Growth

February 28, 2020

6 Ways to Overcome the Imposter Syndrome

By Aaron Earls

Most church leaders can recognize the damage prolonged doubt can have on their ministry.

It’s hard to lead people in following God when we’re struggling with significant doubts about who He is and what He has done for us.

However, many church leaders wrestle with doubts about God while not recognizing it as such or even seeing it as humility.

Many of us deal with “imposter syndrome,” which is feeling like a fraud who doesn’t belong in your position or have the competency to continue there.

We believe we are completely inadequate, and we just hope no one else notices.

Yet we fail to see such feelings as doubting God’s sovereignty in placing us in our current role—be it senior pastor, church staff, small group leader, or simply an influential member.

God’s role in situating individuals is not limited to Esther being made queen “for such a time as this.”

The same sovereign God placed you where you are. No amount of imposter syndrome can change that.

But as you sense those feelings stir in your mind, consider these tips for overcoming the imposter syndrome.

1. Recognize who deals with it.

The most basic lie associated with the imposter syndrome is that you and you alone are feeling this way.

Everyone around me seems to have it all together, but I’m struggling to get through the day.

In reality, virtually everyone feels like a fraud—at least occasionally. Some researchers have estimated 70% of the population confronts such feelings.

2. Note when it most often occurs for you.

Different situations are more likely to spark feeling like an imposter more than others. Keeping this in mind can help you better prepare for it.

Maybe you often feel like an imposter in the middle of success. For some, it may grab you right after a failure. Embarking on a new assignment may spark it in others.

3. Remember past victories (and failures).

More than likely you’ve achieved success in a related area in the past. You’ve probably also failed before.

Yet you’re still here and someone has enough confidence in you to place you in your current situation.

It’s important to remember how God has used you before and been faithful to you through those tasks, regardless of how well you did.

4. Clarify expectations.

You may feel overwhelmed but having a better grasp on what’s expected of you can help alleviate fears that fan the flames of the impostor syndrome.

Ask questions to determine exactly what needs to be accomplished to prevent your mind from running wild with expectations that may be impossible to meet.

5. Talk to someone.

We can be our own worst enemies. Talking to someone else can grant us better perspective.

Sharing our mental burden with others is biblical and beneficial. Simply turning those thoughts over in our own mind often allows the imposter feelings to fester.

Those we talk with can remind us of many of the previous steps in dealing with feelings of inadequacy. Others deal with similar feelings. We’ve faced similar situations before. Our imaginations are running wild.

6. Rest in God’s grace.

Church leaders can spend a lifetime teaching about God’s grace to others while failing to internalize the message themselves.

In fact, church leaders are often the most likely to miss out the freedom God grants them for the tasks He has given them.

As we approach kingdom responsibilities, we can feel the weight while forgetting that Jesus promised His yoke would be light.

We don’t have to be perfect. Christ has already accomplished that. We can move on to simply walking in obedience.

Ultimately, God has sovereignly placed you in your current situation for your good and His glory. Even if you mess up, even if you feel like a fraud, He will never leave you or forsake you.

Aaron Earls (@WardrobeDoor) is online editor of Facts & Trends. This article was originally posted here.

Church Leadership

February 25, 2020

Genocide From Suicide and The Church’s Response

By Group Ministry

by Evan Owens

Suicide rates have been rising in nearly every state year over year for the past decade. Last year, over 47,000 Americans died by suicide, bringing suicide onto the infamous list of the leading causes of death. The American Association for Suicidology (AAS) estimates that there were 1.1 million suicide attempts in 2016. That translates to an attempt every 28 seconds.

We are experiencing the first-ever, self inflicted genocide. We are killing ourselves at a rate so astounding that it has caused the average life expectancy to decrease in America. In other words, statistically speaking, we aren’t living as long as we did twenty years ago. Fewer babies are dying at birth and people over the age of 80 are living longer, but drug abuse and suicide are skewing the data to paint a tragic picture.

Suicide is the second most common cause of death for ages 15-24, second only to accidental death. Those most common to die by suicide are white, middle-aged males. Your banker. The CEO of the healthcare company down the road. The guy in the pew next to you who lost his job last month.

Something has to be done – but what? How should the church respond to this epidemic?

