What to do when you don't know what to do

The next couple of weeks are transition for most small groups.

Review how things have been going in the group. Take some feedback on what people like, don’t like, ect.

You should probably discuss the next Bible Study material you are going to use and how that is going to work. You could answer some questions together like:

• How many weeks will it last?
• Who will facilitate discussion?
• How will you structure each meeting?
  
  You might want to have a time of
• extended fellowship this week or
• spend some extra time in prayer for one another.
  
  This might also be a good time to get the group brainstorming about outreach.
  
  Also, you could have people review where they have been this past year (spiritually, emotionally, physically) and where they hope to be in the coming year. What areas do they want to grow in? etc.

What to do this week?

No church this past weekend b/c of snow; I have only seen this a handful of times.

Now what? What are the small groups going to do since there is no sermon/scriptures to talk about this week. Well, some of the groups are probably taking a holiday break from small group meetings, but if you are still meeting perhaps you could go back to the last two group meeting notes and revisit some questions that you didn't get to.

http://ccclifegroups.blogspot.com/2007/12/finding-god-in-unexpected-places-abram.html

http://ccclifegroups.blogspot.com/2007/12/finding-god-in-unexpected-places-abram_10.html

On Christmas Eve at 8pm, I will be speaking on the subject:

"Spiritual GPS: Finding Jesus in this dark and hostile world."

Hope you can make it.

Thanks for all that you are doing to shepherd people here at Crossroads.

Vinnie C.

Finding God in Unexpected Places: Abram part 2

Week Eleven: Finding God in Unexpected Places
Abraham Part Two

You should be starting your meeting close to the stated time. There is only 90 minutes in this outline; if you don’t start on time, the group will be short changed some where. People like to chat in the beginning and that is fine. That is one of the purposes of the Connection Portion. Get them talking toward the goal of fellowship and connection toward a purpose. They can socialize after the meeting.

Connect: 7:00-7:20

Can you think of a time recently (or in the past) where God clearly spoke or impressed something on you (like He did Abraham in Gen. 15)?

or you could do something lighter like

Tell us about one of your family’s Christmas traditions.

Topic of Sunday’s talk: God spoke to Abraham through a familiar custom (cutting a covenant). God answered much bigger questions than Abraham was asking. God spoke to Abraham through thick and dreadful darkness. God gives us faith to overcome our weakness and obstacles. Genesis 15:4--21

Surrender: 7:20-7:30

Bruce said that Genesis 15:4-21 could be seen as a prayer. Read it again and discuss what you might learn about prayer from this passage and then pray together.

Grow: 7:30-8:00

In Genesis 15:2, Abram asks God, “What can you do for me?” Is there a particular need that you are bringing to God this week?

God answered Abram’s question with a much bigger answer. What do you suppose might happen if you began to see God’s BIG PICTURE plans for your life?

Why does God, at times, seem to withhold His power from us? (Bruce’s answer: Belief. If God did everything for us right away, we would never exercise our faith muscles).

Respond to this statement, God does His best work through “thick and dreadful darkness.”




Read 2 Corinthians 12:9

If God’s power is made perfect in weakness & brokenness, what does that say about how we ought to view weakness in ourselves and others?

How can we become more comfortable sharing our weakness with one another?

Bonus: God is the initiator of the covenant, the one who carries it forward, and the one who pays the price. What does that mean to you?

Develop: 8:00-8:15

This is a good time to get feedback on how the group is being experienced by each person. Open up a discussion and make sure people feel safe sharing their thoughts. Don’t allow debate on issues, just a chance for people to speak their minds. Hopefully you will learn something and make changes to the group accordingly

Talk about how to handle the holiday season in terms of when and where the group will or will not be meeting. If taking a break, schedule a date to begin again in January.

Share: 8:15-8:30

Wednesday Salvation Army outreach 12/12 at 5pm downtown Framingham

If you want, show your group the $100 check from the church toward a creative or simple outreach plan into which the Lord may lead you.

Finding God in Unexpected Places: Abram

Connect: 7:00-7:20

Share an experience when you found God in any unexpected place or situation.

True Example: Someone defrauded me out of a large sum of money. Reflecting back on the experience years later, God allowed me to see that He had returned that money to me in His own time and in His own way. I found God through a thief.

Topic of Sunday’s talk: We often find God in unexpected places. Abram waited years to have a son with Sarah who was well beyond child bearing years. God’s promise for a son wasn’t fulfilled right away. There was a long period of silence; Abram and Sarah tried to fulfill God’s promise without Him. Genesis 15:1-5

Surrender: 7:20-7:30

Are there any situations in your life right now that seem impossible to you or a situation in which you are waiting on God to fulfill a promise?

Read Genesis 15:1-2

Reflect on what it means that God can be your shield.

Reflect on what it means that God can be your great reward.

Pray and surrender yourselves to God knowing He is a shield and a great reward for you.

Grow: 7:30-8:00

Read Genesis 14:18-20

 Abram rescued his nephew Lot and the people of Sodom (Genesis 14) in a military victory. After this God spoke to Abram, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield.” Genesis 15:1

What do you suppose that meant to Abram at that time?

What does it mean to you that God could be a shield to you?

Read Genesis 14:20-24

 After having refused to take rewards from the battle, what do you think it meant to Abram when God said, “I am your very great reward?”

What does it mean to you that God could be a great reward to you?

Read Genesis 15:2 “What can you give me?” (Abram’s first words after hearing that God could be a great reward to Him).

 What does it say about us that we can’t be content with God as a reward?

Have you ever been in that place where God’s blessings (what you can get from Him) are more important to you than just having and being with Him?

How did you work through this?

 Referencing Abrams waiting for God to fulfill His promise of a son, Bruce said something like, “Does your Theology leave room for periods of silence from God?” Discuss this concept and its implications for our faithwalk.

 Abram and Sarai tried to preempt God’s plan by having Abram sleep with Sarai’s servant.

Talk about our tendency to “take matters into our own hands” while we are supposed to be waiting on God.

Bonus: In Daniel 10, Daniel’s answer to prayer was hindered by a battle in the unseen world. Could it be that God has answered a prayer of ours but that it is being delayed b/c of a spiritual battle behind the scenes?

Develop: 8:00-8:15

This is a good time to get feedback on how the group is being experienced by each person. Open up a discussion and make sure people feel safe sharing their thoughts. Don’t allow debate on issues, just a chance for people to speak their minds.

Talk about how to handle the holiday season in terms of when and where the group will or will not be meeting. If taking a break, schedule a date to begin again in January.

Share: 8:15-8:30

Next Salvation Army outreach 12/12 at 5pm downtown Framingham