1. Health Determining Your Purpose “ You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)
2. Health Determining Your Purpose Concept of a Healthy Small Group “ Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” Acts 5:42 (NIV) Our Goal: What should we be aiming at as we seek to develop our groups?
3. Health Determining Your Purpose The basis of a healthy church should serve as the basis for a healthy small group. The Great _____________ (Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)) Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations ( Evangelism ) , baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ( Fellowship ) , and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you ( Discipleship ). The Great _______________ (Matthew 22:37, 39 (NIV)) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ( Worship ) Love your neighbor as yourself. ( Ministry )
4. Health Determining Your Purpose Our Purpose: What are the elements of a healthy small group? Five elements (Acts 2:42-47). 1. Discipleship “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…” 2. Fellowship “They joined in the fellowship…They ate together with glad and sincere hearts…” 3. Worship “Everyone was filled with awe…” 4. Ministry “They gave to anyone as he had a need…” 5. Evangelism “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
5. Health Determining Your Purpose Our purpose is to see these things lived out in the life of our groups.
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7. Health Determining Your Purpose 6. A balanced group vs. unbalanced Determining how well you are balancing the purposes starts with the Health Assessment .
8. Health Determining Your Purpose Take a moment to determine how balanced your group is. Using the results from the Health Assessment and the Group Health Plan, chart out your group’s health on the pie chart on the first page of the Group Health Plan. Now take a moment to look at what you have written: Where is your group the strongest? Which purpose is your lowest score? Are you surprised by the results?
9. Health Determining Your Purpose Context for Worship “ Therefore brothers I urge you, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice which is your spiritual service of worship.” Romans 12:1 (NIV) Understanding Worship At the heart of worship is a surrendering of your heart to God. Everything you do could be an act of worship. The expression of worship is more than music ; it is anything that brings pleasure to God.
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13. Health Determining Your Purpose Using the Group Health Plan, take a moment to think about the things you do to worship God in your group. Is the area of worship a strength or growth area for your group? Using the space provided, what things would you like to implement in your group to make worship a stronger component of your group time?
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17. Health Determining Your Purpose Using the Group Health Plan, take a moment to think about the things you do to fellowship as a group. Is the area of fellowship a strength or growth area for your group? Using the space provided, what things would you like to implement in your group to make fellowship a stronger component of your group time?
18. Health Determining Your Purpose Context for Discipleship “ My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.” Galatians 4:19 (NIV)
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22. Health Determining Your Purpose Using the Group Health Plan, take a moment to think about the things you do in discipleship as a group. Is the area of discipleship a strength or growth area for your group? Using the space provided, what things would you like to implement in your group to make discipleship a stronger component of your group time?
23. Health Determining Your Purpose Context for Ministry “ God has given gifts to each of you from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God’s generosity can flow through you.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)
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26. Health Determining Your Purpose Using the Group Health Plan, take a moment to think about the things you do in ministry as a group. Is the area of ministry a strength or growth area for your group? Using the space provided, what things would you like to implement in your group to make ministry a stronger component of your group time?
27. Health Determining Your Purpose Context for Evangelism “ I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me — to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.” Acts 20:24 (NCV)
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31. Health Determining Your Purpose Using the Group Health Plan, take a moment to think about the things you do in evangelism as a group. Is the area of evangelism a strength or growth area for your group? Using the space provided, what things would you like to implement in your group to make evangelism a stronger component of your group time?
