How to use Soul Care blog resources

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Group Resource: Sticky Church

In Sticky Church, Larry Osborne, pastor of North Coast Church, write about sermon based small groups.

He makes the point that most discipleship programs are very linear but most spiritual growth comes as a result of life putting us in "need-to-know or need-to-grow situation."

Osborne has a chapter entitled "How Small Groups Change Everything."  Some of the key points in this chapter are key thoughts for us to consider.  I am going to list some of his key points in italics with my thoughts following.

1. One of the measurements that tells how important small groups are to a church is the participation level of senior staff and key lay leaders.  Every pastor and almost every deacon is involved in Soul Care as a member and/or leader.
2. The second measurement is the percentage of adults who attend a small group the critical mass of a small group ministry is 40% to 60% of the average weekend adult attendance.  Our average Sunday service adult attendance has been around 550 and we have approximately 200 people in groups, which is 36%.
3. One thing that begins to happen when critical mass is reached is the demise of the Holy Man Myth - the idea that pastors somehow have a more direct line to God.  This myth cripples a church because it overburdens  pastors and under-utilizes the gifts of everyone else.
4. Another falsehood that loses its grips is the Holy Place Myth - the idea that God's presence is somehow great in some places than in others.  We can and should speak Biblical truth anywhere.  It doesn't need to happen only in church building.   
5. Another advantage is the number of opportunities for high-impact, life-on-life ministry.  More people are able to speak into more people's lives.
6. Small groups offer the best children's program.  Click HERE for more about this.

Prayer Helps

Check out this post on the church blog about prayer.
http://blog.emmanuelbaptist.com/praying-prayers-like-paul-a-call-to-spiritual-reformation/

Here is another suggestion for your groups prayer time...

PRAY WITH YOUR PENCIL IN HAND.

1. Don't take prayer requests
2. Go right to the prayer time and have people pray their own prayer requests.
3. Before prayer, remind people that they should write down other people's prayer requests as they are praying.  

Gospel Primer and Bible Study Helps

Four tools God uses to grow us spiritually happens through Bible reading, Biblical community, Biblical books and prayer.  This week’s Soul Care questions use these four resources.

BIBLE READING: 

Read Romans 1:1—15 together in your group. 

What was the main point of 1:1—7?  What are the connections between 1:1—7 and 1:8—15?

You can have more discussion than this but here is a good start. It helps develop the context of the passage we are studying (1:8-15).  This question is taken from the one to one reading plan.  http://matthiasmedia.com/Samples/otobr/OTOBR-Sheets-for-copying-US-letter.pdf on page 6.

Here is a simple way to think about this answer.God loved Paul.God called PaulPaul was eager to tell others about God's love demonstrated in Christ.

BIBLICAL COMMUNITY AND CONVERSATION:

From the sermon, four reasons why Christians need the Gospel:

1. Means to greater worship

2. Motivation to grow

3. Model to follow

4. Message that gives purpose

What is ONE way the Gospel has helped/could help you in ONE of these areas.

 This provides a great opportunity for people to talk about ways they have grown.  This could be encouragement to others.

This could also be an opportunity for confession.  You might want to have people write down their answers before sharing concisely. 

BIBLICAL BOOKS:

As a group read and discuss one of the following Gospel Primer topics.  These are available at http://blog.emmanuelbaptist.com/category/gospel-primer/

· Freedom from Sin’s Power from the Gospel Primer

· Perspective in Trials from the Gospel Primer

· My Inheritance in the Saints from The Gospel Primer

Leaders received study helps for each of these topics.

If you have never used The Gospel Primer here is a suggestion.Read the Bible passagesRead the Gospel Primer statementShare how the connection between the passage, statement and lifeHave a couple of people pray the truths in the passage and the statement

Kids, Acts and Romans

If you have families with kids here is a good activity that connects Sunday's sermon with this week's children's lesson.

In EKIDZ this week we started the book of Acts.
During part of the 10:30 class with the 1st - 3rd grade we played corn hole.

How does corn hole connect with the sermon and children's lesson?

Let me explain how we explained Acts 1 using corn hole.


Corn hole
There is a simple target/goal in cornhole.  Throw the bean bag into the hole.
But in achieving this goal, certain rules must be followed, like where to stand and when to throw the bean bag.


Acts 1:8
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus gave the disciples a goal:  Spread the Gospel throughout Jerusalem, all Judea, Samaria
But they needed to do this God's way.
Jesus gave the disciples specific directions:  Wait on the Holy Spirit.  Do the work of witness for God in God's way.


Our Church and Romans 1
We want to TAKE THE WORD TO THE WORLD but we must be sure to do it God's way so that God will get the glory.

We as individuals and as a church need to be about glorifying God and doing this God's way.

Soul Care Note helps (04.12.15)

Read Romans 1:1—7 together in your group.

What is the goal of apostleship?  (v. 5) 

 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations

What is the goal of discipleship?  (Matt. 28:18-20)  

Go to  www.desiringgod.org/labs/i-am-with-you-always, especially starting at 3:30 mark for help in this discussion.

Teaching is not the goal of discipleship.  Transferring information is not the goal.
Obedience, living out the what Jesus has commanded, is the goal of discipleship.

The apostles were not supposed to just transfer information to the next generation.
They were to challenge others to follow Jesus in obedience.

Discipleship is not about learning more information.
It is about life change.
It is about life change that glorifies God.

“People this past week became upset over crime, drug abuse, corporate greed, abortion, sex trafficking but how many people this week grieved that the God of heaven was not worshipped, was not admired, was not proclaimed as He deserves.  While all those other things are bad, that is the biggest travesty this week.”