We must continue to restore the value of human life.

As Christians, we believe that God breathes life into every living being. Genesis 2: 7, “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” This life has value simply because of the one who created it. It is a masterpiece, created to do great things. Psalm 8:5 says, “Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.”

Our existence cost God greatly. Romans 5:8, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

The value of human life is rising for the unborn. Despite what you may hear or read on social media, the battle to protect the unborn is being won in large, due to the efforts of evangelical Christians. In 1990, over 1.4 million babies were aborted. That number has steadily decreased and projections show that by 2020 there may be less than 500,000 abortions. Christians are restoring the value placed on human life inside the womb.

We must deploy similar tactics and passion in an effort to stem the tide of suicide. Those who have attempted but not completed suicide must be given platforms to share their stories. We must remove shame and instead learn from their experiences. The goal is not to glorify the attempt but rather to inspire prevention.

We must talk about perseverance and give opportunities for it to be developed.

Suicide prevention is only part of the equation – and in my opinon – the less vital part. Romans 5:3-5 says, “Not only so, but we[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Catch this: in order for hope to be produced, we must first persevere through suffering. Remove perseverance and hope is lost. This is where the Christian message can flip this conversation on its head and offer a significantly different viewpoint. Scripture doesn’t say to avoid suffering, but rather to embrace it and let it produce something good in you.

As a culture we are losing our grit. Hard things that were considered part of the human experience are now being seen as illnesses to avoid. We seek comfort and wellness above all else. This is evidenced by a booming wellness industry and recording-breaking growth in pharmaceuticals. But while this search for more comfort allows us to numb the feelings that come along with hard experiences, it also robs us of their fruit. When we bypass the pain, we bypass the hope.

As contradictory as it may sound, the path to hope comes through experiencing pain, not avoiding it!

As Christians encountering those who are suffering or experiencing suicidal ideations, we shouldn’t make their life harder. But we should work to help them see the small victories. These small victories rebuild hope. We should encourage them that hardship doesn’t have to crush them, but instead can make them stronger.

We must all become first responders

It would be wonderful if heart attacks always happened in the emergency room, but they don’t! That’s why CPR is such a valuable skill to have. Every person who knows CPR has the ability to save a life with just a little bit of training. Imagine every Christian knowing trauma CPR or mental health CPR. How many lives could we save?

We aren’t all counselors, but we can all learn trauma CPR. Together, we can lead the broken-hearted to the Healer. The city on the hill becomes most visible during the darkest of nights. When people are suicidal, the city on the hill should be a beacon of light and life, offering hope to those who need it most.

Evan Owens currently serves as the Executive Director of REBOOT Recovery. He is certified in military ministry and has personally facilitated trauma recovery groups for over 350 combat veterans and military spouses. REBOOT is a non-profit that helps veterans, first responders and their loved ones to heal from the moral and spiritual wounds associated with service-related trauma.

Church Leadership

January 28, 2020

Increasing vs. Multiplying Your Small Group

By Reid Patton

One of the great blessings of Christian community is the depth of relationships that we experience. People I have been in small groups with have supported me through some of the toughest seasons of life—helped my wife and I move four times, provided meals for us when I came down with the flu for a week, supported us when my wife was recovering from the birth of our daughter. During a recent health scare, the amount of prayers that poured in through text messages, phone calls, and emails from people I live in community with was simply astounding. In community, I have seen the Scriptures come alive to people in such a way that families and lives are changed to the glory of Christ. I believe Christian community is so valuable because I have felt and experienced the value when I needed it the most.

When we experience these benefits, our natural inclination is to dig deep and hunker down. Relationships of this depth are hard to move beyond. And that’s a good thing! That means we are embodying the type of Christian community we find in places like Acts 2:42-47. Men and women connected to Christ and devoted to each other. However, the person we don’t spend a lot of time thinking about is the person who is not there because he or she isn’t connected to a small group.

According to Dr. Thom Rainer, people who become involved in a group in a church are five times more likely to still be plugged in five years later. Small groups make a significant impact on long-term discipleship. We should want to see people find the same type of support, grace, and encouragement we have found in Christian community. To accomplish this, we must begin to value the people who are not there as much as the people who are.

