This term we are relaunching Home Groups and renaming them as Gospel Groups. The idea is that these groups reflect our DNA as a church more than they currently do. Home groups is fine as a name except they don't naturally make us think of them as somewhere we might bring our interested, or hostile, friends to hear the gospel. So why gospel groups? It is an acrostic for:
Groups committed to...
One Another
Studying the Bible
Prayer
Evangelism
Loving our Community.
This term we will be studying this DNA and thinking about how practically we can impact the communities in which we meet.
Showing posts with label home group. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home group. Show all posts
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Should church reflect the messy nature of relationships?
We all know relationships are messy, they do not fit into neatly contained areas, or stay within certain boundaries, they are living breathing, shifting, changing, growing, adapting realities. If a relationship stays the same over years and years then we would conclude that there is something wrong with that relationship.
As churches are composed of people in relationships, relationships that are living, breathing, shifting, changing, growing and adapting realities then we should expect church to be similar. Relationships are messy church should be too. Church should should adapt as its members go through different stages of life. Some things will always remain the same - the gospel will always be central and its teaching always a primary focus. But so much else can bend and flex - timings, songs, groups, music, mid-week activities and so on are all things that can and should flex.
And home groups ought to reflect that relational reality - are all our home groups the same? Is it a monoculture, if so why because our churches aren't. Are they all at the same time? Because our people will not all be at their best or most attentive at that same time - it is not a monoculture. There is a sense in which we want to have people who are different together- that as Ephesians has been teaching is one of the joys of church. But home groups ought to reflect the relationships of those which form it - do a few people in the group struggle meeting at 7.30pm? What time could the group flex to? How about 5.30pm or 6pm with a shared meal? Is the groups composed of a number of families - could they meet all together for a shared meal and parents take it in turns looking after the children while others study the bible? Then when the children are old enough they simply join the bible study.
Why do we rule out home group on a Saturday? If it works for some then great.
But I think there is more to it than that, home groups should reflect the community they are based in, but that is something else for another day.
As churches are composed of people in relationships, relationships that are living, breathing, shifting, changing, growing and adapting realities then we should expect church to be similar. Relationships are messy church should be too. Church should should adapt as its members go through different stages of life. Some things will always remain the same - the gospel will always be central and its teaching always a primary focus. But so much else can bend and flex - timings, songs, groups, music, mid-week activities and so on are all things that can and should flex.
And home groups ought to reflect that relational reality - are all our home groups the same? Is it a monoculture, if so why because our churches aren't. Are they all at the same time? Because our people will not all be at their best or most attentive at that same time - it is not a monoculture. There is a sense in which we want to have people who are different together- that as Ephesians has been teaching is one of the joys of church. But home groups ought to reflect the relationships of those which form it - do a few people in the group struggle meeting at 7.30pm? What time could the group flex to? How about 5.30pm or 6pm with a shared meal? Is the groups composed of a number of families - could they meet all together for a shared meal and parents take it in turns looking after the children while others study the bible? Then when the children are old enough they simply join the bible study.
Why do we rule out home group on a Saturday? If it works for some then great.
But I think there is more to it than that, home groups should reflect the community they are based in, but that is something else for another day.
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
Setting Expectations
How are your expectations of church or home group set? How is it decided what time things will start or finish? How is a welcoming feeling created?
We had home group last night and as we were doing so I was drifting off slightly (never good when you are leading) just wondering about the equivalent in Jesus day. Interestingly I think most of our small groups are informally formal - you arrive roughly on time, spend 5-10 mins having a drink, biscuit and chatting, then its either prayer or the bible study, before you close with prayer, followed sometimes (depending on how late you finish) with a drink and possibly a last piece of cake or biscuit. When you analyse it like that it is very structured and not really the way we do family. It lacks some of the messiness that is the very essence of family, and which I think was probably a feature of the early church.
