What would it be like to be a part of a Bible study
group led by Jesus? Until recently, I never presumed that it would be possible
to answer that question with any kind of authority. Then I realized that the
discourse in John 13 -17 that Jesus had with his disciples on his last night
with them might provide a clue. Consider what seven things we can learn in the
upper room from Jesus, the quintessential small group leader.
PREPARATION
Jesus prepared for uninterrupted time with His small
group. This meeting wasn’t just thrown together; it wasn’t a spontaneous
affair. He gave careful instructions as
to the preparation for their time together.
Jesus teaches us that Bible study groups don’t
happen by accident; they require intentionality on the part of the leader.
Leaders must be intentional about the planning and preparation of every phase
of the group’s time together.
MODELING
Jesus modeled what He taught. For example, He
desired His disciples to be people who served one another in genuine humility,
so He washed their feet in a shocking display of divine meekness. Jesus also
desired that they be people of prayer, so He fervently prayed to the Father in
dependence and gratitude.
Bible study leaders who wish to pass on
life-changing truth to their group members would do well to heed this
principle. One authentic act of righteousness displayed before the group is
worth a thousand lectures.
TIME FOR
QUESTIONS
Jesus allowed room for questions. Most of what Jesus
taught in the upper room was in response to questions that the disciples asked.
Successful small groups are ones in which many
questions are asked by the group as well as the leader. Fielding questions is
as much of an art as asking them is. Leaders must learn to welcome questions,
even when they seem unimportant or threatening. Often these questions are
opportunities provided by the Holy Spirit for the group to discover something
new or uniquely helpful.
A SAFE ATMOSPHERE
Jesus
created an atmosphere in which His group was free to fail. On two occasions
during their evening together, Jesus told His disciples that they would soon
fail Him. Later, they would remember that He made these predictions right
alongside promises of His continued presence and committed love. This
combination of personal failure and committed love would become the raw
material for an entirely new understanding of their self-worth and adequacy for
ministry – one rooted not in their performance, but in God’s love and
sufficiency.
MUTUAL FRIENDSHIP
Jesus
treated the people in His group as friends by sharing all that He knew with
them. Rather than give orders that He expected them to obey without
explanation, He chose to lead through loving dialogue. This method would insure
that their discipleship was internalized rather than born from mindless
conformity.
FLEXIBILITY
Jesus
could change His agenda to meet the needs of His groups. Effective small group
leaders are aware of the emotional pulse of their group. They are even willing
to change their agenda in order to deal with the pressing needs and feelings of
an individual.
ABSENCE
Jesus
ministered to His group by His absence as well as His presence. At several
points in the upper room, and later in the garden, Jesus told His group that
His departure was best for them because it was necessary for the coming of the
Holy Spirit. Small group leaders are rightly concerned about being present for
the group both in and out of the planned meetings, but rarely do they consider
that they can also minister to them by their absence. In the leader’s absence,
the group is set free from compulsions the leader may have and learns to depend
on and listen to the Holy Spirit.
As
Bible study leaders, we would do well to follow Jesus’ example given in the
upper room as we lead our small groups, with one qualification: We must remember that we are not Jesus.
There are certain things He did for His group that we can’t do for ours. Jesus
said to the disciples, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” Nobody could follow
Jesus where He was going, because no one else could be the world’s savior.
While striving to follow Jesus’ example in every other respect, in this we can
only point our group to Him.
THINGS YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN ….
FOR BIBLE STUDY LEADERS: Breathing Life into Sunday School by Ken
Braddy - https://buff.ly/2LRKYh8
FOR BIBLE STUDY: Bible Studies for Life:
8 guideposts for discipleship development - https://buff.ly/2Yf8x5G
FOR DISCIPLESHIP: Register for a free webinar on the 8 signposts of discipleship and
how to use it to develop a strategy for discipleship! https://buff.ly/2VjcxE5
FOR DISCIPLESHIP: Discipleship Pathway Assessment (DPA) – an
online tool to help your congregation see their strengths and weaknesses in
their discipleship - https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/discipleship-pathway-assessment-P005216492
FOR DISCIPLESHIP: Defined by Alex Kendrick (based on the Overcomer movie) - https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/defined-leader-kit-P005817742
FOR DISCIPLESHIP: Gospel Foundations - https://buff.ly/2MXGCow
FOR DISCIPLESHIP: Homegrown: A Parenting Guide - https://buff.ly/2YJbV8Z
FOR
WOMEN’S MINISTRY: Disciple Her by Kandi Gallaty - https://buff.ly/2yi9CxF
FOR
WOMEN’S MINISTRY: Sacred Holidays by Becky Kiser - https://buff.ly/2GxEmiT
FOR
WOMEN’S MINISTRY: 20/20 Seen. Chosen.
Sent. by Christine Caine - https://buff.ly/2HbMOnk
FOR
MEN’S MINISTRY: Sign up for the LifeWay Men’s Newsletter - https://www.lifeway.com/en/shop/ministries/men
FOR
MEN’S MINISTRY: Heroic, The Surprising
Path to True Manhood by Bill Delvaux - https://buff.ly/2uCpLw5
FOR
MEN’S MINISTRY: No More Excuses by Tony Evans - Host a men's event around
this streaming event and follow it up with the associated Bible study. https://buff.ly/2HAKgzb
FOR STUDENT MINISTRY: Defined studies (based on the Overcomer movie);
for girls by Priscilla Shirer - https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/defined-teen-girls-bible-study-leader-kit-P005815895
for guys by Alex Kendrick - https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/defined-teen-guys-bible-study-leader-kit-P005815899
FOR
STUDENT MINISTRY: Milestones - Use this 6 volume set to
establish your youth in 10 key spiritual principles (God, Jesus, Holy Spirit,
Bible, Creation, People, Salvation, Church, Family, Community & World). https://buff.ly/2vJmQlS
FOR
STUDENT MINISTRY: Levels of Biblical
Learning expanded to 12th grade - https://buff.ly/2Wj32Sw
FOR KIDS MINISTRY: Defined (based on the Overcomer movie) by Stephen Kendrick
Leader Guide - https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/defined-who-god-says-you-are-leader-guide-P005814776
Older Kids Activity book - https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/defined-who-god-says-you-are-older-kids-activity-book-P005814775
Younger Kids Activity book - https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/defined-who-god-says-you-are-younger-kids-activity-book-P005814773
FOR
KIDS MINISTRY: KidMin Toolbox (for those times when you looking for that
something extra to do) - https://buff.ly/2LB2hmx
FOR
KIDS MINISTRY: Kids Ministry Curriculum Comparison Chart - https://buff.ly/2FPKNOh
FOR
KIDS MINISTRY: What does it Mean to be a Christian - Here's a
brand new resource to help children understand what it means to be a Christian.
https://buff.ly/2NVCqBN
My feature
article this month gives 14 ideas for your church to try out to minister to
your community. Plus there are some
resources to help you in -
- church
leadership & training
- discipleship
& small group ministry
- student
ministry
- kids
ministry
- women’s
ministry
- men’s
ministry
Here's the
link to view the blog: http://minofed.blogspot.com/
NOTICE: If you wish to be removed
from this extremely exclusive and highly sought after list of recipients for
this wonderfully informative and greatly entertaining blog, please email me at richard.edfeldt@lifeway.
I will abide by your bewildering wishes with great reluctance and sorrow. And know you will be missed and when you come
to your senses, you will be gladly received in the same way the father received
his prodigal son.
Five great
insights in growing small groups/Bible study groups. https://buff.ly/1Pa40JX
Provide training for your church security team FREE, using
Ministry Grid. https://buff.ly/2RcZm5I
