February 8, 2010
Dot Com(unity) Week Five: Stand with Christ
Christ is with us even in our worst trials.
When you're studying a well-known story from the Bible, it can be hard to break through the connections and lessons that your group members were originally taught about it. With the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, for example, the lesson of the story almost always focuses on the importance of resisting idolatry.
But if we take the time to dig a bit deeper, we can see another element of the story that is truly wonderful: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had their most vivid encounter with God during their most difficult trial.
And that's the subject of John Ortberg's study for this week.
Continue reading Dot Com(unity) Week Five: Stand with Christ...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 10:05 AM on February 8, 2010 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
February 1, 2010
Dot Com(unity Week Four: Waiting on God
It's not fun, but it's a fundamental practice of our faith.
The study material for this week correctly points out that nobody likes waiting. So let's get right to it for our this week's session of Dot Com(unity).
Getting Started
The opening section of this week's study contains a lot of valuable material. For example, if you've got some time on your hands, you could turn the mock "Waiting Quiz" into a pretty fun experience for your group.
And the Lewis Smedes quote is very, very cool: "Waiting is our destiny. As creatures who cannot by themselves bring about what they hope for, we wait in the darkness for a flame we cannot light. We wait in fear for a happy ending that we cannot write. We wait for a 'not yet' that feels like a 'not ever.'"
But I would especially take the time to cover the first two Discussion Questions: 1) What are you currently waiting for, or have waited for in the past? 2) What about that wait is (or was) difficult? This is a great way for your group members to share a little more of their stories, and even to open up about current struggles and challenges.
Teaching Points
Just a few observations on this week's Teaching Points:
- The "Tour of Waiting" that Ortberg goes through in the first paragraphs of Teaching Point One is very interesting, and would probably make a fruitful discussion session all by itself.
- Ditto for the "Three requirements to waiting on the Lord" at the beginning of Teaching Point Two.
- In other words, don't try to cover both of those items in one night.
Icebreakers and Activities
Here are some icebreakers and other activities from SmallGroups.com that will fit well with this study:
A Real "Ice" Breaker
Use this object lesson to remind group members they don't have to hold onto their pain.
Happy Times
Each person reviews their lives in quarters
posted by Sam O'Neal at 11:31 AM on February 1, 2010 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
January 25, 2010
Dot Com(unity) Week 3: Testing
God tests us in order to teach us.
The Big Idea
The central idea behind this study is pretty clear: Jesus tests those who choose to follow Him as disciples.
That means you as a group leader don't have to worry about building the discussion toward a point of climax or revelation where everyone learns something new or exciting. You can just get it out of the way right at the beginning: "Tonight we're going to be talking about how Jesus tests those who choose to follow Him as disciples."
That also means you can get into the meat of the discussion from the very beginning. The study recommends that you ask this as a Discussion Starter: "When have you felt that you were being tested? Why did you feel that way?"
I would prefer to start with a different question: "In what ways are you being tested now as a follower of Jesus?" This is a powerful question, and it has the potential to get your group members talking about their lives in a meaningful way. In fact, if you spent the whole gathering working through this one question, I think that would be more than profitable.
Although I would like to add at least one more question before things finished up: "If you are not being tested right now, and you are following Jesus, what does that mean?"
Continue reading Dot Com(unity) Week 3: Testing...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 11:35 AM on January 25, 2010 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
January 18, 2010
Dot Com(unity) Week 2: Grow in Faith
Faith can be a terrifying choice, but it brings big rewards.
Just a reminder, we're on week 2 of our Dot Com(unity) co-learning experience studying John Ortberg on Understanding God. If you don't know what Dot Com(unity) is, click here.
Okay, let's get to it.
The Big Idea
Okay, after reading through the study, here's my take on the Big Idea that Ortberg is working to get across through the three teaching points: Faith is hard, but the results are worth it. (What do you think? Agree with that assessment? Disagree?)
As you read through the study, try to think about which of the three teaching points would be most applicable to your group members. That's the one you should probably focus your energy on in preparation, and that's the idea you should try to spend most of your time on during the actual study.
For me and my group, that would be Teaching Point Two: "Faith means choosing to follow Jesus." I have always thought that Peter gets a bum wrap from the whole walking-on-water story, and I love the way Ortberg approaches his decision as a "successful failure," for lack of a better term. This is where I would spend the bulk of my time with my group.
And just for fun, here are a few thoughts regarding the other teaching points:
- If your group members will not be reading the study material on their own, you might have some success summarizing Orberg's story about the hot-air balloon. Especially the quotes about the pilot. And the story does make a good transition into a discussion about faith.
- The last question in teaching point two has the potential to get your group members opening up about sin areas.
- I wouldn't recommend re-reading the story at the beginning of teaching point three. That's a long one.
- I really like the Optional Activity at the end of the study. That would be a great exercise for any group, I think.
Continue reading Dot Com(unity) Week 2: Grow in Faith...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 8:45 AM on January 18, 2010 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
January 11, 2010
Week 1: Partner with God
Sanctification involves a mysterious partnership with God.
