Creative Community

1. If I have a problem with another person, I will go to him privately. 2. If someone has a problem with me, I want him to come to me privately and will try to be open when he comes. 3. If someone has a problem with me, and comes to you, send the person to me. (I’ll do the same for you.) 4. If someone hesitates to come to me, say, “Let’s go together. I’m sure he’ll see us about this.” (I’ll do the same for you.) 5. Be careful about how you interpret me—I’d rather do that. 6. I will be careful about how I interpret you. 7. If it’s confidential, I won’t tell. (Unless someone is harming himself or someone else.) 8. I won’t send or pay attention to unsigned letters or notes. Information should always travel with a person’s name so it can be clear...

Reasons We Wear Masks 1. We think people won’t love us if they know what we’re really like. If we feel our parents’ love is conditional, we might carry into our adult relationships the fear that others will reject us if they find out we are “unworthy.” 2. We’re afraid people will think we’re not “good Christians.” “If I tell my non-Christian friends about my struggles, they will think I’m a hypocrite,” Roxann explained. “And how can I tell my Christian friends? They might think I’m not a good Christian.” 3. We think people don’t care. When people ask, “How are you doing?” we perceive they are asking out of politeness and not because they want to know. 4. We’re afraid of gossip. Gossip at one time or another has probably affected all of us. As a result, we are reluctant to confide in anyone. Reasons to Unmask 1. ...

The two simplest questions that will create life-change in our Small Groups are… What is God telling you to work on? And then… How can we help? this is from Brian Hofmeister at 48Root. You can read his entire article by clicking here.

Here are some passages to check out which spell out the Biblical reasons we do small groups at Calvary. Creation: Genesis 1:27 – Created in the IMAGE of God. (he created “him”) + (he created “them”) = UNITY with DIVERSITY Father + Son + Spirit = UNITY with Diversity (Gen. 1:2,3;Col. 1:16; Mark 1:10-11;John 15:26) Genesis 2:24-25 – Created to be ONE with others. (“naked”) + (“not ashamed”) = IDEAL INTIMACY Father + Son + Spirit = IDEAL INTIMACY (John 17:21) The Fall: Genesis 3:5-6 – The elevation of SELF. Eve was motivated by what was attractive to her, and what would be good for her The love of Self is the way of the world (1 John 2:16) Genesis 3:8-12 – Relational DYSFUNCTION caused by sin Lost relationship with God Lost relationship with one another NOT THE END OF THE STORY! (Gen. 3:15) Re-Creation: John 1:1 – In the BEGINNING... again A new kind of creation narrative (2 Cor. 5:17) Man's role in the first creation: Fill and subdue the earth (Gen. 1:28) Man's role in the new cr...

What would you be willing to give up for one million dollars?     - a year of chocolate?     - food for a week?     - the ability to talk for 48 hours? What is the greatest sacrifice you have made in the past few years?  Why did you make it?  Was it worth it? What factors do you consider when deciding whether or not to make a sacrifice? Read Hebrews 11:17 and have someone in the group summarize Genesis 22. Often, the longer you wait for something, the more precious it is when you finally receive it.  Have you ever seen new parents who are over-protective?  Why do you think first time parents are so protective of their children?  Since they waited so long for Isaac, do you think Abraham and Sarah were protective of him? Why do you think God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac? What is the one thing you would not want God to ask you to give up for him?  Why? How can our children and families sometimes become "idols" to us?  What might we do to avoid letting our families be a spiri...

*Thanks to Kyle for this article. Thanksgiving is upon us. I can't tell you how much I love this holiday. Why? Mainly because it's a chance for me to get to see extended family, but I'd be lying if I didn't say THE FOOD! My family isn't shy about bringing the food to the table. In fact, each year there are certain items I look forward to - for example, my Aunt Virginia's taco salad. Now you might think a taco salad doesn't belong on a Thanksgiving table, but her's most definitely does! Sadly, she won't be able to make our Thanksgiving gathering this year, so no taco salad for me. Thanksgiving just won't be the same for me. I often use Thanksgiving as an example for small group ministries. You see, we all, like my Aunt Virginia, have something special to "bring to the table" for our small group. That something special is your spiritual gift. Maybe it's mercy or wisdom or prophecy or even hospitality. The point is, it can't benef...