Praying: Confession



 Confession is agreeing with God about our sin. We acknowledge sin and take God’s view of it. Confession reminds us that forgiveness is God’s free gift to us. We cannot earn forgiveness. But in agreeing with God about our sin and turning from it, God grants us forgiveness. Confession helps us walk in fellowship with God.

In leading and modeling for our small groups, we can help our learners learn to use confession in personal prayer and when appropriate, in corporate prayer.

As you lead your group and teach toward spiritual transformation, remember to ask the Holy Spirit to bring conviction to your life and to the lives of your learners. We do not have to condemn anyone, even ourselves, for it is the Holy Spirit’s role to reveal sin and call us to repentance.

Agreeing with God about our sin is only possible as we forget about our excuses for sin. The only comparison we need to make is how our lives stack up against God’s holiness. He knows the truth about us in every way. He is not deceived by our excuses. Therefore we must become honest with God about our sin.

As you teach about confession, remind your learners that forgiveness only comes through Jesus Christ and is made possible by His redeeming work on the cross. He lives now before the Father to be our Advocate and Defender.

If our sin damaged others, then we must make restitution and seek their forgiveness as well.

Read Nehemiah 1:5-11. Note Nehemiah’s sense of his personal sin and the sins of his people. Notice how he takes responsibility without blaming others. He praises God, confesses sin, prays God’s promises back to Him, and finally seeks God’s blessing in the matter at hand: rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.  

C.S. Lewis reminds us: "Prayer is either a sheer illusion or a personal contact between embryonic, incomplete persons (ourselves) and the utterly concrete Person. Prayer in the sense of petition, asking for things, is a small part of it; confession and penitence are its threshold, adoration its sanctuary, the presence and vision and enjoyment of God its bread and wine. In it God shows Himself to us. That He answers prayers is a corollary—not necessarily the most important one—from that revelation. What He does is learned from what He is."

Scripture:

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sings, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 1 John 1:8-10 ESV

Prayer:

Get caught up on your confessing. People will soon become aware of the purity you are pursuing.

Dig Deeper:

Much of today’s material came from the study helps in “Life Helps” in The Disciple’s Study Bible. Study Bibles are helpful tools for the Bible study leader. Consider adding one to your personal library.  

Teaching: Why Doing Helps Us Learn

All learning comes through experience. Stated another way, as we do something we learn. Such learning is active learning, engaging us mind, spirit, and body. Watch a child play. A child learns as she plays. She imitates her parents serving a meal. She learns about food and dishes, about conversation and relationships. Another child fills a tub with small blocks and then dumps them out and starts over. She learns concepts like full, empty, in, out, and the rudiments of numbers. All their learning is through experience.

Consider the great festivals of the Old Testament. Passover, for instance, taught history, deliverance, and God’s care through preparing the meal, serving it, tasting the food, and repeating the litany of the meal with family. Think about the learning derived for contemporary Christians observing and participating in baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

The younger the learner, the most reliant the learner is on direct experience. Don’t show a child a picture of a flower, but instead show a real flower which can be touched and smelled. The older learner, on other hand, can learn with indirect experience because the older learner brings a lifetime of personal, direct experiences to the learning session. A younger learner may not have the life experience associated with feeling hopeless, but an older learner can recall times of hopelessness in their own personal experiences. All learners benefit from active, direct experiences, but older learners have the advantage of life experience that can be recalled in the learning session.

Capitalize on the life experiences when teaching older learners by creating learning experiences which capture those experiences with activity. Use learning activities should as writing responses to questions prior to sharing verbally. Another excellent activity uses case studies which combine life experiences with biblical content. And, adult typically learn in all areas by solving problems. Pose a problem that requires adults to depend upon applying biblical content to suggest a solution. Such activities engage the learner in direct experiences which deepen the learning.

Scripture:

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. James 1:22-25 ESV
 

Prayer:

Ask God to bring your knowledge of your learners to mind as you prepare your next lesson.

 
Dig Deeper:

Read Design for Teaching and Training by LeRoy Ford.

Praying: Thanksgiving Every Bible Study

Another form of prayer we must teach as we pray and lead prayer in our Bible study groups is thanksgiving. As we noted last week, thanksgiving focuses on what God has done while praise focuses on God’s attributes and character. Thanksgiving becomes a regular rehearsal of God work in history, our communities, our churches, our families, and our lives. When we focus on thanksgiving we understand that all things come to us from God. Thanksgiving may surprise us as we remember more and more what God has done for us. Thanksgiving also humbles us because we soon realize that we are unworthy of God’s blessings but He pours blessings on us anyway.

Thanksgiving flows from God’s grace. Grace is the centerpiece of thanksgiving because we learn that all God’s work in our lives is unearned and comes to us from Him as a gift.

