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Group Pastor Manual

Group Pastor Training Manual

(June, 2018)

Oakwood Community Church 11209 Casey Rd. Tampa, FL 33624

oakwoodfl.org / 813.969.2303

1 Group Pastor Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements 2

Section One -- Why Small Groups? 3

The Ultimate Purpose

The Biblical Mandate

The Historical Evidence

The Cultural Climate

The Practical Benefits

Section Two -- What Are Small Groups? 16

Definition

Mission

Motivation

Purposes

Values

Vision

Section Three -- Who Are Group Pastors? 32

Godly Character

Motivated By Love

Under-Shepherds

Develop a Group Pastor Intern

Nurture Growing Christians

Tend Wandering Christians

Delegate Administrative Tasks

Cultivate Seekers

Build Ministry Teams

Section Four -- How Does It Work? 53

Acceptance

Relationships

Discussions

Goals

Family

Vision

Appendices 71

Group Pastor Ministry Responsibilities A

Group Pastor Intern Ministry Responsibilities B

Host/ess Ministry Responsibilities C


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This manual was originally assembled by Pastor Mike Maggard and has gone through numerous revisions. This latest update in was by Pastor Darin

Anderson. Thanks are in order to:

Maggard, Mike, “Oakwood Lay Pastor Manual” Oakwood Community Church, Tampa, FL, 1995-1999

“Serendipity Advanced Small Group Training Conference Manual,” 1990.

Al and Lorraine Broom, “Care Circles,” Multiplication Ministries, Vista, CA.

Churches Alive!, “Growth Group Leader’s Guide,” San Bernardino, CA.

David L. Finnel, “Cell Group Basic Training,” 1993.Dale E. Galloway, “Lay Pastor Training Manual,” New Hope Community Church, Portland, OR.

Carl F. George, Prepare Your Church for the Future, Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H. Revell, 1991.

Charlie Ivans, “Lay Minister Training Manual,” Palomar Community Church, Vista, CA.

Robert M. Lewis, “Becoming a Community Group Leader,” Fellowship Bible

Church, Little Rock, AR.

Neal F. McBride, How to Lead Small Groups, Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1990.

Floyd VanDeburgh, “Leadership Development Group,” Fellowship Bible Church, Columbia, SC.


Why Does Oakwood

Community Church

Need An Effective

Small Group Ministry?

Small Groups are necessary because . . .

● the ULTIMATE PURPOSE is compelling

● the BIBLICAL MANDATE is clear

● the HISTORICAL EVIDENCE is abundant

● the CULTURAL CLIMATE is disturbing

● the PRACTICAL BENEFITS are undeniable


Small groups are necessary because . . . the ULTIMATE PURPOSE is compelling Think about it . . .

“The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”

The Westminster Confession of Faith, 1647

God’s Pursuit of His Own Glory

Scripture is clear that God created the universe to showcase His power and

majesty (Rom. 1:19-20). “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). The whole story of God’s work with Israel was to show His patience and mercy as a covenant-keeping God with a faithless and idolatrous people. “Thus says the LORD God: it is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name” (Ezek. 36:22).

God is committed to exalting Himself because there is nothing else worthy of our worship and devotion. Other things people put in the place of

God (idols) can never satisfy their deepest longings, for we were made to be happy in God alone. “My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13).

God’s Glory Revealed in Jesus

The full and final revelation of the character and glory of God is the person of

Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:2-3; Col. 1:15; John 1:1). “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Jesus’ arrival, life, death and resurrection were the centerpiece of history, the fulfillment of everything in the

Old Testament (Luke 24:27) and the culmination of salvation history.

Through His finished work, Jesus is able to provide “living water” to all who

come to Him in faith. “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14).

Review Sermon Series: Rejoice in the Lord - Fall 2017 - an exposition of Philippians


Our Deepest Desires Fulfilled

So our highest purpose and calling in life is to glorify God by fixing our joy in

Him. “Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, rejoice!” (Php. 4:4).

“Everyone wants to be happy… On the other hand, there is a great,

powerful, wise God… who will judge the world… Did we honor and thank Him? So we have to choose, right? My happiness or God’s glory…? My

desire to be happy and God’s desire to be glorified were not at odds… they were, in fact, one thing. When you enjoy somebody a lot you show everyone how important they are to you. We get the joy. God gets the glory… God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him.” John Piper, DesiringGod.org

Exposing and Destroying False gods

Anything we love, trust and obey other than God becomes an idol in our heart.

There are curses pronounced in Scripture for those who trust in people or in themselves (Jer. 17:5-6) and blessings promised for those who trust

wholeheartedly in the Lord (Jer. 17:7-8; Ps. 1:1-3).

“What is an idol? It is anything more important to you than God,

anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give… ‘If I have that,

then I’ll feel my life has meaning , then I’ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.’ There are many ways to describe that kind of relationship with something, but perhaps the best is worship.”

Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods

As we minister to people in small groups this is our ultimate purpose: to help

them trade their worship of false gods for total devotion to Jesus Christ, the fountain of life. This is a lifelong process for, “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9). Our idols hide themselves from others and most of all from our own perception.

This is why group ministry is so important to our spiritual growth. We have the tremendous privilege and weighty responsibility to help people examine their

own hearts to replace their idols and battle their temptations with the better promises of God’s Word. “Search me, O God, and know my heart… See if there

be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23-24).

Please review and utilize the seven minute video on the three trees here:

oakwoodfl.org/hope


Group Pastor Discussion - June 25, 2018

Objectives:

● Oakwood Leaders connect with and encourage one another. ● Small Group Leaders gain perspective on the big picture “WHY” for

group ministry and church ministry in general.

● Small Group Leaders experience a small group environment with intentional, Gospel-centered, application-oriented Bible study, personal

sharing and conversational prayer.

1. Welcome - 7:00-7:15 - arrival & refreshments

2. Connection - 7:15-7:25 - icebreaker (groups of 5-6)

○ What are you most looking forward to this summer?

○ What is your favorite summer memory ever?

3. Presentation - 7:25-7:40 - our Ultimate Purpose (pp. 4-5)

○ Video: the three trees (oakwoodfl.org/hope)

4. Discussion - 7:40-8:00 - Why are small groups necessary?

○ How have you found small group involvement helpful in your spiritual growth?

○ What are other practical benefits of small groups?

○ What are some Biblical reasons for small groups? ○ How do you invite someone to your small group? What motivations

do you appeal to?

5. Bible Study - 8:00-8:30 - (groups of 7-8)

○ Have someone read 1 Peter 1:3-9

WHAT DOES IT SAY? ○ What is the Apostle Peter saying here? Make some observations.

What stands out to you in this passage?

○ What has God done for us in Christ?

○ What are some reasons for suffering in the life of a Christian? (v. 6-

9) What is the ultimate purpose (v. 7b)?


SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

○ How can believers have joy even in the midst of terrible suffering?

○ Why is it so important to remember all God has done for us in Christ and all we have in Christ – both now and in the future?

○ How does our refining through fire (v. 7a) bring glory to God?

NOW WHAT DO WE DO? ○ What helps you to keep the ultimate purpose of life (to glorify God)

in mind? What distracts you from it?

○ What encourages you most in this passage?

○ What is hardest for you to believe or trust in or remain focused on?

6. Sharing - 8:30-8:45

○ What is one thing you are celebrating right now?

○ What is one thing you are concerned about right now? (Please be as personal and transparent as you can - sharing about yourself or your immediate family, rather than more general prayer requests

for friends / extended family.)

7. Prayer - 8:45-9:00

○ Let’s pray “popcorn” style - like a conversation. Please pray brief 2-3 sentence prayers on a single topic then stop. Let other people

pray for that same request, if they are led to, before introducing a new issue.

○ Let’s try to use the ideas and words in 1 Peter 1 as part of how we pray for each other. After 10-12 minutes (or when the topics run

out), someone can close the time of prayer.


Bad Fruit

How do you

react?

Good Fruit

Respon

d with love

“O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be

put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living water.”

Jeremiah 17:13

Bad Root What do

you want and

believe?

Good Root Trust, love,

worship and serve

God

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes

flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He

is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the

parched places of the

wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land… The heart is

deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can

understand it? ‘I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every

man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his

deeds.’”

Jeremiah17:5-6, 9-10

“Blessed is the man who

trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water,

that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its

leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Believe the Gospel

Trust fully in

Christ for

forgiveness and life

Adapted from How People Change by Timothy Lane and Paul Tripp

“Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be

healed; save me,

and I shall be saved, for you are

my praise.”

Jeremiah 17:14

Turn to

God in humility,

confession &

repentanc

e

Obey God

with sincere desire and

commitment

to make progress

Heat: What is your situation?

Thorns: How do you react?

What do you want and

believe?

Cross: Who is God and what does he say and do in Christ?

Fruit: How is God calling me

to seek him in repentance,

faith and commitment?


Small groups are necessary because . . . the BIBLICAL MANDATE is clear Think about it . . .

Of all the potential ministry and organizational formats available to the local church, small groups

have the greatest biblical support!

Old Testament Roots

God’s Nature. God exists in a “small group.” We use the term Trinity, a

term not found in the Bible, to describe the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The very nature of God is relational; the first name by which he reveals himself in Scripture, Elohim, is plural

(Genesis 1:1, 26). This foundational fact sets the stage for our seeking to facilitate relationships within our church through the use of small

groups.

The People of God. The concept of groups—of all sizes—is clearly evident in the Old Testament record of God’s Chosen People, the

Israelites.

Nation -- The Israelites were a chosen people group. God set

them apart from all other peoples on the face of the earth (Deuteronomy 7:6).

Tribe -- The house of Israel, by virtue of its descent from the

twelve sons of Jacob, was divided into twelve sub-groups or tribes (Genesis 49).

Clan -- The twelve tribes were further divided among groups of relatives, resulting in 57 clans or family groups (Exodus 6:14; Numbers 26).

Household -- Literally, house, the various clans were divided into multi-generational, extended family sub-groups that lived in or

around the same dwelling, including their servants and dependents, under a male family head (Genesis 50:8).

Father -- A husband and father, together with his wife and

children, was the smallest identified group within the Israelite community (Numbers 4:28).


New Testament Reality

Jesus as a Small Group Leader. Jesus is not only the believer’s preeminent model for godly character, he also provides the supreme

model for effective ministry. Notice these biblical characteristics of Jesus’ ministry:

Jesus began his earthly ministry by establishing His “small group,”

the Apostles (Matthew 4:18-22; 10:2-4).

Jesus ministered in both large (Mark 12:37) and small group

contexts (Matthew 26:6).

Jesus’ ministry to large groups was preceded by and proceeded out of His small group ministry (Mark 3:7).

Jesus devoted most of his time and effort to ministry within His small group (Matthew 13:10-11).

Relationships, not organizations or programs, were central to Jesus’ method (Luke 17:20; John 13:35).

Jesus used the small group context to teach and model spiritual

knowledge, attitudes and behavior (John 6:66-69).

The small group was Jesus’ method for leadership training (John 17; Acts 1:8).

The Early Church Example.

Because the earliest church was composed almost exclusively of

Jewish believers, Old Testament social structures, especially the household, shaped the structure of the early church. The New Testament house church was a natural expression of the Jewish

emphasis on the household (Acts 2:46).

As circumstances permitted, all Christians in a geographic location

met together at least weekly as a large congregation, but also met more frequently as smaller groups in individual homes (Acts 2:46; 5:42; 20:20).

Apart from those referred to in a general geographic location (e.g., the church in Ephesus), the only church congregations mentioned

in the Epistles were those found in specific homes (Romans 16:5).


One of the dominant word pictures in the New Testament for describing the church is the household or family of God (oikios tou theou); e.g., “the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10), members “of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19), “the household of God” (1 Peter

4:17), and “a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5).