Hello to all of you, and welcome to our next session of Dot Com(unity)! We will spend the next five weeks exploring a great Bible study called John Ortberg on Understanding God, and I am excited to get started. So let's do just that.
As a quick review, we are studying this material together as leaders in order to get the best handle on it possible in order to teach it to our groups. This is a place where you can share great ideas regarding this material, ask questions, and get anything else you need from a community of people in your same situation.
And if you haven't got a copy of the Ortberg study yet, you can use the coupon code DotComOrtberg to receive a 50 percent discount.
The Big Question
One of the things I like about John Ortberg as a teacher is that he keeps things very focused, and this study is no different. He asks a Big Question right off the bat: "Whose job is spiritual growth?" And we'll spend the rest of the study finding an answer.
(As an aside, I would recommend asking this question of your group before you get into any of the teaching points. Get their opinions and let them talk about it before you all see what Scripture has to say.)
There are a lot of Teaching Points in this study, and it's unlikely that your group will be able to get through all of them. So you will need to set priorities ahead of time on which material will be most helpful to your group members. Here are a couple recommendations from me:
- If your group members came to a consensus at the beginning of the study that God and us both have a stake in our spiritual growth, than you can probably skip the first Teaching Point.
- The second Teaching Point ("Spiritual formation is normative, not optional") would be an important point for new Christians to understand. It also contains an optional activity.
- The fourth Teaching Point ("Sanctification is empowered by God, not man") provides a great opportunity for confession.
Continue reading Week 1: Partner with God...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 9:25 AM on January 11, 2010 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
January 5, 2010
Dot Com(unity) starts January 11
We're back after a week's delay.
Okay, I had a bit of an emergency vacation over the week after Christmas, and so I've had to push the start of Dot Com(unity) back another week. So we'll be starting on Monday, January 11. If you had planned on using the John Ortberg study this week with your group, I do apologize for the delay. As a stop-gap solution, you may want to consider a single-session study from our sister website ChristianBibleStudies.com.
As a reminder, we will be studying John Ortberg on Understanding God. This will be a great resource for your group, and you can access it for a 50 percent discount when you use the coupon code DotComOrtberg.
If you're not familiar with Dot Com(unity), you can get a good education on what it is and how it works by looking at our original explanation from last year. Basically, the idea is to get several small groups from around the country studying the same material at the same time. Then, we provide a place on our blog for the leaders of those groups to come together and share their insights, questions, comments, and suggestions.
In other words, Dot Com(unity) is a place where small-group leaders can collaboratively engage a topic of study in order to provide the best environment for the spiritual formation of their group members. Pretty cool, huh?
posted by Sam O'Neal at 9:51 AM on January 5, 2010 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
December 21, 2009
We're Back!
Dot Com(unity) returns January 4 with a study series from John Ortberg
We are getting close to January, which means it is almost time to start up Dot Com(unity) once again. Huzzah! We'll get things started January 4th, specifically.
If you're not familiar with Dot Com(unity), you can get a good education on what it is and how it works by looking at our original explanation from last year. Basically, the idea is to get several small groups from around the country studying the same material at the same time. Then, we provide a place on our blog for the leaders of those groups to come together and share their insights, questions, comments, and suggestions.
In other words, Dot Com(unity) is a place where small-group leaders can collaboratively engage a topic of study in order to provide the best environment for the spiritual formation of their group members. Pretty cool, huh?
Now you're probably thinking, So what material will we be studying together? Good question. The answer is: John Ortberg on Understanding God. I have admired John Ortberg as a teacher and writer for several years now, and I am not the only one. His books have sold gobs of copies not because they are slickly packaged, but because they dig deep into the important matters of the Christian life. John Ortberg's words help people understand God and our relationship with Him, in other words, and that's why I am very excited about the chance to work through his study with all of you.
Best of all, SmallGroups.com is providing a 50 percent discount on this study for Dot Com(unity) participants. Just use coupon code DotComOrtberg during the checkout process to receive the discount.
posted by Sam O'Neal at 3:45 PM on December 21, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
October 19, 2009
A Break for Dot Com(unity)
Hi Everyone,
Just a quick announcement about Dot Com(unity). We're going to be taking a break from this feature of the blog until January.
There are a couple of reasons why, but the main one is just time. I'm still trying to get some bugs fixed with SmallGroups.com, and so the blog has kind of been pushed to the side a little bit in recent months, including Dot Com(unity). In evaluating the past couple sessions, I don't think I have the time to do this well right now, so I'm going to take a break until I can give this cool idea the effort it deserves.
Stay tuned for some changes and new features on the blog once I'm able to get things finished off with SmallGroups.com!
posted by Sam O'Neal at 11:17 AM on October 19, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
October 4, 2009
Week 5: Spiritual Gifts Inventory
Here's what we've all been waiting for.
When we first started this study on spiritual gifts, I mentioned that I was happy to see it contained more than a spiritual-gifts inventory. And we've certainly been exposed to some interesting and thought-provoking material over the last four weeks.
But I'll admit that I'm ready for that inventory now! And you're group members are probably ready, too. So let's get to it.
