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What You Can Look Forward to on the Other Side of Being Overwhelmed – Eric Geiger

The cliché: “Don’t bite off more than you can chew” is unhelpful because it is good for a leader’s development to occasionally do so.

3 Spiritual Reasons Why You Should Take Control of Your Calendar – Michael Kelley

…taking control of your calendar isn’t just an issue of time management. Maybe there’s something deeper going on here. Maybe taking control of your calendar is actually a spiritual discipline; maybe it’s an act of discipleship.

Beyond the Pancake Breakfast – 10 Fellowship Ideas for Men’s Groups – Kris Dolberry

Everyone loves pancakes– especially when there’s bacon involved. But, when it comes to Saturday morning pancake breakfasts, most of us have been-there-done-that. So, beyond the pancakes, bacon, and dude sharing a quick devotional, here are 10 fellowship ideas for your men’s group to consider:

You Have Stayed Long Enough – LifeWay Women’s Ministry

Is there a place in your life where you have stayed long enough? Is there something that God is calling you to do that may require you putting your foot on the gas and stepping bravely into the unknown?

Maximizing Mentorship – LifeWay Leadership

Mentoring is something I believe every leader should be involved in. But it’s not easy. It requires a tremendous amount of time and energy and is a big commitment for a leader. That’s why it’s important that we learn to maximize our mentoring relationships. So here are a few things that you might find useful to help maximize your mentorship.

Group Leadership

Four Ways to Deal With Tricky Questions in Your Group

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If you teach a Bible study group long enough, someone is going to ask you a tricky question. It’s just bound to happen. It’s one of the most uncomfortable things that happen to group leaders. I’ve seen two categories of tricky questions in the groups I’ve taught. “Category 1 questions” are what I’m going to call “innocent” tricky questions. They are asked with pure motives, but can be hard for a group leader to answer. The second category of tricky questions is what I’m going to call “malevolent questions.” These tricky questions are not asked with pure motives. In fact, these are asked by group members when they are intentionally trying to stir up something in the group. Here are four ways to deal with each category of questions.

Four ways to deal with tricky, but innocent, questions:

  • ADMIT – Learn to use three powerful little words: “I don’t know.” It’s OK to admit that you don’t have an immediate response for the person. Use this when you really don’t care to address the question. You’ll earn people’s trust and respect by not simply making up an answer—because everyone knows when we do that.
  • AFFIRM – Say something to the person who’s asked the question like, “That’s a good question,” or, “You’ve helped me see this in a different way.” You can affirm their question, but you don’t necessarily have to stop to address it. Move on. Keep the lesson on track. Affirm the person by saying, “You’ve given me something to ponder.”
  • ASK – This is where it gets fun! Turn the tables, as Jesus did (Luke 20) and simply say, “Now that’s an interesting question—how would you answer it?” 9 times out of 10, the person is eager to share their insight. They asked you, but now you’ve asked them.
  • ACKNOWLEDGE – This is a cousin to the first solution above, Admit. The difference here is that you admit your lack of knowledge and you commit to do further study. You simply acknowledge that you don’t have an answer, but you also promise to do some further study and get back to the person and/or the group.

Four ways to deal with malevolent questions:

If you’ve ever been put on the spot intentionally by someone during a Bible study, don’t despair! This happened to Jesus at various times. In Luke 20 a group of men came to Him to trick Him, and He turned the tables on them. He wouldn’t respond to their question before they responded to a question He decided to throw at them. The result? They dared not ask Him any more questions! I think there is some humor in the Bible, and that’s one of the spots—I would have loved to have been there to see Jesus expertly handle a group of people with a malevolent question!

