Groups Blog

REVELATION
Week 7
Group Leader Guide for use September 18-24, 2011
Directions: This guide provides a menu of teaching and discussion materials to help in leading your group. Please select and use the materials that best suit your group.

FOR THE LEADER:

The Main Point - God has called the Church to grow and continue to reach people in His name. As members of the Church we have to be participants in the vision by joining together and“running the ball” in order to advance against the enemy.

Sermon Recap:

The Church has been commissioned to reach the world for Jesus. That starts within the walls of our building, but it most certainly does not end there. It is our responsibility to carry the Church’s vision to the ends of the earth.

It’s impossible to do that alone. God has given us the opportunity to learn together, grow together, and serve together. By banding together in the name of the Lord, whether through service or through small groups, we can make the biggest difference when saved people save people, when found people find people, and when we realize that we can’t do life alone.

Biblical Background:

(Genesis 2:18, Proverbs 13:20, 1 Corinthians 15:33, Acts 2:42-47) From the beginning, God created us with a desire for relationships.  He designed us for community with him and also for community with other people.  He even says in Genesis 2 that “it is not good for man to be alone.”  Proverbs offers a great deal of wisdom about the company we keep, and specifically says in Proverbs 13 that “he who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”  Likewise, 1 Corinthians 15 cautions us that “bad company corrupts good character.”  We can see a great picture of community in the early church in Acts 2; it was foundational in the church’s structure and in the lives of believers.  In fact, it even records that the Lord continued to draw people to salvation as a result of the community that the people had formed there.

ICEBREAKER:

This past Sunday was the tenth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks of 2001.

• Thinking back to that time ten years ago, what kind of reactions did you see from the American people?
• What was it that brought people together under a common cause?
• How does this compare / contrast with being united for the cause of the Gospel today?

Segue – Unlike the 9/11 attacks, the message of Jesus Christ is a powerful and ageless bond that brings us together and never fades. When the Church comes together and moves the ball, there is no stopping it.

Activity Option:

What’s your next step? What do you need to do get in the game? Maybe it is time for you to sign up to volunteer at your local NewSpring campus. You can stop by Guest Services this Sunday to learn how to get involved. Maybe your next step is baptism. You can stop by the Care Room this coming Sunday to get the ball rolling there. Or, maybe you need to reach out beyond the church walls. There are organizations near every NewSpring campus that will enable you to get within the community and show the love of Christ to those who may have never heard of His great love. Leaders: if you feel like you want to do this on an group basis, please contact your Groups Pastor to have options ready to discuss. Definitely challenge the members to seize the opportunity and take their next step regardless of what it is. If it feels appropriate, open the floor for members to share what their next steps are.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Leaders’ note: Answers provide Bible verses for the group to look at together as you reinforce the Bible as the guide and source for victorious living.

Q: One of the core values of NewSpring Church, “Found people find people,” reflects the importance of evangelism in a lost world. How can we, as Christians, practically embrace opportunities to evangelize?

A: Acts 17:22-34, 26:1-23; John 4:10-26

It is important to realize that God created us as creative beings. Consider the examples we see in Scripture: Jesus constantly spoke using parables—common everyday examples that illustrated spiritual truths. He was fully aware of the culture around Him and used them as a natural part of His conversations. When speaking to the Samaritan woman in John 4, Jesus used a familiar item - the well - to help illustrate his point. When Paul spoke at Mars Hill in Acts, he used the altar to the unknown God he came across to help the Athenians better understand the Gospel. Also, it is important to realize that even obstacles can be turned into awesome opportunities. When Paul appears before Agrippa in Acts 26, it’s easy to forget what led him there. He was betrayed and arrested in Jerusalem where he had opportunity to preach before the Sanhedrin. After escaping a death plot there, he was brought before Felix, the Roman governor. Every one of these hardships led him to audiences he would not have otherwise had. In today’s context, we are not likely to encounter serious hardships spreading the gospel, as it would be very unlikely to encounter the same difficulties as Paul. It is our job as Christians to joyfully spread Jesus to a dark world.

Q: Another core value of NewSpring Church, “You can’t outgive God,” leads to our understanding of giving back to our church in tithing. What are the principles behind tithing and why is it so important?

A: Malachi 3:10-18; Proverbs 3:9-10; Psalm 50:7-15; Luke 12:32-34

There are principles behind tithing that have nothing to do with the money itself. Tithing reflects our obedience and our surrender—when God asks us for something, we should be willing to give it freely and gladly as it teaches us trust. Surrendering ten percent of our gross income is scary, especially if we have little to begin with. He does not want us to be His slaves; He asks for obedience because it glorifies Him and fulfills us. He has the advantage of knowing all things through all time and sees pitfalls and problems in front of us way before we could even imagine them. When we are obedient, He can smooth our paths. God has no particular need for our money because all things under creation are His. All He wants is our joyful willingness to give whatever He asks of us. God asks for our money because He knows that money is one of man's most significant stumbling blocks. Greed and fear force us to hold tightly to our money. Many people worship money and will do whatever it takes to get it and keep it. When we are able to freely and joyfully give our money to God, we experience a freedom that we could never earn. Our obedience in financial giving reveals a maturity of character that God treasures. When we honor Him with our financial obedience, He blesses us.

