small group studies

This isn't my usual kind of post, but I thought some of you might find this helpful. We've been studying starting a small group ministry at my church, and here is a summary of what we've learned so far. I feel like the first five are the most important points.

SOME LESSONS LEARNED FOR GROUP LEADERS

Each group should include prayer, fellowship, Bible reading and service in some way. Your group might choose to emphasize one or more of these features.

Stress the importance of attendance and making the group’s activities a priority.

Give each person in your group a sense of ownership. Allow them input into your group’s activities and direction - listen to their suggestions and complaints and make changes where needed. Rotate responsibilities for managing the group’s activities (leading in prayer, Bible reading, etc.).

Have a regular meeting time, day and place. Give reminders by telephone or e-mail, even if you’re “sure” they know.

The group members should pray for each other, and provide care where needed.

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Clarify to yourself and to your group members what your group’s mission is. You might want to consider a written covenant.

Identify the specific talents and skills of your group’s members, and make use of them.

Make sure everyone in your group is involved. For example, if someone seems left out of the discussion, pull them in by asking them a question or asking for their opinion.

Follow up with people who miss an activity. Make sure they feel missed, but not chastised.

Don’t be upset if things don’t go as you plan – make plans and then just go with the flow.

You don’t need to be the group’s “teacher,” unless you consider that a particular skill or interest of yours. Your job is to organize the group, keep it going and with the group members’ input, set the direction for the group.

Create an environment in which everyone feels free to be themselves and feels they can voice their opinions and feelings without being criticized or ridiculed.

If you try something that doesn’t work, don’t get discouraged - learn from it and move on. Not everything you try is going to work well.

Be reasonable in your demands on your group members’ time commitments.

Food always encourages fellowship!

dealing with death

Recently, I received the surprising and shocking news that a friend of mine had been murdered. She was just an ordinary person and wasn't involved in drugs or any kind of crime. She lived in a very safe small town and was not out late at night. From what we can tell, it was a random killing and particularly brutal.

An event like this can be faith shaking. Couldn't an all powerful God have prevented this? Wouldn't a good God have taken action? I did quite a bit of soul searching and pondered this carefully. Of course, these two questions are always before us, but this particular incident so close to home (both literally and figuratively) really caused me to ponder anew these issues.

The bottom line is that this is not heaven. God never promised it was. Humankind brought sin into the world by choice. Now, we live in a battlefield between good and evil. And in a battle zone, sometimes innocent people are caught in the crossfire. My friend was caught in the crossfire.

Shouldn't a good God step in and stop all of this suffering? Of course. And he will! Not in the time we choose, but in his time. And that's a good thing - God is infinitely knowledgeable and infinitely wise, and we are not. So, we must be patient for his perfect timing, and not foolishly think we know better than he does.

We can take comfort that my friend is now in a better place, a land of peace and good - not a battle zone. And when God steps in and puts a stop to all suffering, we will join her!

Halloween

Like a lot of people who are nostalgic about their childhood, I have good memories of Halloween. It was a real kids' holiday. You could feel the excitement in the air as you scanned the neighborhood as it got dark and saw kids, front porch lights and flashlights everywhere. The candy was just a bonus. One of the fun things about the candy was you always got some stuff you had never had before, instead of the same old thing we got at the market every single time.

But, as I mentioned to a friend of mine not long ago, Halloween was a lot more fun before I realized that witches and the like were real. The forces and power of evil are real, and there are people out there who practice witchcraft, sorcery and devil worship, and some might actually derive power from Satan. While our society's practice of Halloween is generally innocent, I'm just not sure it's a good idea to "celebrate" evil, torture, fear, demons, etc. Even practices like Ouija boards and fortune telling might lead to things that are much more dangerous.

The Bible has much to say about this:

"Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you." -Deuteronomy 18:10-12

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." -Galatians 5:19-21

"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." -Revelation 21:8

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." -Ephesians 6:12

"I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people." -Leviticus 20:6

I think if you want to have a "candy day" or a "dress-up day" sometime in late October, it's OK. But don't associate with Halloween and other practices or traditions that glorify evil, even if it seems innocent.

health care reform

Health care reform is all you hear about on the news programs right now. We all knew this is something the Democrats wanted to do, and hopefully, everyone who voted for President Obama knew that. (Otherwise, they didn't make a very informed choice!)

So, what will we get? A full blown nationalized health care system, a modification or tweaking of the current system, or no change at all? It's the usual tug-of-war between the Republicans and Democrats, and it's anyone's guess who will win, but I would be surprised if we don't get at least a few changes this time around.

What should a Christian think about this? Well, I don't think there's a Christian position on how the government should be involved in health care. Often, many Christians will align themselves with the "less-government-intervention" side, but that doesn't mean that side is always the "correct" side scripturally.

Whatever you think about the views expressed in the paragraph above, ALL Christians should push for health care for all people:

"Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them." -Matthew 4:23-24

So, if you're a person who believes the government should stay of the health care business, then you need to support private initiatives to provide health care for uninsured and underinsured people. There are a lot of ways in which you can help, including providing money, volunteer time, or your medical expertise. Here in my town we have the Siloam Family Health Center. From their website:

"Siloam Family Health Center cares for the uninsured in Middle Tennessee by providing high-quality, affordable health care designed to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of patients. The clinic aligns staff, volunteers and donors to carry out this ministry of health, healing and hope for people who have few options for medical care."

