Nuts & Bolts

How to make community sermon prep more than a utopian dream.

While studying in community sounds good, the reality is that it’s a lot harder to begin and maintain that it may seem here. Because of this, it’s vital that some key elements are in place when developing such a group.

Developing Roots: It is impossible to develop a teaching pool by just studying together. Placing random people together in a group to study communally will hardly ever last. The disagreement and frustration that can happen in the dialogue require stronger ties. Instead, the group needs to be rooted in something deeper. The teaching pool described here spends time retreating together, praying for each other and even time simply relaxing with their families. These bonds hold things together when disagreements develop.

Freedom of Expression: It is vital to the group that each member feel valued and appreciated. Therefore, each person is free to express his or her viewpoint on the topic without feeling ignored or crowded out. This has to be stated from the outset and it’s even important to return to this every now and then to remind everyone that there is freedom to speak your ideas.

Truth in Love: Many times, the debate over theology or scriptural interpretation can turn into biting sarcasm and passionate responses. The problem is that our modes of communication can become focused only on speaking truth without worry of how we are saying it. It’s essential to remember to deliver your point of view in a way that maintains an atmosphere of love and acceptance. Ultimately, any disagreements need to be left in the room that they started in. Leaving and being upset is never an answer and will only split the group.

# posted by Matt Green : 8:28 PM