No Repeat Group Prayer

By Michael C. Mack Do your group or class members get so caught up in “saying a prayer” and putting it into the right format with the right words that they miss having a conversation with one another and Jesus? Do people refuse to pray aloud because they think they”ll get it wrong? Does your group take prayer requests and then pray them back to God as if he isn”t present? Do people give answers to people”s problems or try to “fix” them during prayer requests? These activities make it clear on whose power the group members are most reliant.

January 17, 2014

Michael C. Mack

Church & Ministry Small Groups

“˜I Don”t Have Time for a Small Group”

By Michael C. Mack Consumer Christians may be the most likely to claim they”re too busy to join a group. It”s not a new excuse, and I”ve decided on some strategies for confronting it. “I”d like to be in a small group, but I just don”t have the time right now.” I have heard that phrase/excuse 7,463 times since getting involved in small group ministry. But who”s counting? It used to frustrate me whenever I heard it. Sometimes I”d argue with the antiparticipant, using my best biblical and sociological case for group involvement. But that never worked. As a small