The New Testament evidence is clear: small groups were not optional for believers of the first century, they were the norm.

They remained the norm until the Emperor Constantine institutionalized Christianity. By the fourth century, the

construction of special buildings for the assembled church eventually displaced small group meetings in homes.

The New Testament Mandate.

Jesus declared that the world would recognize his followers by their love for one another. The New Testament is filled with

commands for believers to exhibit attitudes and actions toward one another:

Serve One Another (John 3:14; Gal 5:13; 1 Peter 4:9-10)

Live in Harmony with One Another (Mark 9:50; Rom 12:16; 14:13; 15:7; 1 Cor 11:33; Gal 5:26; Eph 4:2, 32; Col 3:13)

Encourage One Another (1 Thess 4:18; 5:11; Heb 3:13; 10:24-25)

Instruct One Another (Rom 15:14; Eph 5:19; Col 3:16)

Honor One Another (Rom 12:10; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Pet 5:5)

Support One Another (Gal 6:2; James 5:16)

Pray for One Another (James 5:16)

Love One Another (John 13:34-25; 15:12, 17; Rom 12:10;

13:8; 1 Thess 3:12; 4:9; 1 Pet 1:22; 4:8; 1 John 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11-12; 2 John 5)

Small groups provide the best context for implementing the fifty-nine one another commands because small groups place believers

in intentional, accountable and intimate relationships.


Small groups are necessary because . . . the HISTORICAL EVIDENCE is abundant.

Although the church has been dominated by institutions and buildings from the fourth century to the present, significant revivals in church history were

often preceded or accompanied by a renewed interest in small groups.

In the 16th century, Martin Luther gathered a group of students and others who desired to grow deeper in their spiritual life into his home for Bible

discussion and application. The record of these meetings were afterward recorded in a large diary called Table Talk.

Pietism, a reaction to stale Protestant orthodoxy and ritualism in the late 17th century, was nurtured by the collegio Peitatis, house meetings that consisted of prayer, Bible study and discussion.

In 1722, Count Zinzendorf provided refuge on his estate in Moravia from those fleeing persecution by the Roman Catholic Church. Concentrating on prayer

and Bible study in a small group context, these refugees became filled with missionary zeal and sent missionary teams to the Virgin Islands, Greenland West and South Africa, and to the Indians of North America.

John Wesley’s class meetings, small accountability groups that usually met in members’ homes, were the foundational aspect of the Wesleyan Revival in

England. Small groups continued to play an important role in the revivals on the American frontier through the middle part of the 18th century.

One of the largest missionary movements since the first century began in the

late 19th century among students in universities in England and America. As students met for prayer in small groups, many were led to become foreign

missionaries.

Following World War II, several parachurch organizations emerged having a strong focus on small group discipleship; e.g., the Navigators and Campus

Crusade for Christ. These parachurch organizations helped to fuel interest within churches for a return to small groups.

In the last half of the 20th century and into the 21st century small groups have

played an important role in renewal movements in evangelical, traditional Protestant, and even Roman Catholic churches. Far from being a recent

innovation, small groups have consistently been an important part of the church during periods when the church was focused on God’s Word and motivated by His Spirit toward spiritual growth and evangelization.


Small groups are necessary because . . . the CULTURAL CLIMATE is disturbing:

Fifty years ago, people living within five miles of the present location of Oakwood Community Church, were primarily rural, long-time residents, living

in intact families, surrounded by grandparents, friends and relatives.

Thirty years ago, the area around our ministry facility was developed into middle to upper-middle class planned communities. The rural family gave way

to the nuclear, suburban family consisting of father, mother and two children. With the rapid pace of life, father spent less than one minute a day in

meaningful conversation with his children, mother went back to work, and homes became more like hotels and restaurants than places of warmth and caring.

Within the past fifteen years, the nuclear family has given way to single parent homes and step-families. Youth frequently have turned to drugs, alcohol and promiscuity. Latch-key children let themselves in unsupervised after school

and lead bored, aimless and fearful lives.

Though some in the Bay area live in wonderful neighborhoods where people

really care, others do not even know the names of those who live around them. Those living in condominiums and apartments often feel overwhelmed by the close proximity of so many people and pull back from any meaningful

relationships.

The workplace, once the refuge for the nuclear family father and mother now is

chaotic and uncertain. Lay-offs, early retirements, and transfers abound. Competition for promotion and a shrinking pool of positions often make people afraid to attempt meaningful relationships with co-workers.

Many feel it’s much safer to withdraw from society, sitting back and watching TV, experiencing life vicariously. We’ve become spectators, expecting the church to meet our need for entertainment and consumption.

The chief end of man, according to most people in 21st century Florida, is to be happy. The goals of personal fulfillment and maximizing our potential have

turned many of us into self-centered egotists. Loyalty, intimacy, commitment and community are seen as enemies of and obstacles to personal satisfaction.

Taken together, the cultural climate of America in general and Metro-Tampa

Bay in particular is one that reflects people living in isolation and loneliness, lacking meaning and significance. Estranged from extended families, without

natural social networks, most are both ignorant of the grace and mercy of God and unaware of the loving, caring relationships He offers within His church.


Small groups are necessary because . . . the PRACTICAL BENEFITS are undeniable. Small group ministry is a biblical way for churches to . . .

Serve people’s needs

Community

God created people to live in community. Small groups are one of the best places for people to experience life-giving relationships

with Jesus and with one another.

People long for warm, meaningful relationships with others, but often find it difficult to form and keep them. Small groups

overcome obstacles of awkwardness and superficiality by providing people with comfortable ways of building personal relationships that can grow and deepen over time.

Small groups make it possible for people to connect personally with others, establish strong bonds of friendship, and feel part of

the life and mission of the congregation.

Pastoral Care

Small groups excel at the day-to-day nurture and support that

everyone needs to grow as Jesus’ disciples.

When group members go through times of suffering or crisis, group

members can be right there, sharing the love of Jesus Christ.

Equip people for a life of discipleship

Christians experience spiritual growth when they regularly

encounter and apply God’s Word. Relevant, participatory, application-oriented Bible study is a major component of small groups.

Through word and deed, group members help one another understand God’s love for them in the Gospel and commit to

following His will for their lives - not in their own power but in His.

Small group members regularly and honestly discuss their relationship with the Lord and encourage one another to trust God

more completely and obey Him more fully.


Reach out to others with Jesus’ love

Connection

New church members are much more likely to remain members when they form meaningful relationships in the congregation.

People form such friendships in small groups.

Research indicates that 80% of new members are willing and eager to join small groups if they are available.

Small groups provide a non-threatening environment for understanding, identifying and testing spiritual gifting. Members are encouraged to explore potential gifting in a context of love and

support.

Outreach

Small group members pray for and encourage one another as they intentionally seek to love the people around them and share the gospel with them.

Small group members get excited about their groups and invite others to come and experience the same blessings.

Seekers come to believe in Jesus Christ as they observe Christ’s love acted out among the members of small groups and as members share with them the source of their love and care for one

another.

Church Growth

Small groups provide an attractive “side door” into a church’s body

life. Some people who wouldn’t come to a formal worship service at first, will visit and participate in a small group that meets in the

home of someone they already know.

Many people will seek out a church when word gets around that it provides small group experiences of genuine Christian community.


What Are

Small Groups At Oakwood

Community Church? Small groups are an essential component of ministry at Oakwood, functioning according to . . .

● a clear DEFINITION

● a Biblical MISSION

● a Gospel MOTIVATION

● focused PURPOSES

● spiritual VALUES

● an inspiring VISION


Small groups are an essential component of ministry at Oakwood, functioning according to . . .

a clear DEFINITION:

A small group within Oakwood Community Church is any voluntary and intentional gathering of three to fifteen people under the direction of an approved leader who regularly meet together to encourage and challenge one another to grow toward maturity in Christ.

A small group… The people of God assemble in various sizes for various

purposes. Large, city-wide assemblies of believers can be wonderful demonstrations of Christian unity, while challenging God’s people to worship Him and proclaim His gospel. Two believers meeting together for prayer and

accountability can also be a vital and necessary dimension of individual spiritual growth. The small group provides yet another context to promote

spiritual growth, supplementing Oakwood’s Sunday morning worship celebration, and other educational and congregational ministries.

…within Oakwood… There are any number of small groups in society,

facilitating interaction and accomplishing tasks in education, business, commerce, government, and various avocations. Small groups in the church

share some of the characteristics of other small groups, but have a definite spiritual purpose and dimension to them. Small groups within Oakwood are fully integrated into the overall mission and purpose of the church. They are

intentionally linked to the church leadership for direction and support.

…is any voluntary… People at Oakwood are not assigned to particular small

groups; on the contrary, each person is encouraged to visit and explore various groups to find the group that best meets his or her needs. Voluntary does not mean optional, however. We believe small groups are an essential component

of Oakwood’s ministry and are essential for each member’s spiritual growth. Active involvement in a group is an important dimension of being a responsible member of Oakwood.

…and intentional gathering… Small groups are planned gatherings, not accidental or happenstance. Group Pastors spend time praying for and

organizing meetings. Clear purposes and objectives are set for each meeting. At the same time, leaders remain flexible and sensitive to the movement of the Holy Spirit as God’s people gather.

…of three to fifteen people… “Small” can be a relative term, but experience has shown that interpersonal relationships are difficult to maintain in groups larger

than twelve. The optimum group size for effective discussion is eight to twelve. As a small group grows larger than twelve, it begins the process of sending out a leadership team to birth a new group.


…under the direction of an approved leader… God has gifted certain people within His body to serve the rest of the body by providing leadership. Small

groups provide a platform for identifying, developing and testing these future leaders. All group pastors have been trained in group leading skills and are in

ongoing mentoring relationships with small group coaches. Consequently, they have been entrusted with intentionally discipling and caring for the spiritual needs of the members of their groups.

…who regularly meet together… Groups have to meet! For relationships to develop into friendships, people need to get together regularly and frequently.

Small groups at Oakwood meet formally no less than biweekly and usually weekly. Beginning and ending times for meetings are clearly defined, with flexibility for informal interaction before and after the formal meeting.

...to encourage and challenge one another… Supportive friendships, what the Bible calls koinonia, begin to occur when members of groups begin to share

with and care for one another. Small groups are not lectures by biblical teachers—small groups are opportunities for Spirit-filled believers to build one

another up through the prayerful discussion of God’s Word and the in depth application of the Gospel to every area of life.

…to grow toward maturity in Christ. Community Groups are not social clubs

but are discipleship ministries. Our goal is to help people overcome whatever obstacles and struggles they are facing. We reject both self-focused rebellion

that is based on cheap grace and self-reliant religion that promotes legalistic bullying. Instead we exhort people to follow the third way of the Gospel - the path of humble repentance and dependence on Jesus that allows the Holy

Spirit to fill and empower us to godly living and fruitful service.


Small groups are an essential component of ministry at Oakwood, functioning according to . . . a Biblical MISSION - to join God in His work of

Transforming ordinary people into fully

devoted followers of Christ

When Jesus called his first followers to himself, he said to them, “Come, follow me…and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).

● Jesus called them first to a relationship of love: to “come” to him in order to know, love and worship Him as the Lord of heaven and earth -

trading in all other loyalties to delight in God above all.

● He connected them into a community of believers, with the

apostles as his core

leaders and a growing congregation

around those leaders.

● He called them into a

training process: to

“follow” him in order

to make progress toward maturity in him.

● Then he sent them out on a mission: to

become “fishers of men,”to labor with him to reach the

world with the

gospel.

Small groups exist to help the people of Oakwood cultivate a wholehearted love for God, make progress toward maturity in Christ, feel connected as part of the church community, to empower and equip them to serve the church and reach

the world.


