FAQ #4

Is this a good study for my friend who is not a Christian? Yes! The gospel will be clearly explained and your friend will have multiple opportunities to put his hope and trust in the Lord.

Do I have to stop going to my ABF? No. It is your choice. Every ABF leader has been invited to participate in the Grace Matters study. Ask your leader if your ABF will be participating in Grace Matters. Alternatively, you may be curious about small groups and this would be a wonderful time for you to take group life on a test drive.

What happens at the end of the 8 weeks? That’s up to you. You could choose to continue as a group. You might decide that you enjoyed group life and want to continue, but you’d like to be in a different group. You might decide that you liked group but need to take a break through the holiday season and then start again after New Years. You might even decide that you don’t want to be in group any longer. Whatever you decide is fine. Your commitment was for the 8 week series. When it’s finished, so is your commitment. However, if someone in the group decides that your group is not where they feel God has called them to grow in faithfulness, they should be free to leave without guilt.

FAQ #3

Do you have to attend Grace Church to participate in Grace Matters? No. However, you will need to participate in the weekend message, either here at Grace or online.

How do I get into a group? It’s simple. Fill out the form found in your bulletin on August 30 and September 6. If you no longer have it, pick one up at the office during the week or in the lobby on Sunday. The interest form can be placed in the offering tub, returned to the office, or given to the CONNECT representative at the table in the sunroom. If you were unable to attend one of the 2 Connection Events we held on Sunday, September 20, our leadership team will help you find a group. Email us at CONNECThelp@lgbc.org.

Can I lead a group? We are always looking for people who care about others and are willing to learn how to manage a meeting time. If you would like more information about helping us lead a group, please email CONNECThelp@lgbc.org.

Can I form my own group? You bet! But try to invite people who live near you and who have common interests rather than your good friends. It makes for a much healthier dynamic. Also, if you know someone who is new to Grace Church, make sure you help them get connected to a group, either yours or another.

FAQ #2

How much will the Grace Matters study cost? Much like your redemption, the cost has been paid by someone else. There is no cost to you. The Grace Matters study guide can be picked up at the church or emailed to you.

Do you use a curriculum or the Bible? During the Grace Matters campaign, we are following a study guide which guides us through chunks of Ephesians. The main teaching from Scripture is done on the weekend, but it’s best to bring your Bible to group so you can follow the discussion there. If you’re the type to write notes in your Bible, you’ll have opportunities in group as we mine deeper into key points. After the series, should you continue as a CONNECT group, you have freedom in the studies you choose. Some groups follow a guide while others just mine into the Word. A healthy balance is the key.

What's the difference between Grace Matters and CONNECT? CONNECT is the Small Groups Ministry of Grace Church, while Grace Matters is a church-wide alignment series where the preaching of the weekend is followed by group discussion in small groups. The Grace Matters series involves both the weekend ministry and small group ministry of the church. Also, while Grace Matters ends the week of November 15, CONNECT groups have no term and therefore do not end.

What if I don't know my Bible that well? Is that okay? Absolutely. In fact, you could know nothing about the Bible or God and you could participate in the Grace Matters series. You will need a Bible for the study. If you don’t have a Bible and have difficulty getting one for yourself, please email CONNECThelp@lgbc.org.

FAQ #1

When and where do groups meet? Groups decide for themselves when and where they will meet. Ideally, they will meet during the week in a group member’s home. Some groups decide to rotate the host home responsibility each week. Others will go to the house that can best accommodate them. During the Grace Matters series, groups will meet every week since each study discusses the sermon just preached. To get the most out of the biblical content, you really need to track with the weekend messages. Some groups like to have an additional meeting each or every other week according to gender. This is a time to build deeper fellowship bonds. Guys tend to like breakfast meetings while gals tend to be more flexible. Funny, huh?

How long is a meeting? Typically, a group meeting is about 1½ to 2 hours long. Some groups are having such a great time that they hang out together after the study is officially over. That’s great, but a clear end time should be established so people who need to leave are free to do so.

How many people are in a group? Jokingly, we say that 12 is the upper limit since even Jesus lost one when He went to 13. Seriously, the size of your group is determined by space and personality type. The rule is that there shouldn’t be so many people that someone doesn’t have time to actively engage in the discussion. If someone doesn’t share, your group may be too large. There should also be adequate space to comfortably accommodate everyone. Shoot for 8-10.