The Inventory
I would recommend that you have your group members take the gifts inventory during your actual group meeting this week. There are several reasons why this is a good idea, including:
- It guarantees that people will actually take the assessment. Let's face it—things assigned as homework often get forgotten.
- It allows for people to have their questions answered during the assessment, in case anything is confusing.
- It allows for group discussion after the assessment.
And yes, I do recommend that group members go around and talk about which spiritual gifts were highlighted on their assessment. This is a great time to get some personal reactions. Is anyone disappointed with what the assessment suggest? Excited? Is anyone really confused? These are great topics for discussion, and for learning more about the people in your group.
What Next?
Here's a question for the extended Dot Com(unity)...uh...community: How involved should group leaders be in encouraging and assisting their group members to start using any new spiritual gifts that are discovered during this assessment? Should group time be used in the coming weeks to focus on people using their gifts? Should accountability relationships be set up?
What's the best way to help people use the gifts they've been given?
posted by Sam O'Neal at 10:11 AM on October 4, 2009 | Comments (3) | Trackbacks (0)
September 27, 2009
Week 4: Live Free of Shame
Here are some questions that need answering about a topic that is seldom discussed.
I'll say it from the beginning: this is a week when I'll need a lot of help from all of you, our faithful readers. That's because I'm not very confident about the topic of shame. I have experienced shame, of course, and talked through those experiences with others. But I get the impression that I don't experience shame as often as I should. And although I understand that there is healthy shame and unhealthy shame, I don't really understand the difference between the two.
So please help!
Continue reading Week 4: Live Free of Shame...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 3:44 PM on September 27, 2009 | Comments (1) | Trackbacks (0)
September 20, 2009
Week 3: Live a Transformed Life
Why spiritual growth is a key factor for spiritual gifts
Sorry if you came here earlier and didn't find any text. We've been having a few technical difficulties this morning, and they are just now getting under control. But enough about that—on to this week's study material!
Note: There are five teaching points this week, which means the study covers a lot of different material and ideas. As a group leader, be sure to pick and choose which of these ideas best match the needs of your group members. Most small groups will not be able to cover all five of these subjects and still have any kind of meaningful discussion. So cut out what doesn't apply to you and focus your energy on what offers the best chance for discussion and transformation.
I like the idea behind Teaching Point One, personally: Let the Holy Spirit Train You in Goodness. This is such a big part of our society—being good. But sometimes as Christians we are taught so often that "being good" won't get us into heaven that we forget how important it still is to live as representatives of a good God. I think the Optional Activity is helpful, too, and can be modified pretty easily based on the specific needs of your group.
I also like the third point: Let the Holy Spirit Give You Self-Control. This is another big area of discussion for our culture. And in a small-group setting, it's a great opportunity for a teachable moment if connected with confession of sin.
What about you? Which teaching points will you emphasize most in your group sessions this week? What else do you recommend to help get those points across?
posted by Sam O'Neal at 3:52 PM on September 20, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
September 13, 2009
Week 2: Embrace Your Calling
A look at three gifts that are given to every Christian
Welcome to Week 2 of this Dot Com(unity) session, and let's jump right in with the study.
Three Gifts
This week's teaching points focus on three spiritual gifts that God gives to every Christian at the time of their salvation (and beyond). They are faith, a relationship with God, and an extra capacity to give and receive love.
To start, I'm curious if these "guaranteed gifts" were surprising to anyone? I had not heard of an initial "burst" of spiritual gifts before, nor had I thought of these three items as spiritual gifts, per se. But they make sense when you think about it.
The first thing I noticed about these teaching points is that they include a lot of "outside" Scripture references. This can be very helpful in a group in terms of finding something to talk about, but don't be concerned about covering each verse during your group meeting. Read them before hand and think about a handful of verses that would best fit your group and where you want to take the discussion. For example, I really like 1 John 4 as a way to start talking about love and how it should be demonstrated by followers of God.
Teachable Moments
As I mentioned, you'll need to skim the different texts ahead of time in search of verses that have a good chance of impacting your specific group. But I do like the idea proposed in the "Action Point" at the end of the study.
It recommends that you have your group members look at those three guaranteed gifts—faith, relationship, and love—and decide which one has the most room for improvement in their lives. This is something you could do as a group (and have people share as desired), or as a "homework" assignment on their own.
posted by Sam O'Neal at 9:02 AM on September 13, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
September 5, 2009
Week 1: Getting Started with Gifts
Get your group started with a look at what spiritual gifts are and when we encounter them.
I'll admit I was a little nervous about the first session of our "Use Your Spiritual Gifts" course. Usually when a small group studies spiritual gifts, the first session is a time when everybody explains what gifts they think they have been given—which is a nice way to learn a good bit more about your group, but doesn't necessarily lead to stimulating discussion.
Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised with some new information on spiritual gifts that I think will be very cool to talk about in a group setting. Keep reading for more info...
Teaching Points
Your group is probably expecting that they will spend the majority of the time talking about each other's spiritual gifts. You can just let people go around and talk about their gifts and count that as the icebreaker, really. It usually helps to have some kind of list of the "accepted" spiritual gifts when you do that. Here's a good example.
