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The Signposts of a Growing Disciple – Part 7

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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 obey God and deny self.

One verse succinctly captures what it means to be a follower of Christ: 

“Then he said to them all, ‘If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me’” (Luke 9:23).

Of the eight signposts of a maturing disciple, the signpost “Obey God and Deny Self,” may be the most important. Obeying God is tied to practicing the other attributes. For example, Bible engagement is important, but if we’re not obeying what God shows us in His Word, we’re missing the point of engaging with Scripture. Building relationships is an important part of our walk with Christ, but if we’re doing so in the way that is contrary to God’s Word (i.e., in disobedience to God) we’re not building relationships as a mature disciple. 

The maturing disciple obeys God and denies self. The two are not separate, but go hand-in-hand. It’s easy to obey God if it’s not inconvenient or requires me to deny myself. After all, It’s easy to “love my neighbor” so long as it doesn’t require me to go out of my way. 

Jesus emphasized the need to deny self and take up the cross each day. In a practical sense, Jesus was calling His followers to prefer death to self in the spiritual sense. In the ancient world, this was a radical idea—and it still is today. Our fallen human nature prefers self-direction and self-satisfaction, but following Christ is a call to live in obedience to the One who is over us—and we can’t follow God in obedience if we’re following ourselves.

Christians who are growing in their walk with Jesus must learn to deny self in order to serve Christ. Our initial commitment to follow Christ includes denial of self because we acknowledge our need for Christ and turn from our sin; however, it’s easy to fall back into living selfishly! Our spiritual growth is evident as we learn to daily choose to obey God and deny our own desires and wishes. We learn to display a preference for God’s plan rather than assert our own. Transformation can be seen when we progressively set aside earthly temptations for kingdom priorities.

Ways the Church Can Foster Believers Who Obey God and Deny Self.

  • Call for commitment. Pastors and church leaders who preach and teach should consistently call people to obedience. Call the congregation to act upon the Word of God that has been proclaimed. Teaching biblical truth is only half the task. We must also call people to believe it and act upon it.
    The Holy Spirit is ultimately the One who convicts people to respond and act upon His Word, but He will use us in the process. Provide specific and clear calls to actions. Tepid invitations—“I invite you to respond to what you’ve heard”—need to end. Instead point out clearly how they can respond.
  • Form discipleship triads. These groups have been called by a variety of names, but the principle is that believers get in groups of three. Within their Bible study groups, call individuals to partner with two other people—three men or three women together—for the purpose of praying together and supporting each other. Many triads also dig further on their group’s study, discussing and challenging each other in how they will obey and live out the Scripture they studied. This is a place of accountability.
  • Invite testimonies. Let the congregation hear the stories of others who have chosen to be obedient to Christ in a specific area. This can be a full-blown presentation from a family who gave up a comfortable lifestyle to be missionaries in South America, or it can be a five-minute testimony from an individual in the church family regarding a specific way they choose obedience to God over self.

These “mini-sermons” can be powerful. They provide concrete examples of what obedience and denial look like, especially when they come from “a regular person just like me.” 

As the believers in your church mature and more readily self-denial and obedience to God, the community can’t help but notice. 

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.
Church Leadership

Seven Keys to a Successful Groups Launch

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The beginning of the year is a perfect time to launch new small groups at a church. January is normally a growth season for churches, as people return after making spiritual growth resolutions. Whether you decide to launch a campaign with all of your groups studying the same content for a few weeks, or just have new groups available for new people to join, there are a few things you can do to help the launch go as smoothly as possible.

1. Provide coaches for new leaders.

No matter how much training you provide for your new leaders, they will almost always run into issues during group meetings that they need answers for. The best source for providing those answers will be seasoned group leaders who have been there before. Every new leader should be assigned a veteran leader that can be one email or phone call away when questions arise.

2. Start enough groups for expected growth.

Before you launch your groups, make sure there are enough groups to accommodate the people wanting to join. It’s much easier for new people to stick to a new group than an existing one. Existing groups already have relationships formed and a new person will feel left out, no matter how open the group members are. Use last year’s January attendance numbers to help calculate how many new groups and coaches you will need to recruit before your sign-up weeks.

