How leaders can grow in the skill to facilitate Spirit-directed ministry

Leaders carry the responsibility to promote, discern and facilitate the ministry of the Holy Spirit among His people. This calls for leaders with purity in heart, boldness and trained discernment. So how can we grow in this skill?

Scripture

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

19  Do not quench the Spirit. 20  Do not despise prophecies, 21  but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22  Abstain from every form of evil.

Observation and reflection questions

1. In a general sense, what does it mean to “not quench the Spirit”? What within an individual or assembly could “quench the Spirit”? (verse 19)

·         What does this suggest of the task of leadership in promoting and facilitating the ministry of the Holy Spirit?

2. What does it mean to “test everything”?

3. How do you think verse 19 and 20 relate to each other?

·         What does this suggest of the task of leadership in promoting and facilitating the ministry of the Holy Spirit within an assembly?

4. Consider the context of the instruction to “not despise prophesy”; how do you think verses 20- 22 relate to verse 19?

·         What does this suggest of the task of leadership when individuals starts ministering in the group?

·         What does this suggest of the responsibility of leadership in facilitating the work of the Holy Spirit within an assembly?

Personal Reflection and Application

The responsibility of leadership is to promote, discern and facilitate the ministry of the Holy Spirit among His people – because there are false prophesies stemming from wrong motives or deceptive spirits – yet leaders should never allow tradition, competition, fear or control to quench the Holy Spirit within an assembly.  This calls for leaders with purity in heart, boldness and trained discernment.

1. Do you frequently bring words of prophesy to your congregation or small fellowship group?  Why, or why not?

2. Do you recall a time when the Holy Spirit prompted you to share or speak or do something, yet you resisted and quenched Him?  Pray about that now and ask the Lord to forgive you for quenching his Spirit.

2. When last were you corrected when bringing a word of prophesy (either directly or indirectly)?

• How did (or would) you feel when being corrected?
• How should you feel when being corrected?
• Pray for a love for discipline leading to life and growth, and a resistance towards offence.

3. Think of your own fellowship group.

• How do you promote prophesy and other Spirit-directed ministry?  How could you promote it?
• How often do you make time to wait on the Lord for prophesy and Spirit-directed ministry?
• How do you test prophesy?  How should you test prophesy?
• How do you obey these prophetic utterances?  How should you?

Pray about your answers here – ask the Lord to help you fan the flame of the Spirit in your fellowship group, and to not quench Him.

 

How leaders can grow in the skill to facilitate participation

Some people lead well, other even lead strong.  But mature leaders produce leaders, because they have grown in the skill to recognize potential, encourage faith and train for skill. Be that leader!

Scripture

2 Timothy 2:1-10

1  You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2  and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

3  Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4  No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5  An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6  It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7  Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

8  Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9  for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10  Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Observation and reflection questions

Context: Paul is writing his last words of encouragement to Timothy with much affection, before his anticipated execution.

1. How does Paul liken his relationship to Timothy? And how can you see it played out in this text?
2. Considering the context sketched in verse 1, what does Paul essentially call Timothy to do in 2? And why does he do it? Give two possible practical reasons.
3. What are the qualifications of the people Timothy ought to select for service? In broader terms, what should Timothy look for in the people around him before delegating them for service?
4. As a father to a son Paul gives instructions to Timothy in verses 2-7; in your own words explain what Paul wants Timothy to do and teach others. [Note the metaphors Paul speaks in – in your answer speak without metaphors].
5. As a father to a son Paul gives his life as living example for Timothy to emulate in verses 8-10. In your own words describe the example Paul leaves young Timothy to follow in these verses.
6. What then is the task of the leader of facilitator, considering the diversities of gifts and abilities within a group?

Personal Reflection and Application

Paul helped Timothy to grow from being a mature Christian man to become a father in the Spirit: to move beyond leading and teaching well but also to enable and entrust others to grow into maturity and leadership, considering a proper character and skill for a specific task.

1. Think of your fellowship group or work group.

• If you were to write them a letter highlighting three areas in which they would do good to copy your life (how you live to serve Christ daily) – what would it be?
• Paul instructed Timothy to look for people who can help in ministry, considering their character and skills. List two to four people in your group whom you can delegate aspects of your fellowship’s programme to, considering their faithfulness and their skills. [Before appointing these people it I always wise to speak to a mature Christian who knows you and the person well and get his or her input].
• Paul kept encouraging and instructing Timothy after delegation; how will you ensure a relationship where the person grows and feels encouraged in serving Christ and the group in this way? How will you inspire and direct these people in future?

