The difference between a small group and a Bible study is what happens after the group meeting ends. As a leader, your responsibilities don’t end when the group meeting is over. What’s left to do? Lead your group to build close relationships with one another. This is done best by doing what you love to do together. For some groups, that may mean sports. For others, it may mean meals out and movies. There is no formula for relationship building, so the best thing you can do is create an environment that allows and … [Read more...]
The Freedom to Be
A year ago a Christian college near Chicago asked me to speak to their students. It was that university's spiritual-life week: three days set aside for the students and faculty to focus their attention on God things. … Like with many speaking opportunities, when I visited this university, I met a number of students who could relate to my personal narrative, including Zack, a twenty-one-year-old senior. The shy religion major approached me after the final evening. "I have to be honest with you, man; I didn't like you the first … [Read more...]
Connect Message
The Nashville Connect Conference event was an amazing opportunity for the Threads team to spend time with ministry leaders who have a desire to reach the young adult generation. Here is a message from attendee Ken Jewett, College & Young Adult Pastor at Hermitage Church of the Nazarene: The Connect conference is a quality event. The team brought the latest information on young adult ministry. The opportunity to hear directly from a number of the authors creating the latest resources was a real treat. With the relaxed environment … [Read more...]
7 Steps of Bible Study Preparation
Yesterday I mentioned that as part of my presentation at some recent conferences, I put together the 7 steps I use for Bible study preparation. I’m not assuming these are universal, but they have helped me organize my time and hopefully make my teaching style engaging, relevant, and self-revelatory. So here you go: Read the text. This should probably go without saying, but I would recommend reading the text upwards of 10 times. And reading in such a way as to enter it. To smell, see, and taste what is happening in the text. … [Read more...]
Cathedral Made Of People
I heard an interesting observation once about the difference in how men and women answer the request, "Tell me about yourself." Guys tend to immediately start jabbering about what they do-their talents and accomplishments, their job, how they spend their leisure time, etc. Girls, on the other hand, generally take the approach of focusing on who they are in relation to what kind of family they grew up in, brothers and sisters, how they relate to their friends, whether they are extroverted or introverted. In all reality girls answer … [Read more...]
How to Handle Conversation Hogs and Rabbit Chasers
Group meeting time is here. With your group plan in hand, your goal as a leader will be to engage everyone in the study. Some people in the group will need you to draw them out; others will need you to remind them that others in the group have things to say, too. What can you do to balance each of these extremes? Give the person who doesn’t talk time. Odds are they are figuring out if they can trust the group before they engage in the conversation. You may want to talk to them outside of group time and ask them how you can help … [Read more...]
The Power of Confronting Problems
After 44 years of life, I should have learned this by now, but I learned it afresh today. When you have a problem, confront it—head on. For the past two weeks, I have been waking up in the middle of the night, worrying about a challenge I am facing. Roadblocks have been piled in the way day after day, making an imposing challenge seem completely impossible. It has caused a crisis of faith in my life, a crisis of commitment and a crisis in my family life. I felt like the ultimate ostrich, sticking my head in the sand and nearly … [Read more...]
Sent has Arrived
These are exciting times at the editorial offices of Threads. Our latest Bible study, Sent by Ed Stetzer, arrived early! For those of us who live our lives by deadlines, being on time is a must. Being early is cause for celebration, so we want to share the excitement with you. Here’s a sneak peek of a video from the study. I’m sure after hearing the inspiring story of All Souls Fellowship near Atlanta, you’ll be anxious to explore how you can be a part of living the missional nature of the church. … [Read more...]
How to Develop a Discussion Plan that Works
The next step in preparing for a great discussion (after preparing yourself) is to develop a discussion plan. This involves a few things: preparing a place for the study, planning your time, and choosing the questions that will guide your group through a meaningful discussion. Environment Matters Preparing a place for the study is an essential first step. Your group’s meeting place will, in some ways, determine the intimacy level that your group reaches. Most groups succeed in places that are warm and inviting. If you are … [Read more...]
How to Prepare Yourself Mentally and Spiritually to Lead
Leading a great discussion starts with you. Preparation is the key to ensuring that the group time is meaningful and worthwhile. Start with your mindset as you prepare for the study. First, realize that you are preparing for a discussion not a lecture. Your goal should be to bring out other’s stories and to help others learn rather than just not tell your stories and let everyone know what you have learned. I do this by studying with two perspectives in mind. First, I study to see what God teaches me. This is key because we are … [Read more...]
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