Homegroups

Homegroups is a large source of free, high quality, curated small group material.

There are over 60 home group series, including:

• ‘Hope’, from the Bible Society (four sessions including videos)

• ‘We Need to Talk About Race’, with Ben Lindsay (four sessions including videos)

• ‘What On Earth is Heaven?’, with James Paul (twelve sessions including videos)

• Over 20 series of Bible studies from the team at St Ebbe’s Church, Oxford

Fruitfulness on the Frontline

Yesterday, LICC launched a new set of resources – Fruitfulness on the Frontline – including a book and a DVD designed especially for small groups.

Here’s some blurb from the webpage:

‘We all have a life on the frontline in the world that’s significant to God. But can we see how God has been working in and through us? Can we imagine what God might be pleased to work in and through us on our daily frontlines?’

More information about the DVD, including a short video promo, is available here.

More information about the book, published by IVP, is available here.

A Discussion Guide has been written to go alongside the sessions, along with a raft of other resources (including prayer cards and preaching guides), to which I have made some contributions.

Lyfe

Check out the new Lyfe website, part of the work of Bible Society.

Here’s the blurb:

‘Lyfe provides small group sessions, events and other useful resources to help people discover a deeper life with God. Lyfe helps people to grow holistically and to experience a transforming relationship with God through Scripture and spiritual practices that have inspired and sustained Christians throughout the centuries.’

Abigail Johnson on Theological Reflection in a Small Group

Adapted from a book she has written on the topic, Abigail Johnson has a short post here on theological reflection.

‘We all reflect, wonder, analyze, think, assess, and discuss with friends as ways of trying to understand our life. Theological reflection simply refocuses all that thinking to encourage a stronger sense of relationship with God, asking, “Where does God fit into the picture?”’

Johnson outlines seven steps for theological reflection (only one of which happens in a group setting): (1) choose a situation to reflect upon; (2) describe your feelings about the situation; (3) consider your thoughts about the various dynamics that might be at play; (4) ask where God is in this situation, perhaps considering a relevant biblical story or text; (5) ask what you have learned from this reflection, be they fresh insights or new actions; (6) pray, in a way that expresses your deepest hope; (7) present to the group.