How has “If only I did _____, God would accept me” thinking impacted your life this week?  This year?

A good idea here would be to have people write down some ways they have lived a me-centered life rather than a God-centered life.

Another way to ask this question is "How has unhealthy guilt motivated you this past week?  This year?

This is a very personal question.

"If only I did my devotions more consistently, God would accept me."

"If only I did everything I was asked to do, God would accept me."

A CLARIFYING QUESTION MIGHT BE
Why is "If only I did ______, God would accept me" wrong?

• The object of worship is wrong.
• The focus is wrong.  It is misplaced
• It should be "Because of what Jesus did for me, I am/can  _______________________

How do you know you are loved by God?  (Don’t make the answer too complicated)

Some verses

John 3:16

Romans 5:8

God's Word and God's character.

HERE IS A POINT TO DRAW OUT THROUGHOUT THE EVENING:
Because of these things, how should we live?

The Primary Purpose of Small Group Ministry

First of all, the I don't necessarily like the term small group.
It does not convey true purpose.  Our goal is not a small group. 

So now let's talk about different, primary purposes of our Soul Care Group ministry.
How many primary purposes can one ministry have?

Saturday's post stated that the primary purpose of our Soul Care ministry is...

We have community groups as a proclamation of the goodness of our God and testimony to the completed work of the cross.  

Our Soul Care ministry is about people growing in their satisfaction in Christ and helping others grow in their satisfaction. 

Genuine Soul Care comes in helping people understand that their soul will be truly satisfied and cared for only when they are resting in Jesus Christ.  

Today's post contains a link to an article that states that the primary purpose of a small group ministry is "the transformation of God’s people to be more like Christ"

So which is it?  
The transformation of people OR the glorification of God. 

The answer is not one OR the other.  
The answer is both.

It is the transformation of people FOR the glorification of God.

Sinful people in desperate need of a Savior saved by God's grace in Jesus Christ. 

Saved people in desperate need of life transforming change made possible only through God's power. 

John Piper states it like this
"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

Resource for you

I have used the following sermon in several training times.

While the whole sermon is great, 

the section from 21:30 to 31:17 is particularly challenging 

in light of our series on Romans

http://www.sermonconnect.com/mediapreview.php?id=20150414120431898F5C

You need to think about this illustration in preparing for leading your group.

You can play that section in your group.

or

You can read the illustration

at

http://tinyurl.com/moreheinoussin

If you use this in your group, let me know you used it.

Thanks!

Why small groups in light of the deep, powerful truth in Romans....

This post is going up at blog.emmanuelbaptist.com after Sunday's message.

While reading through Romans 1:1-17, I was struck by the number of times relationships are mentioned.
Paul wants to meet with the Romans to strengthen them.  Romans 1:11
Paul knows that their faith will be a mutual encouragement.  Romans 1:12
Paul wants to see the fruit among the church and the  rest of the Gentiles  Romans 1:13
Paul needs to share the gospel with different groups.  Romans 1:14
The spread of the gospel from the Jews to the Gentiles makes visible the power of the Gospel.  Romans 1:16

In thinking about Soul Care and the deep truth in Romans, I wanted to share the following quote from the book Community.

We do not have community groups to close the back door of the church.
We do not have community groups because people need to belong or we need to care for one another.
These are good secondary effects of authentic community.
These effects are not the foundation.
We have community groups because we have seen the glory of God and we have been given the  grace to live our lives to exalt the Christ.
We have community groups because we have been reconciled to God and one another.
We have community groups as a proclamation of the goodness of our God and testimony to the completed work of the cross.
This is the foundation for gospel-saturated community that will overflow with life. 
Page 43

The power of the gospel is made known as Jews and Gentiles, Greeks and barbarians, wise and foolish are saved and brought together by the power of God. 

Our Soul Care ministry is not about meeting felt needs. 
Our Soul Care ministry is not about caring for people.
Our Soul Care ministry is not about getting more people to 4207 W. Laskey Road.

Our Soul Care ministry is about people growing in their satisfaction in Christ and helping others grow in their satisfaction.
Genuine Soul Care comes in helping people understand that their soul will be truly satisfied and cared for only when they are resting in Jesus Christ.  

A Passion for You and Your Group Members!!! (April 4 & 5)

Be sure to do your attendance. 
If you have questions be sure to ask.

Recently I read a book called Community.

This sermon's title paired up with a quote from this book explain the challenge of this sermon

God's passion for you should lead to a "passion for Jesus, God-centeredness and holiness anchored in the power of the resurrection."

Understand that God is not merely giving us information about himself.  He is passionately appealing to us to live passionately for Him.
May you use your Soul Care time to passionately encourage one another.

Read Romans 8:31—39 in your group.

What is Paul’s answer to each of the following questions?

If God be for us, you can be against us?

• What has God done to demonstrate beyond question that He is for us?
• He sent his son.  Romans 8:32 & 5:8

Who can bring a charge (that sticks) against us?

• No one because you have been justified by God.

Who can condemn?

• No one
• Because Jesus paid the price.
• Nothing was overlooked!  Nothing was swept under the rug!
• Who can separate us for the love of Christ?

Who can separate us from the love of Christ?

• No one

According to the passage, what does God do for his children?

From previous sections...

Removes condemnation

Gives the Spirit

Adopts them 

Gives the hope of eternal glory

Gives eternal inheritance

Works in all things for their good

From this section...

Gives his son.

Justifies us.

Gives us victory.

What is the BIG IDEA Paul is communicating with these four questions?

Here is video that explains the big picture of Romans 8.  

http://www.desiringgod.org/labs/the-big-picture

Here are so specific studies of smaller passages.

http://www.desiringgod.org/labs/all