Prayer

Thank God for your examples in faith and life – highlighting one in particular.  Pray a prayer of blessing over that person.  Thank God for who and what he has entrusted to you, and prayerfully consider your life as example of faith and godliness to these people.  Then pray for the people you consider entrusting tasks to – that they may grow in in the knowledge and grace of Jesus our Lord and Savior (2 Peter 3:18).

Leaders must grow in the skill to facilitate sincere and passionate worship

Christians are essentially worshipers of the Triune God; Christian leaders must grow in the skill to inspire, direct and facilitate worship!

You don’t need to be a musician to facilitate worship! This practical and encouraging video teaching by Theo Burmeister will help small group leaders to facilitate worship when you gather.

Scripture

Psalm 105:1-6

1 Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,
and make his deeds known among the people.
2 Sing to him! Praise him!    Declare all his awesome deeds!
3  Exult in his holy name;    let all those who seek the Lord rejoice!
4 Seek the Lord and his strength;    seek his face continually.
5 Remember his awesome deeds that he has done,

his wonders and the judgments he declared.
6 You descendants of Abraham, his servant,  You children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

Observations

Context: This Psalm is a call and instruction to corporate worship.

1. In your own words, what does the psalmist call the congregation to do in each phrase of the psalm above? Rewrite these as practical steps or instructions for corporate worship.

Personal reflection and application

Many of the psalms were written as examples or deliberate instructions on why, how and when to worship God. Christian leaders can use these as baseline for inspiring and facilitating worship – even without musical instruments!

1. Would you call yourself a worshipper of God? When and how do you worship God by yourself? What do you enjoy doing when you worship?
2. How confident are you to facilitate worship? If you had no music with you, how would you do it?
3. Read through this psalm line by line, and follow the example or instruction to give thanks and praise to God in your own words.
4. At your next fellowship, prayer or Bible Study session, start the meeting by leading the group to worship God together in this way.

 

Leaders should grow in the skill to facilitate Spirit-driven ministry

Good Christian leaders are skilled in discerning the leading of the Holy Spirit, helping others follow His working and creating space for them to minister in God’s power.  Life is not a one-man-show!

Scripture

1 Corinthians 14:26-33

26  …When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. 27  If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28  But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. 29  Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30  If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. 31  For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32  and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33  For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.

 

Observation and reflection questions

Context: The Apostle Paul is addressing the issue of order and clarity in the very spiritual congregation in Corinth.

1. Paul is giving clear instructions in this letter about how to conduct yourself in a Christian assembly. Why? (verses 32-33)

• What does this suggest of the task of leadership even when the Holy Spirit prompts and empowers individuals for ministry?

2. What must remain the motive for spirit-directed ministry? (verse 26)

• What does this suggest of the task of leadership when individuals starts ministering in the group?

3. This epistle was written to a highly spiritual, disorganized congregation. Would you expect the congregation to be perfectly peaceful and ordered after these instructions was read?

• What does this suggest of the task of leadership to order ministry?

4. Note verse 26 regarding preparation for ministry. What does this suggest about the Holy Spirit’s work before the group assembles?

• What does this suggest of the task of leadership and the Holy Spirit’s prompting and empowerment of individuals for ministry?

5. In some communities there may be a hesitation to flow in the spiritual gifts as deemed normative in this portion of Scripture. Considering the portion of Scripture, what should the leader do to promote and facilitate the ministry of the Holy Spirit among gifted believers?

Personal Reflection and Application

The Lord is Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17) and ministers to people by gifting and prompting his children to speak and act in faith.  Yet leadership is still required to facilitate this working – to preserve order and ensure sincerity and accuracy, so that God’s peace may remain the seal for His work.

1. Think of your own fellowship group.

• How much freedom is there for Spirit-prompted and –directed ministry?
• How much freedom and power to you give to others to lead as the Holy Spirit prompts?
• How much order is there during Spirit-prompted and –directed ministry?
• How much security and peace do you ensure by marinating order?
• Following the pattern in this epistle, what can you do to insure more effective Spirit-directed ministry? Do this for/ at the next fellowship meeting. [hint: preparation, delegation, inspiration…?]

Prayer

Thank God His Holy Spirit’s empowerment and guidance.  Do you tend to quench and ignore His prompting? The confess and repent of this.  Do you tend to neglect leadership and maintain order and peace?  Then confess and repent of this.  Ask for inspiration and boldness to lead in the next fellowship group.

Leaders should grow in the skill to facilitate participation

Skilled leaders have grown in the art of inviting and enabling others to make valuable contributions to the task at hand.  This both gives value to the individuals and greatly enhance the realization of the goal.

