Community Archives - Group Ministry

January 16, 2019

Group Answers Episode 83: Scarlet Hiltibidal

www.afraidofallthethings.com

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Our guest today is Scarlet Hiltibidal. Scarlet is a very professional wife and mother to her family in Middle Tennessee. She loves sign language with her daughters, nachos by herself, writing for her friends, and dreaming of being a famous chef while spilling the cheese dust from the macaroni box on the kitchen counter and using it anyway. She treasures the freedom of resting in the work of Jesus and hopes to help others rest as well. She is the author of the just released, Afraid of All the Things: Tornadoes, Cancer, Adoption, and Other Stuff You Need the Gospel For.

Questions:

What was it like growing up, as you say, “in the green room” of SNL and other national TV shows? How has it shaped your adult life?
What prompted you to write your first book, Afraid of All the Things? Who did you write it for?
When do you first remember being crippled by fear and anxiety? What was it like and how did it shape your childhood?
When did you first learn to hold the gospel up to your fears, and how did that change things?
How do your fears and anxiety play out as a small group leader? What advice would you give small group leaders on overcoming their fears, and at the same time, helping their small group members work through their own?
Do you still struggle with fear and anxiety, and what do you do to combat it?
What are your hopes for readers after they finish the book?

Quotes:

You have to force yourself to live in the light.

I was afraid that people would not accept me if they knew about all of my flaws.

I grew up hearing the gospel, but I thought I needed Jesus to die to save me–but I better do a really good job of being a Christian.

“Am I good enough” caused an underlying panic all of the time.

The gospel is for every moment.

Resources mentioned:

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.

January 15, 2019

Small Group Icebreakers 2019 Edition

By Chris Surratt

Whether your small group will be brand new in 2019 or you have been meeting for awhile, a good icebreaker question or activity is a great way to get the conversation going at that first meeting in January. Icebreakers help everyone in the group feel more comfortable about entering the discussion before the Bible study starts. You can see our 2018 list here.

Here are a few more of my favorites.

M&M’s Game

Pass a bag of M&M’s around and tell everyone to take a few. Then, before they eat them ask them to share something for every M&M. For example, something about their family for every red one, something about their plans for the future for every green one, etc.

Life Catalysts

Pass out 3-5 sticky notes to each person in the group. Instruct group members to write one life catalyst that helped make them who they are today on each sticky note. It can be the name of an influential person or a life event. Then have each person share their sticky notes with the rest of the group as they stick them on a wall or on a large poster board.

My Life in Pictures

Bring a newspaper or magazine. Have each person tear out a picture, article or anything they think tells something about themselves. If there’s enough time they can make a collage that tells more about themselves.

Most Used Emoji

Ask group members to share their most used emoji and why they like it. As a bonus, have them show the the group the emoji on their phone.

Get To Know You Questions

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
When you die, what do you want to be remembered for?
Describe your past week in weather terms. (Was it stormy, cloudy, foggy, mostly sunny…)
What is your favorite item you’ve bought this year?
What is your absolute dream job?
What would the title of your autobiography be?
Say you’re independently wealthy and don’t have to work, what would you do with your time?
If you had to delete all but 3 apps from your smartphone, which ones would you keep?
Who is your favorite Disney hero or heroine? Would you trade places with them?
Are you a morning or night person?
If you could add anyone to Mount Rushmore who would it be; why?
What fictional family would you be a member of?

Chris Surratt is a ministry consultant and coach with more than twenty years of experience serving the local church. Chris served on the Executive Teams at Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN., and Seacoast Church in Charleston, S.C., prior to becoming the Discipleship and Small Groups Specialist for LifeWay Christian Resources. He is the author of Small Groups for the Rest of Us: How to Design Your Small Groups System to Reach the Fringes. You can follow his blog at www.chrissurratt.com.

January 9, 2019

Group Answers Episode 82: Launching Your Group Well

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On this episode of Group Answers, Chris, Brian, and Brandon discuss how to launch your small group well in the new year.

The 6 “Don’t’s”:

Don’t assume everyone you ask will show up.
Don’t take the Bible study portion of the experience lightly.
Don’t be unintentional about when to launch and how much lead time to build in.
Don’t conclude that your winsome personality will be enough.
Don’t be flippant about the schedule.
Don’t create false expectations early in the group life.

Blog Post:

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

January 4, 2019

Hamsters, Hope, and Why Your Group Should Fight for Obedience

By Brandon Hiltibidal

I didn’t want a hamster.

