One of the greatest blessings is when a small group begins to feel like a family, but that is also one of the greatest dangers as well if it prohibits others from experiencing the same thing. Are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of others?
Christians should know better than anybody that no one is too far gone. We serve a God who has done the impossible time and time again. So when people come to church in dire situations, do you still believe that there is hope?
The church should be the most friendly, outgoing, warm, hospitable group of people in all the world, but that has not been all of our experiences. The longer we belong, the more difficult it is to remember what it was like before we did.
We all want those people in our lives who will ensure we never walk through dark days alone, but are we that kind of friend to others? Do we provide what we actually expect? To grow deeper relationships takes time and effort. It’s time to go the second mile in intentional availability.
You are committed to a church. That’s great, but how do you navigate the complexities of life when most of the challenging moments happen outside of your church gatherings? We need each other more than once a week.
As the people of God, we need relationships with one another, but we often settle for names on a role instead of relationships for life. Impactful relationships always start with intentionality. We have to commit to being together. It’s time to go the second mile in rejecting shallow relationships.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to help one another follow Him ever more so closely. But how exactly are we supposed to do that? It starts by being intentional with one another regarding our personal commitments to Jesus. It’s time to go the second mile in creating careful accountability.
As your small group gathers, your lesson plan can include robust theology, interactive questions, thought-provoking activities, and memorable illustrations, but if it doesn’t translate to application, you are missing out. It’s time to go the second mile in experiencing intentional accountability.
You can listen to the greatest sermons, hear the greatest teachers, read the greatest books, and subscribe to all the greatest posts, but you aren’t actually destined to grow in Christ. Studying the Bible isn’t enough. It’s time to go the second mile in working toward biblical application over information.
We need each other. As Christians, we know that life is difficult and that it is unwise to attempt it alone. But how do we develop authentic relationships that maintain needed trust? Having a safe place to share life is vital. It’s time to go the second mile in having authentic and safe groups.
Getting a small group to talk is a challenge, but getting that overly excited conversationalist to talk less is even more challenging. We have all had that person who limits the opportunity for others to talk. How do you handle it? It’s time to go the second mile in handling the conversation monopolizer.
You know people in your church, but do you really know them? Do they really know you? Our suspicion of people grows by the year, and we will only experience minimal growth if we limit ourselves to reserved relationships.
Your church is as healthy as the groups assembled. Your groups are as healthy as the leaders available. Like it or not, the maturity of any group of people rises and falls on the pace that the leaders set. The leadership in your church is critical. It’s time to go the second mile with game-changing group leaders.
We’ve all had heroes in our lives. They are the people who inspire us to do better, to do more, and to make our lives count for something valuable. Your church needs the type of leaders that set the bar for others to follow in their example. It’s time to go the second mile with leaders worth imitating.
Within the church, we understand that we can’t have perfect leaders, but somewhere along the way, we’ve grown to accept pathetic leaders. What happens when we water down the requirements for leaders? The whole church drowns. It’s time to go the second mile with demanding for more than burdensome leaders.
We live in a time when the world is biblically illiterate. Why has this happened? It might be because the church has diminished its confidence in the knowledge and application of God’s Word. We need more than spiritual intentions, we need biblical truth. It’s time to go the second mile with your small group.
If you grow up going to church, you know that the most typical Bible study scenario is one where the teacher reads a verse and then asks the group, “What does that mean to you?” More than what it means to you, we need to know what it means to God. It’s time to go the second mile in discerning subjective truth.
Christians need to ground themselves in relationships that foster consistent community. When it comes to the content guiding small groups, the possibilities are endless. What if the numerous options for curriculum are actually stifling us? It’s time to go the second mile in discerning spiritual studies.
As the state of the world lengthens the timing of social distancing and normalizes our acceptance of it, we are in danger of becoming used to isolation. Loneliness is a standard emotion for many people and the consequences are devastating.
For most of my life, I have resisted using the term persecution to describe what any Christian had to endure in the United States of America. Compared to what brothers and sisters experience around the world, we have it easy, but it is changing. It will get worse.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. These words of Jesus still ring like counter-cultural absurdities in chaotic times just as they did when he first said them. But in a time of unrest, where else will this peace come from?
