SMALL GROUPS LEADERSHIP PACKET

Transcription

1 SMALL GROUPS LEADERSHIP PACKET WEEK OF OCTOBER 22, 2017 Contents Small Group Announcements page 2 Leaders Notes pages 3-6 Leadership Article page 7 Notes page 8 SHADOWMOUNTAIN.ORG/SMALLGROUPS SMALLGROUPS@SHADOWMOUNTAIN.ORG

2 SERVING AT SMCC AND IN YOUR COMMUNITY Shuttle Service: First Impressions The Shuttle Service is looking for friendly servants to help greet shuttle riders. If you have the gift of hospitality, this might be a great place for you to serve. Contact Roy Rogers at Servant Ministry Would you like to use your God-given gifts to serve in the church? Not sure what your gifts are, or what service opportunities there are? Contact Joyce Tepfer at Children s Ministries Shadow Mountain has a rich children s ministry because we believe in fostering faith in the next generation. If you have love for children and would like to help, there are many volunteer opportunities in the Children s Ministry. Call for more information. In Your Community Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and Christmas will be here before you know it. There are so many people in need, let s spread the love of Christ to our communities! Your group can volunteer to help in a soup kitchen, collect food donations, or participate in Angel Tree programs here at church. As these joyous times approach, let s not forget to spread the joy into our communities. ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR LEADERS & HOSTS Save the Date Fall Leadership Community Breakfast Saturday, November 11, 9:00 11:00 am Continuing on Healthy Boundaries for Leaders, Pastor Dale will teach on the Seven Key Relationships of a Leader. Don t miss this opportunity to fellowship with other leaders, grow in your leadership skills, and enjoy a hot breakfast. Formal invitation to follow. Contact Bethany Perkins at Small Group Attendance Please remember to go online to the Leader Toolbox to enter your weekly attendance. Go to Shadow Mountain.org >Small Groups > Leader Central. Need training or help? Contact Bethany Perkins at

3 SERMON NOTES Introduction 1 Kings 19:1-4 LEADER S NOTES SOMEONE LIKE YOU; THE AFTERMATH I KINGS 19:1-9 I. The Reasons for Elijah s Despair A. His Fear Replaced His Faith - Psalm 56:11; Isaiah 41:10; 2 Timothy 1:7 B. His Failure Replaced His Victory C. His Fatigue Replaced His Energy D. His Frustration Replaced His Hope - 1 Kings 19:10, 14; 1 Kings 18:4; I Kings 19:18 II. The Relief of Elijah s Despair A. God Met His Physical Needs - 1 Kings 19:5-7; Psalm 127:2 B. God Met His Psychological Needs - 1 Kings 19:18; Hebrews 10:24-25 C. God Met His Spiritual Needs - 1 Kings 19:8-9; Exodus 33:21-23 Conclusion 3

4 SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS Getting Started 1. Describe a time in your life when you felt like you were in danger (physically, relationally, financially, spiritually, etc.). What were some clues that made you draw the conclusion that you were in danger? Life has good and bad in it. Danger is part of the bad of life. Other questions: When have you not known you were in danger and it surprised you? What happened? Were there clues that you missed? 2. Once you realized you were in danger, what did you do? What actions did you take? Who did you call on for help? What was the end result of this episode? We tend to get very motivated when danger shows up. Our brains move into figure it out mode. Our bodies get anxious we want to do something about the danger. Other question: What feelings came along with the sense that you were in danger (physical, emotional, etc.)? Digging Deeper 1. Pastor Jeremiah said that he was spared from following down a path that could have been dangerous to [him] in terms of [his] own emotional health. How do people follow down dangerous, emotional paths in their lives? What choices do people make that put them in dangerous, emotional territory? Other questions: when have you been in an emotional funk (discouraged, depressed, frustrated, angry, confused, etc.)? What was the funk like? How did you get into that funk? How did you get out? 2. We heard about the metaphorical gauges that people have in their lives: spiritual, mental, physical, etc. These are indicators as to the healthy or unhealthy state of a given resource (e.g. a healthy spirit). What gauges do you have in your life? How do you monitor those gauges? Pastor Jeremiah said, Bill Hybels had discovered the emotional toll that the ups and downs of ministry can take on a person. He realized that ministry can take from you something that is difficult to explain. And suddenly, one day, so much virtue had come out of him that he hit the wall. Other questions: When have you hit the wall in your life? What was that like? 4

