Small Group Materials

From time to time I will attempt to share with you some sources of truly significant small group Bible study materials. Nothing helps build strong, Christ-centered relationships more effectively than becoming a part of a small group. Every significant and growing fellowship of believers relies on small groups to provide intimacy and fellowship among the members of a larger body.

This time, I want to shine a spotlight on the magnificent ministry of David and Karen Mains and Mainstay Ministries. Just point your web browser to www.sundaysolutions.com.

On that site you will find a host of helpful materials. Many of these materials have been packaged as “50-Day Spiritual Adventures.” While the Adventures are designed for an entire church to use, they also make truly effective materials for use by small groups. Check ‘em out; you’ll be glad you did!

In the spirit of full disclosure, I should explain further.

I grew up in a Bible-believing church. I prayed to receive Jesus as my Savior at the ripe old age of nine, in 1956. During high school, I served actively in Youth for Christ. I graduated from a most excellent Christian liberal arts college, Houghton College.

And yet, here I was in the summer of 1975: spiritually stagnant, terribly discouraged, gravely disappointed, and deeply troubled by the shallowness of many of the Christian leaders with whom I had come into contact. So, in the midst of this period of severe spiritual draught, I began to pray earnestly that God would bring a truly godly man into my life. I prayed faithfully and fervently, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year.

In October, 1978, I received word at the Christian radio station where I served as a volunteer, WIHS-fm, that Rev. David R. Mains of The Chapel of the Air radio broadcast would speak at the annual radio station appreciation banquet. And, Rev. Mains would also speak at the Sunday morning worship service at my church. Knowing that I worked at the radio station, someone from my church asked if my wife and I would host Rev. Mains during his weekend visit.

That weekend changed my life forever.

As Rev. Mains began to speak at the radio station banquet, I hush fell across the several hundred people gathered in that high school auditorium. I sensed a deep electricity punctuate his words. Virtually instantly I knew that maybe, just maybe, God had finally answered my prayers.

During the time Rev. Mains spent in our home that weekend, I found someone who was much more interested in learning about me than he was in telling me about himself. In a truly uncharacteristic manner, compared to many, many other Christian media personalities that I had met, Rev. Mains exhibited a spirit of true humility, seasoned with great grace.

As he prepared to board a Chicago-bound airplane on Sunday afternoon, he quietly sat with me in the boarding area and shared some key principles he was using in his own spiritual development. He encouraged me to write to him.

Over the ensuing 30 years (31 years this October), David Mains has poured many, many hours of loving concern into my life. He has given me the opportunity to work with him and his staff. He has introduced me to many other key individuals. Most importantly, he has modeled for me what it means to wholeheartedly commit one’s life to serving God.

He opened his home to me, where his wife, Karen, a noted Christian author, and his children, all welcomed me and extended wonderful hospitality.

So, you see, I have experienced first hand many of the truths that the “50-Day Spiritual Adventures” help believers experience in their own lives. I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically urge you to choose one of the 50-Day Adventures and begin to use it for your small group. If you are not presently participating in a small group, why not start one. Pick a date and time and invite some of your friends to join you for a couple of hours of Bible study and prayer.

You and your friends truly can make Hebrews 10:23-25 come alive in your hearts and minds.

_{Copyright © 2009 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

 

What does it mean to worship?

Well, it’s a Thursday. Two more days and then it will be Sunday. Where will you be on Sunday? Will you worship with your family in your church?

Recently, I received an e-mail from an acquaintance who shared that he had been thinking a lot lately about what it means to worship God. He asked me for my thoughts. This is what I wrote to him:

Worship represents one of the most important and most exciting activities we can pursue. Whenever I think about worship, I remember what the children of Israel experienced when they returned to Jerusalem from captivity and began to rebuild the city. You can find the record of an important part of their activity recorded in Nehemiah 8. I recommend that you turn in your Bible to that story and notice the power of God’s Word (in this case, the Law) and how the people responded.

One of the great passages of Scripture resides at the second part of verse 10: “This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Worship brings us great joy. As we come apart from the trials and tribulations of daily life and gather together with our brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ, our worship becomes a source of great joy. And, we can draw strength from that joy: strength to meet the challenges of each day; strength to overcome those who would pull us down into what John Bunyan in Pilgrim’s Progress calls “the slough of despond.”

Do you find joy lacking in your life? Then go to a church this Sunday where you will find God’s people worshipping Him in the splendor of His holiness. In other words, by the power of the Holy Spirit, ask God to make the truth of Psalm 96:8-10 come alive in your heart and in your mind.

You will be very glad you did!

_{Copyright © 2009 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

 

When to say, “No!”

Everyone much prefers someone who always says, “Yes.”

But, let’s face it. Every person reaches a point in his or her life where saying “Yes” becomes too difficult. That point usually occurs when your emotional bank account nears empty.