But I think Teaching Points two and three are where you can really make some hay in terms of discussion. Did you know that God blesses us with gifts at different stages of our lives? I certainly did not, but it makes a lot of sense after you read study material for Teaching Point Two. Nor did I realize that requesting different gifts is an option, as Teaching Point Three discusses.
These topics can lead to some very interesting discussion themes. It's not in the study, but it would be fascinating to have people talk about which spiritual gifts they would pick out if God allowed us to choose. And that idea leads directly into application—what would you use that gift for? What is stopping you from making that a regular piece of your prayer life? What gift do you need to ask God for now in order to tackle a difficult situation?
Your Turn
If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you know that I love to talk about teachable moments—those times when the Holy Spirit really moves in a group setting or in the life of an individual member. We can't make those moments happen, of course, but we can prepare an atmosphere that is more conducive to the Spirit's work, and we can focus on themes and topics that match what the Spirit is doing in our lives.
For me, the application section of this study is where I would look for the best chance at a teachable moment, especially those questions we mentioned above.
But I'd love to know what other people think. Keeping your specific group in focus, which part of this week's study do you think has the most potential to be a powerful moment? What kinds of activities, Scripture passages, or ideas could we use to enhance those moments and open the door wider for the Holy Spirit?
Don't hold out on us!
posted by Sam O'Neal at 4:34 PM on September 5, 2009 | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)
August 28, 2009
Dot Com(unity) Is (almost) Back!
Just one more week until we can resume our study together
Sorry, this image was the closing thing I could find to a horse "champing at the bit." (If that confuses you, you'll have to check the newsletter to find out more.) Anyway, we are on the cusp of a new session of Dot Com(unity), and I just wanted to quickly cover a few points and reminders to help everyone get ready.
What Is Dot Com(unity)
If this is your first experience with Dot Com(unity), you can learn about its origins and main purpose by clicking here. To summarize, Dot Com(unity) is what I call a co-learning experience. The goal is to get small groups from across the country (and the world) all studying the same material at the same time.
Our blog then provides a place for the leaders of those small groups to join together as a support network. You can ask questions about doctrinal issues, whether a particular icebreaker works well, how to handle a problem that has come up, and so on. It's like having a whole network of coaches who are all studying the same thing as you and can provide you with encouragement and support.
What Are We Studying?
We'll be focusing on the SmallGroups.com Bible study called Use Your Spiritual Gifts. This is a great course because it will not only help your group members identify their spiritual gifts (the material includes a gifts inventory/assessment), but it also addresses key issues like identifying our specific calling and dealing with the shame that often hinders and suppresses our gifts.
Why Do I Have to Pay?
This is our third session of Dot Com(unity), but this is the first time we have required participants to pay for the featured Bible study. I'm sure that many of you are wondering why that is so, and that's a fair question. The answer is that we have to generate a certain level of revenue in order to remain in operation.
SmallGroups.com is part of the Christianity Today International family of websites, which means we are part of a not-for-profit company. We exist to support and equip the Kingdom of God, not to make financial profits. And yet, we do have several expenses, including paying the authors of our Bible studies, not to mention the editors, designers, maintaining the website, and so on. So we have to generate enough revenue to cover those expenses.
That's why we charge for our premium products, like Bible studies. Please note, however, that we are including a 50% discount for the Use Your Spiritual Gifts study featured in this Dot Com(unity) session. Just use the coupon code DC0909. And yes, we will always provide a discount for our Dot Com(unity) studies.
Also, let me just throw in a quick pitch for a membership to SmallGroups.com. If your church purchases a SmallGroups.com membership, it can provide free access to SmallGroups.com for all of its small-group leaders. That means your church can provide you (and your fellow group leaders) with unlimited access to Bible Studies and training resources just by signing up—you wouldn't have to pay anything extra. Just a thought to keep in mind. (And if you can't convince your church to take the plunge, we also have individual memberships.)
Okay, if you have any other questions or items to discuss before we get started next week, just let me know. I'm looking forward to it!
posted by Sam O'Neal at 9:29 AM on August 28, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
August 9, 2009
Week 10: It's All About Joy!
The final session of this study takes us to a great place to be.
It's hard for me to believe, but the last week of our second Dot Com(unity) session has arrived. And I think it's rather appropriate that our study material for this week covers the topic of joy. I've had fun this summer!
And on the subject of having fun, this week's study material definitely includes the article with the funnest title: Yabba-ka-Doodles! You'll have to read more if you want to figure out what that one is about. :)
Teaching Points
Teaching Point One contains a good lesson for small-group leaders. You may have already heard that joy is separate from happiness, and that joy is a permanent state of being while happiness is a temporary emotion. If you're like me, you've heard those ideas about a thousand times—which means you may gloss over the point and move on to other, "deeper" issues with your group.
But tread carefully here. Just because you have a good handle on a principle or idea doesn't mean that all of your group members feel the same way. There may be someone in your discussion this week that would greatly benefit from learning about true joy and how it is separate from happiness.
So take the time to mention the topic, maybe ask a few questions, and see if anyone wants to go deeper. If not, you can move on with a clear conscience.