But what would a messier more family based group look like? Would it mean meeting for a meal first and then at 5.30pm or 6pm the kids playing in one room while the adults studied, or the children being in on the study, or one person each week doing the same study for the children. Could you do the bible study over a meal with the children there? How would that change what you studied? What would be the benefits or drawbacks? What would they be for the adults? What about for the children? What about for the community they met in?
We had home group last night and as we were doing so I was drifting off slightly (never good when you are leading) just wondering about the equivalent in Jesus day. Interestingly I think most of our small groups are informally formal - you arrive roughly on time, spend 5-10 mins having a drink, biscuit and chatting, then its either prayer or the bible study, before you close with prayer, followed sometimes (depending on how late you finish) with a drink and possibly a last piece of cake or biscuit. When you analyse it like that it is very structured and not really the way we do family. It lacks some of the messiness that is the very essence of family, and which I think was probably a feature of the early church.
But what would a messier more family based group look like? Would it mean meeting for a meal first and then at 5.30pm or 6pm the kids playing in one room while the adults studied, or the children being in on the study, or one person each week doing the same study for the children. Could you do the bible study over a meal with the children there? How would that change what you studied? What would be the benefits or drawbacks? What would they be for the adults? What about for the children? What about for the community they met in?
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Bible study preparation
Last night we look at preparing a Bible study here is some of what we looked at, some are specific to Acts which we are studying but the general principle is obvious enough:
Listening to the text – these are basic questions to ask as you read through the text:
1. What amazes me and is worth praising God for?
2. What questions do I have about the passage?
3. What is Luke saying?
4. Why does he say it as he does?
5. Why does he say it like this in context?
6. What did it mean to the first readers?
7. What does it mean now?
8. What should we do about it?
To help with teaching it we then thought about two questions which we need to formulate prior to planning our study and working on the questions so that we know what we are aiming at:
1. What is the main teaching point of the passage? (try to get this into one sentence)
2. What is the main change in us the passage calls for? (in one sentence)
There will be other things the passage teaches us and other changes it calls us to but getting the main thrust (the melodic line if you think musically) is vital.
Applying the passage:
Having done the hard work on the text we need to do the work on our group, just as you examine and question the text we need to do so with those we will be leading in the study. Two questions are helpful here:
1. What pastoral issues and problems does this throw up for the group and its members?
2. What theological tensions does this passage raise?
Pastoral issues can be things like knowing what struggles your group is facing, where are they at spiritually; are they in danger of drifting, are they gradually disengaging from church, are they passionate and keen. Do they feel as God is distant? Are they praying and reading God's word? Does their life seem characterised by joy or joylessness? What is their marriage like? What is their family, work life like?
Theological issues can flow out from the above - for example questions about God's sovereignty and suffering, or why bother with evangelism, questions and struggles about the Bible and our interpretation of it and so on.
Knowing both of these will help us sharpen our application up so it is specific not just the generic - what do you think this passage has to teach us?
Application is vital but difficult. I personally find it helpful to think through the following:
A. Necessary application – how it must apply to all readers at all times.
B. Impossible application – how it cannot possibly apply.
C. Possible application – how might it apply personally?
Listening to the text – these are basic questions to ask as you read through the text:
1. What amazes me and is worth praising God for?
2. What questions do I have about the passage?
3. What is Luke saying?
4. Why does he say it as he does?
5. Why does he say it like this in context?
6. What did it mean to the first readers?
7. What does it mean now?
8. What should we do about it?
To help with teaching it we then thought about two questions which we need to formulate prior to planning our study and working on the questions so that we know what we are aiming at:
1. What is the main teaching point of the passage? (try to get this into one sentence)
2. What is the main change in us the passage calls for? (in one sentence)
There will be other things the passage teaches us and other changes it calls us to but getting the main thrust (the melodic line if you think musically) is vital.