Part of you wants to “go along to get along.” Part of you wants to “accentuate the positive.” Part of you wants to have others perceive you as a pleasant, helpful, supportive person. But, then there’s that other part of you; the part that has had enough, has suffered enough; has reached the end of the line. One more “yes” will put you over the edge.

Knowing when to say “No” has great importance. The Lord Jesus Christ condemned those who always punctuated their promises with an “I swear I will.” In Matthew 5:33-37 he instructed his disciples to “Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (verse 37).

One way of saying “No” comes to light when you stop trying so hard to convince someone you are right and he or she is wrong. Sometimes, you just need to walk away and allow him or her to exist in the reality he or she has created.

A colleague at the insurance company where I used to work often quoted two sayings which he felt offered words to live by:

1. Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.

2. Never wrestle with a pig. You get your clothes all dirty and the pig loves it.

So, give yourself permission to say “No.” Not every time and not all the time. But, when you have reached the point where those around you have fully withdrawn all they can from your emotional bank account, curl up in a comfortable place and put Jesus’ instructions to work. When the Holy Spirit refreshes you, make certain your ‘yes’ means ‘yes.’ Until then, let your ‘no’ be ‘no.’

I assure you that God—the One Who Loves You Most—understands. After all, He made you and He sent His only Son to die for you on the cross.

_{Copyright © 2009 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

 

What’s Your Brand?

As a student of advertising, I am always intrigued to see how the purveyors of various goods and services present themselves and their products to the buying public.

Sometimes I’ll see a great TV spot that makes me smile or laugh. But, when the spot ends, I have no idea what product or service the advertiser has offered. And, I do not know the name of the advertiser. I always feel sad. What a waste. They spent all that money to sell to me and I don’t even know the name of the company or the name of the product.

In contrast, all throughout the mid-morning hours of this business quarter, ConAgra Foods has run a TV Spot that is nothing short of delightful and outstandingly effective.

The spot shows a young elementary school-aged boy eating Chef Boyardee pasta. His dad stands next to him, picks up the empty can, and reads the label. The camera focuses on the part of the label that announces the product contains a full serving of vegetables. The dad then speaks loudly to the mom across the room and asks her if she realizes what the can of pasta contains.

The mom quickly turns on the garbage disposal to block the sound of her husband’s voice. When he tries to tell her again, she bangs on some hanging pots with a wooden spoon. She obviously doesn't want her son to hear about the vegetables.

As the scene ends, the announcer gives a voice-over that really pops: “Chef Boyardee...obviously delicious, secretly nutritious.”

Wow! What a great brand: “obviously delicious, secretly nutritious.” It started me thinking about what brand I project to the people who cross the pathway of my life. When people think about me, what brand pops into their minds?

The Apostle Paul struggled with how the people in the church at Corinth were thinking about him. In 1 Corinthians 3 he tries to deal with how the Corinthians are thinking about and talking about the various spiritual leaders of the day. He urges them to stop boasting about men; to stop identifying themselves with a particular leader. Rather, they should place their identity with the Lord Jesus Christ. ( vs. 21-23)

In 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, Paul asserts: “So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” The Greek word translated “servant” can also refer to a slave who has been pressed into service. It can also refer to someone who has placed himself or herself into bond service: a bond-servant or bond-slave.

It is quite possible that Paul was thinking about the passage in Deuteronomy 15:12-17. In that passage, God gives instructions to His chosen people how to set free a fellow Hebrew who has sold himself or herself into slavery in the seventh year of indenture. In verses 16 and 17, God describes how a servant can choose to remain with his or her master “because he loves you and your family and is well off with you.” Thus, a servant or slave becomes a bond-slave or bond-servant for life.

When the Holy Spirit prompts us to respond to God’s gift of love and grace through the redeeming blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and we acknowledge God’s claim on our lives, we become a bond-slave or bond-servant of Christ.

As I have heard my dear friend, Dr. David R. Mains teach many times, a steward is a slave elevated to a position of responsibility in his or her master’s household. Still a slave, the steward has overall responsibility for the possessions of his or her master. He or she has no interest in her own reputation, possessions, or success. Rather, he or she is fully devoted only to those matters that concern his or her master.

So, Paul seems to say that the “brand” by which he wishes to be known consists of being a “bond-slave of Christ and a steward of the mysteries of God.” And, he goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 4:2, “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”

What’s your brand? How will you choose to be known to your family, to your friends, and to anyone who crosses your pathway?

As for me, I really like: “obviously delicious, secretly nutritious.” But, I like even better: “bond-slave of Christ and a steward of the mysteries of God.”

_{Copyright © 2009 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

 

A Tool for Team Building: the Gregorc Style Delineator™

One “adventure” that every church staff, every church board or group of church leaders, as well as every committee, task group, or ministry body within a church must face: “How to build a cohesive team.”