3. Use multiple weeks for sign-ups.

Most people only attend church one or two Sundays a month. If you only offer sign-ups for small groups on one weekend, you will miss over half of your congregation. Sign-ups should be offered at least two weeks in a row, with opportunities also available on the website for those who still missed it.

4. Have the senior pastor make the initial push.

If biblical community is an important piece of discipleship for your church, then the initial call should come from the senior leader. The congregation will need to hear the “why” behind small groups before they understand the “what.” No one can do that better than the lead vision caster for the church.

5. Provide biblically solid, easy-to-use curriculum.

It’s easy to spend a lot of time thinking about the details of the launch and little on what the groups will be studying. If groups are going to make disciples, they will need an easy-to-use Bible study to spur the necessary discipleship conversations. Aligning your groups with the Sunday messages is a good direction to start with. SmallGroup.com can help you write solid sermon-based studies without taking too much of your time.

6. Be ready to adjust after the launch.

It doesn’t matter much preparation you have put in before the launch, there will inevitably be groups that never get off of the ground. It may be because of location, time, personality or many other factors, but you have to be ready to adjust for those new leaders. Look for a way to combine groups in the same area, or ask the leaders to help another group for a semester before launching again in the spring.

7. Give groups a next step after launch.

If you want your groups to continue to succeed after the initial launch, you need to think about easy next steps for them. What will they study after the short-term campaign is over? Will they continue with a coach? Will they need to add group members at the next sign-up opportunity? Provide a roadmap for them, and your new groups will last beyond the first semester.

Chris Surratt is a ministry consultant and coach with over 22 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 also manages SmallGroup.com 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 just released by Thomas Nelson. You can follow his blog at chrissurratt.com or follow him on Twitter @chrissurratt.

Church Leadership

How to Disciple New Christians

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Do you remember what it was like?

You’d heard the word “Christian” before. Maybe you were a teenager, fighting the fact that your parents frequently brought you to church and you didn’t really see why. Maybe you were far along into adulthood, struggling with the purpose of what you did.  Maybe you were yet a small child, hearing about concepts of Christ and the cross and trying to piece things together.

Whatever your story of coming to know and cherish Christ, we all began somewhere and had to then begin the next step in our journey: understanding more fully what we believe and how to follow Christ.

Where did you turn?

A specific person might have started to intentionally disciple you. Perhaps a book became pivotal in your spiritual formation. Maybe a church, through preaching and small groups, stepped into this foundational time.

Yet maybe the process of pursuing spiritual understanding and growth wasn’t so smooth. You could have floundered finding sure sources to teach you.

Now, you might be on the flip-side. Leading a small group, you might be surrounded with people new to the faith or asking how to rebuild their life on the foundation.

The need for accessible, direct, helpful, and deep discipleship resources for new believers cannot be understated. And, because of this need, we acted. 

Meet My New Life: A New Christian’s Guide to Building Your Life on the Word of God.

This is a six week Bible study which covers the basics of the Christian faith for new disciples of Christ. Each session contains sections that introduce you to scripture with a specific focus, provide questions to help you engage with the scripture, and give a prayer focus and journaling sections to conclude your weekly study.

What topics are covered? 

  • Week One: My New Life in Jesus
  • Week Two: Understanding the Gospel
  • Week Three: The God Who Made Us
  • Week Four: Abiding in Jesus
  • Week Five: The Importance of the Church
  • Week Six: Joining God on Mission

You can engage with this study on our own, give it to those in your group to do individually, or go through the content with a group. 

No matter the way you use the resource, it is our hope that it can serve as a go-to for early discipleship, centering new believers on the Word of God and the cross of Christ as we seek to be faithful to the Lord and as He transforms our hearts.

Here’s to growing in our walk with Christ. Here’s to intentional, practical discipleship. Here’s to more new believers in 2020.

Find out more about this recourse, access the first session for free, and find more additional church items at lifeway.com/mynewlife.