Applying the passage:
Having done the hard work on the text we need to do the work on our group, just as you examine and question the text we need to do so with those we will be leading in the study. Two questions are helpful here:
1. What pastoral issues and problems does this throw up for the group and its members?
2. What theological tensions does this passage raise?
Pastoral issues can be things like knowing what struggles your group is facing, where are they at spiritually; are they in danger of drifting, are they gradually disengaging from church, are they passionate and keen. Do they feel as God is distant? Are they praying and reading God's word? Does their life seem characterised by joy or joylessness? What is their marriage like? What is their family, work life like?
Theological issues can flow out from the above - for example questions about God's sovereignty and suffering, or why bother with evangelism, questions and struggles about the Bible and our interpretation of it and so on.
Knowing both of these will help us sharpen our application up so it is specific not just the generic - what do you think this passage has to teach us?
Application is vital but difficult. I personally find it helpful to think through the following:
A. Necessary application – how it must apply to all readers at all times.
B. Impossible application – how it cannot possibly apply.
C. Possible application – how might it apply personally?
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
Philemon
What an encouragement the book of Philemon is with its focus on how the gospel changes relationships, in this case undermining normal slave master relationships.
It was really encouraging to look at it in home group last week and the call to love as we have been loved even with those who have wronged us. To see how the reconciliation that is ours in the gospel makes us reconcilers was a real challenge.
It was really encouraging to look at it in home group last week and the call to love as we have been loved even with those who have wronged us. To see how the reconciliation that is ours in the gospel makes us reconcilers was a real challenge.
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
Praying in Home Groups
Each of us believes prayer matters; we recognize that we need to pray more, but struggle to make it a priority. We are good at finding excuses as to why we can’t – work, children, busy-ness... but they are just that: excuses. This article aims to help us examine our praying together. Let’s begin by looking at some problems with prayer.
Problems with Prayer: Prayer ruts
Most Christian groups pray and often drift into prayer ruts. We are prone to this with anything that we do regularly, it just becomes a formality, something we do almost without thinking. The danger is that our prayer times become rushed intercessions, a quick nod of thanks to God at the Bible studies’ end, a shopping list of prayers for the sick or ‘those who aren't with us’, or general prayers for general things. There is nothing wrong with those prayer but they are what I call default prayers. They are the result of a lazy or unthinking prayer life
Most Home Groups find it easier to do Bible study, or almost anything other than praying together. Just think about your group; how long do you spend studying the Bible or having coffee, or chatting about your week, and how long do you spend praying? Prayer often gets squeezed into five minutes at the end or beginning, lacks passion and is often punctuated with long silences.
The Bible’s challenge
Is that right? Should that be the norm? Or are we missing something? Paul in Colossians 4v2 writes these word; “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
Home Groups are an opportunity to be devoted to prayer, they provide an opportunity for us to learn to pray together, but how? Here are some thoughts:
Problems with Prayer: Prayer ruts
Most Christian groups pray and often drift into prayer ruts. We are prone to this with anything that we do regularly, it just becomes a formality, something we do almost without thinking. The danger is that our prayer times become rushed intercessions, a quick nod of thanks to God at the Bible studies’ end, a shopping list of prayers for the sick or ‘those who aren't with us’, or general prayers for general things. There is nothing wrong with those prayer but they are what I call default prayers. They are the result of a lazy or unthinking prayer life
Most Home Groups find it easier to do Bible study, or almost anything other than praying together. Just think about your group; how long do you spend studying the Bible or having coffee, or chatting about your week, and how long do you spend praying? Prayer often gets squeezed into five minutes at the end or beginning, lacks passion and is often punctuated with long silences.
The Bible’s challenge
Is that right? Should that be the norm? Or are we missing something? Paul in Colossians 4v2 writes these word; “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
Home Groups are an opportunity to be devoted to prayer, they provide an opportunity for us to learn to pray together, but how? Here are some thoughts:
- A Group rarely goes beyond its leader. This isn’t about public prayer but private prayer. People can spot whether we know God intimately, whether our prayers when together flow from a close personal relationship with God. Leaders set the tone! What tone am I setting as a leader?
