Archive for the 'Bible Studies for Life' Category
Grace and Spiritual Growth
Great joy belongs to those children of God who recognize His grace in their growth. Rather than God being dependent on our best efforts to grow closer to Him, His grace empowers and sustains our spiritual growth.
Consider the following verses:
“Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness” (John 1:16).
“After the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and persuading them to continue in the grace of God” (Acts 13:43).
“From there they sailed back to Antioch where they had been entrusted to the grace of God for the work they had completed” (Acts 14:26).
“Also through Him, we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand” (Romans 5:2).
“But by God’s grace I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not ineffective. However, I worked more than any of them, yet not I, but God’s grace that was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).
“But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness’” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
“Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of the Messiah’s gift” (Ephesians 4:7).
“May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace” (2 Thessalonians 2:16).
“You, therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1).
“Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time” (Hebrews 4:16).
“Based on the gift they have received, everyone should use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).
Growth because of His grace
Why such an emphasis on grace? Perhaps because God knows we cannot grow spiritually on our own.
Spiritual growth begins with salvation given to us as a gift from God. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah recognized long ago, “Salvation is of the Lord.” It is God who saved us in the past (justified), God who continues to save us in the present (sanctifies) and God who will bring the ultimate state of our salvation in the future (glorification). All of this is through and because of His grace. Our daily spiritual growth is also utterly dependent on this grace of God. How should we respond to this?
Responding to growth through grace
First, we should recognize and admit this wonderful truth; that we are dependent daily on the grace of God. As long as we rely on our own striving to keep a positive mental attitude, work hard and do all we can do, we will miss the grace of God. This is not to say there is no effort on our part; there is. But the foundation of our effort is God’s grace and power. This is not something we work to receive on our own.
Second, receive God’s grace moment by moment. What does God require of us? Trust in His grace to be enough for every need. He promises “varied grace” for the varied problems of our lives.
Third, praise God that His grace is enough. Imagine if our spiritual growth depended on us. We wake in the morning in a bad mood, skip any time in the Word, get angry during our morning commute, mouth-off at co-workers, and ignore needs around us. How shall we overcome without God’s grace? We cannot. We can praise Him that His grace is enough!
I’m thankful God, in His grace, has given us His Son to save us, His Spirit to dwell within us, His Word to instruct us, and His people to encourage us. Praise God for His grace from beginning to end.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church Northwest Arkansas General Editor, Bible Studies for Life
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
How To Connect Unconnected People With Bible Study
As we think through how to connect unconnected people through Bible study, one thing stands out: each member of the faith family should find a ministry role. When church members have no role or sense of personal responsibility, it is easy for them to remain unconnected. After all, there is no expectation of preparation or participation. No one will be disappointed if the unconnected person does not show up. No job will be left undone.
That, at least, is what the unconnected person is allowed to believe.
Intentionality in Leadership will Encourage Growth
Leading every member to find their role in their faith family — their local church — is among the most important responsibilities of church leaders. We cannot wait for new believers to figure this out by osmosis or on their own. We must intentionally lead them in this important area of growth.
If you are having trouble finding your role, or want to be more effective in helping people find their roles, consider these options:
1. Discover your spiritual gift. Three of the New Testament Epistles address spiritual gifts, the way the Holy Spirit meets needs in the faith family. Each believer is gifted as the Holy Spirit, in His wisdom, distributes the gifts.
There are a number of spiritual gift inventories available for helping with this. If no gift survey can be obtained, use the Bible alone as your guide. Ask a mature believer to watch your life and evaluate what your gift or gifts might be. Seek God’s Word for confirmation.
2. Determine your personality type. Some people are introverts, while others are extroverts. Some people are creative, some are problem solvers, some are questioners, some are team builders, and so on. This will help you determine whether a specific person in the greeter ministry would fit better in the parking lot (where personal interaction is less) or welcoming people at the door (where personal interaction is greater).
Our personalities are developed by God, and should not be excluded as a means of growing the body of Christ. They are as susceptible to spiritual fine-tuning as any part of our being.
3. Explore needs in existing ministries. There is virtually no church with 100% volunteer capacity at all times. How does a person’s giftedness and temperament fit within existing ministry opportunities? Some things that seem insignificant can really bring a great deal of encouragement. You would not think it makes a lot of difference for the pastor to have a fresh water bottle on the stage each week, but you’d be shocked how much it does. A smiling, friendly person who welcomes preschoolers can relieve the anxious parent’s heart.
I grew up in a church with 30-40 people weekly, and since that time I have pastored churches of all sizes. One common denominator between these churches: they all have a major need for people to be involved in ministries. In fact, the larger the ministry, usually the greater the need.
4. Look for gaps between ministries. Some people are especially gifted to start new things. These entrepreneur types typically see the holes in ministry and figure out ways to fill them. To paraphrase Jesus’ words at Lazarus’ tomb, “Loose ‘em and let ‘em go!” Allow them to follow God’s leading and, before you know it, more ministry will be taking place within your church!
What does this mean?
Simply, it means people who were formerly unconnected will become connected. There is also a much better chance of each remaining connected as he or she takes ownership of the ministry role or becomes a team member.
Involvement Becomes Contagious
Ministry involvement can also lead to small group, Sunday school, and/or Bible study involvement. A person unconnected to a small group, but in a ministry relationship, already has a relational connection to the group. We find it easier to connect a person who has some connection already than a person who has none. This is true of ourselves and of others.
The new Bible Studies for Life Curriculum Series that kicks off this fall is committed to providing curriculum that will be so engaging that the unconnected will want to connect; however, we leaders must do what we can to get them there the first time and follow up engaging them weekly in a group.
Helping the unconnected find their role in the faith family will result in more ministry, more Bible study and stronger believers.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church Northwest Arkansas General Editor, Bible Studies for Life
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.