When you sense that a question has been asked to derail the study or to challenge you, take a deep breath, compose yourself, and choose one or more of the following ways to deal with that malevolent question:

  • DEFLECT – Deal with that potential barbed question by deflecting it. Say, “If I have time before the Bible study is over, I’ll get to that question. If not, I’ll visit with you after class. Let’s continue our study…” I never get to the person’s question (imagine that!). If I sense that the question was asked to do me or the group some level of harm, I always want to isolate the person and not give him or her a platform in front of the group. I always meet with the person afterwards.
  • DEFEND – On occasion, when I really do want to bring correction to the person asking the snarky question, I choose to respond. Jesus did this in Matthew 24 when He was asked an intentionally tricky question about which was the greatest command in the law. Sometimes the best course of action is to confront the person and give your response. Defend your position. Use Scripture. Stand your ground—but do it humbly and gently.
  • DIVIDE – This is a great response that normally puts the person in their place, and causes them not to ask challenging questions anymore. When asked one of those malevolent questions, say: “John has posed a hard question. Let’s divide into groups of 3 or 4 and work quickly to respond based on Scripture. Elect a spokesperson for you group. You have 5 minutes. Go!” What always happens is that the groups of people end up “policing” the person with the malevolent question. They put the questioner in their place using Scripture, and you don’t have to say a word. It also give you, the teacher, time to think about a response while the groups are doing their work.
  • DIG – Normally when you are asked a malevolent question, there’s a question behind the question. Do a little digging and find out the real issue. Say, “Wow—I didn’t anticipate that kind of question in our study today. Why do you ask that?” Continue probing with an even more pointed question, “Why is it important to you that we answer that right now?” or, “Help me see how that question connects to our study.” Just keep digging and ultimately the person will either back off, or that person will reveal the true reason he or she is putting you on the spot.

Ken manages the Ongoing Adult Bible Studies and Church Trainers at LifeWay. He has been a group leader for 6 years, and has over 20 years of church education ministry experience. He blogs daily about groups at kenbraddy.com.

Group Leadership

Assurance of the Resurrection

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Arguably the most important defense of the resurrection in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 15 reminds us of the truth of Jesus’ resurrection and its benefits for those who belong to Him.

The resurrection of Jesus has massive implications. One major implication is that those who belong to Jesus will also one day be resurrected to life. Jesus’ resurrection guarantees ours. Paul referred to Jesus’ resurrection as “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (v. 20). Paul’s use of the term firstfruits recalls the firstborn child, animal, or first harvest of a crop that would be considered holy and belonging to the Lord. The firstfruits, as a foretaste of more to come, were offered to God in thanksgiving for His graciousness in providing them. Jesus’ resurrection was the pattern of things to come, a foretaste for those who belong to Christ.

Paul reminded the Corinthian believers not only of participation in a future bodily resurrection but also participation in the eternal reign of God’s kingdom in Christ. When Christ returns, the culmination of God’s redemptive plan will be brought with Him. Several profound activities occur as the result of Christ’s victorious resurrection and triumphant return.

  1. Jesus will hand over “the kingdom to God the Father” (v. 24). Jesus taught us to pray that God’s kingdom would come “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). The kingdom is the rule and reign of God over all things and all people. Currently, there are still enemies who oppose and disrupt this kingly reign of God. When Jesus returns, all things will finally be restored as they were originally designed to be before the wreckage of Adam’s sin.
  1. Jesus will put “all his enemies under his feet” (v. 25). As it stands, “the last enemy to be abolished is death” (v. 26). The truth is, death has been defeated but has not yet been abolished and subjected to Christ (Heb. 2:8). Humanity still languishes under the shadow of death and is “held in slavery … by the fear of death” (Heb. 2:15). That’s why we need the reminder of these truths from Paul.
  1. Christ Himself will “be subject to the one who subjected everything to him” (v. 28). God sent His Son to restore what Adam wrecked, which Jesus did. Because Jesus is the true and better Adam, Paul cited Psalm 8:6 as a reminder that “God has put everything under his feet” (v. 27). Of course, “it is obvious that he who puts everything under him [Christ] is the exception” (v. 27). The Father is still the Father! In the final analysis, what Christ accomplished through His death and resurrection is for the glory of the Father. When Paul said that Christ will “be subject to” (v. 28) the Father, he was not in any way implying that the Son is inferior to the Father. The Persons of the Trinity are equal in essence and glory. The subordination Paul spoke about was one of role or function.