Are groups separated by age or are they mixed? A group can be set up any way you like. However, the best groups are ones that are not a bunch of friends who are the same age and life stage. Although those conditions make you feel comfortable more quickly, they tend to be closed to new people and poor discipleship incubators, two of the key reasons you should be in a group.

What does a typical evening look like? While not prescribed, the typical meeting will start with a snack or meal and social time with a brief discussion of reflections from the previous week. Then the group will follow the discussion guide which has an ice breaker, study content, and a time of commitment. Of course, your group time should begin and end with prayer.

Can I bring my kids? If you want to bring your kids to group, you need to make that known up front at the time your group if formed. People have different preferences when it comes to involvement of their children. Some find sitters, some like kids from the group being together under supervision, and still others try to involve kids in their study time at appropriate levels and opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

While hundreds of people have asked to be connected to a group for the Grace Matters series, many people are hesitant. They have questions that they'd like answered. What should I expect in group? When do groups meet? How much does this cost? What about my kids? The list is long. This week, I will address the most common questions we have heard from you. It is my hope in doing so that you will feel comfortable enough to take a step of faith and take group life for a test drive. While I can't tell you exactly what your group experience will be like, I can certainly tell you what we've planned and about our basic expectations. If, at the end of this week, you have additional questions, please email CONNECThelp@lgbc.org or to me directly at scburghart@lgbc.org. Thanks, S

What happens after 8 weeks?

So what happens at the end of the 8-week series? Well, that’s up to you and the people in your group. I’d be lying if I told you I don’t care. I’m hopeful that the experience will have been so impactful that you will truly see the value of group life and want to continue, either in this group or another. Of course, 8 weeks is not really sufficient time to develop deep communal bonds, but it’s a taste of what can be yours if you commit to allowing the gospel to do what it is intended to do, namely create gospel community. What is gospel community? It’s something every human desires because we were made for it, but it’s radically different than anything the world can offer. When the world sees it, they are both dumbfounded and drawn toward it, like a moth to a flame. It’s what Jesus prayed for before He went to the cross:

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:20-23

But the choice is yours. Your commitment is finished at the end of the series. You can take some time off to accommodate the holiday season, simply celebrating with your group rather than diving into another study, or you may decide not to be in group at all. It’s your call. If you do drop out, you may be contacted to see why. This would not be for the purpose of trying to change your mind or to guilt you in any way. Rather, it is to help us understand where we failed you and your group.

The fact is, we believe that the gospel creates community that engages in the spread of the gospel. That’s what being a devoted follower of Christ is all about. This fall, our church family will explore the gospel of grace and its implications for the children of God, those called according to His name. We’re excited for what God will do over those few weeks as we get into the Word and allow the Word to get into us. Our prayer is that this would be an incredible journey for our entire church family as we explore the depths of God’s amazing plan.

If you have any additional questions about Grace Matters or CONNECT groups, please come to the Q&A session that we have scheduled for Sunday, September 13 at 10am in Fellowship Hall.

So, how does this work?

So what does the 8-week Grace Matters series look like? Our groups will start meeting the week of September 27. The first session is designed to be an ice breaker, social event. It is a time for food and light conversation. It’s an opportunity to get to know the people in your group better, to become more comfortable with them. There will be a guide to help you, if you need it. Face it. Some of us are more social creatures while others tend to be “cautious.” This first meeting is intended to help us all relax with one another. There will be time for sharing about who we are. Not, “Hi, I’m John. I’m married to Rebecca. I’m an accountant.” More like, “When I was a kid, I always thought I’d be an astronaut. The thought of going someplace no one has ever been before thrilled me. I didn’t become an astronaut though. I’m running our family’s chicken farm, but I sense God still wants me to do something crazy, like fly to the moon.” You get the idea. Something about you that you couldn’t know from a driver’s license or resume. This will help your subsequent times together flow more naturally. We’re all fascinating creatures with amazing stories!

