ROUTINE INTO A SACRED ROMANCE? Session Goals. Key goals of the first
session are: 1. To encourage all members of the group to get acquainted with
one ...
H O W D O I T U R N M Y S P I R I T UA L RO U T I N E I N TO A S AC R E D RO M A N C E ? Session Goals Key goals of the first session are: 1. To encourage all members of the group to get acquainted with one another if they are not already 2. To assimilate new members into the small group 3. To allow all group members to get to know you as the group leader 4. To create a comfortable environment for group members to relax and talk with one another 5. To create a sense of expectancy for what God is going to do in individual lives as well as the group through this study 6. To present an overview of the book’s main theme and purpose 7. To seek the Holy Spirit’s direction for your group as you study God’s Word together
Lesson Plan A Prayer (2 minutes) Begin your session with prayer. Thank the Lord for bringing this group together for this study. Ask Him to work in big and small ways in each group member’s life. Ask the Lord to help members develop eyes and ears to see and hear Christ in new ways through this study.
Introductions (15 minutes) 1. Tell the group a few little-known facts about you, the group leader. Then briefly describe your spiritual journey with the Lord over the past few years. 2. Ask each group member to introduce himself or herself, sharing some personal information about his or her spiritual journey. 3. Encourage group members to volunteer to share their expectations for this 40-day study together. 9
Overview (10 minutes) 1. Present the central question of this group study: How do I turn my spiritual routine into a sacred romance? 2. Invite group members to share ways that our relationship with Christ can be seen as a romance. 3. What daily issues or events often complicate our lives, causing us to lose sight of our relationship with Christ as a romance?
Video Presentation (10 minutes) Show the video marked “Session One: Rendezvous—A Sacred Encounter.”
Group Discussion (15 minutes) Divide your group into discussion teams of five to six people. Group leader, use the Questions for Discussion found at the end of this session’s section of the study guide and the questions that follow to guide the discussion. Allow additional time for this exercise if you have more than one hour together. 1. What are the most important ideas you gained from the video presentation? (For more video-related questions, see this session’s Questions for Discussion in the study guide.) 2. Why is it so easy for us to believe that the spiritual practices or activities that we perform somehow earn us favor with God? (See page 24 of Rendezvous: A Sacred Encounter with God—because our human nature wants to do something, anything to earn our own way.) 3. In what ways is your spiritual life like a garden that you tend? (See day 4.) 4. How could you do a better job with your spiritual garden? 5. Think about the matrix of your relationships as illustrated on page 32 of Rendezvous: A Sacred Encounter with God. Which circles does your life touch in any given month? (Help group members see that their lives touch all of the circles on a regular basis.)
Group Leader Presentation (6 minutes) Make the following points as you bring together the discussion for today. 10
1. The purpose of this study is not to create a guilt trip for group members. 2. We will place emphasis in the study on working smarter, not harder. In other words, we will seek ways to get the most spiritual benefit from the types of activities we already do on a regular basis. 3. Emphasize the matrix of relationships we all have and how we move between the various circles pictured on page 32 of the book throughout most days. Encourage group members to think of themselves as participants in those relationships. Tell them to watch for Christ as He meets them each day right where they live.
Conclusion (2 minutes) 1. Instruct your group to read the material on days 6 to 12 this week. It is important to read one passage each day rather than saving them all to the last day and reading them at once. The daily readings are intended to give the reader things to think about and watch for throughout each day. 2. Close your session with prayer. Thank the Lord for each group member. Ask God to speak to you and to each of your group members throughout this week.
Lesson Plan B You’ll Need for Today’s Study _____ Group members will need their study guide and Bible _____ Play dough _____ Video by Kendall Franklin marked “Session One: Rendezvous—A Sacred Encounter” _____ 3x5 index cards and pencils (one per group member) _____ ADMIT ONE slips in Appendix A (one per group member) _____ White poster board, tape or thumbtacks, and a fine writing marker
Preparation for Small-Group Checklist _____ Before members of the small group arrive, place a section of play dough on the table where each member will sit. _____ Get the video ready to show. 11
_____ With the marker, title the poster board “Take a Snapshot— What Would I Like My Relationship with Christ to Look Like?”
Introduction to the Lesson (15 minutes) As group members arrive, they should sit at the table where the play dough has been distributed. LEADER: “Dr. Frank Moore states in the book that the first step to discovering a sacred romance with Christ is to identify problems or complications in our lives making it difficult to see Him. Turn to your responses in the study guide for day 1: Making the Puzzle Pieces Fit. Using the section of play dough before you, sculpt one symbol representing the most prominent problem or complication in your life making it difficult to see God at the present time. Then look at the possible changes you listed in this section of your study guide that you could make to center your life on God, rather than on your immediate problem. Be prepared to share your play dough symbol and the possible change with group members. Be open to other group members’ feedback as sometimes others have insights you may not have thought about.”
Video Presentation (10 minutes) LEADER: (Give each person a 3x5 index card and a pencil.) “Now we will watch the video clip by Rev. Kendall Franklin. As you watch the clip, write on the 3x5 card two helpful ideas that you would like to remember. We will then share and expound on ideas you have written on your cards.” (At the end of the video have group members share and discuss what they wrote on their cards.)
Group Discussion (25 minutes) LEADER: “Turn in your study guide to day 2: Take a Snapshot— What Would I Like My Relationship with Christ to Look Like? You’ll notice I have this same question written on the large poster board. As each of you say a possibility, I will write it on the poster board until all possibilities have been exhausted. This exercise may help us recognize possibilities for growth that we may not have thought of before.” LEADER: “Turn in your study guide to the reflection questions 12
completed on day 5. There are four reflection questions. I would like someone to volunteer to read and expound on his or her answer to question 1: How do you live your faith in Christ in the midst of your daily activities and relationships? Are there any comments or questions from other group members in response to question one? Now I would like another person to volunteer to read his or her answer to question 2: How do you ‘keep your eyes peeled’ throughout the ordinariness of your every day for spiritual encounters with God? Are there any comments or questions from other group members in response to question 2? I need another volunteer to read his or her response to statement 3: Describe a time when someone or something interrupted your daily schedule or routine but ended in a fresh encounter with Christ. Other comments? Lastly, I would like a volunteer to read his or her response to statement 4: Give one example of how you ‘seized the moment’ for a spiritual encounter with Christ this week. Other comments?”
Prayer (5 minutes) LEADER: “What prayer requests do we have for this week?” (Write them down.) “I will e-mail prayer requests to each group member so each one can pray for the requests throughout this week.” (Leader prays for each request and that group members will be open to what the Holy Spirit may speak to them as they progress throughout the book study.)
Looking Ahead (5 minutes) LEADER: “This next week we will be reading the material in days 6 to 12 about encountering Christ in my life through quiet conversations, listening, reading, thinking, writing, simplicity, and examination. Upon completion of the book reading and study guide this week, complete the ADMIT ONE slip.” (Distribute one per group member.) “The ADMIT ONE slip simply asks you to write a question concerning the study material in days 6 to 12 to which you would like other group members’ responses, direction, or feedback. For example, you may want group members’ ideas about ways they are leaving a spiritual legacy to their children and family members. Do not put your name on the slip. Upon entrance to the group meeting next week, you will drop your ADMIT ONE slip in the box at the door.” 13