Leaving groups to start new ones is hard. Once we have put in the hard work of fostering community, who would want to leave? To see the value of new groups, let’s turn to the first small groups that ever existed in the Book of Acts. In his history of the early church, Luke regularly provides us with status reports to let us know how things are going. We first find these reports in Acts 2:47 and 5:14 where Luke describes how the Lord “added” to their number. Yet when we get to Acts 6:7 we see the same idea but with one critical difference: ^“So the preaching about God flourished, the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7, HCSB).

The difference is the word multiplied, which is a different word both in English and in the original language of the New Testament. Added means “an incremental addition.” This is what happens when we stay in our same groups and continue to accept more and more people. Multiplied refers to exponential growth, meaning the disciples were making disciples who were making disciples and the church exploded.

Some of us have become so comfortable in our own group that we cannot imagine leaving, but starting new groups breaks down barriers because it places new people on equal footing—the group is new, so everyone is new. Starting new groups fulfills the Great Commission mandate to “make disciples” (Matt. 28:19-20) by providing new avenues for disciples to be made.

If you want to create a culture of disciple-making in your church, the best way to accomplish this goal is to focus on multiplying the number of groups instead of increasing the number of people in groups. Take your groups and start to multiply for the glory of God in your community and in all nations!

Reid Patton is a Content Editor for the Custom Content Team at LifeWay Christian Resources, where he produces biblical small group studies for Discipleship In Context and SmallGroup.com. He is the thankful husband of Kristen and proud father of Ceile and serves with the Life Group leadership team at the Church at Station Hill in Spring Hill, Tennessee. In his free time, Reid likes reading and going to record stores. You can find him on Twitter @jreidpatton.

Church Leadership

January 27, 2020

Reporting Progress on Actionable Goals

By Dwayne McCrary

When we think about the actions we track in our Bible study groups, those being asked to carry out the actions need to know we notice them. Recognizing others is one way leaders communicate that it is not about me but about us as a group. We beats me every day.

Once we have decided what to track (see post on what to track), we have to determine what we will do with the information. Here are some questions we need to ask that will help us.

Who needs to know?

This may come as a surprise, but not everyone needs to know how we are doing when it comes to what we are tracking in our Bible study groups. Does a lost person need to know that 50% of the people in the group are engaging daily in the Bible? Making this information available to everyone including lost people could open the door for questions that turn into stumbling blocks: Why are half of the people not looking at the Bible daily? If the Bible is really important than wouldn’t they all be reading it every day?

The persons expected to carry out the action are the ones who need to know.

What do they need to know?

The purpose of tracking something is to give a picture of what is happening. We are not trying to shame them, but give them an honest picture. They need to know the good and the bad. They also need to know how the action impacts the big goal and purpose. If people are sharing the gospel with others then that should impact the number of people believing in Jesus and being baptized. Connect the dots between the two actions showing how one impacts the other.

Don’t forget to tell the story when appropriate. If a person is baptized and they were on a person’s prayer list, include that information if possible.

When do they need to know?

They need to know as soon as possible. Knowing sooner than later encourages them to continue or helps them take corrective action sooner. (Tip: If the groups meet prior to a worship time, try to include a report of the actions being tracked before the worship time concludes.) Accuracy also matters at this point. Being quick but inaccurate undermines the setting of a goal in the first place.

How do they need to be told?

Straight forward is better than hidden. Be truthful and report what is known. If 30 people report that they are praying for a lost person and that is one metric you are tracking, then share that number with the entire group being expected to pray for a lost person.

So many mediums exist for reporting. Pick the way that is used by the most number of people being expected to carry out the action. If everyone being asked to pray for a lost person has a cell phone, then share the report as a group text. Some other options are a group announcement, printed handout, or a centralized graphic (digital or static). Keep in mind who needs to know when selecting the how.

What are you tracking this year and how do you plan on communicating what you are discovering to those expected to carry out the action?