Q: Why is it important for believers to have a vision for their lives and for the church? 

A: Proverbs 29:18; Ephesians 3:20-21; Mark 16:14-18

Proverbs 29:18 says “Where there is no vision people perish.”  Vision is extremely powerful; those who are driven by it have their spirit renewed and are inspired to achieve great things for the Lord. Those who do not have vision perish emotionally, spiritually and influentially.  We know that the Lord came to give us eternal life, but He also came to save us from a directionless, self-serving life on earth.  He wants our time on earth to have meaning and for us to be fulfilled in Him. Through His powers that are working within our lives, he wants to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ever comprehend. The Lord has clearly laid His vision and that is for the story of the Gospel to spread throughout the world.  We should embrace this as our vision and live it out!

Q: How can we as owners of NewSpring embrace and advance the vision of the church?

A: 1 Peter 3:15-16; Hebrews 10:23-25; 2 Timothy 4:1-5; Phillipians 2:14-16

We must first believe that the vision will be fulfilled by His power working in our lives to reach others.  As owners of this church, we must trust in the senior leadership knowing their decisions are Spirit led.  We should pray daily for our leaders and the vision they have laid out for our church.  We should also be asking the Lord what He is calling us to do to help it be fulfilled.  Through Scripture we already know that it is our responsibility to share the Gospel and to be ready to give an account for what we do with Jesus and our personal testimonies.  But what special talents or interests exist within you that you can draw upon to support the vision?

We must support the direction of the church by lifting fellow believers up, just as the Bible tells us to be rooted and established in love, stirring up love and good works.  Volunteering is an excellent way to do this. It allows us to consistently meet with fellow believers, encourage one another and reach out to non-believers all at the same time.

We should strive to be blameless, so that we will be “authentic” in reaching the lost.  We must prepare ourselves daily to do this by developing the mindset of a humble servant who esteems others above ourselves.  We put this in motion by identifying a need and meeting it.  It can be as simple as a kind word to a stranger, but its impact is powerful.  Through service we are able to relay the grace and love first shown to us by Jesus.

Ultimately there is one Church and one body of believers. Embrace the vision of reaching 100,000 with eternity in mind!

Q: In football, a team can not win if it is divided against itself. Could the same be true about the Church regarding its efforts to reach more for the Kingdom?

A: Philippians 2:1-8; Ephesians 4:1-6

Just like a football team, the Church can not succeed if it faces division within itself. If we as the Church (or as individuals within it) become selfish, vain, self-seeking and negative, it will disrupt unity - which will, in turn, harm our witness. We cannot reach as many people for Christ if we are fighting, slandering, inward-focused and/or distracted, just as a football team cannot win if any of these situations are present within its boundaries. All of our eyes and hearts should be set on the same goal, to win people for Christ and grow His church, and this cannot be done if our eyes are on ourselves only.

L.E.A.D.S. Application:
The heart of NewSpring home groups is summarized by the acronym L.E.A.D.S.:

L – learn the Bible together
E – embrace serving together
A – assist one another
D – devote ourselves to generosity
S – send people out to start new groups

This week, let’s focus on embracing serving together. Just as your favorite football team works together to advance the ball down the field, we have an awesome opportunity to serve together as the body to advance the church.

Romans 12:10-11 says, “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

Christ works through believers answering His calling on their lives. Jesus asks us to trust Him one step at the time - for our good and His glory!

At NewSpring, we love that saved people serve people, and that they have so much fun doing it. Allow for time for your group members to share about their passions and how Jesus has given them an opportunity to live out this passion through service. Through sharing stories of the life change they have seen in the ministry in which they serve, and also examples of how they have been immensely and deeply blessed while serving, this could encourage members to continue sacrificing to serve and also inspire others to commit to a service area in NewSpring Church.

You can also use this time to talk about serving your community as a group. Whether you have an outlet in which your group has been serving the past couple of terms and you are hoping for some fresh ideas to best meet needs in that outlet, or if you are a new group looking for a service outlet, you can ask your group for feedback regarding service opportunities outside the walls of the church. This would be a great time to plant a seed in their minds, so your group members can keep their ears peeled and hearts and minds open for service areas that God reveals to them during the next weeks as groups continue. As the term progresses, your group can follow God’s leading to the service opportunity through which your group can serve your community as God’s hands and feet to a world that needs to know Him and His love.