5 3. Pastor Jeremiah said, Often in God s providence, the highest points and the lowest points are really close together. What does that look like for you? When have you had a high in your life that was quickly followed by a low? If you can t think of one, perhaps you know someone who has experienced this intense shift from one extreme to the other. Other questions: What is the difference between a high and a low? What are some of the components of a high and the components of a low? 4. When we fall into times of being unhealthy, dysfunctional, or out of emotional gas, things inside of us shift. Of the list below, which one do you have the most experience with? How has it shown up recently? - When fear replaces faith (see Psalm 56:11, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 10:28, II Timothy 1:7) - Elijah stopped looking to the Lord, and he started looking at Jezebel. He hadn t received any divine instructions for this occasion, so rather than stand before Jezebel and wait for God to deliver him, he took off out of fear. Fear can so grab hold of us at times that we do things we never believed we were capable of doing. - When failure replaces victory Pastor Jeremiah said, Failure is just as real as you perceive it to be in your mind. And if the devil can get you to think that you have failed when you are in the process of long term success, he will run you out of the country just as fast as he can. - When fatigue replaces energy Someone has said, Fatigue makes cowards of us all. Sometimes our discouragement is really nothing more than just needing to back off a little bit and get some rest. Many of us can testify to the fact that when we don t feel good physically, it s really hard for us to feel very spiritual. - When frustration replaces hope (see I Kings 19:10, 14) When Elijah realized his victory was short-lived, he became frustrated. And you know what happens when you get frustrated? You start bending the truth and feeling sorry for yourself. 5. In challenging times, we tend to pray intensely and ask God for incredible things. When have you prayed this way? How did God respond? How did that make you feel in the moment? Later on, how did you feel about His response? Look back on your life at a time when you ve said, You know, I can remember a few prayers that I ve prayed to God. Thank God, He didn t give me what I wanted. 5

6 Bringing it Home Trial always follows triumph, and to know that is to be armed and ready. But the opposite is also true. Sometimes the depth of the valley is a promise of the height of the blessing to come. 1. Maybe you are in a funk right now. Of the three thoughts below, which one feels the most accurate for your current funk? - You think it s personal You might be thinking, It s just me, Lord, and you re picking on me. I m the only one going through this. - You think it s pervasive It covers every area of your life. It s not just this one thing that s wrong with me. Every area of my life is messed up. - You think it s permanent It s not ever going to change. 2. From the list below, talk with the group about your current, biggest need. What would meeting that need mean for you and those you care about most? How can you start, today, to get that need met? Who can help you? - Emotional Need Feeling accepted, appreciated, cared about, clarity, heard/understood, reassured, safe/secure, or valued. - Physical Need Rest, exercise, healing, etc. - Psychological Need Loving, sharing, and cooperating with others; achieving, accomplishing, and being recognized and respected; making different choices; laughing, playing, and having fun. - Spiritual Need Begin practicing the discipline of gratitude, humility, hope, generosity or forgiveness Greenfield Drive, El Cajon, CA 92019, Copyright 2012 by Shadow Mountain Ministries 6

7 CHANGE COMES WE ARE HERE BY DALE BACON This morning started out like any other morning in my house. Our daughter woke us up earlier than we wanted, our cats immediately began howling to let us know they were hungry, and my wife looked at me as if to say, What happened to my normal life? And then something NOT normal happened: we noticed that one of our cats was not himself. It was one of those moments when you realize, This morning is not going to go as planned. Things change. Whether it s our work life, school life, family life, or a pet s life, things seem to be in constant motion. The kind of motion that feels out of our control. And that can be true for small groups, too. Look at this short list of changes that could happen IN YOUR GROUP this season: Someone in your group gets married/divorced gets a new job/loses their job has a baby/has twins! switches to a different small group/moves away And you are not exempt. One of the above situations could become YOUR story. Who do you turn to? Your small group? Trusted friends? Family? What about your Small Group Ministry team? While we (Amy, Bethany, and Dale) are certainly here to help you with the nutsand-bolts of how to lead a small group well, we are also here for those surprises that inevitably come your way as you do life and leadership. Change is going to happen. When it does, remember that we are here to resource and equip you. But we are also here to encourage and help you. We are partners with you in normal, day-to-day ministry as well as when things change. This week, look in the mirror and say, Change will come, but they are here. And, if you happen to be in the middle of change, reach out and let us know how we can help you. And, just in case you are wondering, the cat is fine. Lead well. 7

8 PRAYER REQUESTS/NOTES Greenfield Drive, El Cajon, CA 92019, Copyright 2012 by Shadow Mountain Ministries 8