We live in a culture that has forgotten how to blush. The prophet Jeremiah said that about his people during his time, but I am pretty confident we can say the same thing now. As our standards slip, we find ourselves in a world cherishing sin like a virtue.
We have almost arrived at a new year. It’s a chance for new beginnings, but if we aren’t careful, we will carry 2020’s issues into 2021’s days. It’s been quite the year for us all. In the midst of all the stress, you’ve probably been hurt as well. How can you find relational peace? It’s time to go the 2nd mile in offering mercy.
Our cravings often direct our lives. Whatever we want most of all, whatever we think about most often, and whatever creates in us the deepest hunger will be the central directive in our lives. Have you ever considered how deep your hunger is for spiritual matters?
I grew up in a culture that teaches young men that nice guys finish last. If you want to find your way in this world, you have to trail blaze yourself to that reality. What we now see is a society plagued by millions of people trying to get ahead of each other. It’s time to go the second mile in developing strong meekness.
What causes you to be emotional? Is it sappy music or heart-stirring films? Do you get weepy at moving stories or happy reunions? Maybe you rarely feel emotions at all. What if I were to tell you that following Jesus should incorporate emotions?
We are taught to be strong. We are taught to have it all together. And if we are deficient, act like you are not. It’s the way we’ve always been taught, and it’s killing us. The strength we need is often in admitting our weakness. It’s time to go the second mile in acknowledging your spiritual bankruptcy.
We are on the verge of one of my favorite times of year – it is the Thanksgiving long weekend. Regardless of your specific traditions, these days are often characterized by food, family, and football, but for many of us, it’s also known for frustration. It’s time to go the second mile in having a peaceful family gathering.
We often obsess over things of which are not within our control. The concerns that occupy our minds are normally situations we can’t even influence. We can’t make changes regarding political policy, pandemic protocols, or worldwide worries. What can we do? It’s time to go the second mile focusing on what you can control.
Over a week after the election for President of the United States, much of the country still feels in limbo. With one side claiming victory and the other side refusing to concede, this process may continue for quite some time. Don’t feel helpless or hopeless. It’s time to go the second mile in praying for national leaders.
If you stayed up late last night hoping to learn the status of the presidential election, you woke up with two realizations: you’re tired and we still don’t know anything. With tensions high now and people on alert, how should Christians respond?
The United States of America is less than one week away from the polls closing on the 2020 election. Depending upon who wins, the administration will go in one of two very polarized directions. To what level should a Christian expect or desire?
How should a Christian determine the direction of his or her presidential vote? While no person has to know who you support, God will, so make sure you feel confident before him regarding your decision.
Every day we draw nearer to the most contentious election of our lifetimes, and every moment we come closer to living in the aftermath of half of a country who is infuriated by the results. How do we, as Christians, keep the main thing the main thing? It’s time to go the second mile in protecting commissioned objectives.
No matter how hard we try, we cannot escape from the increasing political tension. While we are one month from the presidential election, we are in the middle of numerous controversies. As a disciple of Jesus, don’t get caught into traps laid out for us. It’s time to go the second mile in avoiding political extremes.
People have always maintained different opinions on world issues, but, due to the rise of social media, everyone has an opportunity to broadcast and amplify their voices more than ever before. How can we endure the next few weeks in a tense election season? It’s time to go the 2nd mile in learning to be slow when speaking.
As disciples of Jesus, we have the good news that this world needs to hear, but are we sharing it? Instead of waiting for people to come to you in need, have you ever considered inviting them to walk with you as you follow Jesus? I promise that it’s not as difficult as you think it is. It’s time to go the 2nd mile in bringing friends along.
As our world continues to polarize its citizens into different camps, how should Christians respond? Instead of retreating from this world, we need to be blessing this world. Your city should be a blessed place because of your church’s involvement in it.
When times are difficult, it makes it easier for us to justify sin. As the pressures of 2020 rise, do you find it easy to excuse yourself for wayward behavior? Now is not the time to give in to sin, but to push towards obedience.
For anyone who has committed to a local church but never felt connected, I want to help you. The reason some never experience deep relationships is because interaction is never pursued outside the weekly gathering. You can’t connect through 1 hour a week. It’s time to go the 2nd mile in committing to intentional checkups.