Casting a Vision
The Community Group ministry seeks to be a vibrant expression of the Kingdom of God through renewed relationships by caring, encouraging, edifying, and teaching one another. CGs are, then, an expression of the vision and principles of River Oaks.
What are the marks of an effective CG?
- Public in some way (John 13:35)
- Rule of Christ marked by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17)
- Simply spending time with one another is experiencing this relationship
- Key passages that articulate this kind of vision
- Eph 4:14-16
- Gal 6:10
- Heb 10:24-25
- 1 Thess 5:11
- Col 3:16
Skill Development as a Leader
Facilitating the Discussion
- Cultivate a setting from teacher-students to co-discussers with you leading the charge
- You don’t have to be “the answer-person,” don’t be afraid to ask for someone else to answer a question (while remaining sensitive)
- The goal is not question and answer, it is discussion. Get people involved. Ask people directly how the conversation topic impacts someone’s life/work/etc.
- Ask open-ended questions, not “Yes/no” questions
- Ask follow-up questions to speaker and others: “What makes you say that?” “How does that make you feel?” “How has that been working out for you?” “What are some ways this looks in your life, Joe?”
Driving to Application
- Goal of the facilitator is to take discussion to personal level (1: External, 2: Spiritual, 3: Personal), and to encourage steps to be taken to develop relationship with Christ/others
- Ultimately, it is the Holy Spirit who does the work of applying biblical truth to hearts. This cannot be understated. And if we see this any other way, the results will only be harmful.
- Problems with giving no attention to application
- “The goal of contextualization is not to help the message of the gospel become one more interesting fact…” (David Helm)
- Limited spiritual growth
- Stifled discussions, stifled biblical growth
- How to avoid applying a passage wrongly
- Recognize when something is a secondary or tertiary application
- Seek to be consistent with the rest of Scripture
- Is it grounded in the gospel? Or am I making further demands on people than necessary
- How to foster an atmosphere of openness
- Be open yourself, you set the mood
- Hold yourself and others accountable to things they are working through, ask them how things are going with X
- Affirm what you can affirm, don’t shut people down
Details for Leading a CG
- Leader responsibilities
- Meet regularly with CG
- Pray for each member
- Coordinate meeting schedule
- Prepared to lead discussion
- Attend ongoing training/meetings
- Multiply leadership
- Pass on vision of the CG’s
- Foster a mindset of outreach and service among the CG
- Group/meeting makeup
- 1 Leader & 1 Co-Leader/Apprentice
- 1 Elder and 1 Deacon connected to group
- 1 Missionary per group
- Model Meeting: 30/30/30
- Every 4th Study: Fellowship meal, outreach (invite neighbors/co-workers), service project
- Sermon-based Questions every week (application focused)