Continue reading Week 10: It's All About Joy!...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 7:36 PM on August 9, 2009 | Comments (1) | Trackbacks (0)
August 2, 2009
Week 9: The Source of All Beauty
There's more to following God than goodness and truth.
I can't believe we're in week 9 already of our summer Dot Com(unity) session! That means the study is almost over. And that means the summer is almost over!!! (If you live in a cold-weather town, like me, you understand my current angst.)
Oh well. We've had some really interesting study topics this summer, and another one has popped up this week: beauty. Here's a little humor to start things off—maybe even an icebreaking video for your group session?
Obviously, that's not the kind of "beauty" we're talking about this week. :)
Continue reading Week 9: The Source of All Beauty...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 7:30 PM on August 2, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
July 27, 2009
Week 8: Expectant Prayer
Be sure you're prepared to help your group tackle this vital topic.
My three-year-old son says the same prayer every night before he goes to bed: "Thank you, God, as this day ends, for my family and my friends. Taking time to sit and pray, thank you, God, for this great day." He learned it from a Christian DVD he used to watch every day, and it stuck.
On the one hand, it's exciting that my son is already getting into the practice of regular communication with God. On the other hand, the danger exists that prayer is already becoming "just words" to him—just something he says every night before he goes to bed.
That tension is at the heart of the Christian experience with prayer. It's a huge and holy thing, but also an everyday thing. And that means it's a great topic for this week's group discussion. Let's dig in.
Continue reading Week 8: Expectant Prayer...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 5:45 AM on July 27, 2009 | Comments (5) | Trackbacks (0)
July 19, 2009
Week 7: Letting Go of Guilt
Explore the cause and effects of this heavy topic.
Do you understand what I mean when I say that "guilt" is a heavy word? It's kind of like sin—it can just weigh down a conversation. So, as a small-group leader, it can be a bit daunting to say you are going to lead an entire group discussion on the subject of guilt.
Fortunately, there are a couple weighs to lighten things up a bit.
Important Icebreaker
The biggest thing I would recommend for this week's group session is that you intentionally have some fun up front. Use an icebreaker that gets people talking or moving—something that has a high probability of producing some laughs. (I've listed two of them in this week's newsletter, so be sure to check that out.)
Then, be open about the topic of your discussion this week. Say something like, "I wanted to help us have a little fun at the beginning of our gathering tonight because our discussion is going to focus on a topic that can be kind of heavy for many people." Then move on into the lesson.
Continue reading Week 7: Letting Go of Guilt...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 3:59 PM on July 19, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
July 9, 2009
Week 6: The Freedom of Forgiveness
It's time for your group to talk about letting go.
What images come to mind when you think about forgiveness? I mentioned in the newsletter that I think of water rolling off a duck's back. Others might think of releasing a heavy burden, or of erasing something from a blackboard.
But what about you? What image captures your views and emotions in relation to forgiveness? I would love to hear some creative thoughts, and I could even post some other images if you sent them my way.
I actually used this idea as an icebreaker for a group discussion/devotional here at work. But instead of asking people to verbalize their images, I gave everyone a paper towel and asked them to "sculpt" their thoughts by tearing, folding, or even crumpling. And the exercise turned out pretty well, believe it or not!
Let's dive into the material for this week.
Continue reading Week 6: The Freedom of Forgiveness...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 8:23 AM on July 9, 2009 | Comments (3) | Trackbacks (0)
July 6, 2009
Week 5: How to Repent
For your group's sake, consider this seldom-considered practice.
This is a new experience for me when it comes to Dot Com(unity). As I've written posts for other weeks of study, I've been at least fairly confident in my grasp of and experience with the material.
But not this week. I have a grand total of one experience with confession/repentance in a small-group setting. That experience went well, but it was several years ago, and I have yet to build up enough courage to try again with a new group. This is one of those things where intellectually I know the practice of confession is beneficial to all Christians, and would be of help in my group. But practically I just can't think of a good way to bring it up!
Do I say, "Hey, tonight feels like a good night to confess some sins. Steve, would you like to start?" Or maybe, "I've been struggling with pride in the last week. Steve, what about you?"
So, if you've got a good idea on how to initiate the practice of confession in a small group, please do me a favor and let us know about. Please!
All that being said, here are a few observations that I do feel confident about concerning this week's study material:
Continue reading Week 5: How to Repent...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 6:43 AM on July 6, 2009 | Comments (5) | Trackbacks (0)
June 29, 2009
Week 4: A Better Look at God's Face
Give your group a chance to experience God in a new way.
A good Monday morning to everyone!
Just a reminder, these weekly blog posts correspond to a 10-session Bible study called Essentials in Knowing God. You can download this study for free by using the coupon code DC0609—but that coupon will only last until June 30.
While I'm mentioning links, be sure to sign up for our Dot Com(unity) newsletter if you haven't done so already. You'll get helpful icebreakers and other tools delivered to your inbox each week—all of which apply directly to the study material we're looking at. Click here for more information.