1. Love God

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37)

2. Grow in Christ

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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. (Hebrews 10:23-25)

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. (Colossians

1:28)

3. Serve the Church As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. (1 Peter 4:10)

4. Reach the World

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20)


Small groups are an essential component of ministry at Oakwood, functioning according to . . . a Gospel MOTIVATION:

“So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not

ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who

believes.” Romans 1:15-16

Guilt or Gratitude?

Unlike every other religion, the Gospel is not good advice, telling us what we

must do to get right with God. Rather, it is good news, telling us what Jesus

has done for us. This is the Word of God by which we were born again (1 Pet.

1:23-25). And it is the power of God by which we grow toward maturity in

Christ. All of our ministry, therefore, is motivated and empowered by the

Gospel.

Religion tells us we must

work in order to be saved.

Christianity proclaims

that Jesus has already

done the work to save us.

We are still called to “work

out our salvation” (or “work

out of our salvation”; Php.

2:12), for the New

Testament is filled with

exhortations to holy living

and zealous ministry (e.g.

Eph. 4-5). We are called to

work. But we work because we are saved not in order to be saved. The

motivation makes all the difference.

Religion is driven largely by guilt and fear. Christianity is fueled by the Gospel

and therefore marked by gratitude and joy. In Christ we are forgiven, justified,

free and Spirit-filled - therefore we live for Him and pursue His glory with

every breath and every moment.


What is the Gospel?

The Gospel is the good news of the 10 saving acts of Jesus. The work of

Jesus depends entirely

on the fact that He is

Lord in perfect

humanity, authority

and divinity.

So our faith looks

back on his sacrifice for

us as the perfect

human, trusting Him to

pay the penalty for our

sins. Our faith looks up

to Jesus and his

authority over all things, trusting in His victory over sin’s power and depending

on His Spirit for our strength every day. And our faith looks forward to the

day when all sin will be removed and we will see Him face to face in the fullness

of His divinity, so we can trust Him with our struggles today, knowing the

blessed hope that awaits us. This is 3-Directional faith in a 3-Dimensional

Gospel.

The 10 Saving Acts of Jesus:

1. Jesus is Lord

2. Jesus came - fully God & fully

human

3. Jesus lived the perfect life

4. Jesus calls sinners to repent

5. Jesus died for us

6. Jesus rose, victorious over sin

and death

7. Jesus forgives all who call on

him in faith

8. Jesus gives believers a new heart where the Holy Spirit comes to live

9. Jesus reigns over all things

10. Jesus is coming back soon to judge all people and restore all things

oakwoodfl.org/goodnews


The Gospel Way

There are two ways people tend to live: doing their own thing, and doing their

best. The first is the path of self-focus, the second is the way of self-reliance.

Many people simply ignore God and do their own thing, going their own way.

This may work out for a while but everyone eventually learns that the path of

focusing on yourself and indulging your sinful desires is a dead end - it leads to

problems, conflict, addiction and suffering. Knowing this, other people take a

moralistic or religious approach, doing their best in the hopes that it will be

enough to earn God’s favor and get them into heaven. It is very common for

people to assume that “good people go to heaven.”

Unfortunately, the Bible makes it

clear that this pathway is also a dead

end since no one can be good

enough to work their way into

heaven. “For all have sinned and fall

short of the glory of God” (Romans

3:23). So we see that both self-focus

and self-reliance are dead ends since

both are all about us. Is there

another way?

This is precisely why Jesus came – to

provide another way. The Gospel invites us to turn from our self-focus and

focus our hearts and lives on Jesus. It also invites us to turn from our self-

reliance and trust completely in Jesus. The Gospel shows us a third way to

live. It does not give us permission to keep doing our own thing and following

our old sinful ways. Nor does it call us to “just work harder” and follow rules to

please God. Rather, the Gospel shows us a different path altogether.

It is the path of humility that rejects self-reliance and admits “I can’t fix this

myself.” It is the path of repentance that turns from self-focus and admits,

“My way was not right or pleasing to God.” And it is the path of faith that

brings you to the foot of the cross where you can commit your heart and life to

Jesus as your Savior and Lord.

That means you are trusting Jesus as your only hope for salvation, forgiveness

and eternal life – your Savior. And it means you are making Him the center and

focus of your life – your Lord.


That is how a person becomes a Christian and a born-again child of God in

the first place. And it is also the pathway we are called to follow every

day of our lives. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you”

(James 4:10). The more we fill our hearts and minds with the truth of the

Gospel – the 10 saving acts of Jesus – the more gratitude and joy in Jesus we

will experience, which will motivate us to live holy, godly lives dedicated to the

service of our Savior and King. We will live for God not in order to be saved but

because we are saved. The Gospel will fuel our worship and worship will

energize us for mission. That is the Gospel Way.

Sermon Resource: Keep Moving Forward - January, 2018 - Romans 8

Sermon Resource: The Gospel - April, 2018 -

The Gospel of Mark & other selected texts


Group Pastor Discussion - July 12, 2018

Objectives: ● Oakwood Leaders connect with and encourage one another. ● Small Group Leaders gain greater clarity on “WHAT” small groups

are and what they are best suited to accomplish.

● Small Group Leaders experience a small group environment with intentional, Gospel-centered, application-oriented Bible study, personal sharing and conversational prayer.


2. Connection - 7:15-7:25 - icebreaker (groups of 5-6, different from last time)

○ Where did you grow up?

○ How did you come to trust in and follow Jesus?

3. Presentation - 7:25-7:40 - Definition, Mission, Motivation (pp.16-23)

○ Video: the Gospel Way (oakwoodfl.org/goodnews)

4. Discussion - 7:40-8:00 - What are small groups for?

○ What do you like best about your current or most recent small group?

○ How is the small group definition helpful? What questions do you have about it?

○ How did joining a small group help you get connected at Oakwood? How many friends do you still have today because of a small

group?

○ How has your involvement in small groups helped you change and

grow over the years? Be specific. Share only about yourself!

○ Five people share: what is the Gospel?

5. Bible Study - 8:00-8:30 - (groups of 3-4, same gender)





○ What are the commands here?

○ How does Peter describe believers in this text?

SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN? ○ How does Peter motivate believers to be holy and obedient? Why

should we obey the Lord? Why should we resist sin?

○ How does it help us to remember the nature of God? (v. 15-16)

○ How is the Gospel (the finished work of Christ) woven into this

passage? How does this Good News motivate us to live for Jesus?

NOW WHAT DO WE DO? ○ What distracts you from the work God has called you to do (v. 13)?

○ What still haunts you from your old ways of thinking and acting (v. 14)? What temptations are you facing right now?

○ What does it mean for you to “be holy” right now? What does holiness look like in your life? (v. 15-16)

○ What “better promises of God’s Word” do you need to hold on to

right now in order to fight the false promises of sin? (v. 13,18-19)

6. Sharing - 8:30-8:45 ○ What is one area in which you are experiencing victory in Christ

now? ○ What is one area in which you are struggling to trust and obey the

Lord right now? (Please be as personal and transparent as you can - sharing about yourself only, being careful not to confess the sins of anyone else.)

7. Prayer - 8:45-9:00

○ Let’s pray for one person at a time based on their needs. Use the words and ideas from 1 Peter 1 to guide your prayers.

○ Let’s try to use the ideas and words in Jeremiah 17 as part of how

we pray for each other. After 10-12 minutes (or when the topics run out), someone can close the time of prayer.


Small groups are an essential component of ministry at Oakwood, functioning according to . . . focused PURPOSES:

Oakwood Community Groups encourage people to grow in Christ by

accomplishing three biblical and practical purposes: connection, growth and leadership development.

Connection - Community Groups seek to foster intentional friendships, helping

to welcome newcomers to the church and provide practical pastoral care for their members.

Romans 12:10—Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Acts 2:44-47—All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day the continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising god and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Philippians 2:3-4—Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Growth - Community Groups help people prayerfully pursue maturity in

Christ by applying the Gospel to their hearts by the power of the Spirit.

Colossians 1:28—We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

2 Timothy 3:16-17—All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Acts 2:42, 46-47—They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, . . . and to prayer . . . They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God . . . .

James 1:22—Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Ephesians 5:18-21— “Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the


Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Leadership Development - Community Groups mobilize all of their members

into ministry while identifying and empowering future CGLs.

John 17:18—As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

Acts 1:8—But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

1 Corinthians 12:7—Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

1 Peter 4:10—Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve

others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

2 Timothy 2:2 – And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be able to teach others.


Small groups are an essential component of ministry at Oakwood, functioning according to . . . Spiritual VALUES:

Group Pastors, those gifted leaders of small groups, have been commissioned

by the church to shepherd and lead three to fifteen individuals. Group Pastors have been vested with great flexibility to tailor their groups to meet the needs of those who compose the groups. This freedom operates within the parameters

of spiritual values consistent with the ministry philosophy of Oakwood Community Church.

As the elders have reflected on the definition, mission and purposes of small groups, they have established the following values to guide Group Pastors in

how they lead their groups. Our Community Groups should strive to be:

● BIBLICAL

All of our ministries should be deeply rooted in God’s Word and focused on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “The Gospel… is the

power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16). The Word of God is the tool God uses to accomplish His work in His people (Is. 55:10-11). The goal must not be merely to

grow in the knowledge of Scripture but to obey God’s Word, motivated by joyful gratitude for all God has done for us in Christ.

● DEPENDENT

Small groups are a means to pursue God, not an end in themselves. God’s work in the lives of people is what will affect

them for eternity and His glory is our ultimate purpose. Therefore our groups should operate with a spirit of humble and prayerful dependence on the Lord, always pointing people to Jesus, lifting

Him up rather than any leader or the group itself. Our goal is to make much of Jesus not to make much of ourselves.

● RELATIONAL

Community Groups are not peripheral to the ministries of Oakwood, rather they are at the heart of fulfilling the church’s

mission with a focus on authentic, loving relationships. Small Groups are all about relationship: caring, supportive, practical interaction among members leading to biblical friendship. Group

members are involved in one another’s lives, growing into an extended, nurturing family.


● EMPOWERING

Involvement in a Community Group, along with participation in

weekly worship and ministry, are essential elements of being faithful members of Oakwood. It is the earnest desire of the elders

that each member of Oakwood be actively involved in a small group. Further, it is the desire that each frequent attender be connected with a group and that each newcomer be invited and

encouraged to attend various group activities.

● MULTIPLYING

Community Groups are the most strategic method for helping new

people get connected, for pursuing church growth (primarily through evangelism and conversion growth) and for identifying

and empowering new leaders. Each Group Pastor should be proactively and prayerfully seeking an apprentice, investing regularly in that Group Pastor in Training and steadily entrusting

more responsibility to him or her in the group. This prepares each Community Group to multiply either by forming two equal size

groups or by sending out a leader to form a new group. Multiplying leaders and groups is what will enable us to multiply campuses and churches to reach the Bay Area with the Gospel!


Small groups are an essential component of ministry at Oakwood, functioning according to . . .

an Inspiring VISION:

Oakwood’s small group vision trusts God to work to accomplish his purposes

to fill the world with his glory:

To continually grow and develop Group Pastors, who will grow and develop people in small groups, who will reach out to incorporate new people each year, who will join and expand into new groups, which will grow and develop a mature church, which will launch new worship venues & campuses and support new church plants and partner ministries which will permeate the Bay Area, and the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Oakwood’s vision and strategy for growth starts with identifying, training and

commissioning S.T.A.R.s: Servant-leaders who are Teachable, Available and Reliable.

● These Group Pastors shepherd God’s flock, providing guidance,

teaching, and care while modeling personal growth in godliness. ● Growing, maturing believers will thus be equipped to use their Spirit-

given gifts to minister to the needs of others in their groups and in the church.