When all is said and done—death is finally abolished and the kingdom is handed over to the Father—all things will be put in their rightful place and order. God’s authority over all things will be eternally exercised. There will no longer be an enemy—death or the devil—rising to challenge Him.

This article was adapted from Explore the Bible: Adults Personal Study Guide Spring 2018, Session 5—Assurance of the Resurrection. 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

Group Leadership

Baseball and Small Groups: It’s Opening Day

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March 29th is a huge day in my family. On this day, the first of 162 baseball games will be played.

Opening day for Major League Baseball is arguably one of its best days. What’s not to love about baseball, the true American sport? There’s the smell of fresh-cut grass, the pleasure of watching the water dampen the infield, the eating of junk food while you start your summer tan, and of course there’s the hopes and aspirations you have for your team. You want them to win, of course, but even if they lose, you still have hope and leave the game with joy.

I have always found it fascinating that other “opening days” in my life do not correspond with springtime like baseball. The start of school, for example, takes place in the fall. Just as everything around us is starting to die, families are trying to come back to life. The same is true for small group ministry in many churches. When everything around us is coming to life in the spring, groups are thinking more about winding down and ending in time for summer.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Consider a few ideas for putting a little “opening day” spirit into your small group, even if you are on the home stretch for the year.

  1. First, take it outside. For months now, your group has been grateful for smaller quarters, heat pumps, fireplaces, and hot beverages. But now that spring is in the air, the inviting living room cannot compare to the park or playground in your community. Breathe some fresh life into your group experience, taking advantage of the play space and the extra daylight at the end of the day to soak in the bigness of God in creation.
  2. Second, emphasize the fact that faith is a team sport. We like to think that we are truly part of a faith community, but often we live under the illusion of that community. We are with others in coffee shops, but usually with headphones on. Our homes are close together, but still with privacy fences. Says Jared Wilson in his book The Imperfect Disciple, “All of this environmental insulation, in the midst of close proximity to others we basically ignore while we rub shoulders with them, creates a dysfunction in us about the idea of community and the gospel.” Don’t live in this dysfunction. Look at your small group the same way a baseball team begins the season, with the rookies and veterans learning to trust one another. There may be hesitancy to trust, but we all know deep down that only trust will lead to victory in your group.
  3. Third, find some fun activities for your small group members to enjoy together. Take your small group out to do something fun, like watch a baseball game.

Oh, and go Red Sox.

Rob Tims has been married to Holly for 17 years. They have four children: Trey, Jonathan, Abby, and Luke. He has served in the local church for 20 years as a children’s pastor, student pastor, and senior pastor. He currently serves on a team at LifeWay Christian Resources that develops customized Bible studies for groups and teaches two classes for Liberty University School of Divinity Online. He is the author of the book Southern Fried Faith: Confusing Christ and Culture in the Bible Belt.

 

Group Leadership, Start New Groups

Expect Transformation in Your Small Groups

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by Reid Smith

Imagine yourself in a family room with some of your friends and Jesus showed up. Do you think you’d be the exact same person afterwards as you were before? Nope! Things would of course be different in your life! People are transformed when they experience the presence of God.

A truth about groups that we don’t talk about nearly as much as we should is how Jesus is in our midst every time we gather. The Lord promises to be in the midst of two or three who come together in His name (Matthew 18:20). When Jesus inhabits an environment that believers occupy together in His name, the space changes—and so do we.

