Another option would be to offer guiding questions that might include: “How is it with your soul? Where have you seen God at work since we last met?” A second option would be to recite the baptismal promises or membership vows for groups to report on. One option is to have all groups read the church’s mission statement at the beginning or end of the group time and give brief reports on how they’ve seen this lived out. Other participants might be firm and/or offer advice, but conviction and guidance are from the Holy Spirit.Īdding accountability to small groups can happen in a variety of ways. The role of other participants should be supportive and encouraging. ![]() Thus, accountability occurs between each participant and the Holy Spirit more so than between the participants. Conviction should come between participants and the Holy Spirit. This is not the kind of accountability we’re speaking of for Wesleyan small groups. Upon hearing this word, some small-group participants might envision something punitive or something that will induce guilt or shame. Without much context or explanation, the notion of accountability is likely to cause some confusion, consternation, and even trepidation. Participants in small groups (from affinity groups to covenant groups) should have at least some engagement with God’s Word for guidance and discernment. Trained facilitators make the most of teachable moments and rely on curricula only as a means for meaningful conversation. This is one of myriad reasons why small-group facilitators should be trained. I’ll repeat that sentence for emphasis: It is more important to follow the Holy Spirit’s lead than to complete the lesson plan. As Jeffrey Arnold notes in his book, The Big Book of Small Groups, “Don’t let a printed study hinder small-group creativity.” It is more important to follow the Holy Spirit’s lead than to complete the lesson plan. Too often, curricula can get in the way of a fruitful discussion. In whatever form it looks like, small groups should make time to engage God’s Word.īible study curricula can be a crutch for the group and for the church. For other groups, care or accountability might be the predominant features of their time together. For some groups, Bible study might take up most of the group’s time. Churches should offer a variety of small groups, and how the Scriptures should be engaged will and should vary according to the type of group. Certainly, there are many other practices and activities that small groups can and should participate in beyond exclusively studying the Bible. Bible studyįor some, a small group is almost equivalent to Bible study. Having accountability for living our faith helps us as individuals and collectively to become the people of God. I think this understanding of prayer is what Paul might have had in mind in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “pray without ceasing.” More than merely perfunctory words either at the beginning and/or end of the small-group time, prayer should be a time when we bring all of who we are before God’s throne, so that God might work in and through us. We don’t invoke God’s presence when we pray as much as we attune ourselves to the God who is present with us. We can have a posture or attitude of prayer in various physical postures, for very brief or extended periods of time, in a church building or outside. Secondly, it properly locates us - in the presence of God. For one, there is nothing about talking or even listening. Conversely, my favorite definition of prayer is “intentionally being in the presence of God.” I favor this definition or description of prayer for a few reasons. Perhaps this is in part due to the way many understand how prayer “works.” Most people seem to think of prayer as words we say to God. Unfortunately, prayer can become perfunctory to a small group meeting instead of the source of encountering God. The two most obvious elements of a small group are the spiritual practices of prayer and reading scripture. What are the essential elements of a fruitful small group? Scott Hughes names and explains six elements that characterize effective small groups - prayer and scripture, Bible study, accountability, nurture and care, mission, and covenant. ![]() Keeping Our Sacred Trust Ethics Training. ![]() ![]() Maintaining Boundaries in a Digital Age.Preventing Misconduct - Keeping Our Sacred Trust Online Ethics Training.Keeping Our Sacred Trust: Assuring Financial Integrity.Clergy Age Trends in the United Methodist Church.
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