● Inviting, sharing and loving others, group members will experience

God’s blessing as He adds new believers to their groups. ● As groups grow qualitatively and quantitatively, members will see the

necessity of birthing new groups, affording others the opportunity to

experience the same spiritual growth. ● As groups grow, Oakwood will grow in its responsiveness to God, in

its concern for the lost, in its heart for the world, in its desire to leverage all of our resources and energies toward kingdom priorities.

● As Oakwood grows, it will seek to penetrate new geographical, cultural, ethnic and generational areas through strategic

partnerships and church planting initiatives. ● Oakwood will then impact the community, country and world by

sending from its body trained, equipped and resourced missionaries, who have come out of and continue to be supported by their friends within

small groups.


Who Are

Group Pastors and

What Do They Do?

Group Pastors . . .

● have a GODLY CHARACTER

● are MOTIVATED BY LOVE

● act as UNDER-SHEPHERDS

● work in TEAMS


Group Pastors . . . Have a GODLY CHARACTER While the New Testament is less detailed regarding the scope of responsibilities

of church leaders, it is very clear about the character qualities to be examined when considering men and women for positions of leadership. Since the role of

the Group Pastor is to lead a small group of people along the path to spiritual maturity, much of what the Bible teaches about the character qualities of elders and deacons applies also to Group Pastors.

The Apostle Paul outlined these character qualities in his letters to two of his

apprentices: Timothy and Titus. In the list of characteristics in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-10, there are twenty specific “marks” of a spiritually mature leader. While not exhaustive, these character qualities should be evident in

those involved in leading God’s people: ✓ Above reproach

✓ Husband of one wife

✓ Temperate ✓ Prudent ✓ Respectable

✓ Hospitable ✓ Able to teach

✓ Not given to wine ✓ Not self-willed

✓ Not quick-

tempered ✓ Not pugnacious

✓ Uncontentious ✓ Gentle ✓ Free from the love

of money ✓ One who manages

his own household well

✓ A good reputation

with those outside the church

✓ Love what is good ✓ Just ✓ Devout

✓ Not a new convert

The first quality, “above reproach,” might be viewed as an overarching

characteristic that includes all of the others. The term means to be “blameless;” one who enjoys the respect and admiration of others because the

fruit of the Holy Spirit is evident in his or her life. Luke summarizes the first thirty years of Jesus’ life in this way: “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52).” There was nothing in Jesus’ character that was offensive to either God or others; he was “above reproach.”

The final character quality, “not a new convert,” reminds us that these

characteristics are a result of a process. Second Corinthians 5:17 declares that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” Conversion to Christ makes a radical difference in a believer’s life; the arrival of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life provides the capacity and resource to become the child of God He desires each of us to be. Nevertheless, like the

“Son of Man,” each of us are to “grow in wisdom and stature,” and Paul’s


admonition that church leaders are not to be recent converts acknowledges that the process of spiritual growth takes time, effort, involvement in Christian

community and sacrificial service.

Noticeably lacking from this list of leadership character qualities are abilities

and skills. Reputation, ethics, morality, temperament, and habits are emphasized but only two qualities directly touch on leadership skills: able to teach and manages his own household well.

God is much more interested in our character than our abilities. God is

more than able to gift and empower those who are teachable, available and

reliable servants to accomplish all that He desires us to do. But his sequence is always being before doing.

The surprising Biblical reality is that God seems to prefer the less qualified person over the one most people would probably choose. This was certainly true of David, since Samuel the prophet and the rest of David’s family assumed

one of his older brothers would be the obvious choice to rule Israel before a young shepherd would be considered. But Paul taught the central principle of

humility which leads to dependence on God rather than oneself: “But God said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ ” (2 Cor. 12:9).

The key to success in ministry is not our abilities. In fact, trusting in our strengths or charisma is the path to failure in ministry, emptying the cross of its power (1 Cor. 1:17). “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power” (1 Cor. 2:2-5). Since

our business is the transformation of human lives we must utilize the tools of that trade - God’s Word and the Gospel – operated in the power of the Holy

Spirit.


Group Pastors . . . are MOTIVATED BY LOVE

Paul wrote to Timothy, “If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task (1 Timothy 3:1b).” The God-given desire to serve the church in leadership is a noble task. Nevertheless, there are dangers in leadership—

traps that a Group Pastor needs to watch out for. Testing one’s motives in leading should be a frequent exercise.

The Apostle Peter provides us a good self-evaluation for testing our motives (1

Peter 5:2-3):

Be shepherds of God’s flock Remember whose flock it is

not because you must, Our motive is not obligation

but because you are willing, Should be an internal desire

as God wants you to be; Desire needs to come from God

not greedy for money, No thought for personal gain

but eager to serve; A passion to serve, not be served

not lording it over those entrusted to you, Precious lives are being entrusted

but being examples to the flock. Godly character is a prerequisite

Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, is not only our model for the character qualities God desires in His leaders, Jesus is also our model for the supreme motive that

needs to undergird our desire to shepherd:

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless,

like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:35-36)

Group Pastors must have four basic commitments: A strong love for (1) Jesus

Christ and His Word; (2) His people; (3) the lost; and (4) the task.

1. A Strong love for and commitment to Jesus Christ and His Word.

A Group Pastor must be Christ-centered, manifesting the fruit of the Spirit

in his or her life. He must have a desire to grow in his relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, and discipline himself to spend time daily with Him in prayer and Bible study. She must submit to the authority of the Bible and

have a working knowledge of and confidence in the Word of God.


If a Group Pastor is not Christ-centered, the group is in danger of becoming side-tracked in its beliefs and practices. This is not an idle threat or danger,

but one that the first century church faced time and time again: leaders that started well but drifted from their commitment to and love of Christ. Demas

was apparently a close co-worker with Paul that ended up loving the world more than the Savior and became disqualified for leadership in the church (Philemon 24; 2 Timothy 4:10; see also 1 John 2:19).

2. A Strong love for and commitment to the Church.

A Group Pastor must take initiative. He or she is a leader, and a leader proactively sees what needs to be done and does it. He doesn’t wait for

something to happen or hope that something will happen; he makes it happen.

She must have a deep concern for and sensitivity to the members of her group. “Where are my people spiritually? Are they becoming obedient to the Word? Are they being equipped for ministry? How are they are

struggling? In what ways do they need to be encouraged? In what ways do they need to be challenged?”

A Group Pastor must be creative and positive as he works to create an environment in which God’s transforming grace can operate. He must be an example to the group with the attitude of not “do as I say,” but rather “do as

I do.” If a leader does not spend time alone with the Lord, how can this be expected of the ones he or she leads?

As a Group Pastor becomes involved in the lives of the people in his group,

he learns to anticipate possible problems and is willing to confront and assist in solving them. He creates an atmosphere of openness and warmth

by his demonstration of loving concern for each member of the group. He is cautious to avoid making people dependent upon him, rather he directs people to Jesus Christ, and through both word and action helps others

become dependent upon the Lord.

If a Group Pastor does not love and commit herself to her group, she will be unable to care for the flock entrusted to her care. “Feed my sheep,” the

Good Shepherd told Peter. In their talk on the beach, the Lord reminded Peter that love for his Master was the source of the self-sacrificing love for

the flock. A true love and commitment to the group keeps a Group Pastor from turning the group into her own personal kingdom.

3. A Strong love for and commitment to the lost.

A Group Pastor sets the pace with respect to concern for the lost. He or she must personally be concerned about those who still are outside of the love

and mercy of the Lord, and model effective lifestyle evangelism. A Group Pastor must diligently equip the group for the work of evangelism, motivating the members to reach out where they live and work and play.

Think about your F.R.A.Ns – friends, neighbors, associates and neighbors!


If a Group Pastor is not personally committed to the lost, the group will become ingrown and fail to reach out to those seeking God. A lack of

attention to quantitative growth will affect qualitative growth. Exclusively inwardly focused groups stagnate, and eventually become irrelevant or die.

Encourage group members to use their personal interests as avenues for outreach - sports, exercise, gardening, TV, movies, service projects – anything can be outreach, but to be effective as outreach it takes prayer

and intentionality!

4. A Strong love for and commitment to the task.

A Group Pastor must be faithful to his task as a small group leader, as well

as to the mission Jesus has given to his Church. He must be a faithful and dedicated member of Oakwood, who supports the church with his time,

money and effort. Our discipleship pathway is Love-Grow-Serve-Reach. Group Pastors should be our primary coaches, helping people get into

the game and move around the bases.

He should be loyal to the church leadership and the vision God has given them. He should be willing to be accountable to and follow the lead of those

God has placed in authority over him. We are all on the same team, so let’s work together as a team!

She must remain teachable, being willing to learn from others, in order to

do the best possible job pastoring her group. Her model of submission and service should motivate her group to display the same type of loyalty to the task of being “ministers of reconciliation.”

Commitment to the task will keep a Group Pastor focused on eternal goals. He will see that a small group is a means to the end of glorifying God, not

the end itself. He will see that the group is part of a bigger work God is accomplishing in the world: bigger than Oakwood, bigger than the community, bigger than America, bigger even than this generation. Jesus,

through his church, is assaulting the very gates of Hell; the Group Pastor needs to view his part of the task as essential to the overall plan of God to redeem a people of His own in these last days awaiting our Lord’s return

and the consummation of history.


Group Pastors . . . act as UNDER-SHEPHERDS

A Group Pastor is a person who has accepted God’s call to lead and shepherd

a voluntary and intentional small group of three to fifteen adults. A Group Pastor is commissioned by the elders to care for, oversee the needs of, and guide others toward spiritual growth and service.

A Group Pastor is to “keep watch over [himself] and all the flock” (Acts 20:28). This is the same task given to the church pastoral staff and elders except that

the Group Pastor’s scope is more focused and does not include total church oversight. The pastoral staff and elders are following the principle contained in Jethro’s counsel to Moses by commissioning Group Pastors to assist in

shepherding the church of God (Exodus 18:13-27).

Being a Group Pastor requires time and effort. Some are able to devote

extended ministry time due to their own personal financial resources and flexible work schedules. Others, engaged in heavy employment responsibilities, can invest a more limited amount of time. All must balance their various

roles—parent, child, citizen, worker—seeking God’s priorities for their unique situations.

The most important element in setting our priorities and using our time is an

understanding of God’s priorities as revealed in His Word and a sensitivity to the leading of the Holy Spirit. The hours spent and the resources given by

people serving Christ cannot be measured in financial terms. The ultimate reward for our obedient service—that “well done, good and faithful servant”—is reserved in the treasure house of Heaven. May we all store our treasure there

as we serve the Lord Jesus Christ here!

The Group Pastor has been commissioned to take responsibility in particular

areas of the church’s mission. Being responsible does not mean doing all the work. Responsibility means the Group Pastor has in mind the task, and motivates the members of his group to work toward accomplishing the task.

The Group Pastor has five primary areas of responsibility:

1. Develop a Group Pastor Intern.

There is no more important ministry a Group Pastor can be involved in than developing new Group Pastors. Reproducing disciple-makers depends on leadership development (2 Timothy 2:2)!

Group Pastors must proactively identify, minister to and develop at least one Intern at all times. This Intern will play a crucial role in ministering to

two or three family units in the small group and help plan and lead the group as a whole. Although Oakwood’s elders and staff can assist in


training potential Group Pastors through workshops and training meetings, the best context for identification and training is within the group as a

Group Pastor models, tests, encourages, and evaluates potential Group Pastors through on-the-job-training (OJT).

Group Pastors should use the following steps to identify and develop new Group Pastors:

● Pray. It is the role of the Holy Spirit to raise up and empower

spiritual leaders (Matthew 9:35-38). Pray for sensitivity to His leading concerning who He has chosen and that these will recognize and obey His voice.