- Prioritise Prayer. Personally and when meeting together we need to do this. Do you pray in your group at the start as people arrive or at the end when people are tired? When would be the best time to pray to show its importance? How do you structure your prayer times? How do you share encouragements and prayer points? How do we ensure the group continues praying for each other after the meeting has ended? How can we do this better?
- A Prayer Diary. Some of us will use these personally they enable us to look back and see what we have prayed for and encourage us to thank God for answered prayer. They also help us see what we are praying for? How could this be done for your home group?
- Know how and why you pray. Hopefully the preceding studies will have helped us understand how and why we pray. We pray because God has set his love on us, called us, justified us and has given us a glorious future to look forward to through his Son. We pray because God is our Father, we are his adopted children and it is a natural thing to do. Romans 8:32 reminds us that “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things”.
Time Out
Take some time out to think about the questions raised in this section. How would you put them into practical personally and in your group?
Understanding Prayer
Our prayers are rooted not in tradition, the latest thought or ‘how to’ manual but they are the result of the gospel where we are taught how to pray. We pray:
· to God our Father
· through the Son (on the basis of his death and resurrection)
· in and by the Spirit
· using everyday language.
The source of our prayers is the sovereign will of God revealed in his word, the motive for prayer is God acting, and the enabler of prayer is the Holy Spirit. We learn to pray as we read God's word and discern his will. Prayer does not have a special language, or require long periods of waiting for God to answer us as he speaks to us through his word. Instead we pray as children who want to speak to their loving Father. That is the basis of our prayers as individuals and when we gather together.
Unshackling our prayers
Prayers in the Bible often have a far grander scope that our prayers do. They are concerned with the sovereign purposes of God (Psalm 2); the salvation of God’s people (2 Kings 19:14-19); the growth of the gospel (Acts 4:24-30); the coming of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:9-13); and the reputation and glory of God (Psalm 148, 150).
Time Out
In 1 Timothy 2:1-7 Paul gives (he urges) Timothy a list of things which they should pray for. Read it. What are we to pray for? What is the focus of this prayer?
Just as God is the hero in the Bible so the Bible’s prayers are God centred. We learn what to pray for as we read the prayers God has recorded for us in the Bible and think God’s thoughts after him.
It isn’t an exhaustive list we can also bring personal needs to God in prayer (1 Pet 5:7; Matt 6:25-34, Phil 4:6). In fact we are exhorted to bring even the smallest thing to God who is our Father and who cares for us.
Thinking through what we pray For when together
Often in home groups and at other times when Christians pray together we begin by collecting prayer points. It is a good way to show our concern and love for one another, but it can be very time consuming – how often do we spend longer collecting prayer points than praying for them? It can also be hard to share some things openly and honestly with a big group, and along with that we are often sharing our needs and concerns – it can be a very self centred way of praying. The group prays for what I perceive I need. Is there a better way of doing this? How should what we have studied influence what we pray about?
I take it as read that we all agree that our prayers should be about more than just our concerns and situations so, what else should we pray for?
The Gospel. Could you adopt a missionary to pray for? It doesn’t have to be one overseas – it could be the pastor of another local or national church, a Schools’ Worker or someone else who you will write to as a group and get prayer requests from.
Unbelievers. Pray for friends and family, a great prayer to pray for them and yourselves is Colossians 4:2-6.
Your witness. We all struggle with evangelism - keeping this on the agenda in prayer will help, again Acts 4 is a great prayer to pray for one another.
Your Church. One danger is that we get caught up in praying for programmes or numbers. Instead we should be praying for increasing maturity and continuing growth in the gospel. Again the Bible provides a great model for us in Ephesians 3:13-21. What does this prayer of Paul’s teach you to pray for one another? We have a church prayer diary could you as a group pray through this?