God conveys His grace to people in a unique and powerful way because of their faithfulness to come together in His name (Acts 4:31, 33). Therefore, when believers gather in Jesus’ name, they are placing themselves at the mouth of the river of God’s life-changing grace. As a leader, you want to tell group members to expect transformation because of what happens when we gather in Jesus’ name.

Where two or more come together in Jesus’ name…

  • Believers are awakened to God’s leading and purpose.
  • The gathering becomes a springhead for spiritual renewal.
  • The light of God’s grace reaches into the unwanted dark areas sin wants to keep isolated
  • A way is cleared for intimacy with Christ.
  • People see more of God and experience Him more personally (1 John 4:12).
  • Oneness with Christ is experienced more fully through unity with one another, which strengthens the evangelistic impact of your church (John 17:20-23).
  • God’s presence is experienced more powerfully.
  • People feel God’s acceptance and are open to the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
  • All the vital purposes of the church can be fulfilled.
  • Lives become more deeply rooted in the person of Jesus Christ.
  • Freedom reigns, and chains of temptation and addiction are broken (2 Corinthians 3:17).
  • God’s Word engages in fresh ways.
  • Believers are empowered to reach out with the transformative love of Christ.
  • Lives are changed forever.

Communicating these effects of gathering in Jesus’ name can actually build the faith of the participants and shift the atmosphere of a group. It never hurts to remind people that our God is Immanuel, “God with us.” Oftentimes, I’ll weave these truths into a prayer as I open the group’s time together.

As one who influences the environments of groups, don’t miss the incredible opportunity to tell people they should expect transformation every time they gather in Jesus’ name! In other words, when we come together to do the things Jesus has commanded us to do in His Word, we are changed—every time. Biblical community grows stronger when we help those gathered with us to focus on the awesome reality of Jesus’ presence.

Reid Smith has been equipping leaders in churches of all sizes and stages of growth for effective disciple-making since 1996. He lives in Wellington, Florida where he serves as a Groups Pastor at Christ Fellowship. You can find more of his helpful resources at www.reidsmith.org.

Group Leadership

Paul and His Team

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Finding common ground with people who do not know Christ opens the door to authentically and relationally share the gospel..

Most of us have found common ground with someone and experienced how it brings down walls. Common ground is found in mundane places: people who grew up in the same area or who went to the same high school we did, people who live in our neighborhoods, people who like the same food we do, or people who root for the same sports teams. We may know nothing else about a person, but if we have common ground in just one area, we are more open and friendly with them. Common ground counts for a lot.

Paul knew this. Part of his strategy for spreading the message of Christianity around the Mediterranean was to seek common ground with anyone who would listen. Paul and his team needed to find a receptive audience as often as possible. For example, they consistently visited Jewish synagogues first when they came to a new city, because they shared a cultural and religious heritage. They sought common ground in many other ways, but we’re going to focus on one key example: Paul’s speech in the city of Athens.

On Paul’s second missionary journey through the Roman world (ca. 49–52 AD), he spent time in Athens, Greece where he found himself debating with some Greek thinkers. He was then invited to address an important group in Athens: the Areopagus. This was an ancient Athenian council that oversaw various religious and civic matters. Areopagus is a Greek word that translates “Hill of Ares,” or more popularly, “Mars Hill.” The council got its name from the small hill that sits nearby the larger Acropolis. This was their traditional meeting place.

Paul started by commenting on the religious environment in Athens. He doesn’t do it in a condemning way, but just as an observant outsider. Paul saw something unusual that he could use as a starting point – an altar to an unknown god. The other altars in Athens would have had the names of the gods and goddesses on them, but just to be sure that they weren’t forgetting one of the gods, the Athenians created this generic altar to an unknown god. Paul’s strategy was essentially to say, “That unknown god you worship? I know who He is.”

Acts 17: 24-34

24 The God who made the world and everything in it-He is Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in shrines made by hands. 25 Neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives everyone life and breath and all things. 26 From one man He has made every nation of men to live all over the earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live, 27 so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. 