● Look for S.T.A.R.’s. Paul tells Timothy to look for “faithful men, who

will be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2).” Servant-leaders

who are Teachable, Available and Reliable are the types of men and women that God can use to reach others. Look for maturity of

character rather than a particular gift mix; the Holy Spirit can gift those who are S.T.A.R.’s to accomplish whatever task is needed.

● Ask him or her to consider being an Intern. Explain that you want

him to come alongside you to help in nurturing the group. Move slowly; follow the Lord’s lead who said, “Come, follow me,” before he

said, “and I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:19).” Don’t push for a commitment to be a Group Pastor until the intern has

experienced aspects of what being a Group Pastor entails.

● Give him or her some responsibilities. Ask your intern to pick two to three members of the group to follow-up on throughout the week. Let

him/her teach a lesson, lead in prayer, organize a task, accompany you as you visit a group member in the hospital.

● Meet together regularly for prayer and sharing. Continually share

the vision of a healthy, active small group. Mutually discuss spiritual, social, emotional, physical issues in your lives. Brainstorm how to

make the group more effective.

● Encourage attendance at the next Group Pastor training opportunity. Connect your intern with the church leadership so he or

she can get a perspective on the vision of the church for small group growth. Let him or her see that your group is part of a bigger vision.

● Begin to communicate his role as an intern to the rest of the group. At this point in development, you are not only equipping a new small group leader but you are beginning to get the small group ready for

the process of launching a new group.

● Allow her to lead part or all of a group meeting. Increase

responsibilities so that you are truly sharing leadership of the group. There may be some differences in leadership style, some stretching,


some giving on your part. That’s okay. Like a parent with an adolescent, the intern is getting close to launching out on her own.

● When the group grows to 10-12 regular members, work with your intern to launch a new small group. This is the goal you have been

working toward and have been preparing your group for since you began. If the intern has been actively involved in leading the group, relationships may already be in place to send the intern out with one

or two other group members to start a totally new group. Alternatively, the intern might assume leadership of the existing small group and the Group Pastor might feel led to start a new group.

2. Nurture Growing Christians.

Group Pastors “feed” and “tend” the Lord’s “sheep.” This ministry of

nurturing takes place in two contexts: in regularly scheduled group meetings and between these meetings.

Ministry During Meetings.

Recall that in our definition of a small group, an important aspect of the definition was “regularly meeting together.” Much of a Group Pastor’s

ministry to the members of the group takes place within the weekly meetings. Consequently, properly structuring a group meeting to effect ministry is an important skill. Section Four deals with the small group

meeting in detail.

Ministry Outside Meetings.

Your nurturing ministry to growing Christians as a Group Pastor is just as important, if not more so, between meetings as it is during meetings. Along with your intern, you should see that every one of the adults in your group

are contacted and ministered to between meetings. This can be accomplished at various levels:

During the meeting, insure someone is contacted before the next meeting by

someone else in the group. You could say something like this:

“Mary called this week and said that she couldn’t be with us tonight because of out-of-town guests. Sue, would you mind calling Mary this week and asking how she is and how you might pray for her? Make sure she knows where we meet next time.”

For those who are doing well and growing, a simple phone call should suffice. You might want to concentrate on:

● encouragement

● prayer requests

● catching up on their life


If someone shared during the group time they are struggling or going through a difficult time, consider a personal visit. Try getting together for

prayer, help, encouragement, etc.

If someone is sick or in the hospital, visit and pray with them. Keep in

mind the following:

DO DON’T

Go during visiting hours Sit on the bed

Ask how they are feeling Ask embarrassing questions. If you aren’t sure of the illness, especially with women, try to find out some

other way

Read Scripture (the Psalms are

great for this) and pray with them. ALWAYS pray!

Tell them about your own ailments

or how someone you knew had the same thing

Bring along reading/listening material if they are able to do these things

Stay too long. They might need rest

Offer to help in practical ways: errands, getting something they

need, helping with family at home, etc

Say, “Let me know if I can help with anything.” This places the burden

on them to follow up with you

Contact your Coach, an elder, or the pastoral staff if the illness is serious and needs their attention

Think your visits are less significant than “the pastor’s” – they probably mean more!

If someone is sick, has a baby, loses a loved one, or experiences some other crisis or major life event, mobilize the small group to minister to

him/her.

● Visit, pray with, LISTEN!

● Line up childcare, meals, laundry, house cleaning, etc. for the

individual and his family.

3. Tend Wandering Christians.

Shepherding God’s flock means tending wandering sheep in a manner that encourages them to return to the fold. Tending these wandering sheep requires extra grace from God. As a Group Pastor, you will have to deal with

EGR’s (Extra Grace Required) both inside and outside the regular small group meeting.


Dealing effectively with EGR’s during the group meeting. When you lead a group meeting there are several potential types of EGR’s you will have

to deal with:

Monopolizing Mike will dominate the discussion with his opinions,

ideas, or objections.

SOLUTION: Call on specific people for answers. Don’t place Mike directly across from you where your eye contact naturally

gravitates. Outside the meeting, try to explain the purpose of the small group is to get everyone involved in the discussion. Occasionally give him a project to present to the group

Doctrinal Dan will insist on debating theological points and positions.

SOLUTION: You will never convince him with your arguments,

because he loves to fight. Express your own views, but try to do it without hostility. Be kind, but firm. Stick with application questions and answers. Defer argument to another setting. Be sure

to mediate as he attacks others who disagree with him. If a continual problem, confront outside the meeting.

Reserved Rhonda will sit on the edge of the circle and hardly ever

volunteer to say anything or pray aloud.

SOLUTION: There can be many reasons for silence in a group, but

be sensitive to insecurity. If you force her to participate, she may withdraw entirely. Give gentle nudges of assurance that she belongs. Non-threatening icebreakers and short answer

observation questions may be helpful. Get to know her during the informal times during meetings and outside of meetings. As she

gains confidence, she will open up and may even begin sharing.

Crisis Carolyn is always going through a difficult time and wants to

dump her latest problems and crises on the group.

SOLUTION: Link her with someone she can minister to. Get her focus off her own problems onto the needs of others. Oakwood

Community Groups are not therapy groups. If a continual problem, you may need to refer her to professional counseling. Check with your coach or the pastoral staff for assistance.

Critical Craig will criticize other people, groups, churches and

viewpoints.

SOLUTION: Stress with the group that the only sins one can share

are his own sins. Anger and criticism often indicates a blocked goal. In private conversation, try to discover the real reason Craig

is so angry.


Heretic Harvey holds unorthodox views either out of ignorance or due to

poor teaching.

SOLUTION: Harvey can help the group grow by challenging subtle heresies in each of our lives. Ask Harvey, “What verses have led

you to that conclusion?” Give others a chance to share their understanding. Stick to the text and the context. Use the opportunity to come to grip with what you believe and why.

Growing Greta is a believer who is growing in her Christian life and

seeking to minister to others. Yet, like all growing Christians, she will have times of crisis and great need simply because of living life: loss of a

loved one, diagnosis of an illness, loss of job, rebellion by teen, etc.

SOLUTION: Growing Greta needs to feel and experience the love

and concern of the group during her time of need. Let her tell her story, listening patiently and not interrupting with solutions. Pray for her as a group; if she is comfortable with this, place her in the

center of the group and lay hands on her as you pray. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit—you may have to deviate from your agenda for

the evening to deal with this important crisis or need.

Dealing with EGR’s outside the group.

As you lead a small group there will be members who either drop out of

the group or fall into public and blatant sin. These wandering or sinning sheep should be “guarded” by the Principle of the Four Fences in order to

bring them back into the fold. Two crucial Scripture passages relate to these EGR’s: Matthew 18:15-20 and Galatians 6:1-5.

FIRST FENCE: Direct personal confrontation

The person closest or most aware of the wandering/sinning member should approach him/her and follow these five steps:

Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to prepare you, give you the right

words and attitude, and work in the person’s heart.

Ask for the person’s perspective on the issue. Gather the facts

before rushing to judgment. Be sure you have heard from all parties involved and understand all sides of an issue.

Tell the person what their action/attitude is that violates

Scriptural truth. Be clear about this but also compassionate,

emphasizing your desire to help them grow through this challenge.

Reveal how that action/attitude makes you feel or has offended

you or others.

Spell out the specific consequences of the sin for the person and

the body of Christ.


Emphasize the Gospel - that we all sin in different ways but God is faithful to forgive and cleanse us if we repent (1 John 1:9).

Tell what correctional steps you desire for them to take.

If the person responds and repents, praise the Lord, and welcome

them back into joyful fellowship!

SECOND FENCE: Group Pastor

If the person does not respond properly in an appropriate amount

of time the original confronter should take along the Group Pastor and repeat the above steps. If there is a positive response, praise the Lord and welcome them back into fellowship.

THIRD FENCE: Elder

If there is no positive response to the second fence, the original

confronter, the Group Pastor and an elder or pastoral staff member should repeat the above steps.

FOURTH FENCE: Church

If the wandering/sinning member still refuses to repent, official church discipline should be administered.

Remember: the goal of all these steps is the RESTORATION of the

wandering/sinning sheep.

4. Delegate Administrative Tasks.

A Group Pastor performs a vital shepherding ministry to the members and potential members of his or her small group. Group Pastors must be free to concentrate on their own spiritual development, leading effective

group discussions, equipping an intern, and helping the group reach its goal of enfolding new members and launching a new group. Often the

“burden” of leadership is in the administrative and logistical details: planning times, places, food, childcare, etc.

In order to alleviate you from handling these details that are vitally

important to a successful small group, you should identify and challenge others in your group with gifts to carry out this “hosting” ministry.

Recruiting a Host

Follow the steps below to identify and train a host to take care of the administrative and support functions of your group:

Pray.

When the Apostles were confronted by an administrative problem in Jerusalem relating to an important aspect of the church’s

ministry, they committed the matter to prayer and then proposed a solution to the rest of the church (Acts 6:4, 6). It was God’s


purpose to focus the Apostle’s efforts on areas within their gifting and calling, and empower others to serve according to their gifting.

The same holds true in your group. God has gifted someone to handle the hospitality aspects of the group’s ministry. Pray that

God would make this evident to both of you.

Evaluate those with good administrative, organizational, and hospitality skills.

Watch who takes notes in your group about issues occurring in other’s lives, who makes a note of special occasions, who straightens up after the meeting, who is interested in all the

details, who suggests doing something socially. These may be indications of someone gifted in hospitality.

Set up a time to Ask. Frame “the ask” as an opportunity to use their gifts to make a real difference for the group and for the kingdom. Don’t downplay the significance of this role!

Go over the ministry description for a host/ess (APPENDIX C). Answer any questions about what is and is not expected of the

host. In addition, review the principles of hospitality on the next page as needed.

Communicate and coordinate.

Expectations need to be reinforced and good two-way communication between the Group Pastor and Host maintained.

Training a Host: Principles of Hospitality

Meet in a comfortable atmosphere.

● A home, with adequate seating, is often best..

● Strive for an intimate, comfortable location free from distractions

Make appropriate physical arrangements.

▪ Eye contact is essential for communication and intimacy.

▪ Sit on the same level so that no one looks up or down at anyone else.

▪ Sit in a circle so everyone can see everyone else.

▪ Tables are usually barriers to good communication.

▪ Arrange talkers so that eye contact with you is not as easy, and listeners so that it is very easy.

▪ Maintain good lighting for easy reading of Scripture. Add

lamps for the meeting if necessary.


▪ Provide proper ventilation--not too hot or too cold.

▪ Guard against distractions, like TV’s in the next room,

phone calls, open blinds showing the party next door, etc.

▪ Keep refreshments simple; model a pattern everyone in your

group could follow.