Dwayne McCrary leads various teams at LifeWay that create ongoing BIble study resources for adults. He also teaches two weekly ongoing Bible study groups in his church and is an adjunct professor at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Church Leadership

December 5, 2019

The Signposts of a Growing Disciple – Part 4

By Lynn Pryor

What does a mature disciple of Christ look like? Over the past decade LifeWay Research has delved into this with thousands of pastors and church leaders. Culling through the data, we discovered that strong discipleship ministries and practices could be put in eight categories. We call these eight categories the signposts along the discipleship pathway. One sign of growing disciples is that they live unashamed about their walk with Christ.

Live Unashamed. Everyone has a favorite something. It might be the college football team you cheer for or a favorite restaurant. You might have a passion for a hobby or activity like golf or running a marathon, or you have a television show that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Whatever your favorite thing is, you talk about. You find ways to discover if other people feel the same way you do. You wear team colors or gather around at lunchtime to discuss the latest development on a show.

We are unashamed about those things for which we have a passion.

Christians have even more reason to put something on display for the world to see. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16). As believers mature in their walk with Christ, they grow increasingly unashamed for others to know about their faith. They are unabashed in letting the gospel and its transformative power be on display in their lives.

LifeWay’s research into discipleship ministries and practices found that maturing believers felt it was not just appropriate but necessary for others to know them as Christians. When you are being changed by Christ, you want others to know about it. Not surprisingly, as we develop in this attribute of an unashamed lifestyle, it only fuels and strengthens our growth in the other discipleship attributes. For example, living unashamed makes it easier to also exercise faith, share Christ, and serve others. Even more so, we live out these qualities with intentionality. We want people to know why we can exercise faith and why we serve. All our actions flow out of our unashamed love for Christ and His gospel.

Living unashamed lives includes transparency. Maturing believers are OK with others seeing their weak spots. It’s not that they’re proud of those weak areas, but neither do they pretend to be perfect Christians. In fact, they are quite willing to let other believers speak into their lives and help them along the path of growing in Christ. Maturing believers are unashamed about their pursuit of maturity to the level that they invite help in the process.

I began this article with a reference to the unashamed approach people have toward their favorite teams or interest. But being unashamed of our walk with Christ differs from the unashamed—boisterous, proud and obnoxious—behavior many fans display for their favorite team. (I’m sure I’m not referring to the behavior of the fans of your team.) The believer is neither arrogant about his faith nor derogatory of those who disagree. Instead, an unashamed believer lives by the principle in 1 Peter 3:15-16: “In your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet. 3:15-16, emphasis added).

Living for Christ is counter-cultural, and it is becoming increasingly more counter-cultural. Mature believers do not shout at the darkness, but unashamedly live and speak for Christ. In the process, they can pique the curiosity of unbelievers and galvanize the lives of other believers. And that’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Ways the Church Can Foster Believers Who Live Unashamed.

Model. The best way for any believer to understand what it means to live unashamed is to see it modeled for them. It’s easy to appear unashamed from the church pulpit, but let believers see how your faith is openly and naturally expressed in your day-to-day interactions with individuals. Let individuals church members participate with you in your various tasks, especially out in the community.
Host ministry opportunities in the community. Provide opportunities for church members to serve in the community. Opportunities for Christians to serve together are also opportunities for them to practice living unashamed as a group. They can support and encourage each other. Those moments when they step outside their comfort zones for the name of Christ only embolden them to do it more.

We’d love to hear from you. What are some ways your church is helping believers live unashamed?

Lynn Pryor (@lynnpryor) is a team leader in LifeWay’s ongoing adult Bible study department. Read more from his blog at lynnhpryor.com.

Group Answers Podcast

September 18, 2019

Group Answers Episode 118: Steve Gladen on Group Trends

By Group Ministry

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On this episode of Group Answers, Chris and Brian talk with Steve Gladen about current trends in small groups.

Steve Gladen (M Div., Fuller Theological Seminary) has been Executive Pastor of Small Groups at Saddleback Church since 1998 and serves as an elder of the church. He oversees the strategic launch and spiritual development of more than 7,000 adult small groups on multiple campuses. He is the author of Small Groups with Purpose, which has been translated into eleven languages, and Planning Small Groups with Purpose. He has a driving passion to see each church attendee connected to a qualified shepherd and become an integral part of their church body, living purposefully for Christ. Steve and his wife, Lisa, have been married for nearly 30 years, have two children, Erika and Ethan, and reside in Orange County, California. Learn more at www.stevegladen.com.