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

 

Church Leadership

Name Tags and the 3 Essentials of Group Ministry

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LifeWay Groups Ministry holds to three essential qualities that every group ought to demonstrate:

  • disciple making
  • community building
  • culture shaping

One thing that can help build all three qualities are name tags. Some of you who know me or have read any of the twelve little books I’ve written about groups know how strongly I feel about name tags. Here is another installment!

1. Community Building. Nothing makes a newcomer to your group feel more at ease than a room full of people wearing name tags. Nothing! Community starts with names. Then stories connected to those names. Then stories that connect people to one another. So make a regular practice of sharing a piece of who you are everytime you wear name tags. Which should be every time! We can make tons of connections in just a few weeks of a new small group by asking everyone to print three lines on their name tags:

FIRST NAME (all caps)

last name (smaller)

Something about your assignment

The last line can be anything—post a topic in the room or on the table where people make their name tags. Favorite movie. Where you were born. Sports team you cheer for. Year you moved to town. Favorite book you’ve read this year. (Anybody can say “the Bible!”) I’ve seen tons of unexpected connections made this way.

2. Disciple Making. Discussion is more meaningful if the discussers can call each other by name. That’s another reason to print your first names in all caps. That way they can be seen easily across the room. I have visited dozens of Bible study groups all over America. The ones where almost everyone was wearing a name tag were not just more friendly. The Bible study was just better. Jack and Yolanda are new members of our small group. They were back again this week. They asked to be put on the email prayer list—and asked me to resend the link to a spiritual gifts inventory they had missed. Confession: We didn’t get out the name tags until they showed up. But we did get them out. It mattered.

3. Culture Shaping. One of the most inspiring stories I know about name tags happened in Boston in 2007. Forty thousand nametags were distributed at Fenway Park as fans entered a game. About half wore them. The sponsor? The Boston Police Department Crime Watch Unit! It was based on a program implemented in subway suburb Jamaica Plain by officer Joseph Porcelli. He began a movement that encouraged people to wear name tags everyday everywhere, and it actually had a dramatic measurable effect on the crime rate! Why? People who know each other by name are more likely to look out for one another. That’s all. That’s significant. That’s enough.

David Francis is Director of Sunday School at LifeWay. He is the author of eleven small books available for free at lifeway.com/davidfrancis or at the iTunes store. His interactive Bible study, Spiritual Gifts, is in its ninth printing and is not free! (But it is available to order at lifeway.com.) He and his wife Vickie teach four- and five-year olds in Sunday School and are members of a small group of empty nesters. Their three sons and their families live in three different time zones—Boston, Los Angeles, and Bryan-College Station.
Church Leadership

The Signposts of a Growing Disciple – Part 6

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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 exercise faith.

Faith may be a common word in our vocabulary, but we don’t all use it the same way. For some people, the concept of faith is essentially wishful thinking. “I have faith that they’ll win the championship.” For others, the concept of faith is tied to a set of beliefs. “I follow the Christian faith.” And others see faith as something they can use to manipulate God. “If you believe hard enough and have enough faith, God will do what you ask Him to do.”

Faith is trust, taking God at His word and confidently trusting that He will do what He said He will do. Faith can begin simply, even as we place our trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord. But as we mature in our faith, that trust only grows deeper and we are more and more adept at trusting Him.

In the research that indicated a mature believer exercises faith, it was noted that these believes knew the importance of living by faith as opposed to living by their own strength. Trusting in God deepens and reliance on self lessens. Exercising faith means risk-aversion is set aside. Maturing believers concern themselves with bold faithfulness to God’s work. The concerns of personal cost become less concerning. The transformation that occurs because we put faith in God’s power results in faithful obedience.

Two statements were strong among mature believers who exercise faith: 

  1. “I believe God has a purpose for all events in my life, regardless of whether I perceive each event as being good or bad.” Our faith in Christ gives us both new life in the eternal sense and redefines our perception about life here in this world. When we engage our faith in everyday living, it allows us to have a longer view of life’s events. Rather than wishing our way out of difficulty, it gives us the opportunity to simply trust God’s goodness no matter what we face.
  2. “I express praise and gratitude to God even in difficult circumstances.” The believer who is exercising faith can look beyond the current circumstances to the greater issues at work. They do not ignore what is happening, but by trusting and living by faith, they see life in light of all of God’s providence. Faith looks beyond difficulty and trusts in the character of God.

