This series of posts is primarily for the benefit of my home church 14th Ave Baptist Church in Sacramento,CA, but if it can be a blessing to others, then great! I will be posting in this series every Monday. I look forward to great comments from everyone!
Part 1: Safety That Flows From the Gospel
Many a small group leader has been frustrated at times when trying to get people to open up and be real with the rest of the group. Sometimes the individuals that want to hide can do so quite easily because the talkers in the group won’t stop for a breath; or maybe when the group leader asks the “hider” a question to draw them in, they give a superficial answer.
What I’m about to advocate does not solve this problem every time, but it is foundational to creating safety.
A group that understands the Gospel of Jesus Christ will naturally provide the safety that we want to feel in a group before we share. If the group believes that a perfect world was maligned by human rebellion against our Creator, that all of us are implicated in that treason, that Christ alone provides reconciliation between God and man, that holiness in this life is a constant struggle in the Christian’s life, and that success in spiritual growth is found only in God’s power, to God’s glory, then it’s hard for the group to look down their noses at other peoples’ weaknesses, isn’t it?
If…..Jesus is the Savior and the Hero Then…..I can share in a way that is honest about my weaknesses.
If…..I share honestly about my weaknesses Then…..The group has the opportunity to respond with condemnation of my sin OR with the grace the Gospel dispenses.
If…..The group responds in a Gospel-centered way Then…..Others know that this group is a safe place to be real.