28 For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring. 29 Being God’s offspring, then, we shouldn’t think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination. 30 “Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, 

31 because He has set a day on which He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.” 32 When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to ridicule him. But others said, “We will hear you about this again.” 33 So Paul went out from their presence. 

34 However, some men joined him and believed, among whom were Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

In his speech, Paul affirmed the Athenians’ obvious desire to know and serve God, but argued that it was wrong to think that He’s something we create or that He lives in houses we build for Him. Paul was not demonizing the Athenians; he was suggesting that they misunderstood who God is. What’s most notable about Paul’s speech is what he did not say. Paul did not quote Scripture. He did not mention the Messiah or the name of Jesus. That sort of thing would be a perfect strategy for a Jewish audience, who would be familiar with the Old Testament. But this was not the synagogue. This was an illustrious council of Athenian thinkers who were probably unfamiliar with the Jewish Scriptures. Paul knew this, so he sought common ground somewhere else.

Paul commented on their city’s religious climate. He leveraged their altar to an unknown god as a launching point. He quoted their own poets to back up his claims. Paul wanted to find whatever foothold he could to open up a dialogue with the Athenians. Paul likely did not view this speech as all he wanted to say, but his best opening statement in what he hoped would become an ongoing discussion.

We need to change our mentality toward nonbelievers or outsiders. We often fall into the trap of an “us versus them” mentality when it comes to spiritual matters. We see people as either allies or enemies and quickly put them into one of those two columns based on superficial observations. Paul and his team would have been baffled by this. Paul looked at people who believed very different things from him and asked himself, “How can I build bridges to these people?”

Seeking common ground is a powerful tool in the hands of a Christian willing to wield it. It overcomes countless barriers to the gospel. When someone experiences common ground with you, they are more willing to hear what you have to say. They are more willing to consider your perspective. Simply put, they are more likely to like you. Common ground gives you a level of influence that you would not otherwise have, because most people are unwilling to be led by someone they don’t know or don’t like. We should view ourselves as the seekers and wielders of common ground with any people or communities that our ministries touch.

This is an excerpt from Ryan Lokkesmoe’s small group study, Paul and His Team Session 1. Series and study are available exclusively at smallgroup.com.

Group Leadership, Start New Groups

Capturing the Momentum of Easter for Groups

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The timing of Easter Sunday this year provides a unique opportunity for small groups. When Easter is later on the calendar, it’s difficult for newly formed groups to get traction before the summer vacations start after Memorial Day. An April 1st Easter Sunday leaves two full months, and that’s plenty of time for a group to begin to build community. Here are four things you can do to capture the Easter momentum and create new groups that will thrive.

1. Recruit new leaders on Palm Sunday. 

Make an announcement that you are looking for leaders and hosts to launch new groups the week after Easter for unconnected people coming next Sunday. This call should emphasize the vision of community and discipleship for everyone in your church. Make sure that you have turbo-type training ready for the new leaders.

2. Choose an easy-to-use 6-week study for new groups.

You can choose one from this list, or sign-up for a 30-day preview of smallgroup.com. There are over 3000 studies to choose from on smallgroup.com, and many of them are video-enhanced, 6-week studies. You may also want to build custom sermon-based studies with smallgroup.com to go along with the sermon series. It’s always a good idea to start a new series on Easter to give people a reason to come back the next week.

3. Only announce the next sermon series and small groups on Easter.

With that many people in the room, it’s tempting to announce everything that you do as a church. Resist that temptation and only announce what the next series is and how people can get connected in groups. Truthfully, most people will be thinking about Easter lunch at the end of the service, so they will only have an attention span for one or two announcements. Make those the most important initiatives they need to hear: what they will learn if they come back, and how they can get connected in community.

4. Have a summer plan ready for groups.

You don’t want your new groups to cease to exist when vacations start, so plan to follow up with them the last week of April. They don’t have to continue meeting every week, but this is not the time to disband as a group. Give them ideas for doing something fun and missional through the next two months. That will help keep the new community going.