Thanksgiving is agreeing with God about His work in your life. As you thank God, you confirm that He has worked and is working in us. Instead of taking personal credit, we give God the credit as we thank Him.

Thanksgiving is worship of God for His specific actions. Thanksgiving is listing, with passion and joy, all that God has done for you and given you. Indeed, as we thank God, we soon have a list of amazing length, yet we realize that we have only scratched the surface of God’s grace-full work in our lives.

We must employ thanksgiving in everything.  If all things come from God, then thanksgiving becomes a constant presence in our lives and in our prayers. Even when the difficult times occur or problems press upon us, we can be sure that God will work even these into blessings in some way at some time. In this way, thanksgiving accentuates God’s grace in everything.

Thanksgiving allows us to enjoy God’s blessing. Thanksgiving recognizes God’s grace in everything. When we yield every display of grace in our lives, we become free to enjoy everything He brings to us.

As we pray in our small groups, take opportunity to teach and model thanksgiving in prayer. From time to time spend dedicated time in group and personal prayer simply thanking God. Highlight psalms and prayers all through Scripture that concentrate on thanksgiving. Encourage your learners to make their lives living prayers of thanksgiving.

Scripture:

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
       the One who is and who was,
       because you have taken your great power
       and have begun to reign.” Revelation 11:17 ESV

Prayer:
Spend one whole day considering all the specific things the Lord Almighty has done for you. Use your list to give Him thanks.

Dig Deeper:
Much of today’s material came from the study helps in “Life Helps” in The Disciple’s Study Bible. Study Bibles are helpful tools for the Bible study leader. Consider adding one to your personal library.

Teaching: We Learn through Experience

All learning takes occurs through our senses. We learn by seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, and tasting. The more senses in use while learning, the more likely real change will occur. So, since learning comes through our five senses we can see that learning comes through experience.

Experiences come in two varieties. The first and more power kind of experience is direct experience. Direct experience includes real life events (like telling your testimony to a perfect stranger) and in made-up experiences (like participating in a role-play about sharing one’s faith). Other kinds of experience are indirect. One example of indirect experience is watching a video of a believer giving her testimony. Another example of indirect experience includes reading and hearing, such as reading about how to share one’s faith.

The level of experience is important in learning for several reasons. One, the more direct the learning experience is, the greater the learning will likely be. Therefore, we should plan as many direct experiences as possible. Two, the problem with direct experience is that it is difficult to bring real life experiences into the classroom or small group place. And, many real life experiences can include danger and risk, so planning for real life experiences can sometimes be dicey. Three, the less direct the learning experience is, the less likely deep learning and lasting change can occur. Can you see the difference that can happen in learning from a mission trip and learning from a hearing a lesson about missions?

So how can we use experience in learning in small groups? Fortunately, adults come to Bible study with a wealth of real life experience upon which they can call. The wise use of discussion questions, meaningful illustrations, and the use of engaging story can help adults recall life experiences related to the Bible study. Therefore, an effective Bible study leader takes the time to learn as much as he or she can about the learners in the group. Such information enables powerful planning prior to the session and meaningful experiences in the session.

Scripture:

            Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
            If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 ESV

Prayer:

Pray that God will help you engage learners in your group in conversation so you can learn more about the experiences they bring to Bible study.
 
Dig Deeper:
Read Design for Teaching and Training by LeRoy Ford.

Praying: More than Requests

When we pray in our small Bible study groups, our usual prayers deal with interceding for the needs of others. We often bring before God the needs of our families and friends. This is all good. We should unite in prayer for our needs and the needs of others. But, if that is the only “group” prayer that the small group uses, then your Bible study members may not develop skills in other kinds of prayers: thanksgiving, praise, and confession. Short prayers are fine, too, but again, sometimes we need to spend extended times in prayer. We will seldom be successful without being taught such skills. The Bible study might not be about prayer but the way we lead and participate in prayer in our groups teaches our groups how to pray. Let’s consider praise.

What would prayers of praise sound like? Praise has the basic purpose of bringing glory to God. Praise and thanksgiving are similar but praise adores God for who He is while thanksgiving expresses gratitude to God for what He does. Praise is often more difficult to do because we do not frequently rehearse who God is. Praise helps us verbalize God’s identity and know Him better.

Why should we praise God? He is worthy of praise. Our praise is our gift and our sacrifice to God. God’s purpose for us is to praise Him. He commands us to bring Him praise. When we praise God, we follow Jesus’ example. Praising God now prepares us for life in heaven, endlessly praising God.

How should we praise God? Use your own natural words that express honor and greatness to God. Use Bible prayers and pray them to God as your own. Paul told us to use psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to praise God. We can play musical instruments to praise God. We can rehearse all the great things He has done in history and in our own lives.

What can we say when we praise God? Read scripture to God, agreeing with the writers and using the words as our own expressions. Use words that express praise: worship, praise, exalt, lift up, honor, magnify, bless, and more. Exclaim God’s greatness with shouts like “Hallelujah!” or “Hosanna!” or “Praise God!”

