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June 7, 2009
Week 1: What Is Christian Spirituality?
And how is it different from the "spiritual" culture that surrounds us?
Hello everyone!
I hope all of you had a restful or productive weekend. (I never seem to manage both at the same time....) Let's dive into some of the details and themes of this week's study.
Great Questions
I thought this study included some great discussion questions, especially at the beginning. Here are two that I think can spark some very fruitful conversations:
1. What is the primary goal of spirituality?
2. In your opinion, is spirituality limited to Christians?
In fact, these questions might generate enough discussion that they begin to rob a lot of time from the rest of the lesson. If that happens, just move the converstion into the teaching points by saying something like, "We're hitting some interesting topics, and some of these things will be addressed a little deeper in the study. Let's move on a little bit."
And here's a question that I could use some help on: What should a group leader do if this week's discussion uncovers some unorthodox thoughts about spirituality in his or her group members?
It's very possible that one or more of your group members will have a skewed idea of spirituality. Maybe they've bought into the idea that we can approach God in any way that seems good to use—like the crystals mentioned in the study article. Or maybe someone will incorrectly view the Holy Spirit as being obliged to do what we want if we pray in a specific way or use a specific set of words.
How should you address that kind of "un-Christian" thinking? I'd love to hear thoughts from several of you on what's the best thing to do.
Thick Material
If you've read the article attached to this study, you've probably noticed that it's a bit thick in its wording. The article was written by a professor, so it is kind of scholarly in its packaging and use of words.
For example, can anyone help me with the word "polemical"? I have an idea of what it means, but I've never been able to get my mind fully around it. And what about "inchoate"? What in the world is that?
In any case, if you come across other words or ideas that you want to get straightened out before you lead your study, just post a question in the comments section below or send me an email (smallgroups at christianitytoday.com). The Dot Com(unity) community will make sure you're prepared.
One more thing. I've included several icebreakers and other activities that will be helpful to your preparation in this week's Dot Com(unity) newsletter, so I won't double-dip and add them here. But below you will find some other articles that can help you get a broader understanding of this week's topic:
Spirituality for All the Wrong Reasons, by Eugene Peterson
Religion-Less Spirituality, by Tim Keller
posted by Sam O'Neal on June 7, 2009 11:29 PM
Comments
As I was reading through this post the question that stood out was: "What should a group leader do if this week's discussion uncovers some unorthodox thoughts about spirituality in his or her group members?" Oddly enough, that question was posed to me by another group leader today, and I really did not know how to respond.
I think truth is very important, but how do leaders and group members convey the truth lovingly in a way that does not keep people from opening up and sharing thier thoughts? For my leader friend, the way this was handled by group members seemed to make the group feel a bit unsafe if they don't have the right thoughts/beliefs...which resulted in very little participation by the group as a whole.
So I am very curious about any ideas others may have.
Posted By: Curious | June 10, 2009 5:42 PM
It helps if the group has built up a tradition of free speech, knowing that whatever anyone says will be treated with respect, however unorthodox some members might feel a particular contribution seems to be. Then it is possible to open up a discussion on the basis of one person's statement and ask, 'What do others think?' Hopefully they will not jump down the first person's throat with threats of excommunication or something, but simply point out there may be Biblical reasons for saying that some beliefs are nearer to what God wants us to believe than others. Very often what we might think unorthodox is just not in line with our particular interpretation of Scripture, rather than contrary to Scripture itself.
Posted By: Dipper | June 10, 2009 5:59 PM
Good thoughts, Dipper. If you've got an honest group, you should be able to discuss most subjects in an honest and open way.
But should this always be handled with the whole group? Are there situations when it's best for the leader to pull a group member aside and talk with him/her privately?
Posted By: Sam O'Neal | June 11, 2009 8:23 AM
Having been through, and learned from discussions like this, I learned that when you covenent together as a group (in written form), and make as part of the agreement the openness in the group to respect what each person has to say, you may then gently and lovingly be able to speak the truth of the word into their heart. Active discussion, and yes, even argument! is healthy group life.
To pull the member aside privately in some instances is important, especially if the discussion takes a heated turn, and discussion is then hurtful. The key is to speak in love, never in anger or your own opinion. Always base what you share on the word.
Posted By: Debo | June 15, 2009 6:39 AM