▪ Make the meeting place and time regular. Rotating homes

can be a very positive experience, but requires extra

communication efforts, maps for visitors, refreshment coordination, etc.

▪ Publish a schedule showing when and where your group meets with a phone number / email address.

▪ Assist in arrangements for childcare if needed by the

members of the group. Financial assistance from the church

may be available upon request.

5. Cultivate Seekers.

A Group Pastor’s own enthusiasm and effort at reaching out to those outside of small groups will set the pace for the rest of the group. Since

small groups are relationship dependent, building the group through existing relationships is a more natural way to grow than inviting strangers to the group.

The following seven steps can help you and the members of your group identify and effectively reach out to incorporate spiritually needy believers and unbelievers into your group.

List all unchurched people in your sphere of influence with whom you have regular contact (e.g., relatives, neighbors, friends, co-workers,

contacts from clubs, sports teams, school organizations, professional groups, classmates, doctors, dentists, service personnel, etc.)

Develop an Operation Andrew list from the above group whom you would

most like to see place faith in Christ and/or be connected with His body.

Commit yourself to praying for your Operation Andrew list daily.

Identify 1 to 3 people from your Operation Andrew list who seem to be most open to you socially and most open to developing a relationship.

Commit yourself to weekly deepening your redemptive relationship with these 1 to 3 people by giving each a meaningful touch and/or an effective gospel hearing (see APPENDIX D).


Ask your small group to begin praying for these 1 to 3 people and then seek to cross pollinate them with each other in social settings so they

become comfortable with each other.

Invite your unchurched network friends who are at the point of being

open to “checking out Christians” to your small group meeting. To facilitate the effectiveness of these invites it is often helpful to design social events specifically for inviting unchurched friends. For example,

you might set aside a Friday night in late summer for a cookout or have a game night in January or a Super Bowl party in February, etc. After

developing relationships in this way it will be more natural to invite a friend to a formal small group meeting and/or to a worship service. Remember, over 80% of unchurched people will go to church if they are

invited by a friend!


Group Pastor Discussion - July 30, 2018

Objectives: ● Oakwood Leaders connect with and encourage one another. ● Small Group Leaders gain greater clarity on “WHO” Group Pastors

are and what they should focus on doing.




○ Who is your hero?

○ Who invested well in you and shaped the person you have become?

1. Presentation - 7:25-7:45 – Group Pastor Character, Shepherding and Team-Building (pp.33-47)

○ Video: The Don’t Song (Igniter Media)

2. Discussion - 7:45-8:00 – What makes a Great Group Leader?

○ What are the skills necessary to lead a small group?

○ What are the necessary character qualities?

○ What kinds of people are we called to shepherd? How do you manage the different types?

○ What kind of team does a Group Leader need? Why?

○ Why is it so important to have a Leader in Training / Intern?






○ What are the instructions for leaders here?

○ What are proper motives for exercising leadership? What are

improper motives?

○ What should we expect to face as leaders? (v. 8-10)

SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

○ What are the Gospel motivations in this passage? (Remember the

past, present and future dimensions of the Gospel.)

○ What should our attitude be toward everyone (v. 5)? Why? (v. 6-7)

○ What does God promise us as leaders? (v. 8-11)

NOW WHAT DO WE DO?

○ What is the hardest part of being a Group Pastor for you? Why?

○ How do you handle the burdens and struggles of other people?

How do you avoid getting burned out?

○ What helps you to rely on God’s strength (v. 10)? What helps you

remain hopeful that people can change and grow?

6. Sharing - 8:30-8:45 ○ How are you feeling as a leader? How full (or empty) is your tank?

Why?

○ How can we pray for the Lord to encourage and strengthen you

today? 7. Prayer - 8:45-9:00

○ Have someone read Psalm 23. ○ Designate a leader to read just verse 1 of Psalm 23 and pray those

words and ideas over each other and other people who are on your

heart right now (without breaking any confidences). ○ When prayers finish from verse 1, the leader reads verse 2 and the

group prays through those ideas. ○ And so on through the end of the Psalm.


Group Pastors . . . work in TEAMS

The Group Pastor and Spouse

Principle of Male Headship

As the church in general is to be under the leadership of men (1 Timothy 2:12; 2 Timothy 2:1-7; Titus 1:5-9), so also are the smaller component

house churches, or small groups. At Oakwood, all small groups that have both male and female members are led by men. Small groups containing

exclusively men or women will be led by a member of the same sex as those within the group.

Role of Women

This principle of male headship has often been perceived to effectively exclude women from any part of the leadership process. While it is true that the Bible sets forth a social structure that generally recognizes men as

leading and women as assisting, it must be stressed that in assisting, women share in the leadership dynamic.

The issue is not one of competency, value, skill, or ability—often women are every bit as qualified if not more so than men to lead. Women share the same spiritual gifts and status before God as men (Galatians 3:28). Yet in

God’s economy, women have been given the honor of serving as “helpmates” to their husbands (Genesis 2:18, 20).

The Family Team

This is why it is extremely important that a wife not only be in favor of her husband pastoring a small group but be committed to the group herself.

She will, in one way or another, be viewed as a co-leader of the group with her husband. This will become more than just the perception of the group, but rather an expectation by the group, especially the other women who will

often look for the Group Pastor’s wife to provide the same-gender shepherding her husband will not be able to provide.

At Oakwood, no married man will be commissioned as a Group Pastor if his wife is not willing to be supportive of his ministry and actively participate in the small group.


Training

Consequently, any training provided the Group Pastor is also available to

his wife. Support, encouragement, and prayer is provided equally to both members of this “leadership team” by the pastoral staff, elders, and their wives. The biblical character qualities required of a church leader (see page 21) are also expected of his wife.

Singles

But what about singles? Can they also play a leadership role in small groups? Of course they can and should! Usually single men and single

women will find their greatest comfort and acceptance as Group Pastors of same gender or life cycle affinity groups, such as a young singles class, student ministry, support or recovery group, single parent group, etc. With

a strong small group leadership team (see next paragraph), single men may also find it appropriate to pastor a co-ed group with a majority of married

couples.

The Small Group Leadership Team

The small group leadership team consists of the Group Pastor (and his wife

if married and a co-ed group), the Group Pastor Intern, and the Host. These three provide a collective leadership to the small group that ensures no one person becomes overburdened by the tasks of shepherding the adult

members of the group, as well as their families.

In addition to these minimum essential leaders, every person in the group

needs to feel like he or she is a contributing member of the group. Each person should be given responsibilities in line with spiritual gifts, interests, desires and needs. A great deal of creativity and freedom is provided the

Group Pastor in this area. If a group is focused on a particular task for a season, for example, visiting people in the church who are sick, in the

hospital or shut-ins, a person in the group with the gift of mercy may be designated the coordinator for the group for this ministry. Someone else might organize part or all of a group recreational outing (e.g., a picnic,

boating, camp out, etc.)

The Group Pastor and Coach

Each Group Pastor is teamed up with a Coach for encouragement and

support. This Coach is an experienced group pastor who has shown a level of spiritual maturity and skill to be a “pastor of group pastors.” The Coach

may be a member of Oakwood’s pastoral staff, an elder, or someone else who has demonstrated leadership abilities within the church.


Group Pastors and Coaches meet together in person at least monthly apart from the Group Pastor Community gatherings. They discuss life,

relationship, ministry, family, job and other issues that bear on the spiritual growth and vitality of people involved in ministry. They pray for one another

and hold one another accountable in commitments and their respective walks with the Lord.

The Coach is the first line of support for the Group Pastor when he or she

feels confused or unsure of what to do in the group. The Coach provides resources, experience, and most of all a listening ear. The Coach knows when to refer an issue to the elders or pastoral staff. He or she is there to

promote the group’s success.

Group Pastor Community

All the Group Pastors, Interns, Coaches and their spouses gather regularly for a time of vision setting, skill development and prayer. This meeting is essential for the support and encouragement of all those involved in small

group ministry.

After a time of reconnecting, the pastor or an elder shares the importance of

small groups for the health and growth of Oakwood. He exhorts and challenges Group Pastors to keep pressing forward, and encourages them that the ministry to which God has called them is essential to the fulfillment

of the Great Commandment and Great Commission.

Next, Group Pastors discuss various ministry skill issues. This is in-service training. It is designed to address felt needs. The Group Pastors set the

agenda for this part of Group Pastor Community. What topics would help you be a better leader? How do you deal with members of groups dropping

out? What can you do to make a Bible discussion more engaging? The list of issues can be endless because the needs and challenges of people are constantly changing.

Finally, Group Pastors break into “huddles” with their respective Coaches for a time of personal sharing and prayer. Here Group Pastors discover that the pressures and challenges they face are not unique—they are common

concerns everyone in leadership sometimes experiences. As we pray for one another, we have the privilege of sharing in one another’s work. Huddles are

essential to the personal growth and nurturing of these important church leaders.


How

Does A Small Group

Work?

Effective Small Group meetings . . .

● create an atmosphere of ACCEPTANCE

● intentionally enhance RELATIONSHIPS ● focus on meaningful DISCUSSIONS

● establish a specific group GOAL

● minister to the whole FAMILY

● remember their VISION



create an atmosphere of ACCEPTANCE

Most people have two desires when joining a Small group:

1. A sense of acceptance

People want to be feel affirmed and appreciated. They need to sense that others accept them for who they are—warts and all. When looking for a

group, newcomers are looking to build relationships and find friends.

2. Encouragement in their spiritual growth..

People are also looking for groups that address the issues that concern

them. They are looking for help in living the victorious Christian life. They want groups that study the Word to see how the Gospel applies to their

unique situations and help them grow in their relationship with God and one another.

Since these are the two things most people are looking for in a small group, the

task of the Group Pastor is to create a group atmosphere that supports reaching these objectives.

FOUR PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE SMALL GROUPS:

1. Keep the group small enough so that relationships can develop.

Intimate relationships require good communication. Unfortunately,

human beings are limited in the number of people they can listen and respond to at any one time. Carl George refers to this as the “mathematics of communication,” and concludes that no person can

effectively process the communication signal exchanges of more than ten people.

2 people 2 signals

3 people 6 signals

4 people 12 signals

5 people 20 signals

6 people 30 signals

7 people 42 signals

8 people 56 signals

9 people 72 signals

10 people 90 signals


2. Link people in the group so personalized mentoring takes place.

Different members of the group will be at varying levels of spiritual

growth and maturity. As a Group Pastor, foster relationships within the group between more mature members and less mature members.

Start with your Intern and encourage him or her to reach out to two or three others in the group to develop a deeper relationship. You might ask various individuals in the group, “Who is someone else in the group who

can set the pace for you?”

3. Structure meetings that enhance mutual openness and spiritual development.

Include in your planning informal, “unstructured time” for one-on-one sharing. Refreshments placed in another room can encourage a few to

drift away from the larger group in order to move to deeper levels of conversation.

Concentrate on “serious,” personal prayer requests—requests that deal

with the real issues of one another’s spiritual lives. Acknowledge that we all have concerns for friends and family members – and that these

should be prayed for – but that the focus of the prayer time during group meetings should be on the individuals in the group and their real, current struggles and joys. “How can we pray for you today?”

Model openness and honesty in your own sharing as the Group Pastor. No one else is likely to be more vulnerable than the leader is. If you want

people to be real, you have to set the example. Keep the atmosphere safe and affirming through the art of genuine listening. Remind everyone of the importance of confidentiality – what is shared in the group stays in

the group.

Keep your Bible discussions, Bible discussions. Resist the temptation to

lecture or preach.