I really didn’t. But, my three daughters and my wife wanted a hamster, and the combined power of their wills is stronger than mine. So, now I have a hamster, and I’ll have a hamster I don’t want, a hamster nobody needs, running loudly on a hamster wheel in the middle of the night, until the Lord decides to take him home. Fortunately, Poe, the hamster, has a least taught me something about obeying Jesus and finding joy and caring for the people in my small group community. I’ll explain.

First, we need to remember that Jesus gave us commands to follow.

“Love the Lord.” (Matthew 22:37)

“Love your neighbor.” (Matthew 22:39)

“Love your enemies.” (Matthew 5:44)

“Pray.” (Matthew 6:9)

“Fast.” (Matthew 6:16)

“Store up treasures in heaven.” (Matthew 6:20)

“Don’t worry.” (Matthew 6:25)

“Don’t sin.” (Matthew 5:29)

“Make disciples.” (Matthew 28:19)

…and many more.

Jesus also gave us each other to help us follow His commands.

“And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works…” (Hebrews 10:24)

“Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another…” (Colossians 3:16)

“Confess your sins to one another…” (James 5:16)

Jesus clearly has commands for us, and one of those commands is that we help each other keep those commands. However, we’ve likely all been in small groups with people who regularly confess sin while they regularly keep sinning. They keep showing up while they keep disobeying. We’ve also probably been in groups that never even talk about obedience. Groups that never broach the subject of lining up our lives with the commands of God.

And I get that. It’s possible we don’t love the concept of commands. “Jesus saves” sometimes sounds better than “Jesus commands.” But, Jesus and Poe would have us know that if we think it’s weird that Jesus gives commands, we really don’t understand who He is. He is not only the Master of the world whose commands are logical, He is the sacrifice for our sin whose commands are loving.

To help us see this, let’s learn a new word. Jesus said this in Matthew 28:20: “… Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you…”

The word for “observe” there in the Greek is the word “tereo.” It literally means “to guard” or “to hold fast.” We are to “tereo” the commands of Jesus. Hold on to, cling to, the commands of Jesus. Why would we do that?

Here’s where my hamster comes in.

This is Poe and my youngest daughter. Notice the grip and notice the smile. This is what tereo looks like. She is joyfully guarding this hamster. She is holding fast. She doesn’t want to lose that hamster because, for some reason, that hamster makes her happy. Poe the hamster is her favorite thing. She tereos it. She guards it. She holds it close for her joy.

Do we feel that way about obedience? Do we want the commands of Jesus? Do we push against the commands of Jesus or do we hold fast to them?

If we understand that our master is not only logical, but loving, it changes how we think about obedience. The master of the universe doesn’t just demand things from us, He died for us. And if we deeply understand that He was beaten and killed for our good, how could we ever think His commands are bad?

He wants us to live. He wants us to live abundantly. He has already proven that, so we shouldn’t look at his commands as burdens but as blessings. The combination of His lordship and love should cause us to tereo His commands like a little child clings to the hamster. We tereo the commands of God. We cling to them with hope.

When we believe that Jesus is for us, we know His commands are for us, and it begins to make sense why we would be for one another’s obedience. Don’t ignore your brother or sisters sin. Don’t let weeks go by in your group with no challenges to follow the commands of Christ. They are tied to the life we hope for. Our obedience is a part of our joy. We serve one another as we help each other obey.

“And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Brandon Hiltibidal is a former church planter and multi-site pastor, and he is now part of the Groups Ministry team at LifeWay Christian Resources. He also serves as an elder and a member of the preaching team at The Bridge Church in Middle Tennessee.

January 2, 2019

Group Answers Episode 81: Jeremiah Johnston

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In this episode, Brian and Chris speak to Jeremiah Johnston. Jeremiah J. Johnston, Ph.D., is president of Christian Thinkers Society, a Resident Institute at Houston Baptist University where he also serves at Associate Professor of Early Christianity. His latest book is “Unimaginable: What Our World would be Like Without Christianity.” He also wrote the Bible study Unanswered, published by LifeWay. You can listen to him regularly on his nationally syndicated radio program, The Jeremiah Johnston Show.

Questions:

1. I heard it said one time, We cannot abandon the intellectual struggle. How would you define intellectual struggle?

2. How do you think the difficult questions contribute to discipleship?

3. How would counsel a group leader about how to navigate a group members unanswered questions?

4. How would you advise a group leader to lead a discussion that includes spiritual warfare references?

5. What’s the hardest question for you to answer?

Quotes:

The greatest thing about our faith is that it is holistic, we are always growing.

There is always a Pharisee in the crowd.

Where the intellectual struggle has been forfeited, that’s where faith becomes irrelevant to life.

We no longer, as a society, think in Biblical terms.

Jesus was all about addressing the difficult questions in his discipleship.

We have to give permission for our group to question our faith. Questioning your faith is not a sin.