We teach, not only with the lesson we prepare but by everything we say and do in our Bible study groups. We can teach the wonderful opportunity of prayer every time we gather.

Scripture:
Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones,
        ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
        worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
                                              Psalm 29:1-2 ESV

Prayer:
Ask God to show teach you the art of praising Him so you can teach others.

Dig Deeper:
Much of today’s material came from the study helps in “Life Helps” in The Disciple’s Study Bible. Study Bibles are helpful tools for the Bible study leader. Consider adding one to your personal library.

Teaching: A Goal Works toward Change

As we think about teaching with goals, we must also think about the nature of learning. What is learning? Learning is a lasting change in knowledge, understanding, attitude (value), and skill (or behavior) brought about by experience. To identify a goal for learning in your group, you must first identify what area of their lives you see a need for lasting change. What are some examples of lasting change? Here are some teaching goals with the area of change:
Knowledge: The learners will recall the major events in the life of David. (This goal works toward simple recall of information, a great starting place in Bible study.)
Understanding: The learners will explain the danger and long-lasting results of sin after studying David’s sin with Bathsheba. (This goal requires that the learner use and interpret new information with concepts and in her own words.)
Skill (or behavior): The learners will demonstrate a gain in skill in prayer by confessing sin using David’s pattern in Psalm 51. (This goal requires the learner to change a behavior or develop a new one.)
Attitude: Learners will develop an appreciation of genuine kindness after reflecting on David’s treatment of Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9. (While attitude goals are hard to measure and difficult to see in one only Bible study session, becoming Christ-like requires attitude changes.)

Learning is the end goal of all Christian teaching. We would even say that life change is that end goal. God is not interested in how many Bible facts we know but how we are becoming like Jesus. As we plan to teach our next lessons, let’s identify what life change associates with the Bible passage we are using. State that desired change in your teaching goal. Pray that God will use the study to develop such change in the lives of the learners. Then select the words and learning activities to use in the study that will help learners connect with that change. As the next few weeks go by, we will examine these steps more closely.

Scripture:

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 ESV

Prayer:

Ask God to help you see areas that need learning (lasting change) in your life.

Dig Deeper:
Read Design for Teaching and Training by LeRoy Ford.

Organizing: Facilitating Community

We all just want to belong. We want to feel that we are loved and can love. We want to be accepted and to accept. We are made in the image of God with a hunger for community. Triune God exists in a perfect unity so as creatures in His image, we long for community as well. And, I believe that our deepest longing for community will only be fulfilled in the perfect of unity of God’s people in heaven. Yet we desire community here and now and we can belong to His people here and now.

Meaningful community cannot be forced or contrived, but we can foster community by taking steps to help people belong, be genuine and share in Christ’s life in our small groups. Here are some suggestions that may help us foster Christian community.

1. As the leader, model the acceptance and belonging you desire group members to show to one another.
2. Organize in a way that may foster community. Consider care groups which are sub-groups in your group. This is helpful when you group is large. These subgroups can gather for fellowship and can minister to each other. Consider re-organizing these smaller groups about every 4-6 months. Add new care groups as new members enter the community.
3. Focus on care groups with the whole group gathers. The care groups can be prayer groups during larger group meetings so people can have a more intimate prayer time. Care groups can also focus on ministry projects.
4. Find ways to develop an online presence for your group. Someone in the group might open and maintain a FaceBook group for your Bible study group. Such a group site can be public or private. Since so many people use FaceBook, it may become a vehicle for support and ministry during the week.
5. Consider creating a mechanism so that visitors to your group are immediately invited out for a meal by some current members. I know a small group of twenty-somethings who are often pressed for spending money. The group collects a “kitty” of small donations each week. Then each week a different couple plays host and hostess for the group, primarily focusing on any visitors to the group. The host and hostess invite the visitors to a meal out after church that day and they are reimbursed from the “kitty” so no one is overwhelmed with an extra expense on the household budget. What a wise ministry action that can build community and acceptance.
6. Pray for unity in the group. God desires that his people love one another and live in harmony with each other.  Praying for unity is one of those prayers that God always answers, “Yes!”

Scripture:

Behold, how good and pleasant it is

                when brothers dwell in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
                running down on the beard,
                on the beard of Aaron,
                running down on the collar of his robes!
It is like the dew of Hermon,
                which falls on the mountains of Zion!
                For there the LORD has commanded the blessing,
                life forevermore.    Psalm 133:1-3 ESV

Prayer:

Consider praying: Father, we desire unity in our group. As we ask for unity, please  . . . .

Dig Deeper:

Consider reading Connecting in Communities: Understanding the Dynamics of Small Groups by Eddie Mosley (NAV Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-61521-685-7. An e-book version is available.