4. Keep the group fresh through tasks and outreach.

Any group will become stale over time if the same issues and answers

keep surfacing. Breathe new life into the group by drawing in new people and working on service projects or outreach efforts as a group. Look for

opportunities and needs your people are already aware of and involved in and mobilize the group to engage redemptively there.



intentionally enhance RELATIONSHIPS

Open, caring, meaningful relationships will not just happen among the

members of your group; they must be pursued. Small group meetings need to be structured to promote and enhance relationships. Group Pastors of successful small groups conduct meetings with a regular balance of the

following four elements:

1. Meaningful Sharing

People need to tell their “story” and hear others’ stories. They need to relate and hear the spiritual and life journeys of the other group members. A Group Pastor must provide opportunities for people to share and respond to

what has happened and is happening in each other’s life.

During the initial formation of your group, you’ll want to spend most of

the group time in this area.

When the group first forms or new people join the group, ask “ice breaker” type questions to get people talking.

After the group has been together for awhile, you can usually ask this question (or a form of it) to facilitate sharing: What has been the most significant event or person in your life since the last time we met?

Practice listening to one another and avoid “conversation killers:”

● Lack of confidentiality

● Cutting off responses

● Providing quick solutions

● Criticism of responses.

Remind the group periodically and anytime a new person visits of the

group’s “rules”:

● You can pass on any

question

● Be careful not to embarrass your spouse

● What is shared in the

group stays in the group

● The only sins you can confess are your own sins


2. Applicational Bible Discussions

A small group is not a Bible class, though Bible discussion with an

emphasis on application should be a consistent and regular part of the group’s time together. Leading an effective Bible discussion takes skill and

preparation.

Focus the group on the text and discuss how its principles relate to their lives. This is best done by asking questions that draw out the meaning of

the text and draw out answers from people as to what they will do with it.

When formulating an application question, keep these things in mind:

Clarity: What should I do with the truth of the passage?

Responsibility: What should I do with the truth of the passage?

Purpose: What should I do with the truth of the passage?

Resist turning the time into a lecture yourself or allowing anyone else in the group to do so.

Try to personally involve everyone, but never embarrass or discourage a person.

Conversational Prayer

Model and teach the members of your group to pray conversationally: Different people spontaneously offering one or two sentence prayers

centering on a particular topic or need until someone introduces another topic or need. Conversational prayer should be a regularly scheduled part of your meeting and will often grow out of your sharing or Bible discussion

time.

Pray the Bible! Before praying read a verse or passage that seems relevant and encourage the group to pray those words or ideas of Scripture back to

the Lord. The Psalms and prayers of Paul are especially useful for this.

If someone shares a particular difficulty or crisis, stop right then, put the

person in a chair in the middle of the group and spend time praying for him/her. You might want to have the group Group hands on him/her while praying. You might be led to spend the whole evening praying for the person

if the need is great enough.


CAUTION: If you have new people or seekers present in your meeting, be sure to communicate that praying is purely voluntary and that it is perfectly

all right for them to just observe and listen.

Outreach Strategy

You should spend some time in each group meeting praying for outreach to people within the group’s network of relationships and spheres of influence.

A helpful prayer to use for this comes from the book Pray & Watch by EFCA

pastor Neal Brower: “Father, please send your Spirit to work in the heart of ____________ (person’s name). Draw him/her to Jesus and turn him/her into

a kingdom laborer.”

You might want to have an Empty Chair at each group meeting and specifically pray that God would fill it by the next meeting with someone

who is seeking spiritual answers and who could be ministered to by your group.

Spend time strategizing how as a group you can reach out to unbelievers and other spiritually needy people. Consider one time events like parties, movies or game nights to which unchurched friends might feel comfortable

coming. Some of these might turn into annual traditions. Follow the interests of your group members. Any hobby or interest can be used for outreach – knitting, playing bridge, watching a TV show, playing softball,

going fishing or boating, bird-watching, hiking, etc. Find out what your people enjoy doing and help them use those interests to build redemptive

relationships with people who are far from God.

CAUTION: If you have seekers attending the group, be sensitive to them at this time. Don’t make them feel self-conscious or give them the sense that

you are scalp hunting!


Effective Small Group meetings . . . focus on meaningful DISCUSSIONS

Your goal in Bible study should be helping your group members understand

the Gospel apply what they learn. Application should be something that can be measured in the immediate future.

Leading an effective group discussion is a developed skill that takes time and

effort. Here is a recommended approach for planning and conducting a Bible discussion:

1. Choose a unit of study (Bible book, topic, Christian book, etc.).

2. Study the passage or chapter thoroughly on your own.

3. State in one sentence the main thought or principle from the passage or

chapter.

4. Focus on the Gospel. How does this passage point to Jesus and the cross? Avoid cheap-grace permission giving and legalistic self-reliance.

Regularly remind the group of “the Gospel Way” (oakwoodfl.org/goodnews).

5. Based on the main idea and Gospel emphasis, state your discussion objective by completing this statement: By the end of our discussion, each participant should be able to...[pick from one of the following areas]

● Knowledge: What do you want them to know?

● Insight: What do you want them to discover?

● Attitude: What do you want them to value?

● Skill: What do you want them to be able to do?

NOTE: Always have clearly in mind the goal for each meeting as you prepare for and lead the discussion. Without intentionality a group will drift

with the currents of culture and complacency. Stay ahead of what the group needs and help point people in the right direction. Think like a shepherd – what does this little flock need right now? Green pastures?

Still waters? Healing oil? Protection?

Write out the questions you will ask and/or activities you will do to reach

your discussion objective.


● Your “lead off” question to begin discussion should be a how or why question, and should be directed to the group as a whole rather than to a

particular person.

● Aim for simplicity. Make sure the questions you ask are easily understood. Watch body language for comprehension. Plan ways to restate your questions. Ask only one question at a time.

● Discussion involves personal feelings as well as objective opinions about

the subject matter. Don’t make the mistake of being insensitive to these

personal feelings.

Write an outline for your discussion in time blocks. ● If you allow the discussion to wander aimlessly, it will soon become

boring. Reestablish the purpose and direction of the discussion when you

need to. ● Keep the discussion centered on what the Scripture says and how what

it says can be applied to what you do. Be sure to bring out how the

passage teaches the Gospel - “beat a path to the cross” (Spurgeon). If

discussion stops short of the Gospel it can burden people with the Law.

● A good way to close each session is to summarize what has been

discussed, then motivate the group by sharing how important the topic is to their spiritual growth.

Keep within your time frame.

● If you are talking as much as half the time during your group

discussions, you’re talking too much.

● Don’t give the group the idea that you are the source of truth. Truth should be discovered and shared from the Bible. Help all the members of your group experience the joy of discovery!

Evaluate your discussion session after the meeting.

● Always show respect for the thoughts, opinions, and feelings of members

of your group. This creates a positive atmosphere for discussion to flourish.

● If you show that you recognize the worth of every person in the group,

the others will follow your example and will also respect and appreciate

each other.

● Help each group member realize that it is his responsibility both to contribute to and profit from the group discussion.


● Don’t give the impression as the Group Pastor that you do not need help

in the areas you are discussing. Use the word we rather than you. Say,

“How should we apply this passage/truth?”

Effective Small Group meetings . . . establish a specific group GOAL, As a Group Pastor, you can help your group remain focused and enable them

to celebrate what God is doing in their lives by establishing a group goal.

A group goal can help everyone in the group know where the group is headed

for a specific season, generally three to four months. It also gives the Group Pastor a means for evaluating the group progress. A good group goal consists of three basic parts:

1. Define the Group’s present NEEDS. All groups will have a mixture of each of these three needs, but a group will tend to focus on one more than the others for some period of time:

LOVE -- Developing and deepening relationships within the group. The major focus here is getting to know one another and sharing each one’s

story. You will concentrate on getting to know one another, sharing struggles and joys, praying for one another, affirming one another, etc.

LEARN -- Studying a biblical book or topic for the purpose of

understanding and applying Scripture and the Gospel to each member’s life. The major focus here is concentrating on the text itself to gain skill

in applying its truths to the needs of individual lives. You might want to train in personal evangelism, Bible study methods, handling conflict, being a better parent, managing finances, etc. Remember, small groups

are never Bible lectures, but rather Bible discussion times where everyone in the group shares how the text is applicable in their own life.

DO -- Concentrating on a project or task. The major focus here is to engage in some project for a period of time as a group. You might want to

have evangelistic Bible studies or pick a service project to be involved in. You might see something around the church building that needs work and dive in to take care of it together.


2. Decide on the particular COMPONENTS to help the group fulfill its need.

What part will study, worship, sharing, fellowship, meals, tasks, etc., play in the group during this period? How much time needs to be

devoted to each? What will be the area of study, materials or tools to use or concentrate on?

3. Determine the LOGISTICS of time, place, frequency, leadership, etc.

You might find filling out the following group covenant will help you focus the group’s goal:

The goal for our group for the next ____ months will be: (circle one)

Love Learn

Do

The components of our small group will be:

We will study __________________________ for ___________ minutes

each meeting.

We will share with and encourage each other by

___________________ for ________ minutes each meeting.

We will engage in the task of ____________________________ for __________ minutes each meeting.

Other components we will concentrate on:

worship and praise / meals / other

The logistics of our small group meetings:

We will meet on _______________ (day) every ____________ week.

We will start on ________________ (date) and meet from _______ to

_______ (time).

We will meet at ________________________ (location)

The group will engage in a time of celebration and evaluation at the

end of the three months on ____________________ (date)


Group Pastor Discussion - August 7, 2018

Objectives: ● Oakwood Leaders connect with and encourage one another. ● Small Group Leaders gain greater clarity on “HOW” small groups

should operate to be as effective as possible.




○ What was your dream in life? What did you most want to accomplish when you were younger?

○ How have your dreams and desires changed over the years?

2. Presentation - 7:25-7:45 – Small Group Practices - Acceptance,

Relationships, Discussion, Goal (pp.53-62)

○ Video: Boys & Grills (Igniter Media)

3. Discussion - 7:45-8:00 – What makes a Great Small Group?

○ What makes for a good group experience?

○ What makes for a bad group experience?

○ How does the size of a group impact the experience people have?

○ What are the “best practices” you have learned for encouraging

people to build relationship with each other outside of the formal

group meeting?

○ Why is it so important to have a plan for each group meeting and each ministry season?






○ What are the instructions for believers here?

○ How is the church described in this passage?

SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN? ○ What are the Gospel motivations in this passage? How does Peter

appeal to our identity and being to motivate our actions and doing?

○ How is Jesus described here? Why is that description important in

this passage?

○ How do the truths of vv. 1-10 support and motivate the commands

in vv. 11-12?

NOW WHAT DO WE DO? ○ How does this passage challenge you personally?

○ How does this passage challenge you in ministry, related to leading a small group?

6. Sharing - 8:30-8:45 ○ What is your next step as a leader at Oakwood?

○ How can we pray for you as you take your next steps?

7. Prayer - 8:45-9:00 ○ Let’s pray conversationally (popcorn style). Pray as you are led on a

single topic and stop after a few sentences so others can join you in praying for that person or about that concern.

○ When you sense it is time for a new topic, someone just introduces that and then allows people to join him or her in praying for that person or issue.


Effective Small Group meetings . . . minister to the whole FAMILY

A major question most small group leaders ask is “How do children fit into a

small group composed of adults?’

The necessary starting point for answering this question is to gain a perspective on Jesus’ attitude toward children. Mark 10:13-16 teaches:

● children are important to the Lord

● children are part of the Church

● children are not excluded from ministry

Consequently, as a Group Pastor to the adults in your group, you cannot ignore the needs of your group’s children. By including children in the

programs and activities of your group, children will then see real Christianity in action among their parents. Often the other adults in the group become a child’s spiritual aunts, uncles and grandparents.

Here are some suggestions for balancing the needs of adults and children that have worked in other groups:

● Have older children and teenagers in some or all of the group meeting.