God’s concerns. Keep your Bible open when you pray. Why not pray through the passage you have just studied or pray for those things we see modelled (Appendix A gives some passages where you can find prayers to pray from the Bible).
Time Out
Take some time out to think about the questions raised in this section. How would you put them into practice personally and in your group?
How to pray together
Groups are funny things, some groups gel together instantly, others are slow growers, in some we are instantly at home whilst in others it takes time and effort. Some people find it easy to pray whilst others find it hard to pray out loud, so how do we help our group be a place of prayer where everyone is encouraged to pray?
When we pray with others we are not praying in private, therefore our prayers should be different. This applies wherever and whenever we pray with others. Here are some practical helps on serving others in prayer:
- We are leading others in prayer so use ‘we’ and ‘our’ not ‘I’ and ‘my’.
- Pray short prayers – it encourages others to pray, helps people concentrate, and avoids repetition.
- Keep prayers simple so everyone can understand.
- Don’t use a prayer voice.
- Pray so people can hear.
- Why not encourage those praying by joining with them in an ‘Amen’.
- If you found someone’s prayer a real encouragement why not say so to them afterwards.
Sometimes prayer in small groups can become deadened by routine, so why not mix up how you pray, why not try:
Breaking into smaller groups. Many people find it easier to pray in a two or three rather than a larger group.
Writing down what you pray for. Why not try a prayer wall, or use post its (large ones) then people can look up and see what the things are you are praying for.
All at the same time. This works particularly well with young people, but why not be brave and give it a go. Everyone prays at the same time (usually a count in helps), it can remove embarrassment for those who find praying with others listening hard.
Partnerships. Could you have twos or threes who regularly pray together as part of your group time. They could then be encouraged to meet outside of Home Group to pray too. The advantages are that this builds trust and good gospel relationships of accountability. The difficulties are that they take time to build and can become exclusive.
Time Out
Take some time out to think about the questions raised in this section. How would you put them into practice personally and in your group? What other creative ways of praying can you come up with?
Friday, 11 December 2009
The challenges of Acts
We've been working through Acts 1-6 in home groups this term and last night we were on to the final two threats to the early church. The first in chapter 4 was external persecution before in chapters 5 and 6 we see internal corruption and distraction.
Though we were relatively few in number last night it was an interesting discussion. Seeing Barnabas as a model of New Testament sacrificial giving and discussing the whole issue of money reminded me of something that has come out of this series really strongly. The early church do what they do so well because they do community so well, they are in and out of each others homes regularly they function as a family. My hunch is that is on a totally different level to where most of us function as church where we have friends but wouldn't consider one another family.
But if Acts is the 'norm' for church life then we need to recapture this community. Interestingly at the same time various other things I have been reading or preaching on have reflected on nature of the gospel as a community call rather than a individual call. I am saved by faith in Christ but I am also called into the family of faith. It changes who I am because it calls me to be part of the family of Christ.
We have been advocating small groups and accountability partnerships for a while now as a means of building relationships and beating the gospel into one another's lives. Fascinatingly it seems as if money is the thing we find it hardest to be transparent and accountable with.
I was reminded of my need to continually go back to Calvary and the empty tomb to see there what my real treasure is and what is really of value. It is God's values that we his family are to reflect - people not possessions.
Though we were relatively few in number last night it was an interesting discussion. Seeing Barnabas as a model of New Testament sacrificial giving and discussing the whole issue of money reminded me of something that has come out of this series really strongly. The early church do what they do so well because they do community so well, they are in and out of each others homes regularly they function as a family. My hunch is that is on a totally different level to where most of us function as church where we have friends but wouldn't consider one another family.
But if Acts is the 'norm' for church life then we need to recapture this community. Interestingly at the same time various other things I have been reading or preaching on have reflected on nature of the gospel as a community call rather than a individual call. I am saved by faith in Christ but I am also called into the family of faith. It changes who I am because it calls me to be part of the family of Christ.