Prayer Time Idea:

A great way to close with impact could be to ask you group to share what God is asking them to do personally to protect and carry the football/vision of NewSpring church. Is their next step salvation, baptism, getting in the Word and prayer daily, committing to receiving the encouragement of a home group on a weekly basis, finding their “sweet spot” of volunteering, or claiming God’s strength to share Jesus with that person that the Holy Spirit keeps impressing on their heart? Allow for time for each person to share what role they feel like God is asking them to play in His “playbook” right now. Encourage them that God will give them faith to trust Him and His provision, and is going to use their story for His glory. Jesus won the victory on the cross and by defeating death and wants to live it out in and through us!

You can close by thanking God for the cross and the exciting, amazing, and growing vision His sacrifice and love casts for us personally and also collectively as His church. Thank Him for the mighty things we have seen Him do and for what He is going to do - we know that “the best is yet to come.”

When you go to an ATM, you have three basic choices: withdraw, deposit or check your balance. Deposits add value to the account. Withdrawals take away value.

Consider the greatest commandment in the Bible. “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'” Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV)

Just like the ATM, I can make a withdrawal or a deposit in some one's life. When I show love to a person, I am making a deposit and I am obeying the greatest commandment. When I make a deposit I am adding value. I`m building up reserves. God is pleased when we love Him by loving others. On the other hand, if I am selfish, if I seek my own way, if I fail to serve, then I am withdrawing from this personal account.  I am taking value away. The other person is not blessed, God is not pleased, and I really don’t have much to show for it either.

The third thing I can do at the ATM is check my balance. This is always a smart thing to do. You might even think you know the balance, but it never hurts to keep track. Just like in your bank account, every relationship has a running balance. It might be big or it might be small. It might even be negative. Never try to get more out of a relationship than you put in to it.

The Greatest Commandment teaches us to deposit into the lives of others – to keep on adding value – to keep our balances high. Good things happen in a relationship if your balance is high. Strong relationships are always give and take. But if you give more than you take, everyone is happy.

Consider the balance right now in your small group relationships. Is it high? If not, or if you don’t know, then make a deposit. Do something nice. Serve in some way. Give of yourself.

We're so excited that you said "yes" to leading a NewSpring Group for the Spring 2011 Season! We can't wait to see what Jesus is going to do in your life through this experience. If at any point you have questions, please email our staff at groups@newspring.cc. We are here to help you be successful and we want to hear your stories! Below you will find what you need to get started leading a NewSpring small group.

We’re asking you to lead a NewSpring Group for 4 months using NewSpring’s group material and schedule. You don’t have to be a religious professional or have specialized training to lead a group (Acts 4:13). You need to love Jesus, love NewSpring, and love people. We’ll help with the rest.

Check out our group schedule for this spring:

Ramp and Rev – During this time, we encourage you to invite people to your new group. A great place to start is among those who attend NewSpring already but are not connected in a group. Beginning January 30^th, NewSpring Church will ask guests to sign up for a group. You will receive requests via email from guests wanting to be in your group and you’ll respond with a big “hello!” You’ll tell them your first meeting time and location too. The number of people that sign up for your group will vary, so it’s important that you focus on personal invitation to fill your group. Your kickoff meeting will be the week of February 20^th. . If you’re worried about what to say those first couple of weeks, don’t be. We’ve provided a list of things you should talk through with the group here. 

Run – For the next 14 weeks you’ll meet weekly and use the NewSpring Group Leader Guide to help you have great group discussions. The Group Leader Guide will help keep your group on track and help you LEAD a successful group. You’ll also get great leader tips and be able to keep up with the latest group opportunities at www.newspring.cc/groups.

Rest – We want people in groups to feel a high level of commitment, not obligation. That’s why we’re encouraging every group to take a break during the summer and winter holidays. This break will allow group members to change groups if they want and allow leaders to renew their commitment each semester.

Check out what we expect Groups to do.

Learn the Bible Together.  

Each week you’ll come together, share some snacks or maybe a meal, and then circle up to talk about Sunday’s message using the Group Leader Guide. It’s easy to use. The guide we provide will help you start and conclude dynamic group discussions. Each week your group members will be challenged to take a “next step” in their walk with Jesus because we believe that Growing People Change.

Embrace Serving Together.

Each semester your group will get the opportunity to serve together in the community. Opportunities are everywhere and you’re limited only by your group’s imagination. We’ll give you some ideas to help you get started because we believe that Saved People Serve People.

Assist One Another.

We all need someone to lean on. We were not designed by God to be lone rangers. Your group will be there for each other in good times and bad. You’ll challenge your group to care for one another because we all know that We Can’t Do Life Alone.  

Devote Yourselves to Generosity.  

In groups we’ll learn about generosity and we’ll challenge each other to be generous with our finances. Whether we send students to summer camp, send group members to Kenya, or reach into the community, our groups lead the way in generosity because we believe that We Cannot Out Give God.

