Every...

Greetings!

I hope this note finds each of you fine group leaders doing well.

I want to get us ready for where we are headed, theme-wise, for the next 4 sundays. If it's right for your Life Group, you can capitalize on the momentum and start the year off with a solid course of study and growth based on the messages. If this direction doesn't seem like where God is taking your group, then let your Guides know how they can help you in choosing a different course of study and service.

This Sunday, we begin a series entitled "Every...". We will explore the reality of pursuing and presenting God in every time, every day- everywhere, for everyone. This will have us discussing evangelism and what sharing your faith is really about, prayer and how we see God and the kinds of things we actually place in His hands, Hate and how it slips into our life- and God's presence (omnipresence for you big word lovers!) in our day to day, moment to moment lives.

The following is based on the message this coming Sunday and can be used as a study/discussion guide for your Life Group meeting.  It's good to bear in mind that your goal in leading your group is to help the members pursue a life-changing relationship with God, which often requires going beyond questions and discussion. With the topic of hearing the voice of God and noticing Him in our midst (or us in his....) being discussed, feel free to lead your group into extended times of prayer, writing, reflection and more. As we all know, there is a vast difference between discussing God's presence, and actually experiencing it. You may find that the members of your group find much of this a foreign concept- which should be taken as a prompting to create an environment where stillness and prayer can be realized, as well as creative planning to hear Him throughout the week.

Thaw (icebreaker stuff)-

What's the strangest gift you received for Christmas this year?

What was the most meaningful thing that happened this past week with Christmas in the air?

If you had this past week to do over, what would you do differently?

Read

Read Exodus 3:1-5

What are some of the thoughts/observations you have about this passage?

Why would God choose this setting to call Moses to fulfill His redemption plan for Israel?

What is the writer of Exodus teaching us about the voice and presence of God in our lives?

What are some "burning bushes" you have seen in your life? (A particular moment or conversation, etc., that was understood to be God calling you forward into something more.)

Read 1 Kings 19:11-13

Thoughts?

Why, if ancient people wanted their god to be seen as all powerful, would they allow this story to be included in the Bible?

Read John 4:4-24

What are some of the thoughts/observations you have about this passage?

(You may find that some in the group are unfamiliar with the context, so a few moments spent highlighting the background may prove helpful. You may note that Jesus gets tired (v6), that the woman is avoiding others or is being avoided in that she is getting water when it's hotter (v6-7), that Jesus is speaking to both a Samaritan and a woman, two big no-no's in Jesus' day, that Jesus intentionally makes those he loves uncomfortable sometimes (v16-17), that uncomfortable people like to change the subject (v20), etc...)

What is Jesus teaching about the availability of God?

In what ways do we continue to worship God the "old way", rather than in Spirit and Truth?

Read Galatians 2:20-21

Thoughts?

What are the implications of the presence of God being everywhere, as well as within our own life and living?

God is a God who calls out to others. And He lives within those who trust Him. What are they ways that we hide God's presence from others, muting His call? Are there ways that we drown out the whisper of God? Are there ways we amplify it? What are these ways?

Apply

What are some of the adjustments the group can be making to begin realizing the presence of God moment to moment?

What are some of the engrained habits that consistently block out God's whisper?

The message discusses another dimension of "repentance".

What in your life is it that you think may be blocking out God's voice, making it impossible toT'shuva (repent, respond, return, answer)?

How can other members (whether it's the group in general or a few specific members) help you to begin repenting (returning, answering, responding) so as to see and hear God?

Spend as much time as you can being still. 10 minutes is a huge chunk of time if you've never done it as a group before. Then, see if you can come to any agreements about how you can carve out time each day, and where that time is best placed? Can you email each other and encourage each other about taking time to listen for the whisper? Also see if you can identify specific places or settings or conversations where the presence of God isn't ever detected, and how that can be improved. Finally, encourage your group members to be creative in how they enter into their moments- no matter where they are. We would all agree that we find what we intentionally seek- so challenge your group members to go into conversations, vacations, business meetings, laundry, lunch, exercise, spending, arguments and everything else with their eyes and ears tuned into God and his everywhere presence.

And share the stories! We know God will do amazing things if we will first notice the small brush fires all around us. Tell us what He does in your group.

Steve

Real People...

Take a moment and read through these names.

Chris, Sharon, Jean, Adriana,  Rebecca, Kim, Joe, Lindsey, James, Brad, Mitzie, Vicky, Carol, Marion, Leslye, Champ, Kathleen, Kendall, Wil, David, Sonya, Kim, Judith, Cherie, Roger, Melissa, Rodney, Margie, Robert, Greg, Paula, John, Kelli, Beth, Gerald, Fran, Doug, Leigh Ann, Matt, Dawn, Duane, Elin, Lan, Sharon, Wayne, Kelley, Lisa, Christine, Judy, Mike, Mike, George, Sharon, Allen, Becky, Traci, Jamie, Jane, John, Terrie, Christina, Justen, Leslie, Heather.

