Volunteer Tip: The "Why" of Small Groups

Small groups are vital for student to become fully devoted followers of Christ. The need for small groups is vital to people learning how to grow in their walk with God and each other. The Bible gives us the foundation of spiritual growth within the Christian community.

In the Old Testament we see the importance of the unity between God and man in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:27). God set up an important relationship between Adam and Eve. The sin that separated them from God was relational. The need for community was in place after the fall of Adam and Eve.

In the New Testament, Jesus set the example of pouring His life into the disciples. He spent a majority of his time explaining and living out the truth of God’s Word. Jesus did not spend his time mainly with the multitudes, but with a small group of world changers (Matt. 13:36).

In Acts 2:46-47 it says, ^“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”  

In James 5:16 it says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

Here are a few observations from Acts 2 and James 5:16 on community: Healthy community...

1. Eat together (Yes!) 2. Meet in homes (better environment and openness) 3. Authentically live for God (glad and sincere hearts) 4. Relational (enjoying the favor of all the people) 5. Grows numerically (true disciples make disciples) 6. Maintains healthy accountability (grace meets pursuit of God's glory)

The early church is a great example of people that loved each other and spent their time and efforts on building relationships. (Acts 2:46, 12:12, 20:8, 20:20; Rom. 16:4-5; I Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:5; Philemon 2).

Small group is the best way for people to learn and grow in their faith. The essence of small groups is creating an environment where people can open up to one another and grow spiritually. Healthy small groups are essential to lead people to become like Christ.

 What would you add to the conversation on small groups? 

Delegation vs. Dumping in Student Ministry

Have you ever been asked to do something without understanding how or why it was important? Have you ever ran out of help and frantically ran around looking for the nearest person to fill a spot?

I think for leaders we have all faced this situation. It happens. We need help in many areas of student ministry (small group leader, co-leaders, host team, check-in, café, special events and so on). My heart is to help leaders develop their full potential in what God has called them to become. In student ministry, it is amazing to see a leader disciple a student and come back to me with tears in their eyes and heart bursting for God's glory being shown in their lives. It pumps me up every time.

On the flip side, I've had conversations with leaders (in my past 8 years of ministry) where they felt inadequate and overwhelmed.

At times I delegated and other times I dumped.

Let's define it:   Delegation: Empowering people to fulfill their passion in the ministry with coaching, teamwork and encouragement. Delegation builds a team of leaders who are owners of the ministry.

  Dumping:  Pouring tasks upon people without vision, direction or encouragement. Dumping breeds the pied-piper student ministry where there is only one or two experts and people feel useless and eventually quit serving.

Our student ministry staff had a meeting today and went over the process of delegating vs. dumping.

We shared the implications of delegation vs. dumping:

 We try to follow  3 main steps of delegation:

  1. Watch me do it. Give the leader a chance to watch you practically show them how by shadowing you. Help them understand the vision of why they are a small group volunteer. Help them see the 30,000 foot view. They have an impact on this generation! People are hungry to see how we lead, so give them opportunities to learn.

 2. Now I'll watch you do it. Give them the opportunity to lead the small group session or share their story. Let them know they are capable and encourage them along the way. Ask questions that lead the students to see this person as a leader ("John, what are your thoughts on it?").  Practically give them small steps to grow as a leader. Encourage them and ask questions. One of the best questions to ask is, "how can I help you?"

3. Now you do it. Give away the ministry! Always be there to coach leaders and redirect if needed. It is a hard process to give ownership to others. Giving away ministry helps leaders develop the ministry more than we ever could have imagined.

Dumping is easier but in the long run you spend more time cleaning it up. Dumping = addition.

Delegation empowers people to become leaders. Delegation = multiplication. Delegating helps people find their sweet spot. As leaders our main job is to equip people to become all that God wants them to become!

Dumping creates youth chaperones. Delegation creates youth ministers.

 ^"Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ." Ephesians 4:12-13

Join the conversation. What do you think about delegation or dumping? 

I AM - Week 3 - "The Good Shepherd"

Current Series: “I AM: changes who I am” Title: Week 3 – “The Good Shepherd” Main Thought: Security is found in a relationship with Jesus. Scripture: John 10:11-18, 27-29, Psalm 23. 

Message explanation: In England, shepherds were debating methods in how to protect their sheep. They created a cattle guard to protect them. Animals pass over it and can slip into it. Rarely does a sheep outsmart its shepherd. This time they did! One sheep approached the cattle guard and simply laid down and rolled across the bars. Stop, Drop and ROLL! In a matter of minutes all of the sheep, one by one rolled out of the fence. They wanted the greener pastures. As people, we are perfectly compared to sheep.

 “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6).

John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.”

What does Jesus mean when He says, “I AM the good shepherd”

1. Jesus lays down His life for his sheep. - We must lay down our life for others to know Him. (John 10:12-18) 

2. His followers know His voice and follow Him. (John 10:16-18)

How do we know God’s voice? If we are faithful to open up His Word and LISTEN. We have eternal security in salvation. (John 10:27-29).

We are inundated with many voices calling out for our attention. We must learn to discover God’s voice through His Word.

- You are secure in Christ (no more fear, unshakable faith, God pursued you, He died for you, He is FOR you.) ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me…”

Listen to God’s Voice through T.A.G time. (Time Alone with God)  Have a specific time. Have a specific place

Scripture Do not just skim it but meditate and think about each word of the verse(s). Observe: Ask questions about the background of the scripture Apply: How do you live out what the verse(s) in your personal life? Be specific. Memorize specific verses that stick out to you! Pray: Write down specific prayer requests about your personal needs. Keep your prayer requests written down in a journal to go back to in the future. Prayer is aligning your heart with God’s heart.

The best question to ask at the end of your TAG time: “How will I be different today because of what I have just read?”

Psalm 23 (David writes about the security He has in God) The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

 As followers of Christ, we can take comfort in knowing that we have a relationship with Jesus, who leads us and lays down his life for us. 

Parable of the lost sheep: In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus explained how much he cares for the sheep, when one sheep out of a 100 was lost he went and searched and searched for the sheep until he found it. He brought the sheep back and celebrated. Jesus says, “And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. ⁶ When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

At one point in your life perhaps you were lost yourself, and yet Jesus cared about you enough to come after you.

 Do you know God’s voice? If not, you can respond to His calling to be His follower. If you know His voice, how much are you listening and pursuing His Word?