● Have all children present for part of the group meeting such as dessert and singing/worship times, but dismiss them to another part

of the house for the sharing, study and prayer times. One leading small group expert suggests that including children in the meeting until they become bored will keep them from interrupting mom and

dad later in the meeting!

● Have the host set up a rotating schedule for an adult to take the

children to another part of the house and watch over them while the other adults meet together. This can be a great time for special Bible teaching, singing, etc. for the children. Good curriculum is available

through local Christian bookstores or through the church office. It would be best if every group member participated in this rotation;

however some adults without children may not desire to do so. Never force anyone who does not have children to participate.

● Hire a babysitter for the children during the group meetings. Each

family with children could chip in to pay for the sitter. Some groups


have chosen to have everyone chip in for the cost of childcare to help reduce the financial burden on those with children. Again, financial

assistance may be available from the church to reimburse childcare costs. The host should arrange for the sitter and for payment.

● Have each family arrange its own childcare. If you choose this option, be sensitive to those who may not be able to afford sitters. You might have a special donation pot for parents to pool resources to help those

in the group that cannot afford sitters. If paying for sitters is beyond the capability of your group, contact the elders for possible benevolent support.

No matter which of the options you may choose, it is strongly recommended that you set aside at least one time every month for a special family time that

includes children. Here are some activities that your group can do that include the whole family. These are also great times to invite unchurched friends and neighbors to a non-threatening social time.

1. Act out a Bible story 2. Afternoon at the

lake/beach 3. Make ice cream sundaes 4. Backyard Bible Clubs

5. Birthday party for Jesus 6. Board game night 7. Bowling

8. Christmas caroling 9. Churn ice cream

10. Cook-out 11. Dads and kids cook

breakfast

12. Skit or talent night 13. Go out to dinner 14. Have a Passover meal

15. Hay ride 16. Make pizzas

17. Play Nerf softball, football, basketball

18. Picnic

19. Pot luck meal

20. Progressive dinner 21. Project day: paint,

build, garden 22. Putt Putt 23. Question-you’ve-always-

wanted-to-ask-someone night

24. Rent an old movie

25. Roller skating / Ice skating

26. Show home videos, slides

27. Super Bowl Party

28. Swimming party 29. Take a trip together 30. Treasure hunt

31. Visit a nursing home 32. Video Game Night

33. Volleyball 34. Water skiing 35. Weekend

retreat/campout


Effective Small Group meetings . . . remember their VISION

DISCOVERING YOUR FISHIN’ HOLES.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)

If we are not fishing for people, we are not following Jesus! If we are

following Jesus, then we will fish for people.

As a Group Pastor, you need to hold the vision before your group of being a

fisher of men. Your goal is to help your group discover and enfold two to three new people each year. In order for you to be an effective fisher of men

you need to discover fishin’ holes. There are four common ones:

Sunday Worship Celebration.

You and the members of your group should be reaching out to guests that come to our worship service. Every Sunday take the initiative to meet someone new and ask if they have visited a small group yet. If not,

invite them to your group.

You or someone else in your group should be part of the greeting team so

that newcomers can be welcomed and invited to a small group when they first begin to visit.

Whenever you’re at church, remember: Don’t Clump. It is natural for

those in a positive small group to cluster together to catch up and share what’s going on in your lives. Always be aware of those around you who

are not yet in a group or who are new to the church. Pay attention to what your body language says to others – keep your posture open to people, drawing them into your circle. Don’t close your circle. This can

create the perception (or reality) of cliques in the church.

Special Events

Church potlucks, congregational meetings, Men’s or Women’s events, FX,

game nights, Sunday School, etc. all provide opportunities for meeting new people. At such functions, circulate apart from the members of your

small group and your other church friends and intentionally meet people you don’t know. Introduce them to the other members of your group. After several hours of interacting with members of your group, it will be

easy to invite them to a regular small group meeting.


Your Own Network

Everyone has a network of acquaintances that represents a potential

fishin’ hole for finding new group members. Cultivate relationships among your F.R.A.N.s: Friends, Relatives, work Associates, Neighbors as

well as organization/club members, salespeople, and your children’s friend’s parents. As you pray for the people God lays on your heart, expect Him to provide opportunities for you to invite seekers to visit your

group.

Your Group’s Network

Pray for one another’s networks during your small group meetings. Keep

everyone’s Operation Andrew list as a regular matter for prayer. Plan non-threatening opportunities for meeting one another’s acquaintances

socially. Plan group social events to invite others to visit. Strategize with your group how you can reach out as individuals and as a group to share the gospel and bring Seekers into meaningful relationships with

believers.

LAUNCHING A NEW GROUP

Jesus said:

A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. (John 16:21)

Although it can be a painful process to “birth” a new group, as with bringing

a new child into the world, there can be tremendous joy and excitement as you experience God growing His church. Some of the pain of this “birthing” process can be minimized by proper planning and sensitive attention to the

following procedure:

Share the vision of kingdom-expansion with the members of your group. If

this is done early in the life of your group - and often - the members of your group will be anticipating the event rather than be surprised by it:

Any group of 10 to 15 begins to lose its effectiveness in sharing deeply

and relating to others. Apply the following formula to determine the number of relational/communication possibilities within your group:

(number X number) - number = communication lines

A group that chooses not to remain open to new members (and eventually launch a new group) will become ingrown and stagnant. We


are not to be a closed group, rather, we are to be a missional community that reaches out to expand the kingdom!

Groups often experience renewed enthusiasm, deeper sharing and outreach after they have just multiplied. After going through the process

of giving a new group life, the response is often, “Why didn’t we do this sooner?”

Explain the process of launching a new group:

Share with the group that you have been working with your Intern to prepare him or her to lead a new group. (They should already have seen him ministering to the group by now.) Alternatively, if the Lord leads you

as the Group Pastor to launch out with a new group, share how you have come to this understanding and discuss the process of handing over

leadership of the existing group to your intern.

Assure the group that you desire everyone to maintain relationships that are mutually encouraging and to continue to minister to one another

through and after the time of transition.

Encourage everyone to prayerfully consider where the Lord would have

them continue to connect and grow. After a few weeks of reflection, work with your intern to contact each member to hear how the Lord is leading them.

Test Drive smaller groupings

If your meeting space allows, you could break into two groups a few times before the formal multiplication takes place. This will allow people

to experience the blessings of smaller groups with fewer lines of communication and more opportunities to share.

Sometimes groups can effectively multiply in this way by meeting together as a large group for some food and fellowship and then breaking into smaller groups for Bible study and prayer.

Meet with your Group Pastor Intern and evaluate the group on the basis of these considerations:

Rate each person according to one of the following:

Potential new Group Pastor Intern: those who are ready to be

interned and trained as potential new Group Pastors.


Mature/growing believer: those whose walk with Christ is strong

and are ready to reach out and minister to other believers and

unbelievers.

Undeveloped/new believer: those who are in neutral or are just

beginning to grow in their Christian life and still need to be challenged and developed for growth and ministry.

Seeker or EGR: those who are new in the faith or are going through

some type of crisis in their life and need a lot of time and attention.

Try to maintain an even balance among the four types of members. Don’t have an overload of one type in either group. Consider the

prospects for each group in terms of the people you plan to invite and weigh their maturity into this discussion as well.

Try to make sure that everyone ends up in a group with someone they feel close to from the preferences you have gathered in your communication and meetings with each member. If it comes down to

asking someone to make a sacrifice, start with potential Group Pastors/mature believers; they will be most likely to adapt.

Call each person on the list for the new group and have your Group Pastor Intern call each person left in the original group. Ask each person to pray about his/her involvement in the new groups and get back to you

within a specified time if they have any difficulty with the proposal.

Set a specific date for the two groups to meet separately.

At the first meeting of each new group concentrate on LOVING; spend

time getting to know one another, sharing and praying.

Decide on the following:

The day and time when the group will meet

Arrangements for children

A three month emphasis for the group (Recommend LOVING as the

primary emphasis)

Set up a new prayer chain

Have a “reunion” of the two groups within a couple of months. This allows

the groups to maintain relationships. It has often proven to reinforce in each group member’s mind that it was a good idea to launch a new group in

order to enfold more people into gospel-centered community!


APPENDICES


Group Pastor MINISTRY RESPONSIBILITIES

DEFINITION: A Group Pastor is one who has accepted God’s call to lead and

shepherd a voluntary and intentional small group of three to fifteen adults. A Group Pastor is commissioned by the elders to care for, oversee the needs of, and guide others toward spiritual growth and service.

RESPONSIBILITIES: (Note: not all of the following responsibilities are intended to be personally fulfilled by you, but you assume the responsibility for each of

these areas)

1. To embrace and strive to implement the small group mission within the parameters of the small group values and Oakwood’s Love-Grow-Serve-

Reach discipleship pathway.

2. To lead a small group toward the fulfillment of each of its six purposes.

3. To serve the members of your group by developing meaningful group

meetings.

4. To shepherd your group members by providing ministry outside the

meeting.

5. To participate in the Group Pastor Community.

6. To maintain communication with your Coach.


Group Pastor Intern MINISTRY RESPONSIBILITIES

DEFINITION: A small group member who is exploring God’s calling to lead

and shepherd a small group by being mentored by a Group Pastor.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Meet regularly (at least monthly) with your Group Pastor to debrief on the 5 Rs:

o RELATE: How are you doing? How is your family? How is your walk with the

Lord? How are you doing with rest and exercise (day off; date night, etc.)?

o REFLECT: What went well in ministry last month? What challenges have you

faced?

o REFOCUS: What are your main goals for this month? What are you working on? How are you coming on your annual KRAs (Key Result Areas) and BHAGs (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals)?

o RESOURCE: What could you use help with? What decisions are you trying to make? How can I help you? How can I pray for you?

o REVIEW: Overall, how was your last month?

(The 5Rs are based on a plan for Intentional Living that uses an annual 2-3 day prayer and planning retreat to define and refine Key Result Areas for life and ministry along with faith goals for each area. Then, each month during a 4-8 hour Personal Retreat Day, you align “the compass with the clock” by evaluating progress and prayerfully setting goals using the 5R Monthly Check-in Form. These disciplines are greatly enhanced by debriefing monthly with a trusted coach.)

2. Discuss plans, and strategies for making the group more effective and pray with your Group Pastor.

3. Lead various aspects of the small group meeting occasionally.

4. Consistently contact family units assigned to you within the group for prayer, needs, etc.

5. Attend the Group Pastor Community and other training opportunities with your Group Pastor.


Host/ess MINISTRY RESPONSIBILITIES

DEFINITION: A Group member who has accepted God’s calling to care for the

administrative, hospitality and logistical concerns of a small group.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Before the Small Group meets...

● Schedule times, places and food responsibilities for each meeting and communicate these things to the other members of the group.

● Either see that a childcare provider is available or make sure one of the

group members is scheduled to take care of the children during the group meeting.

● Communicate scheduling and childcare details to the Group Pastor.

● Organize and keep the group’s prayer chain, addresses, birthday/anniversary lists, etc. up to date.

At the Small group Meeting...

● If not at your home, arrive early to the meeting place and help those who

are hosting the meeting in their home to set up the room, lay out food, drinks, etc.

● Arrange chairs in a circle and make sure there is one “Empty Chair.”

● Greet people as they arrive and set an atmosphere of love and acceptance for everyone--regulars and guests.

● See that the children are situated with their “sitter” during the meeting

time. (You shouldn’t be with the children during the meeting, but if an emergency arises and you can take care of it, try to do so.)

● Make sure extra Bibles and pencils/pens are available.

After the Small group Meeting...

● Wait until after people leave and help clean up and rearrange furniture.

● Attend the next available Group Pastor Vision Seminar to capture the “vision” for small groups at Oakwood Community Church.

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