We have been advocating small groups and accountability partnerships for a while now as a means of building relationships and beating the gospel into one another's lives. Fascinatingly it seems as if money is the thing we find it hardest to be transparent and accountable with.
I was reminded of my need to continually go back to Calvary and the empty tomb to see there what my real treasure is and what is really of value. It is God's values that we his family are to reflect - people not possessions.
Friday, 18 September 2009
Wordliness
Last night in home group we finished our study of Worldliness - resisting the seduction of a fallen world (ed. C J Mahaney). Over the summer months we have been reading a chapter a week and then discussing what it taught. Did we agree or disagree, how would it affect our lives, how would we put it into practice etc...
In the final chapter the question of how to love the world is the subject, the challenge not to love the world but not to disengage from it either. It is a helpful corrective and one of the best chapters in a very good and challenging book. Jeff Purswell begins by challenging the reader to examine and correct their worldview (John 3:16; 17:18) we are to be those in the world but not of the world. Using the four markers; creation, fall, redemption and consummation he explains the Biblical worldview and some of the consequences and implications of this.
He then moves on to suggest that the Bible sets believers three tasks in terms of interaction with the world:
1. Enjoy the world - God has made the world, it witnesses to him we are to praise God for the world he has given us to enjoy but without loving or worshipping it. I guess I experienced something of this at U2, where so many were worshipping U2 I was struck by the amazing gift God gave us in music and the gifts he had given these 4 guys and praised God for his goodness and creation.
2. Engage the world - We have a tendency to compartmentalize life into spiritual and secular (interestingly an agenda society and the government seems keen to encourage) but this shouldn't be so, work, home leisure are all part of my worship of God.
3. Evangelize the world -We are witnesses - a witness simply takes the stand and tells the truth as he has known and experienced it. That was tremendously liberating for those who fear that they can't adequately explain the gospel - we are to work at our understanding - but we are to witness to what we have experienced, it doesn't have to be polished and slick.
Finally the book ends as most chapters did by looking at the cross which tells us who we are, interprets the world we live in, transforms our view of people and gives me purpose.
It has been a book that has been challenging and one of those that will go on my shelf to be re-read every 12-18months. Personally it is a great read but my hunch is that only when read with others and when we open up to allow others to keep us accountable to change will we do so most effectively.
In the final chapter the question of how to love the world is the subject, the challenge not to love the world but not to disengage from it either. It is a helpful corrective and one of the best chapters in a very good and challenging book. Jeff Purswell begins by challenging the reader to examine and correct their worldview (John 3:16; 17:18) we are to be those in the world but not of the world. Using the four markers; creation, fall, redemption and consummation he explains the Biblical worldview and some of the consequences and implications of this.
He then moves on to suggest that the Bible sets believers three tasks in terms of interaction with the world:
1. Enjoy the world - God has made the world, it witnesses to him we are to praise God for the world he has given us to enjoy but without loving or worshipping it. I guess I experienced something of this at U2, where so many were worshipping U2 I was struck by the amazing gift God gave us in music and the gifts he had given these 4 guys and praised God for his goodness and creation.
2. Engage the world - We have a tendency to compartmentalize life into spiritual and secular (interestingly an agenda society and the government seems keen to encourage) but this shouldn't be so, work, home leisure are all part of my worship of God.
3. Evangelize the world -We are witnesses - a witness simply takes the stand and tells the truth as he has known and experienced it. That was tremendously liberating for those who fear that they can't adequately explain the gospel - we are to work at our understanding - but we are to witness to what we have experienced, it doesn't have to be polished and slick.
Finally the book ends as most chapters did by looking at the cross which tells us who we are, interprets the world we live in, transforms our view of people and gives me purpose.
It has been a book that has been challenging and one of those that will go on my shelf to be re-read every 12-18months. Personally it is a great read but my hunch is that only when read with others and when we open up to allow others to keep us accountable to change will we do so most effectively.
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