Teamwork in leadership forms an essential element of success in carrying out God’s work in this world. The Scripture asserts that each church contains the full range of spiritual gifts that, working together, can provide a fully functional body of believers. This body can become energized by the Holy Spirit to minister in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ in the local area, the state, the nation, and to the far reaches of the world.

Yet virtually every working group within a church has unnecessary conflicts, misunderstandings, and difficulties that interfere with their efforts to minister. The only way to remove this interference is to build a cohesive, interdependent, respectful, Christ-honoring team. To build such a team, the team members must learn to understand each other. One terrific tool to help gain that understanding: the Gregorc Style Delineator™.

Succinctly as possible, Dr. Anthony F. Gregorc asserts that God has “pre-wired” every individual with certain characteristics that pervade that person’s body, soul, mind, and spirit. These characteristics can be observed. And, in adults, these characteristics can also be disclosed through the use of the Gregorc Style Delineator™.

The God-given pre-wiring creates within every person certain innate preferences in how the individual takes in or perceives information—as life unfolds around him or her—and certain natural preferences in how the individual “processes” or “orders” that information into a useful form.

The two ways people perceive: Concretely (Physical Reality) or Abstractly (Non-physical—e.g., thought and emotional—Reality).

The two ways people “process” or “order”: Sequentially (“Step One, Step Two, Step Three ...”) or Randomly (“Chunk...Chunk...Chunk”).

These two characteristics join to form four basic Mind Styles™: Concrete-Sequential, Abstract-Sequential, Abstract-Random, and Concrete-Random.

Every person has all four of these preference combinations at work within him or her. But, most people exhibit a dominant preference. Their pre-wiring tends to pull that dominant preference up onto the “stage of life” in the face of daily interactions with other people, things, or circumstances.

Said another way, every person has some measure of all four Styles as a part of the wiring that God has given him or her. Every day each person draws on the characteristics and abilities expressed in all four of the Styles in order to make his or her way along the road of life. But, most people have a dominant preference for one, and sometimes two, Styles. The dominant Style tends to produce many observable characteristics that can help describe a person’s behavior or anticipated behavior in the vast majority of life’s circumstances and interactions.

Once a group of individuals working together in ministry learn about their own Mind Styles™ and also about each other’s Mind Styles™, they can use that information to learn how to better relate with each other. This understanding helps further bond them together and dramatically increases their effectiveness as a team.

Over the years, Dr. Gregorc’s extensive research has created a body of knowledge much like a very deep well. One can draw off some water from the very top of the surface of the water in the well and find that it satisfies a particular thirst. Or, over time, if one desires to do so, he or she can plumb the depths of the well and find an even cooler, more refreshing repast.

In other words, you can gain some valuable insight into yourself and others by simply becoming aware of the existence of Mind Styles™ and by learning about your own Mind Style™ and the Style of those on your staff, board, committee, working group, or other team. Or, you can delve into the information Dr. Gregorc has made available and learn a great deal more about yourself and others. It’s really your choice.

When one layers a recognition and understanding of one’s Spiritual Gifts on top of an understanding of Mind Styles™, one can develop a very insightful view of the people on a church staff, a church board, a committee, a task group, or even in an entire congregation.

I can testify that Dr. Gregorc’s excellent materials have greatly helped many individuals and groups, both within the church and outside the church, with whom I have had the privilege of sharing this information. During a typical presentation of Mind Styles™, many people have significant “Aha!” moments.

Often, a great deal of healing takes place among people’s relationships that have become scarred by unnecessary conflicts, disagreements, and misunderstandings. I strongly urge every church leader to consider obtaining this valuable material and using it to improve the relationships and teamwork at his or her church.

You will find a great deal of additional information regarding Mind Styles™ at www.gregorc.com. I will also gladly answer any questions you may have. Simply send me an e-mail.

_{Copyright © 2009 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

 

Stepping Stones Along the Pathway of Obedience: Part 5

One last meander along the stepping stones of 1 Timothy 5:1-25. Ready?

Finally, notice how Paul ends this part of his letter to Timothy in verses 24 and 25.

Good deeds or sins, neither can remain hidden. Might I be so bold as to suggest that we strive to focus on those godly deeds that the Holy Spirit prompts us to perform in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

“Yeah,” you may respond. “But, how? How do we do that?”

Let me offer a couple of suggestions.

First of all, when you spend time with God in prayer today, invite the Holy Spirit to empower you to put into practice the four Principles that Paul has shared with Timothy:

1) always speak respectfully to your fellow believers with God-breathed love;

2) care for those who have real needs in the best possible way;

3) treat leaders with respect, but hold them accountable; and

4) do all things without partiality, do them equally to all believers.

