At the end of his third missionary journey, Paul was on his
way to Jerusalem and stopped at Miletus to meet with the elders of the church
at Ephesus. Considering the way the church was structured in those days, each
elder was probably responsible for a group of people that met in a home. In
Acts 20:20, Paul tells the elders that he taught them “publically and from house to house,” a pattern which characterized
the early church.
Our weekend services are the times when we gather
publically, worship together, hear the word taught, and are challenged to
pursue a shared vision of Pervasive Hope. Then when we meet in homes, we
encourage each other in a personal way, growing in Christ-likeness and
Kingdom-mindedness. But it’s not just about relationships and growth, it’s also
about engaging our community in a way that meets their needs and introduces
them to Jesus too: Pervasive Hope to every street & every person!
In some ways, Community Group leaders are in a similar role as
those Ephesian elders, as you shepherd a group of people that meets in a home
or coffee shop during the week. And the challenge that Paul extended to them
could be applied to your life and ministry as well:
“Keep watch over yourselves and all the
flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the
church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)
Take these observations to heart:
1.
Keep watch over yourselves – before
we can shepherd others, we need to shepherd ourselves! At a most foundational
level, this includes developing a consistent and passionate pursuit of intimacy
with Christ through prayer, the Word, and other spiritual disciplines. It also
includes walking in obedience to Christ, allowing His Spirit to develop
godliness and character.
2.
Keep watch over each other – this is
the second part of “yourselves,” meaning the other shepherds of the church! We
can’t be lone rangers in our ministries, or think that I don’t have to answer
to anyone because it’s “my Community Group.” That’s one reason that we have periodic
huddles, training times, and reports for Community Group leaders – we want to
stay connected to each other for accountability, encouragement, and alignment
of our direction to fulfill God’s mission for his church.
3.
Keep watch over those in your group –
I believe that every Christian needs someone shepherding them. This is
especially true for young believers who need to become grounded in the faith
and truth. There will be times when you as a shepherd will need to lovingly
confront someone in your group who is going astray, calling them to reconciliation
with Jesus and to walk in obedience to him.
4.
Remember who called you! The Holy
Spirit is the one who calls us to ministry, and he also gifts and empowers us
to fulfill that calling (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).
5.
Remember who your group belongs to!
Paul calls it the “church of God,” not “my church” or “your church.” Our
commission to “be shepherds” really places us as under-shepherds of Jesus, the
“great Shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20). Seek his wisdom and direction for leading, feeding and growing a healthy
Community Group!
Let’s work together to shepherd and disciple the people that
God is bringing into his family, the church! Let’s lead them to become more like Jesus
and to engage in a lifestyle of expanding his Kingdom through ministry and
evangelism in your neighborhood.
Discussion: Which
area do you need to bring a greater emphasis into your Community Group this
year?
1.
Biblical
Community – authentic relationships that encourage and stimulate each other
“toward love and good deeds”
2.
Discipleship
–engagement of God’s word and other spiritual disciplines, leading toward life
transformation into Christ-likeness and Kingdom-mindedness
3.
Outreach
– bringing Pervasive Hope to your neighborhood through meeting practical needs
and sharing the gospel