The apostle Paul gave us a wonderful summary of what it means to exercise faith:

“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).

Rather than sinking into the doldrums when things go wrong, we keep our eyes lifted toward Christ. Exercising faith is a result of God’s transforming work in our lives. As we grow in our sanctification and walk with Christ, we are able to follow more closely to Him. Our trust and faith only deepens.

Ways the Church Can Foster Believers Who Exercise Faith.

Challenge believers. Challenge people to give as an act of worship and trust in God’s provision. Challenge them to get involved in a mission project or ministry and trust God to work.

Provide opportunities to step out of their comfort zone. Point to specific ministry and mission opportunities and encourage participation. When people step out of their comfort zones, they can experience God’s presence and hand at work. The more they do this, the more they learn to trust God.

Give testimonies. Give a platform for individuals in the church to share how they learned to exercise faith. A testimony of how they learned to trust God in a specific situation encourages others to do the same.

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.
Church Leadership

The Best Icebreakers to Start the New Year

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Icebreaker exercises in small group settings can really make or break the discussion and participation. The start of a new year can also mean the start of many new groups or adding members to existing small groups. Having the right icebreakers for these beginning meetings can set the tone and determine who stays in the group or leaves for another group.

Here are the top three icebreakers for small groups to use in the new year:

1. Top 10 Lists: 

The group leader finds a top 10 list online (such as the top 10 grossing movies of the year, the top 10 wealthiest male actors, the top 10 largest companies in the world, etc.).

Everyone in the class numbers off and gathers in their groups. The leader will announce the top 10 topic and puts 3 minutes on the clock. Each group will designate one person to write their 10 guesses and circle their number one choice.

As time is called, the group leader will read off the list and the groups will tally up their points. They are given one point per every right answer and a bonus two points if they can guess the number one spot.

2. Desert Island List: 

Everybody has probably played this game at some point in their group life, but it’s a classic and gives everyone in the group a sense of who you are. In case you haven’t played this one before, here’s how it goes.

The group leader starts by posing the situation and question: You have just found out that you are going to be exiled on a desert island for an entire year. In addition to packing your essentials, you can bring one CD/album, one book (besides the Bible), and your favorite food. What will you bring?

After the leader reads the situation and question, every group member will have to answer the question and see how creative they can get!

3. Outburst:

Outburst is similar to the top 10 list, but it becomes more of a game of speed and creativity.

In Outburst, the group leader will find another top 10 list, but the group must now write down as many guesses as possible in the allotted time. These top 10 lists will be more topical, such as the top 10 things you find at a carnival, the top 10 things you find at a kid’s birthday party, or top 10 things you find at a small group Bible study.

Groups can choose to keep track of points from meeting to meeting or just play for the fun of it.

What icebreakers has your small group used before? Comment below with even more ideas!

Church Leadership

Top Studies for the New Year

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2019. A year is ending, and with it, a decade comes to a close. Many, Bible study groups included, begin to reflect over the past year as we excitedly look towards a new beginning when another page in the calendar turns.

What are your hopes for the next year? And how can you work to craft these hopes to be centered on Christ for your whole group?

We’ve been thinking about it, too. Here’s six resolutions for your group (and the Bible studies that can help you work towards achieving them) as 2020 rounds the corner.

  1. Discover who you are in Christ

Defined: Who God Says You Are

When you introduce yourself to someone for the first time, you have an opportunity to define yourself. You disclose your name, profession, and interests. These factors help our culture define us, but are those answers enough? There are bigger questions our culture can’t answer: who am I? and why do I matter? And before asking, who am I? you must first answer, who is God?  The Scripture teaches that we are all made in the image of God. We do not define ourselves—the Creator does. We were all created to be known and loved by God. Once the answers are clear, we can move forward and discover all God has called us to be. (8 sessions)

Join LifeWay Women for an online Bible study staring January 9th!