So, let's get out there and get to work to follow Jesus' example of caring for the sick!

honor your parents

We're all familiar with the commandment "Honor your father and your mother" straight from the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12). It must be a big deal to God for Him to include it in "The Top Ten." As a child, it's pretty clear what this means - obey your parents, don't argue with them, treat them with respect, etc. There can be some dilemmas here, such as what do you do if your parents tell you to do something you know is wrong? But, that's an issue for another day.

What I'd like to consider now is how do we obey this command when we are adults? At age 40, should we buy the house that our parents tell us to, or live where they tell us to, or raise our children the way they tell us to? Etc.

Sometimes once we have obtained our adult "knowledge" and "wisdom," our parents can seem pretty foolish. In Proverbs 23:22, we are told "Do not despise your mother when she is old." There are times when it might be a temptation to do so.

So, how do we honor our parents as adults?

I don't think the Bible commands us to obey them. As adults we are responsible for our own decisions, just as our parents were when they were our current age. However, I do think that we are expected to listen to what they have to say, treat it with respect, and consider it seriously. They have a lot of years of experience - they just might have some good ideas! It's OK to disagree with them, but your opinion should be stated gently, humbly and respectfully.

I also think we need to care for them when the time is appropriate. I believe in giving the aged and elderly as much freedom and autonomy as we can. However, when our parents need our help, we have the responsibility to make sure they are taken care of, just as they did when we were young.

It was helpful to me when I realized that God never commanded us to remain close to our parents, not only in terms of distance, but also in terms of spending a lot of social time with them and telling them our every problem or fear. I've found that my relationship with my parents is stronger if I hold a little emotional distance, while continuing to recognize the importance of the things mentioned in the previous two paragraphs. But, this approach might not be best for everyone.

It's also my opinion that parents who help support their adult children financially have the right to a little more intervention. If you can be financially independent of your parents, you should do so, but if not, recognize the fact that they have an "investment" in what you're doing and have the right to a little extra control. It's not reasonable or fair for you to expect your parents to give you money to spend in a way that they believe is unwise.

Treating our parents with respect is an important part of living the life God wants us to live, and I believe it pleases Him when we do so.

pursuit of the world's temptations

Someone I know has been on my mind a lot lately. He's a nice enough fellow and I love him very much. But his life is a total disaster, and it always has been. I've prayed fervently for his life to turn around, but he's made no progress whatsoever. He's hit the bottom financially many times. He's been homeless and unemployed many times. He's abused alcohol, and probably drugs to a smaller degree. He's been in trouble with the law many times, and has spent time in prison. He has emotional problems for which he needs medication, but he refuses to stay on his prescribed medication. Many times a family member or friend has taken him under their wing and tried to give him a fresh start, but every time within a matter of weeks he has rejected it all and hit bottom again.

Why is his life like this? I don't know for certain - I think that some people are given more challenges than others, and I think some are more prone to temptation than others. I don't think you can really know what it's like for another person, unless you've had all of the experiences and influences that they have had. But I can speculate in his case, since I know it well.

First, he does not have God in his life. I think he believes in the Christian story and acknowledges the truth, but he does not practice Christianity in any sense, nor does Christianity affect his life in any way. How can anyone hope to thrive, or even survive in this world, without a full devotion to the Creator?

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." -Proverbs 16:3

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life.' " -John 14:6

I think his second problem is that all of his thoughts and actions are turned toward himself. When he does manage to get a little money, he quickly blows it on eating out, electronic gadgets and alcohol. I don't know of a single time he has ever done any volunteer or charitable work. Ironically, by focusing on squeezing out of life whatever he can for his own use and pleasure, he has ended up denying himself of all of the good things that life offers.

"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life." -Luke 21:34

"For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you." -I Peter 4:3-4

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." -Galatians 5:19-24

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." -Philippians 4:8

This young man needs your prayers. He has a sharp and quick mind, and a great deal of energy. He might yet go far if he can get his life on track. Only God can make the kind of change he needs.

blessings

Sometimes I'm just overwhelmed with the ways that God has blessed me.

I've had excellent health - I've never had surgery, spent a night in the hospital, or had a broken bone.

I've had access to education - I was able to complete my education up to and including a Ph. D., and never paid a dime, thanks to public funding and scholarships.

I've never been unemployed.

I've never been homeless.

I've never been without food. In fact, my waistline proves that I've even enjoyed an excess of food!

I've owned a car since I was 16 years old.

And I could go on and on listing many more ways in which God has blessed me.

And I am certain that I can take no credit for these things - they are all gifts from a generous and loving God.

In fact, the vast majority of us in the U. S. have been the beneficiaries of many of God's blessings. When you consider all people throughout the world, and also consider all of the people who lived in the past who are now deceased, all but the very poorest of Americans are ridiculously wealthy. I think it's especially important for us to remember this now, as we go through an economic climate that is much more challenging than we've faced in many years.


In other words, count your blessings! Look at all of the wonderful things that God has done for you in the past, and is doing for you now. The vast majority of Americans have food, shelter, fresh water, health care, free education, freedom, adequate clothing, transportation, free and easy access to worship and the Bible, etc.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." -Psalm 118:1

"In that day you will say: 'Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.'" -Isaiah 12:4

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." -I Thessalonians 5:18

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." -Ephesians 1:3

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." -Ephesians 2:8-9

"For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" -I Corinthians 4:7