Teaching Points
Okay, let's dive into the content for this week's study. There are two options in the study material for opening excersises, and I'm intrigued by the red/blue/green church idea. I'm curious to know your opinion about it: would it be useful and informative for your group, or is it too simplistic?
In either case, the Teaching Points for this week are fairly straightforward. The first explains the language about "God's face" that is used often in the Bible. The second emphasizes that God cannot be pinned down to a single character trait. And the third reminds us that Jesus is a perfect image of God, and we can follow his example in regularly approaching our heavenly Father.
Of those three, the second point has the most potential to serve as a stumbling block to your group members. They may have questions about God's actions in the Old Testament:
--Why does God act in wrath?
--Why did he order the destruction of entire civilizations? Even women and children?
--Why did he demand the death of animals from his servants?
These kinds of questions may very well come up when you discuss the diverse and multi-faceted character of God. How would you answer them?
Teachable Moments
For most group members, the subject of "father" is going to be a point of emotion. For some it will include pride and love; for others it will include shame and sadness—maybe even hate. These emotions are something you need to embrace in your group, not run away from.
For that reason, I think just about everyone should use this question as the introduction to Teaching Point Three: "Our view of God the Father is often connected to our experiences with our earthly fathers. For you, is that a positive or negative connection?"
As I say, be ready for emotion when you ask this question. But remember that emotional expressions in your group are not a bad thing at all, even if people are sad or disturbed for a time. We benefit when we express both pride and shame to a community of caring friends.
What other moments from this study do you believe have the potential to become a strong learning experience? Are there any other activities or questions we could use to emphasize these moments? If you think of any, please let the rest of us know!
posted by Sam O'Neal at 6:06 AM on June 29, 2009 | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)
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?"
Continue reading Week 3: That First Word...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 6:02 AM on June 22, 2009 | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)
June 15, 2009
Week 2: What's In a Name?
What God chooses to call himself says a lot about who he is and how he relates to us.
There are two things I want to get to as we start of the week this fine Monday morning. The second will be the theme of this week's study material. But first, I want to take a look back at Week 1.
Comments? Praises? Questions?
For those of you who used the Week 1 study material, What Is Christian Spirituality?, I would love to get a sense of how things went. Did the group take well to the material? Was anything clunky or confusing? Was there a specific question or activity that really got some response?
Feedback is the grease that keeps a lot of engines running well, and I would really like to know how things went for you. Even if you used the material for your individual devotions, let us know what questions popped up, what thoughts were provoked.
You can post a comment below, or click the link above and comment on the Week 1 post. Or you can send me an email: smallgroups at christianitytoday.com.
Knowing God Through His Names
Now to this week's material.
Continue reading Week 2: What's In a Name?...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 4:00 AM on June 15, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
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.
Continue reading Week 1: What Is Christian Spirituality?...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 11:29 PM on June 7, 2009 | Comments (4) | Trackbacks (0)
June 1, 2009
Huzzah!
It's time for another round of Dot Com(unity).
Before I start, I just think that's a word that we don't use enough. Huzzah!
Anyway, if you've been paying attention to SmallGroups.com or this blog over the past couple of weeks, you've seen hints and rumors that another session of Dot Com(unity) would be starting up soon. Well, the time is here.
We will be starting the next round of Dot Com(unity) on Monday, June 8th. I very much hope that you will join us as we explore a very interesting Bible study this summer. It's called Essentials in Knowing God, and it's a 10-week course that targets different ways that we as Christians can deepen our relationship with God. Best of all, it's free!
Use the following coupon code to download Essentials of Knowing God at no charge to you: DC0609. If you've never used a coupon before, you'll just want to add the download to your cart on SmallGroups.com, then scroll down to the bottom of the page where it says "Coupon or Gift Card." Enter the code, then hit "Update Cart."
Here are a couple more things to keep in mind:
- I've written up an article on what I see as the main value of Dot Com(unity). If you're on the fence on whether or not to participate this summer, you might want to check it out.
- Even if your small group is taking a vacation this summer, Dot Com(unity) can be a great vehicle for your own personal devotions. Learn from a lot of other people, contribute your own thoughts and ideas, and grow.
- The best way to keep track of everything for Dot Com(unity) is to sign up for our new Dot Com(unity) e-newsletter. It will bring new icebreakers and activities to your inbox each week, as well as editorial thoughts from myself, content from this blog, and discount offers to other SmallGroups.com material. Best of all, it's free too! Click here to learn more and sign up.
posted by Sam O'Neal at 3:54 PM on June 1, 2009 | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)
May 26, 2009
Keep Connected with Our New Newsletter
Another way to get free stuff from SmallGroups.com.
I've mentioned here and there that SmallGroups.com will be starting up a new newsletter this summer. (New newsletter...that's kind of a tongue twister. Sorry. :)
Anyway, the newsletter is called Dot Com(unity), and as you've probably guessed, it will primarily be connected to our Dot Com(unity) co-learning experience. [If you don't know what I'm talking about, click on the tab that says Dot Com(unity) up at the top of this page.] We'll be starting up the next round of Dot Com(unity) on June 8, and the first issue of the newsletter will be sent out on that day, as well.