Enjoy this short video of how to Cause Participation and invite the contributions of other in your small group, by Kobus Meyer.

Scripture

1 Corinthians 12:4-18

4  Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5  and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6  and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

7  To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8  For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10  to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11  All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 12  For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ…

14  For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15  If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17  If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18  But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.

Observation and reflection questions

1. Carefully study verses 4-6. Note the emphasis on (a) different abilities (b) from the same source. In your own words rephrase four phrases from these three verses that essentially says “the same ____ gives different ______”
2. Why does Paul say the Spirit gives different gifts to people within the congregation? What does the Lord wish to accomplish in doing this? (verses 7-12)
3. Consider the body metaphor in verses 14-18. Can you suggest one phrase that summarizes what Paul is meaning to say here? (in your own words)
4. What is the resultant attitude members should have towards one another? (can you think of one word that captures this attitude best?)
5. What then is the task of the leader of facilitator, considering the diversities of gifts and abilities within a group?

Personal Reflection and Application

It is scripturally impossible for one person to fully develop and nourish a congregation, because God gifts different people to build up a congregation as he wills. No one person can do it, so a leader must grow in the skill to invite and coordinate participation according to the abilities within the group.

1. Think of your fellowship group or work group.

• What is the unique contribution that you bring to this group? What is your best strength within this group by which you can help or enhance them?
• List the strengths and abilities of two other people within this group that can bless or enhance this group’s health or purpose.
• Think of the person with whom you clash or differ with most; in which way can this person contribute which you can not?
• What can you do to (a) call out, (b) enhance and (c) facilitate these unique gifts within the group?

2. At the next meeting with this group use the opportunity to affirm and encourage these strengths and anilities of these people.

Prayer

Thank God for your unique gifts, and declare yourself available to serve people with these gifts.  Pray that God will open your eyes to see the strengths, gifts and abilities within the people around you and grant you grace to facilitate and encourage them as you work together in unity.

Leading Small Groups

What is the point of small group meetings?  Why should I bother to go?

Look at this excellent overview of the benefits of Small Group Meetings by De Waal Esterhuyzen to give a contemporary context to today’s small group leaders study(found at https://youtu.be/avw0apqOP18).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avw0apqOP18

Scripture

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)

24  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,  25  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Observations

Context: The letter to the Hebrews was probably written to a specific congregation in Rome early in Nero’s persecution of Christians (AD 62); these fearful believers apparently intended to revert to some form of Judaism (a legally recognized religion in Rome) in the hope of escaping the impending persecution.

1. Consider the context given above. Why do you think did the author need to exhort the readers to attend regular fellowship meetings?  What could be the cost of associating with other Christians disciples in this context?
2. According to the author (and its readers) is it possible to be a Christian disciple and not attend regular fellowship meetings? Why do you say so?
3. Let’s study this powerful exhortation by putting each of the phrases in our own words:
   1. “Let us… stir up… [and] encourage one another…”
   2. “…to love”
   3. “…to …good works”
   4. “Let us consider how to stir up one another…”
4. What is meant by the last phrase of this text: “25 not neglecting to meet together, but encouraging one another all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” What DAY is he referring to, and why is that inserted there?

Application

The author writes to a fainthearted, unfaithful congregation fearing the wrath of Nero.  He instructs them to remain faithful in their assemblies – amidst the fear of suffering and even death – and in doing so, they must be intentionally creative as they encourage one another to grow in loving character and benevolent deeds that represent Jesus well.

1. In the light of this text and its context, what would you say to a small group member who says “small group meetings are useless” or “dead religious works”? How would you motivate him/ her to “not neglect the assembly of the saints?” (v25)
2. In your opinion, how does your small group members’ attitude towards your meetings correspond with our text of today (Hebrews 10:24-25)? How can you clarify or improve it?
3. What is your motive and attitude when preparing for and leading your small group? How does it correspond our devotional text of today (Hebrews 10:24-25)?
4. In your opinion, how encouraging are your small group meetings? Do members feel motivated to grow in Christ-like character and excel in good works? What can you do to make these meetings more encouraging?
5. Think of one member of your small group, and do as the author instructs: “consider how you can encourage [him/her] to grow in love and good works” (v24). Pray and write down something specific that will help this person grow in Christlikeness, then send that person a message now, asking them when you can meet/talk to encourage them.

Prayer

Thank God for the gift of Christian fellowship.  Pray about your thoughts and feelings in light of this text.  Then ask the Lord to help you become a faithful and creative disciple-maker growing every person in your small group to be more loving with more good deeds.