  1. Say yes to anything God asks

Something Needs to Change: A Call to Make Your Life Count in a World of Urgent Need

When David Platt took a trip to the Himalayan mountains, the staggering hardship he witnessed transformed the trajectory of his life. Now, in this study, he’s inviting you to reflect and wrestle with him as he describes his heart-wrenching trek through the Himalayas. You’ll ask hard questions alongside Platt about human need, suffering, faith, the gospel, and our role. For Christians, ignorance of profound human need is not an option. Neither is indifference. It’s time to explore what it means to follow Jesus in a world of urgent physical and spiritual needs. (8 sessions)

Have  the first two sessions of the Bible study for free here (and find a 7-Day prayer guide for unreached people groups)!

  1. Rest in the love of God

The Prodigal Son: Discovering the Fullness of Life in the Love of the Father

At some point we have all been tempted by the allure of a life outside God’s design. Thankfully, Jesus addressed this issue through the well-known parable of the prodigal son from the Gospel of Luke. In this story, we meet a young man who demands his inheritance, then goes and squanders it in a far-off country away from the watchful eye of his father. When he realizes that the world and its pleasures do not deliver on their promises, he arises and returns home. This Bible study walks through the parable verse by verse, showing us that the best life is found in the love of our Father. (8 sessions)

  1. Experience more of God

Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God

Revised and expanded, this classic study guides readers to experience a relationship with God through which they come to know and do His will by learning to recognize when He is speaking. It also helps them understand the importance of His timing. Many truly amazing testimonies are included in this revised version. (13 weeks)

  1. Learn how to follow Jesus

My New Life: A New Christian’s Guide to Building Your Life on God’s Word

The new Christian can become easily overwhelmed trying to figure out how to be a Christ-follower. For the believer to grow, it’s necessary to have an understanding of God’s Word, God’s character, prayer, the gospel, and so much more. This study explains these deep biblical truths in short and simple to understand chapters. It will help a new believer grow in knowledge of God’s Word and provide a foundation on which daily trust in Jesus will grow for the rest of their lives. (6 sessions)

Church Leadership

If Jesus Was Santa Claus: Approaching Perfectionism in Your Small Group

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Like most Americans this past week—in hopes of amping up my Christmas cheer—I began decorating my house for December 25th. Naturally, Bruce Springsteen’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” was on the holiday decorating playlist. But as I listened to the music, I began to hear the lyrics differently. Although I didn’t grow up in a house that preached “Santa,” I never questioned the veracity of the lines:

He’s making a list, he’s checkin’ it twice, 

He’s gonna find out whose naughty or nice

Santa Claus is coming to town

I never believed in Santa, but I found this man’s desire to “check his list” for the good kids and the bad kids absolutely plausible. Why wouldn’t the good kids deserve toys and the bad kids deserve coal? That’s called justice.

And now, twenty years later listening to the song, I began to wonder, “What if Jesus had a list?” Turns out He does.

“And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” – Revelation 20:15, CSB

God’s got His own list of names, and the placement of your name determines the status of your eternal destination. But thankfully, Jesus manages His list a lot differently than Santa Claus. Santa knows if I’ve been bad or good, erasing my name if I don’t meet his standard. Jesus never erases my name because He met the standard for me and paid the price for my own shortcomings.

“In the same way, the one who conquers will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name before my Father and before his angels.” – Revelation 3:5, CSB.

I can confidently say that my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life—not because of anything that I’ve done, but because I have trusted in the Lamb that was slain for me. I laugh at the thought that I could ever scribble my worn, sinful name onto His holy list.

And yet sometimes in our small groups, we unintentionally preach perfectionism. At times, we view God as the Big Man Upstairs who’s checking His list, separating the rule followers from the rule breakers. Hear the accusation in this holiday tune:

He knows if you’ve been bad or good

You better be good for goodness’ sake

Can you imagine if Jesus were more like Santa? What if He’s looking down from heaven, waiting to cross our names off His list when we sin? This Christmas, as group leaders we have the opportunity to seriously question some of the core beliefs we have about God—and how we communicate them to our group members. Do we really preach grace? Do we subconsciously think God expects perfection? Do we think God is keeping score? How can we better preach the God of second chances and erasers?

