giveaway

Thursday Giveaway: Explore the Bible

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Each week on Thursdays we highlight a trustworthy discipleship resource that can help you in your mission to make disciples. This week’s post is from Explore the Bible: Adults Personal Study Guide Winter 2019, Session 2—Not Alone. Fill out the form at the end of this post by Friday, November 16th at 11:59pm to enter for a chance to win this free resource!

Not Alone (Gen. 28:10-22)

Loneliness is more than location. We can be in a familiar place, yet still be alone. We can feel alone in a room full of people or walking down a city street surrounded by a mass of people. The feeling of aloneness can be overwhelming.

Jacob knew loneliness. After tricking his father Isaac into giving him the patriarchal blessing, Jacob was forced to flee his home. Leaving behind his worried mother, angry brother, and deceived father, he left Beer-sheba and set out for Haran, the home of his mother’s brother. When the sun had set, he stopped to rest at a certain place. This place was far from home, far away from his mother’s tender touch, and far away from the luxuries afforded him as Isaac’s son. In this place, alone, there was no need for deception or trickery. Most likely, his thoughts were now filled with fear. Would Esau follow him and kill him? Would he have enough food or water? Would he find his way to Haran? Would his uncle welcome him under these circumstances? His deceptive actions brought him to this uninviting and uncomfortable place with only a stone for a pillow. Alone and exhausted, he watched the day turn to night as he lay in that place.

The consequences of our sinful actions often take us to places we did not imagine. We fantasize of riches and fame, but sin offers no such reward. Like Jacob, we may find ourselves without family and home if we bite at Satan’s temptations.

In this solitary place, sleep overtook Jacob and he dreamed. In his dream, Jacob saw a stairway that reached from earth to heaven. God’s angels were going up and down on it. The stairway reminds us of God’s personal involvement in the affairs on earth and in the hearts of humanity. While people, like Jacob, may leave God out of their lives, God never deserts them. Notice the movement of the angels on the stairway. They were already on earth, traveling up to heaven and then coming back down to earth again. God’s angelic army had been busy on earth, long before Jacob’s time. Not only were the angels accomplishing God’s purposes on earth, but by ascending up the stairway, they were in constant communication with heaven. Nothing on earth escapes the watchful eye of God. Even in this solitary place, Jacob learned God was at work.

As far as Scripture reveals, this was Jacob’s first encounter with God. Introducing Himself, God used the name Yahweh, the personal name for God, meaning the self-existent, eternal God. Just as God appeared to Jacob’s grandfather and father, He appeared to Jacob personally. Jacob was about to learn that hearing the stories of God is not the same as having a personal relationship with Him.

God extended to Jacob the covenant He made with Abraham and Isaac, promising him offspring, land, a blessing through him, divine protection and presence, and that He would see Jacob safely home. God would appear to Jacob several more times, but this first meeting was significant because Jacob learned God was interested in him and was at work in his life.

As God approached sinful Jacob, Jesus comes to us in spite of our sinfulness. He loves us as we are and blesses us though we are undeserving. By placing our faith in Jesus, our lives will never be the same. We can be confident in knowing that God is with us and guides us to fulfill His purposes in and through us.

This article was adapted from Explore the Bible: Adults Personal Study Guide Winter 2019, Session 2—Not Alone. Explore the Bible is a book-by-book group Bible study that encourages participants to let the Word dwell in them and challenges them to live it out in their own context. Preview one month free at lifeway.com/ExploreTheBible

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Group Answers Podcast

Group Answers Episode 74: Barnabas Piper on Dealing with Doubts and Unbelief

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On this week’s episode, Brian and Chris sit down with Barnabas Piper to discuss his book, Help My Unbelief: Why Doubt Is Not the Enemy of Faith. Barnabas is an author, podcaster, and speaker who lives near Nashville, Tennessee. He writes regularly for He Reads Truth and blogs at BarnabasPiper.com. He has authored three books, The Pastor’s Kid: Finding Your Own Faith and Identity (David C. Cook, 2014), Help My Unbelief: Why Doubt Is Not the Enemy of Faith (David C. Cook, 2015), and The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life (B&H Publishing Group, 2017). He also co-hosts The Happy Rant podcast, a popular show discussing issues of faith and culture in a light-hearted, humorous manner.

Questions:

1. Talk to us about your personal struggles with doubt. In what ways have you found doubt to be redemptive?

2. What are some things that the church can do to help with Christians struggling through doubt and unbelief?

3. How important were relationships and community in your process of working through your unbelief?

4. Is it ok for a small group leader to still have unbelief and doubt? How much should he/she share those doubts with the group members?

5. How can a group leader best navigate those group discussions where doubts are shared and answers are not evident?

Quotes:

I knew everything I was supposed to know, but there was a disparity between that and those core beliefs that my hope rests in. That’s where the doubt lived for me.

That doubt ended up leading me all the way through college…and eventually hit a wall.

In the church, we get nervous about questions because it sounds like somebody is rejecting God, but often that’s an invitation for the Holy Spirit to speak into that person.

There is distinctly a redemptive opportunity in questions and doubts if we see them as an opportunity and not a challenge.

You have to be willing to answer the same questions over-and-over again, because some people will struggle with the same doubts for a long time.

The group context is vital to this, because that’s where the doubts come out.

There are doubts that you can put on the table that can rattle other people. You’re going to introduce a doubt to them that they have never considered.

You have to have a barometer of what’s the right thing to say here, and what’s the right thing to say just to that other member.

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 Small Groups for the Rest of Us.