So, what will be in this newsletter, you ask? Great question. Each issue of the newsletter will include the following:
- Free content from SmallGroups.com that directly intersects with the Bible study material we'll be studying together in our Dot Com(unity) experience. That includes icebreakers, worship ideas, hospitality tips, outreach options, articles, and much more.
- Updates and the best material from the Small Group Dynamics blog, along with a new weekly poll.
- A weekly editorial thought from yours truly.
- We'll also highlight other premium resources from SmallGroups.com that are especially helpful for small-group leaders.
In other words, we're going to send you a good helping of material each week—all of which will help you grow as a group leader and most of which will be free.
Click here to get more information, and to sign up.
posted by Sam O'Neal at 1:00 PM on May 26, 2009 | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)
April 28, 2009
Free Membership Time
We want to hear your story, and we want to reward you for telling us.
Okay, if you have been paying attention to this blog for any amount of time, you have heard me talk about our YouTube channel. This was designed to be a way for people to share their stories about small-group life with others in a new and interesting way. This was also supposed to be a way for us to give away a few free memberships to SmallGroups.com.
Well, there has not been much sharing so far. In fact, there has been none outside of my co-workers. And there have been no free memberships given away—not yet.
But we are not giving up! Below you will see the video that introduces our "question of the month" for April. The original idea was to select five people at random who participated and give them free memberships to SmallGroups.com. But since no-one has participated, and the deadline of May 2 is drawing close, I'll change things up a bit.
The first five people to upload a video and send us a link will get a free membership to SmallGroups.com. Here's the question you'll be answering:
To be one of the first five, all you have to do is record yourself answering that question. You can use an expensive video camera or your cell phone—it doesn't matter. Then, you just need to upload that video to YouTube. Once it's there, click the "send video" button and send it to us at "inspiringcommunity." Or you can just e-mail the link to me at "smallgroups at christianitytoday.com".
It's easy, and the first five videos will receive a free membership. Let's see what you can do!
posted by Sam O'Neal at 10:03 AM on April 28, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
April 21, 2009
Dot Com(unity) Week 4: Depression
We're answering the question: How can I deal with depression and discouragement?
Okay, this is the last week of Dot Com(unity)'s inaugural journey. It's been fun for me, and I hope worthwhile for all of you!
The big question we are addressing this week is: "How can I deal with depression and discouragement?" That's a tough one, obviously. But the study provides an interesting answer right off the bat in the form of a story about pychiatrist Carl Meninger:
Dr. Carl Meninger, a world-renowned psychiatrist, once gave a lecture on mental health and was answering questions from the audience. Someone said, "What would you advise a person to do if they felt a nervous breakdown coming on?" Most people thought he would say, "Go see a psychiatrist immediately," but he didn’t. To their astonishment, Dr. Meninger replied, "Lock up your house, go across the railroad tracks, find somebody in need, and help that person."
That kind of piqued my curiosity, and I'm wondering if it did the same for you? What do you think about that advice? Is that something you could say in your small group? How?
Continue reading Dot Com(unity) Week 4: Depression...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 9:19 AM on April 21, 2009 | Comments (6) | Trackbacks (0)
April 13, 2009
Dot Com(unity) Week 3: Suffering
Why does God allow people to suffer?
Just a quick reminder: If you are just discovering our Dot Com(unity) experience, you can still participate. Just click here for instructions on how to download the "Answering Difficult Questions" Bible study for free. And click here to get an overview of what we've studied so far.
This week's question is a doozy. It's one of the first things that always comes up when people are debating the existence of God—if God exists and has the power to prevent human suffering, why doesn't he do it? Fortunately, the Bible study material has some very helpful explanatory material, illustrations, and discussion questions that bring this huge topic down to something digestable for all types of group members.
In recent weeks I've suggested several icebreakers and activities from SmallGroups.com that match the topics being discussed in our Dot Com(unity) learning experience. But I want to switch it up this week. I want to hear from you!
Have you had a flash of genius about an activity that will help your group members get their minds around this mountain of a question? Have you used an icebreaker or worship activity in the past that applies well to this week's study? If so, do us all a favor and type it up in the Comments section of this post. It can only help the rest of us!
And stay tuned tomorrow for some recommendations on watching for teachable moments during this week's discussion time.
posted by Sam O'Neal at 1:06 PM on April 13, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
April 7, 2009
Dot Com(unity) Week Two: My Purpose
How do I know what I was born to do?
I'm pretty sure that this week's "big question" is something that your group members have asked themselves at one time or another—maybe even recently. But it's probably not something that has come up in your group discussions. So this is a great opportunity!
To get started, here are some icebreakers and other activities that you may find useful:
- Happy Times. Group members divide their lives into quarters and reflect on each section.
- The Hand You Are Dealt. Group members talk about their dreams for the future.
- Our Mission. Encourage your group members to develop individual mission statements.
Last week I suggested some difficult quesitons that might pop up during group discussions, but I'm going to put that responsibility on your shoulders this week. When it comes to identifying our God-given purpose in life, what are the sticking points? What tough questions are you anticipating, and how do you hope to handle them?
posted by Sam O'Neal at 9:00 AM on April 7, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
April 6, 2009
You've Got Mail
And I need you to send it to me!