How much more enriched would our small groups be if we reminded our group members of the freedom that is imperfection? Of the freedom that is grace? We can remind them of the spotless Lamb who came down to save us from ourselves.

And finally, when we no longer live aiming for perfection, we can aim a little higher. Jesus knows our every thought and move. Jesus “knows if we’ve been bad or good,” but by His grace, we are good for His sake—not goodness’ sake.

Caroline Case is a proud Nashville transplant from Naples, Florida. Caroline has a Bachelor of Communication from Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, FL. She is pursuing her Master of Arts in English at Belmont University in Nashville, where she will go on to pursue her doctorate and teach.

Church Leadership

Top Bible Studies for Christmas

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Christmas. The best time of the year?

The calendar flipped to December, and this means many churches and small groups have turned towards their plans for the new year even as they aim to finish out the Christmas season well. After all, Christmas is supposed to be about Christ, right?

Yes, but many church and group leaders feel pressure and stress around this time and can actually find it harder to focus on Christ than during other times in the year.

We understand. And we want to help in any ways we can.

Here are some Bible study suggestions to help you, as the group leader, keep your focus on Christ during this season, and here are some resources to help center your group on Christ as 2020 rounds the corner.

For You

  • Foundations: A 260-Day Bible Reading Plan for Busy Believers

With Foundations, you can read through the key, foundational passages of the Bible in one year, while still having the flexibility of reading 5 days per week. Along with supplementary devotional content each day, you can experience the miracle of reading and responding to God’s Word. By using the H.E.A.R. journaling method, you will be guided through Highlighting, Explaining, Applying, and Responding to passages, allowing for practical application throughout the year-long plan.

 

 

Based on the success of Foundations (described above), Foundations: New Testament uses the same H.E.A.R. method to provide a 5-day a week, year long devotional scripture reading experience that takes studiers through only the New Testament. You’ll also be guided with weekly scripture memory options for the duration of the study

For Your Group

With the recent Thanksgiving release of the latest Kendrick brothers movie, OVERCOMER, you can launch your group into thinking through themes of identity and overcoming difficulties this Christmas and New Years season. Many people feel they are less than who God says they are. We get our identity from our careers, our political positions, our roles in the family, and a number of other lesser things. However, when we understand who God is, we more fully understand who we are. This new small-group Bible study uses clips from the Kendrick Brothers film OVERCOMER to examine how we determine our identity and how we can find our true identity in Christ. (5 sessions)

Most Christians want to make real, noticeable progress in their walk with Christ. We long to forgive, to have a pure heart, and to find peace, but we just don’t know how to get there. It’s time to get unstuck and build momentum toward a more godly life. The understanding and strength we need to pursue holiness are available through the path Christ laid out for us in the Beatitudes. Find out what it really means to be poor in spirit, to be meek, and to mourn, and discover how those qualities will help you live a life in which God’s blessings are abundantly clear and present. (8 sessions)

Christmas and New Years is a time of reflection, so why not direct your group to reflect towards eternal change? When David Platt took a trip to the Himalayan mountains, the staggering hardship he witnessed transformed the trajectory of his life. Now, in this study, he’s inviting you to reflect and wrestle with him as he describes his life-altering trek through the Himalayas. You’ll ask hard questions alongside Platt about human need, suffering, faith, the gospel, and our role. For Christians, ignorance of profound human need is not an option. Neither is indifference. It’s time to explore what it means to follow Jesus in a world of urgent physical and spiritual need.

You can have the first two sessions of this Bible study for free here! And you can also find a 7-Day guide, showing you how to pray for the unreached people of Asia for free here.