Questions:

You host a lot of conferences and spend time with a ton of churches, what are some of the group trends that you are seeing out there?
What counsel would you give a church planter establishing a groups ministry?
What are the most significant challenges you’re seeing in group ministry today?
Saddleback has been successful with virtual, online groups, is that a viable strategy for most churches?
Who has been the most influential leader — your “go to” — throughout your ministry in the groups space?
What single decision from your time in leadership, if given the chance, would you change?

Quotes:

The economy of churches is relationship, relationship, relationship.
You build a church crowd to core.
You need a relationship and you need a responsibility.
The greatest value that distinguishes a group is that it fills the void that you feel spiritually.
It’s the content that brings people; they stay because of the community.
Your driving force has to be “change lives.”
You want to meet people where they’re at and take them to where you want them.
When God lays something on your heart, the toughest thing to do is be obedient to it.

This Episode’s Sponsor: You’ve probably heard about the movie OVERCOMER. But you may not know there are a few books and Bible studies inspired by the film. One is called Defined by Alex Kendrick and Stephen Kendrick, which is a book and Bible study based on insights from the Book of Ephesians. You can find these books and Bible studies at LifeWay.com/Overcomer.

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

Church Leadership

September 10, 2019

3 Reasons Christians Must Live Alertly

By Michael Kelley

The best $7.99 I’ve spent in the last three years was adding a pretty extensive (and expensive, as far as apps go) weather app to my phone. It’s very cool. And just so you know I’m serious, I’ll say it again: It’s very cool. (Pay no attention to what my wife says regarding this issue.)

While you can use it to get all kinds of maps and track all kinds of storms, the thing I love most about it is the way it alerts me if severe weather is coming. You can set static locations, like home and work, and any time a storm is moving toward those locations, I get an alert. But it also has a “follow me” feature on it that, when you enable it, will alert you to severe weather when it is moving toward your current location no matter where you are. I could be in Colorado and get an alert about weather moving toward our home in Tennessee. Or I could be driving through south Texas and get an alert about a storm that’s currently in my path.

What is the alert? Glad you asked. It’s a truly obnoxious sound that’s impossible to ignore—just the way I like it. That means my days of staying up all night watching for any approaching tornadoes are over. I know that my phone is going to scare me half to death at 3 a.m. if indeed I need to know something dangerous is coming our way.

This single app has enabled me to live in a more alert fashion to this particular aspect of my environment. And it strikes me that, as a Christian, there are several reasons why alertness must characterize our lives. That we cannot simply muddle our way day in and day out but instead must live with a greater sense of awareness as a result of our faith. Here, then, are three such reasons why the Christian must live alertly:

1. Jesus is coming back.

This is a really real thing. It could be today. Like now. Or now. Or now. Or maybe tomorrow. That’s kind of the point. After a series of parables, all centering on the return of Jesus and the proper and improper ways to prepare, Jesus summarized it like this in Matthew 24:42: “Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day[s] your Lord is coming.”

It’s in a slight way like coming home from work everyday. Though they don’t do it as often as they used to, occasionally I am greeted by the sound of my kids yelling to welcome me home when I come in the door. They didn’t know exactly what time I was coming, but they knew I was. And they were alert to my inevitable appearance. In the same way, we live with an uncertain confidence in Jesus’ return. We are confident that it’s happening, but not confident as to when. The proper response is to not make predictions around the exact time, but rather live constantly with a sense of alertness as to the inevitability of His impending return.

2. Opportunities are all around us.

The Christian must also live alertly because of the opportunities around us to make much of the kingdom of God. In the book of Ephesians, Paul lays out in two specific verses the rationale behind this. First, in Ephesians 2:8-10, he reminds us that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, but he goes on to help us see that this faith is active in nature: “For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.”

God has saved us, but He has also intentionally planned good works for us and placed them in our path. These are good works we are to walk in, recognizing them as such, and then doing what the love of Jesus compels us to do day in and day out. That’s the heart behind the second verse in Ephesians, this one coming from chapter 5: “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—making the most of the time, because the days are evil.”