This is the current list of people (64 at present) who have expressed interest, just this fall, in being connected to an intentional group of faith journeyers. A Life Group. To make some friends while growing in their faith, learning, wrestling through ideas, doubting, celebrating and serving, loving and being loved. 64 people, and we haven't even started advertising Merge coming this February 17th!

Where will we connect them?

This is where our group multiplication strategy comes in. Many of the groups are wrapping up their covenant period. Many others will be in the months to come. From the groups we lead come new leaders; people who have grown and have seen group life and what God does in it- and steps out to replicate this for the increasing number of people who want to get into one of these awesome little communities.

So, if you haven't sat down, face to face with those in your group that you sense should be seriously considering group leadership- do so soon. We will have a potential group leader Q&A session on Sunday morning, January 13th, both hours (same session twice- they need only come to one), that you can point them to (RSVP to Jenny). This will be a great opportunity for people exploring the possibility of leading a group to hear what we're trying to accomplish in these groups and why they are so central to the strategy at Crosspointe. Those that do move forward to lead, will have 3 training sessions (Jan 27th, Feb 3, Feb 10- second hour in the Startingpointe Room) to attend in order to get them equipped on some basics of the how and why. Then, they will go to Merge ready to form new Beta Groups which will begin in March!

What does God want to do with these 64 people? What does He want to do in all those whom we haven't met yet? Whatever it is- you can bet He wants to do much of it through a few others who will journey with them in a group. Thanks so much for not only leading, but for working to ensure that more great Life Group environments are created by those that you lead. All of those looking for a group thank you as well!

Steve

Perfect Opportunity to Serve!

Hello group leaders-

In terms of serving as a group, this project at the DRM is a fantastic opportunity to come together both as friends and as servants. Should be a great time, and a huge blessing!

Merry Christmas!

Steve

A Different Way in a Manger Series

Hello leaders

Note that there are discussion questions connected to Sunday's message on the right hand side of the blog page. After a Sunday teaching, be sure and check for helpful discussion starters and ice-breakers designed to take the talk on Sunday further within your groups.

Also, we are still collecting stories, big and small, from group leaders about what God has been doing in and through group members. Take some time to share your story(ies) in the comments, or in an email to your Guide!

Merry Christmas,

Steve

Context

A couple nights ago, my wife and I and some of our closest friends were given tickets for "A Christmas Carol", written by and starring Ira Wood III. All of us had seen A Christmas Carol in its standard form before, as well as the many TV versions that have come out over the years. But we had heard that this one was quite a production and had a few unexpected twists- so we were looking forward to a great show.

There were many twists to say the least. It was nothing at all like we expected. Though the basic plot was the same, the dialogue and the characters were nothing we could have anticipated. It had the look and feel of the traditional story and setting, overlaid with slapstick humor and a Scrooge that felt more like Robin Williams as the Genie in Aladdin, or Jim Carey's Grinch, than the Scrooge of Dicken's story. It was pretty wild.

The most interesting and unexpected thing about the whole production happened toward the end of the evening, something very helpful in how I view my faith and leadership at Crosspointe. 

Throughout the night, there were numerous jokes and puns with punch lines that were very much dependent on the audience being up on current events, local culture and knowledge of the actors' personal lives and their other performances. You really had to be on your toes in some cases.

With the coming confrontation with the Ghost of Christmas future, the story was about to begin resolving for Mr. Scrooge.  But as Jacob Marley opens the casket lid, Scrooge wails, "No! Not death! Please!!!" To which Marley responds, "No, Ebenezer, your future holds something far worse than death!". As the coffin opens, loud and heavy rock music begins to play, and a man with a ghostly white face, blackened eyes and a leather trenchcoat/boots ensemble steps out. He's Marilyn Manson, and he's "singing" the Marilyn Manson rock/metal hit "beautiful people". Scrooge covers his face is horror and screams "NO!". Many in the audience laughed. I sat there completely confused. And then over the blaring music, Marley yells to his terrified friend "this will be your son-in-law if you don't change your ways." 

Excuse me?

I left the show thinking were they just trying to be a zany and wild as they could be? What in the heck was the point in all that? Of all the horrible things they could have tried to present as worse than death, why a 90's shock-rocker? I really felt like it was a silly waste of an ending. And then, I realized that many people probably missed that part, like me- but also the other jokes that required a good grasp on recent news stories and celebrity gossip. I had this sense that many of us were walking out wondering if we were the only ones that didn't "get it". 