Week one of our Dot Com(unity) co-learning experience has come and gone. How did it go for you?
We've received a few comments on the blog from people who answered some of the burning questions I mentioned last week. But I haven't heard back from anyone on how the study went during the actual group time.
Were there some good moments? Did anyone use an icebreaker that worked especially well, or that flopped? Did any questions come up that helped people think deeper about the issue of communicating with God? Did any tough questions pop up that were tough to answer?
I'd love to hear from some of you about the experience. You can post a comment below, or click here to send me an e-mail.
Stay tuned for some recommendations and discussion starters for week 2 of our study. I'll be posting later this afternoon.
posted by Sam O'Neal at 9:13 AM on April 6, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
April 1, 2009
Raise Your Ebenezer
Here's a practical way to build a teachable moment into this week's discussion.
I was re-reading the material for week 1 of the Answers to Difficult Questions study, and I was reminded about Ebenezers. No, not Scrooge. There are a couple common references that might help you get an idea of what I'm talking about.
The first a line from the second stanza of "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing." It goes: "Here I raise my Ebenezer / Here by Thy great help I've come / And I hope, by Thy good pleasure / Safely to arrive at home."
The second is from 1 Samuel 7:12-14: "Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah, and named it Ebenezer; for he said, 'Thus far the LORD has helped us.' So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel; the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. The towns that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites" (1 Samuel 7:12-14 NRSV).
So, an Ebenezer is some kind of physical monument that it set up in remembrance of something meaningful that God has done. The word literally means "stone of help." Think of a wedding ring with a diamond, for example—it's a permanent reminder of a covenant set up in the presence of God, but also a permanent reminder of God's goodness and direction.
Now what in the world does that have to do with Dot Com(unity?) I'm glad you asked.
Continue reading Raise Your Ebenezer...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 5:35 PM on April 1, 2009 | Comments (1) | Trackbacks (0)
March 30, 2009
Dot Com(unity) Week 1
We're exploring the question, "How do I know if God is speaking to me?"
Hello everyone, and welcome to the first week of our Dot Com(unity) co-learning experience. As of my last count, just under 100 of you have used the coupon we provided to access the "Answering Difficult Questions" Bible study, and I am thrilled. It's great to have you here! Let me give you a few brief updates on how I hope this will all work.
On Monday morning of each week, I'll post some links to icebreakers and other content from SmallGroups.com that might be helpful as you prepare for your group sessions. I'll also post a brief overview of the Bible study for the week, and possible questions that might come up during your group meeting.
The rest is up to you. If questions pop up as you prepare the study material for your specific group, shoot me an e-mail (smallgroups at christianitytoday.com). If you have a great idea for an icebreaker or activity, or if you think of something cool that I've left out, send it my way. And most especially, if questions or great ideas pop up after you use this material in your group, please send them to me. Your experiences and insights will prove invaluable to those whose groups are going to meet later in the week.
I'll do my best to get your questions and ideas posted here, and then our community of group leaders can continue to ask and answer questions using the Comments feature on the blog.
Sound good? Good! Let's get to Week 1.
Continue reading Dot Com(unity) Week 1...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 10:41 AM on March 30, 2009 | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)
March 24, 2009
Instructions for Your Free Bible Study
Get 'em while they're hot!
Okay, we'll be starting our first Dot Com(unity) co-learning experience on Monday, March 30—less than a week away! On that day I will post some suggested icebreakers and activities to supplement your study during the week. I'll also be blogging about different challenges that might come up during discussions. And I really, really hope that all of you will post comments and e-mail me throughout the week about what's going on in your group sessions. (Please!)
Oh, and if this is the first time you've heard about Dot Com(unity), check out our introductory post here. (If you haven't noticed, I'm really excited about doing this together!)
Now for the main event: the instructions for your free download.
Continue reading Instructions for Your Free Bible Study...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 7:59 AM on March 24, 2009 | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)
February 25, 2009
What Is Dot Com(unity)?
Take a closer look at this innovative learning experience.
I'm very excited to announce an innovative new learning tool that will be featured right here on the Small Group Dynamics blog. Actually, it's not exactly a tool. It's more like a co-learning experience.
Here's the basic idea: I want to gather a large number of small-group leaders from across the country (and the world) who will committ to studying the same material in their groups at the same time. In other words, I want to have small groups in Texas and Maryland and Chicago and New Zealand all work through the same Bible study.
Why would anyone do such a thing, you ask? The answer is pretty simple: So we can learn together.
Let's be honest about something here: leading a small group is tough work. To lead well takes a lot of effort and study and emotional energy, not to mention a lot of time. But what if you as a group leader had access to an extended group of people who could help? What if you could talk with a group leader who successfully solved the problem your group is facing now? What if you could talk with someone who already tried that icebreaker and knows whether or not it will work? What if you could get your questions answered--and help answer the questions of others, as well?
That's my vision for Dot Com(unity).
posted by Sam O'Neal at 1:53 PM on February 25, 2009 | Comments (11) | Trackbacks (0)