Then, ask God to bring circumstances into your life that will help you develop the use of these four Principles. Ask Him to help you apply them to your relationships with your brothers and sisters in Christ.

I don’t know which Principle will be the hardest one for you to enflesh. But, again, when you pray, ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to make these four Principles come alive in your heart and mind. And, ask Him to bring you opportunities to put these four Principles into practice, as you relate to your fellow believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Okay. It’s a little scary to ask God to take charge of your life in such a way. But, after all, you already belong to Him, don’t you? Why not surrender your will to Him in this way?

When you’ve earnestly prayed and made these requests known to God, let me suggest that you keep your eyes open. And, wait expectantly to see how God will answer your prayers and fill your relationships with your fellow Christians with an overwhelming measure of His marvelous grace.

With all my heart, I believe if we would start following these four Principles, the people who populate our lives would begin to observe Christ’s Presence within us in a new and fresh and very attractive way.

And, isn’t that what living for Christ is all about?

“Thoughtfully and prayerfully building respectful, caring relationships with fellow believers, helps expose the world to the power of Christ within His children.”

_{Copyright © 2009 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

 

Stepping Stones Along the Pathway of Obedience: Part 4

Ready to walk onto the next stepping stone as we follow the Scriptures found in 1 Timothy 5:1-25.?

Principle No. 4 (verse 21): “Employ these foregoing three Principles without partiality. In fact, lead without partiality. Said another way, as you lead, treat everyone the same.”

Now you may think that would be a very easy instruction to follow. But, please, think about this more closely for a minute. Examine your own heart. In your daily life and relationships, do you treat everyone the same? Do you really?

Most people tend to categorize the other people in their lives. As a result, they modify their behavior toward a particular person, either inwardly or outwardly, to match the category into which they have placed that person.

The categories can result from a variety of observed variables. Some categorize people by their nationality, or by the color of their skin, or by they way they look, or by the way they dress, eat, or speak, or by their level of education, or by the kind of work they do, or by the neighborhood in which they live, or by their relative poverty, or by their relative wealth, or by how agreeable they are, or by how disagreeable they are, or by their arrogance, or by their pomposity, or by their humility, or by their generosity, or by their greed, or by a host of other personal characteristics.

In my own life, to my shame, I confess to you that I have a very, very hard time treating everyone the same. In fact, I’m embarrassed to admit that I generally place people into one of three categories: those I love, those I feel neutral about, and those I don’ like very much. I find it easier to interact consistently well with those I love. The main criterion for categorization in my life is “trust.” Can I truly “trust” this person? Can I trust him or her to accept me as I am? Can I trust him or her to consistently support me when he or she talks about me to others? Can I trust him or her with my own unique brand of loyalty?

All those other reasons for putting someone into a category don’t mean much to me. But, “trust”—well “trust” means a lot to me. In fact, it means far more than it should.

But, so much for me and my sin. What’s your hang up? What keeps you from living a life of impartiality? You may not even be able to conceive that you function with partiality in your life. Let me assure you that you do. In fact, if you are having trouble figuring out where you draw a line of partiality in your life, just invite the Holy Spirit to reveal the partiality that plagues your life. He will gladly help you work through a process of self-discovery.

Our partiality, our living our lives in a way that treats different people differently, resides in us as a direct result of our sin nature. Only through life-transforming power from the Holy Spirit can we hope to enflesh the truth that Paul shares with Timothy in verse 21,

In the last few verses of this chapter, Paul gives some random closing thoughts.

First, let's look at verse 22.

Before ordaining a pastor, an elder, or a deacon, take the time to examine them to make certain they meet the qualifications that Paul has listed previously. Always bring someone into leadership very, very carefully.

And, do not allow yourself to share in the sins of others. If you observe someone around you sinning, don’t allow yourself to be drawn into that sin. Walk away. Or, said another way, “Keep yourself pure.” It takes a volitional act of your will to respond to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit warns you to turn from the sins of others, so you won’t be drawn in, by all means turn and walk away.

And, then we come to verse 23.

This is a particularly tough verse for me. I was raised in deep evangelical fundamentalism. Drinking alcohol in any form was absolutely forbidden. My godly grandmother served for over 30 years as a leader of the WCTU. That’s the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, for those of you too young to have ever heard of that organization. I grew up hearing story after story of lives ruined by drinking alcoholic beverages.

So, while I must strive to deal with a host of other types of sins in my own life, it seems a great deal more fair if I leave the appropriate exposition of verse 23 to some lifelong Presbyterian or Episcopalian, or Roman Catholic, or whatever. (chuckle) It seems to me that many of the Presbyterians in my current church just love Paul’s advice in verse 23.

Perhaps we will wrap up our walk tomorrow. How 'bout it? Does that sound like a plan?

_{Copyright © 2009 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}