With some quick planning and recruiting, you can launch new small groups that will build on the excitement and momentum of Easter. 

Chris Surratt is a ministry consultant and coach with over 23 years of experience serving the local church. Chris served on the Executive Team at Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN, and was on staff at Seacoast Church in Charleston, SC, for 15 years. He is also the Small Group Specialist for LifeWay Christian Resources. Chris’s first book, Small Groups For The Rest Of Us: How to Design Your Small Groups System to Reach the Fringes, was recently released by Thomas Nelson. You can follow his blog at chrissurratt.com or follow him on Twitter @chrissurratt.

Group Leadership

Four Words From Jesus that Will Change the Way You Lead

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There is no insecurity in the Son of God.

He’s not like us. We subtly beg for compliments, we subversively seek affirmation, we passive aggressively look for allies—but not Jesus. Jesus knows what He’s about. And He knows that what He offers is the only thing that truly satisfies.

It’s against this backdrop that we find the very simple but profound invitation of John 1. To set the context, John the Baptist was the religious draw of the day. With his eccentric dress, his biting rhetoric, and his fearless demeanor, he challenged the religious establishment by calling all who heard his message to repent, for the kingdom was at hand.

But John also knew that he was only a messenger; his entire life was meant to point to another. And so in John 1, when Jesus came walking toward him, it was the perfect thing to do for him to deflect the attention from himself and onto Jesus:

“Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

There were those who heard John say this—those who had been following John himself. But hearing the pronouncement, they stopped following John and started following Jesus. And the Bible tells us that Jesus, knowing these two men were following Him turned to them and asked them a simple question:

“What are you looking for?” (John 1:38).

The truth is, they didn’t know. At least not yet. They didn’t know what they were getting into. They didn’t understand the journey Jesus was about to take them on. They didn’t grasp the fullness of what it meant to truly follow Jesus. So they returned Jesus’ question with another question:

“Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” (John 1:38).

That’s when Jesus said three words that changed their lives. And three words that can still change your life:

“Come and you’ll see” (John 1:29).

This is a statement of profound confidence. There is no self-justification; there is no offer of proof; there is no cajoling or sweet talk to get them to follow suit. Only these three, simple words that changed the trajectory of their lives:

“Come and you’ll see.”

Jesus knows. Jesus knows that He is the only One that satisfies. Jesus knows that He alone can offer true life. Jesus knows that He alone can show us the true nature of all things. Jesus knows that only in following Him will we discover the true meaning we so long for. And so without any other preamble or elaboration, He offers the simple invitation:

“Come and you’ll see.”

It occurs to me that Jesus is still extending this same invitation today. And that He extends this same invitation to all, regardless of their national origin, their socioeconomic status, or their educational level:

“Come and you’ll see.”

Further, it’s this invitation that we extend as leaders of groups in the church. We aren’t presenting ourselves, our clever vision, our best ideas, or our new take on the Bible. Ultimately, we are holding up the Son of God for all to see and making the same offer that Jesus has made to us:

“Come and you’ll see.”

Come, and you’ll see the water that doesn’t run dry. Come, and you’ll see the Bread of Life. Come, and you’ll see the Living Word. Come, and you’ll see the antidote to sin. Come, and you’ll see the way to hope.

So confident is the Son of God. So self-assured. So much so that He holds Himself out to us, day after day, with the same invitation. And because of His confidence, we can also be confident as we extend the invitation to others:

“Come and you’ll see.”

Michael Kelley lives in Nashville, TN, with his wife, Jana, and three children: Joshua (10), Andi (7), and Christian (5). He serves as Director of Groups Ministry for Lifeway Christian Resources. As a communicator, Michael speaks across the country at churches, conferences, and retreats and is the author of Wednesdays Were Pretty Normal: A Boy, Cancer, and God; Transformational Discipleship; and Boring: Finding an Extraordinary God in an Ordinary Life. Find him on Twitter:@_MichaelKelley.

