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June 22, 2009
Week 3: That First Word
How do you address God in prayer? And what does that say about you?
Hello Friends!
Before we get into the material for this week, let me reiterate a request I made in last week's post: I need your help to know how this Dot Com(unity) thing can improve. This is all very new, and I am flying blind. So if you are using this for your own growth or as material for your group, I could really use some feedback.
What's working? What isn't? What is missing that you would like to see? Post a comment below or send me an e-mail.
Okay, enough of that. Let's get to this week's material: "How Should We Address God?"
Great Opening
You've got a great opening question built right into the discussion topic this week: "How do you address God when you pray? What name do you speak to?" Don't be afraid to encourage all of your group members to share on this one. This is a pretty "safe" topic, but it can be powerful to catch a glimpse of how other people in the group view God.
Is he Father? Lord? Master? Abba, or Daddy? Something else?
Just ask the question and let things roll.
Stress Points
There was an interesting assertion made at the beginning of the first Teaching Point: "Communicating with God—prayer—is the single most intimate act one can participate in."
Do you agree? Is this a useful question to raise within the group?
Next, there are a lot of people who believe that a prayer is not truly effective unless it is accompanied by the phrase "...in Jesus' name." This idea is based on Jesus' words from John 14:14: "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
This may very well come up during your group time. So, is that the correct way to view prayer—void unless it is done "in Jesus' name?" Or is there a danger in attempting to use "magic words" to shoehorn God into doing what we want? What's the best way to steer this discussion if it starts in your group?
Teachable Moments
As I mentioned, I think an opening discussion about the name that your group members use for God during prayer can be a powerful moment. There is a real chance your group members will learn something new about each other, and about each person's view of God.
That being the case, don't let a need to follow the schedule push you away from that discussion too quickly. If there is any kind of momentum building around that question, keep the discussion going until it's been squeezed dry.
What else? Are there other ideas/questions/themes/activities in this week's study that you are particularly excited about? Or that were powerful in your group? Let us know.
posted by Sam O'Neal on June 22, 2009 6:02 AM
Comments
I really like the article about Naming God. What an important and thought-provoking question for our group members (and me!) to consider. It seems that a lot of this post focuses on taking a look at what we've always done and rethinking it. It may mean that we continue on in the way we were, but at least now we'll know why, and we'll have a deeper understanding of it; we'll have chosen that way instead of falling into it.
Posted By: Amy Jackson | June 24, 2009 11:16 AM
This is a great article. Ever so often new people come into the church building, do not know God, do not pray. Believers who know God, and answer the question would help others to be more awakened to a real Heavenly Father.
As Christians and as Leaders, and as born-again people, we know God, and Jesus, so when we pray, it does not always mean, saying "in Jesus' Name". While I am on a bus,or walking to the supermarket, I would talk to the Father, or Jesus. For example, I would pray "Father, I love You. I praise for loved ones and true friends, and for fellowhumans. Give travelling mercies to everyone needing that today. Thank You Lord". Other times, it is Jesus, thank you for the best relationship with you. Praise You for blessing me, and for dying for my sins to bring me into Your Kingdom". Other times, Father God, I pray for all relatives, friends, all overseas, and all in this country, that You will bring to repentance, the un-saved, the backslidden, and the un-repentant, in Jesus' Name. Thank You Lord. This to me means that when I pray, I am acknowledging Jesus each time, since I have received Him as my Saviour and Lord. I call Him friend also because Jesus said "You are my friend, if you do whatsoever I command you".
Posted By: Abigail Taylor | June 25, 2009 10:26 AM