|
|
2-1-8-PromotionJohn the Baptist Proclaims Jesus the Messiah.Read John 1:29-34 Every morning and evening, a lamb was sacrificed in the temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29:38-42). Isaiah 53-7 prophesied that the Messiah, God's servant, would be led to the slaughter like a lamb. To pay the penalty for sin, a life had to be given-and God chose to provide the sacrifice himself. The sins of the world were removed when Jesus died as the perfect sacrifice. This is the way our sins are forgiven (1 Corinthians 5:7). The "sins of the world" means everyone's sin, the sin of each individual. Jesus paid the price of your sin by his death. You can receive forgiveness by confessing your sin to him and asking for his forgiveness. Although John the Baptist was a well-known preacher who attracted larg crowds, he was content for Jesus to take the higher place. This is true humility, the basis for be great in preaching, teaching, or any other work we do for Christ. When you are content to do what God wants you to do and let Jesus Christ be honored for it, God will do great things through you. John the Baptist's job was to point people to Jesus, their long-awaited Messiah. Today people are looking for someone to give them security in an insecure world. Our Job is to point them to Christ and to show that he is the one whom they seek. The Fullness of the Holy SpiritJesus said: "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." (John 3:6). It is important that you know that Every child of God has been born again by the Holy Spirit. Perhaps you are saying to yourself: But who is the Holy Spirit?" Well, let's see... Before the Lord Jesus Christ went up into heaven he promised to send his followers a New companion. He told them: "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you Forever." (John 14:16) Jesus had been with his followers, for three years and now he was about to leave them. never the less, he told them: "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." (John 14:18)
At another time Jesus taught about the Holy Spirit in this way: "Whoever believes in me... streams of living water (the Holy Spirit) will flow from within him." (John 7:38) The Holy Spirit will flow out through you to the lives of others as well. You are surrounded by many people that the Holy Spirit can fill and refresh with spiritual life. Some of them are your relatives, friends, people you work with, or students you go to school with. This then, is the Abundant Life that the Lord promises to us. The Lord Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit when he said: "If any man is thirsty, let him come unto me and drink. "If any man is thirsty, let him come unto me and drink." (John 7:37). The word "Drink" in this verse means to "Take" or "Receive." Paul wrote in the Bible: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as Living Sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12;1-2). This is the third thing which we must do to receive the filling of the Holy Spirit. We must give our whole to Jesus Christ as our Lord, of your whole life. Read these words: "... and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." (Acts 5:32) We must also be obedient to Jesus as your Lord; of your whole life. In another book of the Bible, Paul wrote: "Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by Believing what you heard?" (Galatians 3:2). "But you will receive Power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witness... and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:18) It is the Holy Spirit who makes it possible for us to live a Holy Life and have complete victory over sin. It is also the Holy Spirit who is able to give us power for effective service for the Lord. Read the following verse: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace. Patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control." (Galatians 5:22-23) If you have not already been filled with the Spirit, ask the Lord in Prayer that you may be able to obey the command in Ephesians 5:18. Spiritual ExerciseThinking about a ProblemTake out a sheet of paper. At the top of the paper, write down a question that states one of the major problems in your life needing resolution right now. Then think for one minute about the possible solutions to your problem. PromotionStarting a New Group1. Complete leadership training.
2. Develop a "Prospect List."Develop a prospect list of people who may be interested in being a part of a new group. Your list will include friends, neighbors, coworkers, and church members. Who are the people, by name, who might participate in a new group? 3. Identify the Target Group.Target a group from your prospect lists. (It may be a mixture of those you have listed.) Then, list this group's needs and interests. This step will help you choose curriculum which will appeal to the target group. Determine the needs and interests of the people you believe would benefit from participation in a group. 4. Get down to basics.A contract, verbal, or written, between the small-group leader and each host will outline options, give direction, and provide a starting point, as the host and member decide what type of group they will form.
5. Publicize the new group.Make your invitations personal; one-on-one contact is always the best way to promote your group. It will be necessary to communicate more than once, since people tend to forget times and locations. When promoting your, dwell on the benefits of participation: meeting new friends, sharing needs with others, belonging to a prayer group, and studying the Word.
6. PrayAs Jesus said, "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7). Ask God daily to send people to your group. Be open to the Holy Spirit's leading when you are around people in conversation. Be aware that everyone is a potential member.
Promoting1. Promoting can be the most exciting part of starting a group. You have done all the preparatory work; now have fun, meet new people, and study God's Word. 2. Promotional Ideas
5. In ongoing training sessions with your leadership emphasize the importance of developing new promotional ideas.
Design an effective flyer.Encourage creativity in promoting groups. Example: use pink paper and create a stir. On any flyer you use, include all the information needed, including a map (if needed). Give a tentative schedule along with the length. This is very important for people with busy lives. Why, should they come is vital, who's the leader, and where will it be. keep it from looking too churchy, which can make un-churched people shy away. Rather make an appeal for friendship, using terms like "friendly," "exciting," and "join us." Example: Coming this fall! Friendly and exciting ways to discover your Bible. You and a friend are invited to attend an interfaith Bible study. We offer opportunities for men, women, and children to participate in fellowship and organized Bible study groups. No previous knowledge or experience necessary. Come and join us. Child Care is provided (story hour). In this example it mentions and interfaith Bible study. This is important if you want to have mission (reaching out). This promotes meeting new people in a caring fellowship. In neighborhoods today, people are seeking this fellowship. They want to reach out, but you must reach out to them. Here are four more important points"
Promotional ListPromoting your groups to church members and community is vital. A "Small Groups List" provides such necessary pieces of information, as Zip Code, Hostess/Leader, Meeting location, Phone Day of Week, Time, Group Name, necessary for someone to visit a group. It may take several visits before a person settles on one group. The list allows people to quickly check zip codes, street addresses, day and time of meeting, and any other pertinent details, such as child care, woman-only groups, and singles. This list should be available at your church information desk, in the library, and by mail on request. It can also be used by visitation teams when visiting prospects. This listing helps to show where you are in the ministry, and from time to time it should be printed in your church newsletter. In a brochure on groups, a special group code would refer to support groups, parental groups, cancer support groups, divorce recovery groups, older adult groups, and others. Homecoming CardWhen groups break, for any reason, it is difficult to pull the members back together. Using a creative theme, such as "home coming," may work for you. It gives everyone permission to return, no strings attached. Be sure you have name tags at startup meetings! Example: It's Homecoming at your Injoy Circle! Our Injoy group is celebrating Homecoming for its members and visitors during _____________________ Please reserve these times on your calendar and come join us for fellowship and Bible study! Name of Host: HomeworkArrange to visit an existing group. If you have no true small-group Bible studies, visit a Sunday school class or a training class. Answer the following questions:
Email address:
|
