The word peace in the Hebrew language is shalom, and it means much more than the absence of war or other disturbances. When two orthodox Jews meet, they greet each other with “Shalom,” and when they depart, they also say, “Shalom.” Along with peace, the word carries...

https://youtu.be/SzwSyIGCSLI

‘SPACE ALIENS TOOK MY BABY’, screams the headline. Or perhaps ‘GRANDMOTHER SWIMS ATLANTIC’. And what do people say? ‘It must be true; it was in the newspapers.’ ‘I saw it on television.’ ‘The person who told me was told by someone who was there at the time.’ We have...

No one would ask for suffering. We don't desire to go through times of adversity, but it is one of Satan's favorite fiery darts because that's what he can use to defeat us. It can readily destroy our faith and cause us to doubt God's love and faithfulness. It often...

Wes was a great small group leader. A whirling dervish of activity, he was great at inviting new people and contacting his members. He raised up several apprentices who became effective group leaders as well. He loved to minister and poured himself out in service....

For decades Andrea Mosconi followed the same routine six mornings a week. The Italian maestro donned a coat and tie, went to the city hall in Cremona, Italy, and entered the violin museum. There he stood before the elaborate, multilocked cases and admired some of the...

Tim's group started well but lost momentum. People grew less and less excited about coming to group; attendance became sporadic. He shared his frustration with his small group coach. His coach asked a simple question, "How did your last group social activity go?" Tim...

Another one of those flaming missiles is found in Ephesians 4:26-27. Once again the Scripture explicitly identifies one of Satan's strategies. “Be angry and do not sin. Don't let the sun go down on your anger, and don't give the Devil an opportunity.” Like...

"Preparation is not my strong suit," Bill explains. Bill usually "flies by the seat of his pants" when it comes to his group. He says that he likes his group to be "free and spontaneous." Lately, attendance has begun to drop off. No one has invited any guests in...

This is the story of Buster. His name isn’t Buster, but I need to keep his name private because my story isn’t complimentary. Besides, the name fits him. He was a buster. In high school football he busted through offensive lines like a bulldozer. In baseball he busted...

When I first began to walk with God as a sixteen-year old, I quickly learned where I could get the best breakfast in town. Every Saturday, I would go to the church kitchen and enjoy a huge breakfast. A team of smiling grandmas laid out pancakes, sausages and gravy,...

Satan works in darkness and anonymity. Bringing to light and exposing his nature and tactics render him ineffective. A big part of claiming the victory in spiritual warfare is to be aware of the battle and understand his subtle schemes and strategy. The Bible reveals...

https://youtu.be/VV4JX8Y4Od4

https://youtu.be/vwexDadVhYE

I had seen John at church several times. He and I started our friendship during a camping trip. I knew he needed to get going spiritually, and I had been praying for him. One evening, I saw him at church after he had dropped one of his kids off at an activity. I had...

Martha was distraught, brokenhearted. Martha was to Jesus what your hurting friend is to you. How can we respond when our friend is undone? When our neighbor despairs? When the woman in the funeral limousine thinks God has forgotten her? What do we do? Here is what...

Many years ago, evangelist S. D. Gordon said, "The greatest thing anyone can do for God and man is to pray." After 25 years of leading small groups and coaching small group leaders, I have come to one clear conviction: prayer is the most important activity of the...

Months of struggle, of strategy, of sacrifice all paid off in a landslide victory for President Richard Nixon in 1972. On election night his aide Charles Colson was in the place he had always wanted to be. The picture Colson draws of that night contains three figures:...

Two  couples  received  the  same  small  group  leader  training.  Chris  and  Susan  began  a  new  group  with  the  dream  of  ministering  to  single  adults  in  a  healthy,  growing,  multiplying  group.  Mark  and  Kathy  took  over  an  existing  group ...

Once upon a time in a land not far from our own, there was a tidy, well-manicured neighborhood. Its residents kept the streets clean, lawns trimmed, and standards high. Each house-hold had two kids, two parents, a dog or cat, and a goldfish. They walked their dogs and...

SMALL GROUP MINISTRY IMPLICATIONS Groups should ensure that their two primary reasons for meeting are for building relationships and accomplishing mission or tasks. Their community together should have an impact on their mission or task. Early in the life of the group...

The Habit of Gratitude Psalm 100.1 – 4; 1 Thessalonians 5.16 - 18 Good Questions Have Groups Talking www.MyBibleStudyLessons.com OPEN What is one thing you are grateful for today? DIG Psalm 100.1 – 4. What do we learn about gratitude from this passage? Gladatude and...

The Eight  Habits  of  Effective  Small  Group  Leaders Dream of  leading  a  healthy,  growing,  multiplying  group. Pray for  group  members  daily. Invite new  people  to  visit  the  group  weekly. Contact group  members  regularly. Prepare for  the  group ...

in which to explore the simplicity and delicacy of the full God-human community (which includes both male and female) in action. The human community exists foundationally as small group, that is, at least one man and one woman in relationship with God. Three persons...

https://youtu.be/kwI6lMFUcTc

Why are we subjected to spiritual warfare? Isn't God all powerful? Hasn't Jesus already defeated the devil on the cross? Why doesn't He just put a hedge of protection around us? “They belong to Me. You have no business interfering in their lives and robbing them of My...

https://youtu.be/CdieziMGku8

It may be overly dramatic to say that God lives as a small group, but the church has historically described God as Trinity, three persons in one. In any case, the creation account presents both divinity and humanity as communities of being and action. God is described...

With the release of Logos 9, I’d like to take a moment to share my 10 favorite Logos Bible Software features. I have been a long-time user of Logos and was privileged to participate in the Logos 9 beta. Some of these features are new, while others have been around...