Have you ever thought about starting a small group at work? If your employer is open to the idea of letting you use a meeting room, or even if you have to go offsite for your study, it can be a life changing experience. Literally. While I was working security for a local retailer I would have some pretty intense spiritual discussions with a few of my co-workers. Our jobs allowed us to talk and work at the same time and there were numerous occasions where I would pull out my bible to answer a question or clarify a point. On one occasion it brought my co-worker to tears and we prayed about the challenges they faced.
Sometimes we forget that ministry isn't limited to the walls of our homes and our churches. The topic reminds me of a recent post by Dave Treat. Read it and consider starting a different kind of group!
I was catching up on emails and enjoying my coffee (Intelligentsia... recommended by Scot McKnight) at a coffee house up the street from Willow when I heard it. There were two guys sitting behind me, one middle aged, one younger, both clearly on the staff of a local church. I couldn't make out everything they said... nor was I trying... until I heard this from the younger one:
"... but this guy feels like God is calling him to make a lot of money so he can help the poor. Jesus never did that! Jesus never made any money!"
His implication, bolstered by further comments, was that "this guy" is a jerk, mistaken, misguided, missing the boat. If "this guy" really wanted to help the poor, he would renounce his worldly capitalism and do "real" ministry (presumably by volunteering to do something "significant" to assist a church-sponsored program.)
I nearly choked. I nearly blew Dark Roast out my nose. I nearly turned around and asked him who he thought paid for the Last Supper. I wondered, briefly, if Jesus was out of God's will for the first 30 years of his life. After all, he was a carpenter at "Joseph and Sons."
It is this kind of comment and the poor reasoning that supported it that confuses the thousands of missionaries already laboring in the marketplace. I've led a number of workplace small groups for men and women whose influence on behalf of the kingdom surpasses that of the pastors telling them to "give it up for God" and to get out of the marketplace and get into ministry.
I just got an email today from Dave Treat over at the Willow Creek Association. They are allowing our readers to register for the Group Life Conference at a DISCOUNTED RATE!!!
Regular price is $365 for WCA members and $385 for non-members. However if you call in or register online and use this priority code - GLC8BLG - you will get in into the conference for $245! That even beats the super early bird member rate by $40!
Call to register at 800-570-9812 and use the priority code GLC8BLG for your discount.
Or click here to register on line and don't forget to type in your code!
Chris Salzman at Think Christian recently wrote about a small group experience he had at his group prayer time:
I attended a small group session in high school. It was about twenty teenage boys and a leader. During prayer time we went around and offered our requests,which the leader concisely wrote down. He then assigned each person a prayer request and literally told us to keep it short and to the point.
He, after all, had an agenda to get to.
And to turn it around on myself: I often pray in quick lists. It's a great way to order my thoughts. I also recognize how stifling it is to spiritual growth, but seriously, it's a lot easier coming to God with a list of "fix this, fix that" things than to sit and listen.
And to play dissenting voice for a bit: is praying in such a way necessarily a bad thing?
How does your small handle prayer. What do you do to change it up at times?
My friend Janine and I were recently talking about the topic of community in a healthy church. There is something about a healthy and growing community of faith that encourages deep relationships. It doesn't matter if you are a new attendee or a long standing member, relationships begin to develop.
She introduced me to a quote from Thomas Kelly in his book A Testament of Devotion:
When we are drowned in the overwhelming seas of the love of God, we find ourselves in a new and particular relation to a few of our fellows. The relationship is so surprising and rich that we despair of finding a word glorious enough and weighty enough to name it. The word Fellowship is discovered, but the word is pale in comparison with the rich volume and luminous bulk and warmth of the experience which it would designate. For a new kind of life-sharing and love has arisen of which we had only dim hints before. Are these the bonds of love which knit together the early Christians, the very warp and woof of the Kingdom of God? In glad amazement and wonder we enter upon a relationship which we had not known the world could contain for the sons of men. Why should such bounty be given to unworthy men like ourselves?
Have you ever thought about starting a small group at work? If your employer is open to the idea of letting you use a meeting room, or even if you have to go offsite for your study, it can be a life changing experience. Literally. While I was working security for a local retailer I would have some pretty intense spiritual discussions with a few of my co-workers. Our jobs allowed us to talk and work at the same time and there were numerous occasions where I would pull out my bible to answer a question or clarify a point. On one occasion it brought my co-worker to tears and we prayed about the challenges they faced.
I just got an email today from Dave Treat over at the Willow Creek Association. They are allowing our readers to register for the Group Life Conference at a DISCOUNTED RATE!!!