Be careful, Christian, as you are walking, because unless you are alert, you will miss the opportunities right in front of you to work and invest for the sake of the gospel and the kingdom.

3. We have the tendency to drift.

We must, as Christians, be alert because Jesus is coming back. And we must be alert because of the opportunities God has put in our path. We must also be alert because we know our own hearts, and unless we are alert, we will always tend to drift from Jesus: “We must, therefore, pay even more attention to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away” (Heb. 2:1). No one drifts toward Jesus. Instead, like a boat not anchored in the middle of the sea, unless we are actively and alertly fighting against it, we will always move from our original position.

As we continue what discipleship means in the context of groups, one of the conclusions we must come to is that the maturing Christian is the Christian who is ever increasingly alert. We help people whom God has entrusted to our care to remember that Jesus is coming back, that opportunities around us abound, and that we all have the tendency to drift. May it be, then, that in all of our groups, as we continue to work toward discipleship, that we call one another day by day to a greater degree of attention.

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.

Church Leadership

September 3, 2019

The Signposts of a Growing Disciple – Part 1

By Lynn Pryor

Deep down, most believers know they should be sharing their faith, but few of us do. We can offer excuses—I’m afraid of saying something wrong. I don’t know how. I don’t want to come across like a pushy salesperson.—but growing in our faith should include sharing our faith. Mature followers of Christ may still experience sweaty palms or the occasional nervous tremor in their voices, but they embrace the opportunity to witness of Christ for three reasons:

They see it as their personal responsibility.

Christ’s Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) is a call for everyone, not just pastors and church leaders. Everyone is commissioned to make disciples. Of course, that includes more than just evangelism—it includes the whole discipleship process—but it begins with leading the person to trust Christ. It is our responsibility to not only let others see Jesus in us but also to tell them about the Jesus they see in us!

They are aware of the lost people around them.

We are surrounded by the lost, and as we live out our faith, we stand out. For example, when we respond to trials and difficulties with joy and contentment, others notice. Maturing disciples are aware their actions are observed by others. They are ready to respond to any questions the lost may have, and they are equally ready to give an answer even if the question is not verbally asked. As Peter wrote, “In your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15).

They build relationships with the lost.

It’s tempting—and easy!—to surround ourselves with other Christians and those who believe just like us. While maturing disciples do not neglect the needed accountability and fellowship with other believers, they also intentionally seek out the lost. They attempt to build a relationship, getting to know the other person, in order to love them and seize the opportunity to share with him the gospel.

Ways the Church Can Foster Believers Who Share Christ.

Model it. Let church members see you share your faith. Talk about it. Take someone with you if you’re making an intentional evangelistic visit.
Lead a course on how to share your faith. There are several good options for leading a group in learning to share their faith: Tell Someone by Greg Laurie; Life on Mission by Dustin Wills and Aaron Coe; and the classic Share Jesus Without Fear by William Fay and Ralph Hodge.

Lead a course on apologetics. Many believers are concerned they wouldn’t know how to respond if they’re asked a difficult question. One place to start is in offering a course on defending the faith and answering the tough questions. Mary Jo Sharp’s Why Do You Believe That? and Jeremiah Johnston’s Unanswered are good options.

Pray for the lost. During corporate times, we often focus on health needs. We should lift those needs before God, but guide believers to also pray for lost people by name. Encourage them to place those names in a prominent place as a reminder to pray. As we pray for individuals, our hearts are drawn to them and God opens doors for sharing the gospel with them.

Cultivate relationships with those outside the church. Use every event on the church schedule as an open door to those outside the church. Remind believers to get to know the lost guests who attend the events and be intentional in building relationships.

We’d love to hear from you. What are some ways your church is helping believers share Christ?

Lynn Pryor (@lynnpryor) is a team leader in LifeWay’s ongoing adult Bible study department. He also serves as an interim pastor in the Nashville area. Read more from his blog at lynnhpryor.com.

Group Answers Podcast

August 7, 2019

Group Answers Episode 112: Trevin Wax on Discipleship Trends

By Group Ministry

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On this episode of Group Answers, Chris and Brian talk to Trevin Wax about discipleship trends.