Group Leadership, Start New Groups

Don’t Do These 6 Things When Starting a New Small Group

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Within the last year, my wife and I have launched a home Bible study group through our church’s Life Group ministry. This isn’t our first time to launch a group—far from it. This time, however, I noticed several things about the process that I thought might make a great “Don’t, Dos” post for anyone either considering starting a group or in the process of starting a group. Here are 6 “Don’t, Do” lessons that we discovered in the process of launching our current group.

  1. Don’t: Assume Everyone You Ask Will Show Up. I know, I know. “Of course,” you might say. “Of course, everyone I invite won’t show up.” Even those who may have told you they will come, don’t count on it. Our group was not launched out of another group, so my wife and I actually had to recruit un-grouped couples—which adds another degree of difficulty. Even though I knew not everyone I invited would show up (not even those that said they would), I was still caught a little off guard the first night. Retrospectively, I realize that I was a little too careful about trying to get it just right. I invited 12 and felt confident about having 8 the first night. Do: Land on an ideal number and invite more than double the ideal number. For me, that means inviting 9 couples. For singles, I think you can bend that rule a little bit, but the basic ideology doesn’t change.
  1. Don’t: Take the Bible study portion of the experience lightly. This is critical. Even as someone who produces small group Bible studies on a daily basis, I realize that I approached my decision the wrong way. No question I chose a great Bible study. It was foundational for believers with content rightfully rooted in Scripture. It had application both for the individuals in the group and their families. The problem with my decision was that it was what I wanted to do. In the end, I realized, it was perhaps a little more bent on the academic and a little less bent on any kind of application to the lives of the group members. I knew all along the study I wanted to launch with. I was so sure, in fact, that I never really listened to the hearts of the people I was recruiting. Do: Just pay attention to what people are revealing to you about their spiritual needs. A great place to begin is with a historical figure like Joseph, or a Book of the Bible like Ephesians.
  1. Don’t: Be unintentional about when to launch and how much lead time to build in. We launched in the spring. I had been in several encouraging conversations about our need for new groups and families looking for a Life Group. We did some wise things, set a date, and began the process of inviting families that had no group home. In our excitement, we failed to look at the calendar. Most of us have astutely concluded that the best times to launch groups are January and September. This doesn’t mean that all other launch points are out of play; it’s just that they’re not quite as natural and may require additional planning. We launched a couple of weeks before spring break and about the time spring sports were ramping up with summer just around the corner. We made it through this season, but it took some hustling to keep our momentum. Do: Plan at least 6 weeks from your first small-group meeting and take measures to know the rhythms of your church and the families as their lives intersect with school and community. Know the calendar. Simply planning helps avoid poor launch times.
  1. Don’t: Conclude that your winsome personality will be enough. I caution against relying on the sheer force of personality for recruiting and beginning a Bible study group in your home. For starters, it’s not a great idea because, ultimately, this isn’t about you. It’s about Jesus Christ and how His death and resurrection plays out in the lives of believers. It’s important to remember that. But it also positions you, as the leader, as the emotional center of the group. While your energy and enthusiasm are supremely important, being the emotional center can be a drain on you down the road. An alternative approach would be focusing on potential group members themselves. Do: As you are engaging individuals and couples in pre-group encounters, be sure to listen for needs and articulate how you think this group will meet those needs and provide valuable community and disciple-making discussion.
  1. Don’t: Be flippant about the schedule. People like to know what to expect. As a group leader, it’s your responsibility to be sure the group has a direction, a focus, and something akin to a destination. Far too many groups enter into a, “So what do we want to study next?” conversation at or around the same time the current study is wrapping up. This shows a lack of commitment and doesn’t instill a great deal of confidence in the group leader as someone who is serious about disciple-making. I like to stay two studies ahead of our current Bible study experience. Pay attention to prayer needs for future Bible study experiences. I’ve learned to create a schedule and keep it in front of the group. Do: Create a 3-month schedule with built-in group outings, weeks off that may be due to travel or holidays, and discussion topics. If you’re using one of our studies, the Table of Contents makes this real easy. Review this every week. It creates a sense of expectation while also demonstrating your commitment to the group.
  1. Don’t: Create false expectations early in the group life. Leading up to our first meeting, I was making all these great plans with food and fellowship. One of the primary shows of hospitality that I had planned was a full meal. In fact, in my heart I thought a full meal might be one of those things that my wife and I offered every single group meeting. By no means should this be discouraged, and I realize that many groups make this a normal part of the group time. That being said, be very sure about any expectations that you might be setting. For instance, the full-meal-plus-Bible-study approach is the same thing you might be complaining about a few months later when group members are still at your house 3 hours later. Do: Keep the Bible study central to the group time so everyone knows why they are there. Make water and light snacks available early on in the group, but have the flexibility for a special occasion down the road.

