Neighborhood Groups
Core Ministries of Haven EPC • Sermon • Submitted
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Neighborhood Groups 101
Neighborhood Groups 101
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
6
“Cultivating an enjoyment in Christ in every area of life.”
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Discipleship and Evangelism
Discipleship and Evangelism
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
mt 28:16
42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.
Since the inception of the church group life has been the main strategy for discipleship and evangelism. It was not large building that God used to advance his causes, rather small homes.
What do we mean when we talk about “making disciples?”
The Big Book on Small Groups The Process of Disciplemaking
A disciple is a committed follower of Jesus Christ who seeks to live a life marked by continued growth in understanding and obedience
The Big Book on Small Groups The Process of Disciplemaking
But what do we mean when we talk about “disciples”? A disciple is a committed follower of Jesus Christ who seeks to live a life marked by continued growth in understanding and obedience.
What about this definition of discipleship sticks out to you?
Disciples are made only with great intention, never by accident. If we are not calling people to become disciples, and discipling them once they cross that line, no disciples will be made.
Our group model involves training group facilitators, and host homes. These roles are distinct, but they can also overlap.
Facilitate, Host or both?
Facilitate, Host or both?
1. A facilitator has a specific passion and gifting for leading group activities, gathering people, checking on people throughout the week.
2. A facilitator’s greatest tool are their ears. They listen to what people are saying through conversation, and seek ways of applying the gospel in the right context, at the right time.
3. A host has a genuine ability to make people feel they are at home, away from their home.
4. A host is ready to set an extra plate at the table, always thinking about new people to invite. And willing to share their home for the purposes of discipleship.
Building the Church
Building the Church
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Eph
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.
Neighborhood groups will open more possibilities for people to discover and use their gifts.
In what ways can NG help people discover, and use their spiritual gifts?
Becoming a Leader.
Becoming a Leader.
What does this mean a typical meeting needs to look like? What is the role of the host, the facilitator?
Every NG will have to think through the various details of this. Example: What day of the week works best for the group? Will there be food? Alcohol? Seating?
When you think about your meeting, describe what you see. The people, the conversation, the relationships, the seating arrangement, how people got to the group, what to do with kids?
What other logistical questions are there to think through concerning NG meetings?
Defining Success.
Defining Success.
28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:13
colo
1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
1 cor 2:
Managing Expectations and Metrics.
Managing Expectations and Metrics.
As my coach Matt Powell is always telling me, success is found in our faithfulness, not the outcome. The outcome of our work is outside our control.
When it comes to NG what is under our control? These are what we have to measure.
Personal holiness.
Inviting friends, family, enemies.
Personal commitment.
Increased gospel conversations.
What are other metrics we could measure to gauge success?
Praying Community
Praying Community
Praying Community
Praying Community
Becoming Neighborhood Group
Becoming Neighborhood Group
Neighborhood Groups are missional.
Neighborhood Groups are missional.
The Big Book on Small Groups What Do We Mean by “Mission”?
Mission is engaging in God’s plan to redeem the world by extending his kingdom into every race, language and nation. This definition could, conceivably, also be used to describe evangelism. But the focus of evangelism is people you have everyday contact with.
Neighborhood Groups are safe.
Neighborhood Groups are safe.
Neighborhood Groups are “informally” structured.
Neighborhood Groups are “informally” structured.
Neighborhood groups are flexible families that come together based on the relationships of people we live, work and pay with.
Structure is important, but so is flexibility. Lets look at a normal Neighborhood group meeting agenda:
Allow people to arrive, catch up, visit, introduce.
Share any announcements, vision pieces, prayer.
Share a meal.
Some kind of activity. For example, sermon recap, testimony, ethics discussion, enneagram discussion.
Take prayer request, close.
Alternative agendas can be added as necessary dependent on the group needs. For example:
Cook out night.
Story Night.
Night out on the town.
Service Project night.
Expectations and Commitment
Expectations and Commitment
NG will run the week of Sep 9th-the week of Nov 28th. We gathering sometime that week with all the groups to celebrate Friendsgiving. That’s 10 weeks of meeting.
This first time around I am ok with each group choosing the 1) the day the group will meet, 2) The time, 3) and the rotation between normal meetings and alternative meetings. We will revaluate this for the Spring semester.
What additional questions does everyone have?
As we close tonight we all have things to pray about. Who does the LORD want us to invite to our groups? What activities do the people in the group need to take their next step in obedience with Christ? All the logistic challenges.
By signing below you are not stating at this point you have everything figured out, but you are committing to the adventure that lies ahead. You are promising to make neighborhood groups a priority this semester. You are promising to love and to serve all that people that God is pleased to sen your way. You are promising to chase people far from Christ, and help encourage those close to him.
I Nathan Cotton, am committing to serve in Haven’s Neighborhood Groups ministry this Fall semester, depending on Christ for strength and endurance.