Trevin Wax is Director for Bibles and Reference at LifeWay Christian Resources and a visiting professor at Wheaton College. He is the general editor of The Gospel Project, and the author of recent books This Is Our Time, Eschatological Discipleship, and Gospel Centered Teaching.

Questions:

What is multi-directional leadership? Why is this important not only for church leaders, but for group leaders as well?
In a groups context, what is the fallout of the apparent increase of polarization in our current climate?
There is a growing generational divide in how best to express our loyalty to God and our loyalty to our country. What are the takeaways as you have engaged both our culture and the church in this regard?
We all agree that community is essential and relationships are crucial for both the examined and the disciple’s life. So why are we so enamored with exploring a deserted island and what does this have to say about us?
What are some trends that you can share with us about Bible engagement?
What advice would you give group leaders about discipleship based on what you’ve learned over the last year?

Quotes:

A one-directional leader only looks in one direction for danger. A multi-directional leader knows that there are multiple ways in which danger might encroach upon a flock.
Social media exacerbates and polarizes so much of our discourse.
What group leaders have is an opportunity to actually speak truth to a small group of people.
Know the group you have and push in the direction they would be least likely to go.
Scripture speaks to a bigger variety of issues than our political parties do.
A lot of older Evangelicals see America as Israel, and a lot of younger Evangelicals see America as Babylon.
In life, you are thrown into a family you didn’t choose, and you have to make do.
You can’t know a hundred people really well, but you can know ten people.
How do people in our groups see the narrative of their lives?

This Episode’s Sponsor: With Ministry Grid’s library of over 3,000 training videos, it’s now simpler than ever to train every volunteer and leader in your church. And this is training you can trust. Each Ministry Gridvideo features an experienced ministry leader who has been where you are now. Learn how to get unlimited access for you and your church at MinistryGrid.com.

Group Answers Podcast

July 17, 2019

Group Answers Episode 109: Darrin Patrick

By Group Ministry

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On this episode of Group Answers, Chris and Brian talk to Darrin Patrick about community and accountability.

Darrin Patrick is a teaching pastor at Seacoast Church. He is the founding pastor of The Journey Church and is the author of multiple books including the Dude’s Guide to Marriage.

Darrin is the former chaplain to the St. Louis Cardinals and former vice-president of the Acts 29 church planting network. He has appeared in the New York Times, The Today Show and Fox and Friends for his innovative approach to reaching the un-reached.

Darrin is married to Amie and they have four children. He enjoys reading, writing and coaching his kid’s sports teams.

Questions:

From the outside, you were a very successful pastor, chaplain of the Cardinals, head of a church network. What was happening on the inside during all of this?
What did community and accountability look like for you when career and reputation were at the perceived peak?
What happened when those friendships were suddenly gone?
In the sense of accountability and community, is there a limit to the number of people you really want to be in contact with?
What role did having healthy community around you play in your eventual restoration?
What advice would you give to leaders who may be heading down the same path that you were on?

Quotes:

My ministry was growing, but my soul wasn’t growing.
What really brought me back was community, and I’ll never do ministry without that again.
Ultimately, I wasn’t willing to slow down the pace to develop those relationships.
Always err on the side of reaching out.
It was like God said, “I’m perfecting you through this imperfect process.”
You’re moving into that “sage” stage and having a hard time moving on from “warrior.”
A lot of leaders have failed to develop those soft-side leadership skills, and it’s mainly related to them not engaging their emotional life.
We’re really good at following Jesus as God, but we’re not good at following Jesus as man.

This Episode’s Sponsor: The Overcomer movie has inspired the creation of several resources. For small groups, there is the Overcomer Bible study. For individuals, there is a book called Defined. Both are based upon powerful insights from the Book of Ephesians. Learn more about all the resources at LifeWay.com/Overcomer

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3. Remember past victories (and failures).

4. Clarify expectations.

5. Talk to someone.

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Lynn Pryor (@lynnpryor) is a team leader in LifeWay’s ongoing adult Bible study department. Read more from his blog at lynnhpryor.com.

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Lynn Pryor (@lynnpryor) is a team leader in LifeWay’s ongoing adult Bible study department. He also serves as an interim pastor in the Nashville area. Read more from his blog at lynnhpryor.com.

Group Answers Episode 109: Darrin Patrick

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