But, later that night, I got an email from Jonathan. It was a link to a news story he'd come across. And this is where I learned something priceless. The news story explained that the real life daughter of actor Ira Wood III (Scrooge) is dating the real life rocker Marilyn Manson.

AHA!

This must be a real-life issue for the actor. This must be a real-life "yikes" for those that know him and his family, and for that matter know anything about Marilyn. That's the point...the context! That's why it was a humorous "worse than death" scenario- because it is for Ira the real-life daddy. Now I know! Now I get it! That's actually funny!

I wonder how many people go to a church on a Sunday morning, wanting to take in something pure and true or at least take a step in their faith, and leave wondering what the heck that all meant. They leave acknowledging that something just connected for other people who know the story, who "get it", but, for them, it was a waste of time. I wonder how many people read the Bible and think "what the heck is all this?", and the only help they have ever gotten is someone saying "NO! You mustn't question or wonder. This is God's word. Just read it and believe!" And they feel dejected and even a bit disgusted with how nonsensical it all seems.

The groups you lead are a provision of context. A context for people to say "I don't get it" and then get to wrestle through and discover just what "it" actually is. It's a context that will find the rich background to these stories, songs and letters we call The Bible even more applicable and relevant than we ever imagined. A small group context that will present Jesus, faith and Christianity; all in context then and now. Not under the umbrella of dogma or a presentation that's only for those on "the inside", but a contextualization that meets people where they are, with their current understanding of God and themselves, and takes steps from there. And it's in that environment, that "AHA!" moments can be enjoyed, as we pursue this life-changing relationship with God and a dozen or so others.

Thanks for leading,

Steve

Taking steps toward friendship

As you are considering a direction for your group this month, I want to challenge you to ask a very simple question about your group:

How well do we really know each other?

You probably know this- but, like you, I need reminded of a very deep truth: The Christmas story is one of relationship. The Gift was nothing that could be purchased. It was one giving Himself to others. So, as a group pursuing this reality, if we merely come at the birth of Jesus academically, working to see what we can learn and add to our mental arsenal, discussing the information as a group of "classmates" rather than fellow journeyers and friends, we truly will have missed the point.

Whatever you set out to do with your group at Christmas, pass the ideas and plans through the lens of desiring, for each member of the group, to be deeper friends. Do these friends have a chance to share their hopes and fears together? Does this group of friends have an environment each week to drop their guard? Do these friends pray for each other, specifically and consistently? Do they know they're being prayed for? Are you creating an environment where the members can value and love each other, and to more deeply know each other's stories?

If you've not been able to get your group into each other's lives yet, you have to start somewhere. Here's a few ideas:

Devote an evening to allowing members to share what their childhood Christmases were like. Where, what and how. Pictures. Good and bad.

Have the mother of all potlucks, and figure a way to have everyone sit at a large table or connected tables, together. Conversation about life typically comes out of a chewing mouth better.

Have a gift exchange, but have a theme that requires people to reveal a little about themselves in the gift they bring. Have everyone bring a wrapped CD of their favorite artist or genre of music, and then do a name drawing (yes, this may mean you end up with a Hard Core Gangster Rap album, but at least now you know your group mate a little more....). Or $10 gift cards to their favorite restaurant. Favorite book. Movie (careful....yikes). Magazine. Be creative.  The idea is that someone else ends up with what someone else considers a favorite. Makes for good discussion between folks by the next meeting (especially if that Gangster Rap album isn't edited for radio....).

If you come up with ideas, post them here in the comments. We should always be helping each other move toward each other, as we move toward the God who moved toward us 2000 Christmases ago.

Steve

Update!

Hello group leaders!

I wanted to update you on the new/potential leader Q&A meeting that was scheduled for tonight at 6pm. Everyone who RSVP'd was already notified earlier last week, but I am still finding some others that hadn't yet heard that the meeting is cancelled. We were aware of the obvious possibility that this season was already proving too busy for another meeting on the calendar, but we thought we'd give it a shot anyway. Unfortunately, the possibility became a reality, and far too many people who wanted to attend were unable due to the "December Fog".

We are scheduling individual meetings with those who could attend, and will do another meeting of this kind soon.

Be looking for other helpful posts on this blog in days to come. Also, note that though there is no curriculum for groups associated with the message this morning, there is, on the actual blog site (as opposed to people who get these blogs sent straight to their email and can't see the resources to the right) some ideas for a course of study pertaining to Christmas, as well as service ideas, ice-breakers and more. Use these resources according to where you sense God wants your members to go.

Thanks for leading,

Steve