This list is by no means exhaustive. When you’re starting a group, give good, devoted time to the who, how, what, and why. Our group is going great. We’re not immune to the same challenges anybody faces with busy schedules, personal lives, children, and activities, but we remain engaged with the gospel.

Group Leadership

The One Thing Your Group May Be Lacking

By

Would you like your Bible study group to grow? There may be one thing you’re overlooking: prospecting.

During my college days I worked for the JC Penney company. For several years I sold men’s clothing on commission, and the big reason for my success was the way I worked my prospect file. I was religious about having every person who purchased from me fill out a short form with their basic contact information on it. It went into my prospect file, and every time we had a sale, I sent out hundreds of letters and postcards. People came in to see me specifically, and I watched my income grow. It paid for my college and seminary courses, and I won some cool prizes when the company had sales contests.

Prospecting (that’s what we called the process of maintaining a file and making contact regularly with prospects) is something I’ve learned is important when it comes to helping Bible study groups grow.

One reason that Bible study groups don’t grow is because the group doesn’t maintain a prospect file. In the book The Bonsai Theory of Church Growth, Dr. Ken Hemphill suggests that groups have one prospect for every member. Do you know how many prospects you have in a file? Do you have a file? If not, it’s time to get one! A group of 15 regular attenders should have a prospect file full of about 15 people’s names and contact information.

Church growth experts say that each of us know at least five people who are not involved in a small group. If a group has 10 people, then altogether the group knows 50 people who are potential prospects. All you have to do is collect the information about those people (names, addresses, emails, etc.) and begin contacting them regularly.

When my wife and I launched our new group in October 2012, our church provided a list of 49 prospects. We sent out letters and emails, and even made some phone calls. On our first day, 10 people came. We continued to work the prospect list, and the group ultimately grew to about 16-18 adults present each week.

Barna’s research has indicated that 1/3 of unchurched adults would attend a worship service or small group if they were invited. In the example above, if a group of 10 knows 50 prospects, and if 1/3 would attend if invited, then the group has the potential to grow by 16-17 people!

Think about creating a prospect file (electronic or paper) and send out regular invitations to your group’s fellowships, meals, and oh yes, Bible study! Many prospects will resonate with invitations to parties, and they actually become a part of your group before becoming an official part of your group. Others will be attracted to a Bible study topic you’re studying. The bottom line is,  if you aren’t prospecting on a regular basis and keeping an active prospect file, your group may decline over time because people move away, stop attending, or die. The possibility of growing your group can actually be tied to how aggressive you are in reaching out to prospects. Start and maintain a prospect file and watch your numbers grow!

This was an excerpt from kenbraddy.com. Ken Braddy is a group leader, and manages LifeWay’s adult ongoing Bible studies. He blogs daily about groups at kenbraddy.com.

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