Posted by: Frank Chiapperino in Untagged on
May 14, 2007
There are lots of ways to keep your studies in your small group fresh. Some use DVD curriculum, some use different study guides, others will find an interesting book to read, or simply read the Bible together. But what about when you want to do something totally different?
I had a discussion today with a friend, Matt, from Levittown Christian Church (
www.levittownchristian.com) and he gave me an interesting idea. He couldn't remember exactly where he got it from, but here it is. You distrbute the following responsibilities to different people in your group and each member brings just one item off the following list:
- One article from a magazine or newspaper
- One passage or verse from the bible
- One interesting quote from someone
- One headline from the CNN or another news source
- Prayer requests
Add other stuff to make a list of your own and work through it in your small group!
Take a risk and try something new!
Posted by: Frank Chiapperino in group ministry on
Apr 25, 2007
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There is more to building community in your group than just having a Bible study. Unless, of course, you are not interested in life application, relationships, or accountability. If that is the case, then the routine Wednesday night Bible study at the empty church in town (in most cases) should suit you just fine.
I was talking with my Dad about this when they visited this past weekend. We were remembering when I was a kid and he and my mom ran a small group at our house on Patio Rd. in Middletown, NY. At the time our church called it a "Home Fellowship Group." The funny thing about it is, I never knew that there were some board members and key people in the church who were very upset with them. They felt that what my parents were doing at their house on Wednesday nights was taking people away from the "Bible Study" at the church building that was 99% empty each week. The reality of the situation is that none of the people attending the group went to the Wednesday night Bible study, nor would they ever go. Believe me I know... I had to sit through many of the boring Wednesday nights and none of them were ever there. Now don't get me wrong here, I am sure that the Bible studies were just fine, but not when you're 8 or 9 years old. Plus, it always felt like there was something missing... something that was always present at my Mom and Dad's.
What was happing at my parent's house on Wednesdays was remarkable. I got to experience church at its finest. There were 20-25 that people showed up every week, brought their kids, and shared life together while studying the Bible. At a young age I got to see people enjoy reading the scriptures, crying together, laughing together, celebrating the good, and supporting each other through difficulties. Hopefully your group is doing more than just Bible study. Hopefully you are sharing life together. Next week my small group has decided to have a BBQ. How does your small group share life?
Posted by: Frank Chiapperino in Untagged on
Jan 05, 2007
Brian Kruckenberg at LifeChurch.tv recently wrote on the topic of conflict. He is their groups pastor at their campus in Mesa Az.
Here is what he had to say...
Capitalizing on Conflict
Whenever you get a group of people together to do anything, one thing is certain: there will be conflict. As a leader, you have to become effective at dealing with conflict, or as I have begun to think about it, you must learn to capitalize on it. No more “conflict management,” okay? And, let’s be clear: conflict in and of itself is not bad. Conflict can lead to innovation and breakthrough. Non-constructive conflict is what we most often think of when we hear the word “conflict” and that’s the junk we need to overcome as leaders.
Here are some quick thoughts for you to ponder and comment on:
Vision and passion trump most non-constructive conflict. If you cast a strong vision, write it down and reinforce it, group members who want to be negative will be run over by the vision.
You must uncover the real reason behind the conflict. Often the stated issue isn’t really the issue at all. You must dig deep as a leader but to dig deep requires trust.
Once you’ve found the real issue, you have to be willing to confront it. Again, if you don’t have trust, this is difficult to do. But, to be an effective leader, you have to ask the hard questions.
Which brings me to this: ask questions. One of the best ways to confront conflict is to ask the right questions. You’ll get a lot farther by helping people uncover a potential problem area in their life than by showing them the problem yourself. Help them discover it.