The Gospel is foundational to all aspects of the Christian life, so why not finish out a Christ-centered Christmas by keeping the momentum towards seeing Christ in all of scripture continuing throughout the entire next year? From cover to cover, the Bible is the story of God’s plan to redeem sinners through Jesus—the gospel. Gospel Foundations tells that story. 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 is video-enhanced to help your group engage in discussion with a clear understanding of how each text fits into the storyline of Scripture.

See the first two sessions of this Bible study as well as gain access to wallpapers, sermon guides, and more here.

Christmas doesn’t have to be the most stressful time of the year. Here’s to keeping the focus on Christ and to helping others do so as well.

 

Church Leadership

Three Ways to Take the Temperature of Your Group

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My family will tell you that I’m a thermostat control freak. I have a day marked on my calendar when I have arbitrarily determined it’s acceptable to flip on the air conditioning or the heater, depending on the season. And even when those systems come on, they’re never set quite how my family would prefer.

They’d sure like the AC to flip on before it gets to be 76 degrees, and they’d probably enjoy the heater coming on before it gets to 65. Thing is, though, I like it just fine. I actually get quite a bit of satisfaction when I’m sweating in our living room, or when I’m bundled up at the kitchen table. It makes me feel tough; it makes me feel frugal. (Notice I said frugal. Not cheap. Can I get an amen from the dads out there?)

But even as I write this, I’m realizing that those under my care don’t have the same sensibilities I do. I have created an environment in the home that I like, appreciate, and enjoy, but those within the environment I’ve created might not be having the same reaction. Sure, I can simply dismiss their feelings and keep the thermostat the way I like it, but as a leader in the home I would do well to “take the temperature” of my family to see how they’re responding to the temperature of our home.

It’s a bit of a silly illustration, but the principle is strong, I believe. When you find yourself in a leadership role, whether in an organization, a small group, or a home, there is a certain temperature you have created in that environment. As godly leaders, we are not only responsible for setting the temperature; we are responsible for knowing how the temperature we have set is affecting those who have to live inside it.

When you take the temperature, you are making sure that you have not done something detrimental to the people living in it. You are humbly acknowledging that the culture you have intentionally created is having its desired effect, which is moving people closer and closer to Jesus. And you are also acknowledging that you are not the ultimate authority, and that like any other human, you might have made a mistake and created an environment that is having unintended consequences.

So how can you take the temperature inside the environment you lead? I would suggest at least three ways:

1. Listen. Most of the time, people who sit in your environment are talking. Many times it’s the easiest thing in the world to become so convinced that you’re right and your decisions are valid that you purposely choose not to listen to those who are speaking. But if you really want to know the temperature of the environment you’ve created, you’ve got to make sure your ears are open.

Of course, when you’re listening to others, you must also be listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. That’s because not every voice you hear will be right or even helpful. So through the wisdom that only God will provide, you and I must learn who and what to listen to and when is the right moment to take heed.

2. Observe. Let me go back to the illustration of our home. It’s possible that my sweet wife knows by now that I like the thermostat set at a certain temperature. And though she might not like it that way, she has decided in her godly heart to not press the issue; instead, she has decided to wear a scarf and gloves to the dinner table.

Many times observation is an even more helpful method of taking the temperature than listening. That’s because people always communicate even when they’re not speaking. They communicate through their body language, their gestures, and even the indirect questions they ask. Watch, observe, take note—people will tell you what the temperature is even when they don’t tell you what the temperature is.

3. Ask. Of these three, this is the most obvious, but it’s also the one I think we do the least. We can actually, verbally, ask the question. Why don’t we do this more?

I would posit it’s because we already know what the answer is, and we don’t want to really hear it. That’s because when we do, we have to react to what we suspect but are unwilling to admit to ourselves. This is a humbling thing; it means we may have to adjust the “perfect plan” we had in place, and it means we have to admit that we, too, make mistakes.

But in those moments, we would do well to ask ourselves whether we would rather live with an illusion or pursue a better future? We can actually find someone we trust, someone we know will tell us the truth, and actually ask the question.

If you find yourself in a leadership role, friends, be it of an organization, church, group, or something else, don’t be afraid to take the temperature of the environment you are stewarding. Don’t be so married to your good intentions that you fail to embrace reality.

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.

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