Jan 1, 2015 | on Small Group Ministry
By John F. Thornbury
God wants us to use the abilities we have, all of them, with full dedication to his glory. The Lord has given talents, gifts, abilities to all his people. He is sovereign in this. He does not expect us to use gifts we do not have. But what we can do, we should. Here are some self-evident truths.
Each of us knows there are things we cannot do. Perhaps you cannot preach, or play an instrument in church, or sing. You my not be adept enough in math to serve as a treasurer. But there are things you can do.
Dec 29, 2014 | on Small Group Ministry
In school and in church, you’ve heard great teachers, mediocre teachers, and some downright awful ones. What made the great ones stand out from the crowd?
Most likely, the memorable ones used stories to connect with your life in ways that were personal, engaging, and relevant. Jesus did that. He taught with stories called “parables,” and those stories were drawn from real, everyday situations. His stories were engaging, and they allowed Him to apply deep spiritual truths to everyone. Young or old, male or female, educated or simple, everyone could relate to His stories and understand His life-changing words.
Here are some practical ways we can follow Jesus’ example as we use stories to teach important lessons in our small groups
Nov 6, 2014 | on Small Group Ministry
At the beginning of each church year, Sunday school teachers and ministry leaders accept their new responsibilities. Looking forward to the year ahead, we see the promise of hearts touched, eyes opened, and lives changed. Most leaders in ministry don’t view the task ahead as something they have to do; they see the task as something they get to do.
Sep 24, 2014 | on Small Group Ministry
Successful small groups create a safe environment for members to share what God is doing in our lives. But beware—sharing gets easier as we get to know one another, and then the conversation can easily take a turn for the worse. Here is a list of what NOT to discuss in your small group.
Aug 17, 2014 | on Small Group Ministry
Many years ago, I was invited to a networking event, and I was seated at a dinner table with three other women from a similar line of work. We spent the entire evening in very pleasant dinner conversation, and when we finished our meals, we parted ways with promises to meet again for future dinners.
Several weeks later, I met one of the women at a business function, and she looked at me blankly, as though we’d never met. I introduced myself again to her, but couldn’t find a hint of recollection in her face.
I don’t always remember names myself, but that experience showed me how important it is pay attention and learn the names of the people we meet.
Jul 22, 2014 | on Small Group Ministry
I learned the hard way that preparing to teach was work. Today, when I’m preparing a new lecture for a university class, I allow myself about three hours of prep for every one hour in the classroom. And this is for content that I’ve already studied in school myself.
The prep time is not necessarily spent re-learning the material, though that naturally happens too. Rather, the prep time is spent determining what to include, how to order the key points, and what examples will illustrate best.
Solomon did something similar.
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