Everybody has unanswered questions.

Questions create conversations, assertions don’t.

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.

December 28, 2018

Caring for the 5 kinds of sheep in your group

By Ken Braddy

Jesus often referred to His people as sheep, and He a shepherd. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, instructed Peter to care for His sheep. After serving Peter and the other disciples breakfast in one of His post-resurrection appearances, Jesus gave Peter and the other disciples an important mandate: “Feed my sheep.” It is our mandate today as well. We must feed and shepherd the people Jesus sends to our churches. We must care for the people who are in our Bible study groups because they are our sheep.

Every Bible study group will have five different kinds of sheep for which they must provide protection, care, and nourishment. As you read the list below, ask yourself, “Which of the following kinds of sheep am I ministering to consistently? What kinds of sheep need more of my attention?”

Absentees – every group has a certain percentage of people who are absent whenever the group gathers for Bible study. It is not uncommon for up to 50% of group members to be absent each time the group gets together for Bible study. An effective leader will not only rejoice over those who are in attendance, but he or she will feel compelled to reach out to absentees. A quick phone call, an e-mail, or a visit in a group member’s home can help reconnect this kind of sheep to the group.
Prospects – unless the Bible study group is closed to new members, every group should have a prospect list. It is recommended that a group have one prospect for each member of the group. Prospects should always be invited to the social activities of the group, and they should be cared for just as if they were full-fledged members. Prospects, if properly cultivated, often become members of groups. They are a second kind of sheep we must care for.
People in crisis – It’s a given that if you have a group of people coming together to study the Bible, things are going to get messy at some point. People will experience the ups and downs of life, and you may find yourself in the role of a “first responder.” A lost job, the sudden death of a loved one, or a wayward child may bring a group member to a moment of crisis, and you will be on the front line of ministry to that person, and even his or her family. People in crisis are a third kind of sheep that need our watchcare.
Associate group members – These heroes deserve your group’s appreciation and remembrance when it’s time to get together and socialize. Associate group members have left your group to serve other people in your church’s various ministries, and they often miss adult fellowship. Keep these sheep on your ministry role and invite them to every fellowship your group has – especially around the holidays. Associate members need to know they haven’t been forgotten, and they need to be affirmed for using their spiritual gifts elsewhere in the church and community.
Regular attenders – It’s easy to forget about these sheep, but don’t! Although the guest, the person in crisis, the associate member, and the absentee all need your time and attention, so do the loyal group members who are always present. It’s easy to let these “good” group members go un-thanked and unnoticed, but these are the kinds of people who need an encouraging word. Thank them for their regular attendance. Thank them for being a stabilizing factor in your group.

Being a teacher-shepherd isn’t an easy task. There are all kinds of people in your group who need you, the shepherd of the group, to care for them. The act of teaching can be fun and exhilarating, but don’t forget that the real work of shepherding a group happens in between group Bible studies!

Ken Braddy manages LifeWay’s ongoing adult Bible studies and blogs daily about group Bible study at kenbraddy.com

December 14, 2018

3 Ingredients for a Satisfying Bible Study

By Ken Braddy

How would you like to eat a spoon of flour? Thought so. What about gulping down 1/4 cup of vegetable oil? No takers? How about eating a tablespoon of salt? No way? How about letting a couple of farm fresh eggs slide down your throat like Rocky Balboa? You’ll pass? But what if I mixed all of

those ingredients together and added some chocolate chips (and sugar) and baked them for for 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown? Any takers for some hot, out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies? Now we’re talking! Any of of the ingredients by themselves aren’t palatable, but when mixed together, something wonderful is created.

Likewise, every Bible study you teach has certain ingredients that go into it. When you learn to mix them together in just the right order and quantity, something great takes place. Any one of the by itself is not nearly as good as when they are all mixed together to form a Bible study.

There are three key ingredients.

First, you need a strong opening. Some educators call this the “hook,” while others use a term like the “motivation” stage. Whatever you call it, it’s the part of the lesson where the group leader captures everyone’s interest and directs the group members’ attention to the session title, the teaching aim, and a central truth that will be explored. Some group leaders will ask a great discussion question to open the study. Others will refer to a current event. Still others may show a video clip or read a quote from a book. No matter what the hook is, the goal is to redirect group members’ attention toward the lesson. Don’t make the assumption that people have arrived to your Bible study with an eagerness to learn and apply Scripture. You must get their attention first – this is the very first ingredient that must be present.