Send People Out to Start New Groups.

It’s our hope that in NewSpring Groups lives would be changed by Jesus Christ. In order to have optimal impact, we’ll challenge group members who catch our vision to rise and LEAD. When someone is sent from their group to start a new group, we’ll celebrate together because we believe the Found People Find People.

So, in review, we are asking you to do?

LEAD a NewSpring Group for 4 months using our group materials and schedule.

What do you talk about in the group?

Use the Group Leader Guide to have great group discussions. 

What are you trying to accomplish?

We want to see lives changed by Jesus. Our plan is to Learn, Embrace, Assist, Devote, and Send together. 

We truly believe that Jesus changes lives. As a group leader you will help point group members toward Jesus. As a NewSpring Group Leader you will see life change. Begin talking to your friends, neighbors and family about getting into a NewSpring group!

Your First Meeting Instructions:

Be yourself. Take some time to talk with your guests over a simple snack like chips and salsa. Make everyone feel welcome. Make sure to get everyone’s name, telephone number and email address for future communication. Remember, you’re goal for this first meeting is to 1) help everyone connect with one another and 2) explain what the group will be doing.

Take some time to let everyone get to know each other.  Here are some useful first meeting icebreaker questions:

• How long have you been coming to NewSpring?
• What brought you to NewSpring?
• What’s kept you coming back to NewSpring?
• What are you looking to get out of being in a group?

Talk about what you’re expecting this group to be about.
“We are going to…”

Learn the Bible Together.  Each week we’ll come together, share some snacks or maybe a meal, and then circle up to talk about Sunday’s message with our Bibles open. Each week we’ll be challenged take a “next step” in our walk with Jesus.

Embrace Serving Together. This fall we’ll get the opportunity to serve together in the community. We’re going to come up with a project and serve together outside the walls of this house.

Assist One Another. We all need someone to lean on. We were not designed by God to be lone rangers. Our group will be there for each other in good times and bad. 

Devote Ourselves to Generosity. In groups we’ll learn about generosity and we’ll challenge each other to be generous with our finances. There are all kinds of things we can do to be generous. Whether we help send students to summer camp, help send group members to Kenya, or reach into the community, we want to do everything we can to be generous.

Send People Out to Start New Groups. It’s our hope that in NewSpring Groups lives would be changed by Jesus Christ. In order to have optimal impact, we’ll challenge group members who catch our vision to rise and LEAD. When someone is sent from their group to start a new group, we’ll celebrate together because we believe the Found People Find People.

Explain to the group that we want this group to be a group where life change takes place. Of course, life change is the work of Jesus, but He hasn’t called us to sit idly by. He wants engaged in the process. What can we do?

• Bring your Bible every week and be open to change.
• Pray that Jesus would do something amazing in this group.
• Invite someone new to this group this week. We want to fill up our group. So, who are you going to invite? Personal invitation is the key. 

Make plans for next week’s group meeting. Who’s bringing what? We want your friends and family that you’ve invited to be drawn in by our group’s hospitality and personality. Make it fun.

Close the group by saying a short prayer. You could say something like this: “Jesus, thank you for an incredible night and an incredible group of people. We pray that you’ll give us lots of opportunities to invite people back to our kickoff party next week. Help us to know you better. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

If there’s time, take a few minutes to hang around and talk after the prayer. A typical group meeting should last no more than an hour and a half.

If you have any questions at all about leading your first meeting, please let us know. Email us at groups@newspring.cc.

When you go to an ATM, you have three basic choices: withdraw, deposit or check your balance. Deposits add value to the account. Withdrawals take away value.

Consider the greatest commandment in the Bible. “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'” Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV)

Just like the ATM, I can make a withdrawal or a deposit in some one's life. When I show love to a person, I am making a deposit and I am obeying the greatest commandment. When I make a deposit I am adding value. I`m building up reserves. God is pleased when we love Him by loving others.On the other hand, if I am selfish, if I seek my own way, if I fail to serve, then I am withdrawing from this personal account.  I am taking value away. The other person is not blessed, God is not pleased, and I really don’t have much to show for it either.

The third thing I can do at the ATM is check my balance. This is always a smart thing to do. You might even think you know the balance, but it never hurts to keep track. Just like in your bank account, every relationship has a running balance. It might be big or it might be small. It might even be negative. Never try to get more out of a relationship than you put in to it.

The Greatest Commandment teaches us to deposit into the lives of others – to keep on adding value – to keep our balances high. Good things happen in a relationship if your balance is high. Strong relationships are always give and take. But if you give more than you take, everyone is happy.

Consider the balance right now in your small group relationships. Is it high? If not, or if you don’t know, then make a deposit. Do something nice. Serve in some way. Give of yourself.