Second, you want to sprinkle in a variety of learning approaches. Appeal to your group members’ preferred learning styles and make sure to include a variety of learning approaches over time. Create smaller groups and use triads or quads to help group members open up and discuss their answers to a discussion question. Use visuals like a PowerPoint slideshow, a poster, a map, or something you’ve written on a marker board to appeal to visual learners. The list goes on, but the idea is to have enough variety over time that each of your group members feels you’ve crafted an activity just for them – one they really get into and appreciate – and learn from! An excellent resource to learn more about the various learning approaches is the book 7 Kinds of Smart.

Third, finish with a strong closing. If you’re going to create a masterpiece, you can’t fall short at the end! The application stage of Bible study is the time when you can help your group members answer the question, “So what?” as they think about the Bible study. Give practical suggestions for applying the truths from the Bible study session. Make sure that the suggested applications are achievable and measurable. Take into account the spiritual maturity level of your group as you craft these. If you use an “ongoing” curriculum, the creators of those Bible studies have built this into each of the studies.

Creating a pleasing Bible study isn’t hard at all if you’ll base it on these 3 ingredients (strong opening, a variety of activities, and a strong closing). Think of your Bible study in 3 stages: motivation, examination, and application. When you break a Bible study down into these three ingredients, you are well on your way to creating an experience your group members will love.

Ken Braddy manages LifeWay’s adult ongoing Bible studies, has written several books on Sunday School and group ministry, and blogs daily at kenbraddy.com

Thursday Giveaway

December 13, 2018

Thursday Giveaway: Holiday Bundle

James Bible Study Leader Kit

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 we are doing a special Holiday Bundle Giveaway! Read below for what’s included in the bundle and be sure to fill out the form at the end of this post by Friday, December 14th at 11:59pm to enter for a chance to win these resources!

Remember the reason for the season.

Christmas. Many of us love seeing houses decorated with lights, spending time with friends and family, and finding just the right gifts to put under the tree.

Amid the hustle and bustle, it can be too easy to lose sight of the reason for the season, even when we know that the reason for this season is the reason for every season. We know the daily work of keeping Christ central that spans way beyond Christmas for the group leader.

Jesus.

He’s really the best gift. And, we want to gift you with more resources to help you this Christmas season and beyond.

Enter to win our 2018 Holiday Bundle, packed with all of the resources below to help center and encourage both you and your group this holiday season!

The bundle includes:

This 13-session study examines the core message of James: the relationship between faith and works. James Leader Kit includes a Bible Study Book and four DVDs with 30- to 35-minute video sessions. The videos include promotional material and teaching sessions featuring author Matt Chandler. The Kit also includes codes for access to digital video downloads and additional resources through Wordsearch Bible. The value of these additional resources is more than $300.

Jesus Among Secular Gods Bible Study Book

As belief in the secular gods of atheism, hedonism, relativism, and humanism continues to grow, it’s more important than ever for believers to be able to defend and share the claims of Christ. This six-session Bible study challenges the popular and trending philosophies of the day, skillfully pointing out the fallacies in their claims and presenting compelling evidence for absolute truth as found in Jesus and revealed in Scripture.

Gospel Foundations: Volume 1

Take a journey through the storyline of Scripture, seeing how Jesus is the hero from beginning to end. From the creators of The Gospel Project, this six-volume resource is comprehensive in scope yet concise enough to be completed in just one year. Each seven-session volume includes videos to help your group engage in discussion with a clear understanding of how each text fits into the storyline of Scripture. Volume 1 begins you on this journey.

Foundations: New Testament

In Foundations: New Testament, Robby and Kandi Gallaty lead individuals through the 27 divinely inspired books of the New Testament in one year, while still offering the flexibility of reading only five days each week. The HEAR journaling method will allow individuals to read and respond to God’s Word as they highlight, explain, apply, and respond to passages throughout the yearlong plan.

Mentor Bible Study Book

Discipleship is non negotiable in Scripture. And the best way to learn how to walk with God is to walk in the dust of a master who himself walks with God. Mentoring takes place as two or more people walk together. Using Jesus and Paul as examples, this study describes the biblical model of mentorship, provides a practical strategy for starting a mentoring relationship and process, addresses common challenges in mentoring, and more.

10 Minute Audio Devotions: Finding Strength in Faith, Hope, and Love

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

Brief but powerful, these audio devotions will help you navigate through fear, stress, and anxiety. Each CD features some of today’s best Christian communicators. The devotions cover topics such as renewing your mind, overcoming various fears, the role of suffering, and battling temptation. The two-disc set contains 12 devotions, each about 10 minutes in length.

And

An exclusive Apostle’s Creed Tervis tumbler, a Jesus Among Secular Gods notebook, a Pray Like This prayer notepad, and an At A Glance Bible Study Guide

Enter today to win!

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December 5, 2018

Group Answers Episode 77: Robby Gallaty