The remaining sessions will focus on mining into a couple aspects of the passage that Pastor Scott has preached on that week. Actually, Pastor Tim will start our series on October 4. Then our groups will meet on the day they have selected to discuss aspects of that message. Haven’t you ever sat in a service and heard something from the pastor and wanted to either ask for clarification or about the implications? Has there ever been a time where you just wanted to “talk it over” with someone, even if just to help you process your thoughts? That is what you will get with the Grace Matters study guide. We will give you the opportunity to engage in discussion of key components of the weekend message. Our team has been intentional about the areas of the passage on which we will be focusing our discussion. They were chosen because they help us to come to a fuller understanding of the key message that Paul is trying to convey. Are there other diamonds to be mined in the passage? Of course, but we would like for you to stay with the guide through the series. While it is incredibly valuable to study and discuss eternal security, that is a rabbit trail which will pull your attention away from the point of the letter. If you want to mine into those other areas, jot notes in your guide and come back to them once the Grace Matters series is completed. Next, after your study, you will be challenged to make a commitment. When we engage the Word of God, we should be compelled to respond. so we have given you an appropriate commitment opportunity at the end of each session. Some are personal commitments, while others are corporate. Finally, each week we have provided you with something to do through the week until your next meeting.

Are you overwhelmed or confused yet? Don’t be. Here’s an example of the commitment (Engage) and homework (This week…) sections from the first study:

• Engage: You will be asked to commit in group to follow thru with your commitment to the 8-week (by this time you will only have 6 left) study.


• This week…: You will be asked to take time during the week to read through the entire letter which Paul wrote to the Ephesian Christians. It should take about 20 minutes. Maybe you could do it more than once. Once each day would be awesome!

Obviously, the study starts simple but it builds in commitment as Paul’s message unfolds. Ephesians is an amazing letter and our hope is that you would come away from this series with a firm understanding of what God is up to in the your life, at Grace Church, and through history. The message contained in Ephesians was sufficient to lift Paul beyond the reality of his Roman imprisonment and potential execution. Can you praise God for who He is and what He is doing despite your immediate circumstances? If the answer is “No” (and if we were to be honest, that is the answer for all of us at times), then we don’t fully appreciate the message of the Bible. Come join our church family on this incredible journey through God’s story. You’re in it. Don’t you want to know your part?

Tomorrow I’ll discuss what happens after the Grace Matters series…

Gettin' Connect'd

So, you’re ready to take a group for a test drive. You have arranged your fall schedule so that you have a couple options for group night. You haven’t connected with anyone about being in group together, but you have received your invitation to our Connection Event. But what’s that? As the date approaches, your anxiety increases. “What kind of horror is this nut from California going to put me through next? Wasn’t it bad enough that I had to step WAY outside my comfort zone to agree to 8 small group meetings? What now? Will I be placed on an auction block and go to the highest bidder? This reminds me of when we were choosing teams for kickball when I was a kid. No one wants to be the last one picked! No one wants to be the kid nobody wants on their team!!! I just can’t handle this kind of pressure!”

OK. Relax. Breathe! You’ll be fine. When you arrive at the Connection Event, you will see snacks and people milling about getting to briefly meet each other. Eventually, we will ask everyone to be seated and you will be given a couple ice breaker exercises, what we affectionately call “forced fun.” You’ll have an opportunity to shuffle to another group if you feel that you might die if you have to continue being with the current group for 1 more minute. Then we’ll do another brief exercise. Finally, you’ll determine if you can function as a group for the 8-week series. If you can, you’ll add your name to a paper roster and be told how to move forward as a group. Very likely, you will meet your group coach at that time also. Anyone who feels they simply didn’t find a group that they could tolerate will be placed on another roster for placement elsewhere, probably in an existing group.

Any questions about this process? Any suggestions? Drop me and email at scburghart@lgbc.org.

I'm worried! I don't know how to do group!

So, you think you might want to take a CONNECT small group for an 8-week test drive, but you want to know that the track is safe. Well, the CONNECT ministry team is here to do what we can to help your experience be a good one.

Every new group will be invited to have a couple representatives from their group come to our New Group Orientation meeting. In this concise session, you will learn about small group dynamics and the desired outcomes of group time. You will learn how to help people feel welcome and safe in group. You’ll also get a brief look at the Master small group leader, Jesus. Think about it. In 3 short years, He took a ragtag bunch of incompatible misfits from an oppressed nation and created a movement that transformed the world. Do you think you might be able to learn something from Him? We’ll look at His methods, His message, and the outcomes He desired to see from His teaching. You’ll also get information on how to manage a meeting and how to use the study guide.

Finally, and probably most importantly, you will be told that you are not alone on your journey. Every group is given a coach. Your coach is a member of our leadership team, someone directly involved in the group that created this study series. Your coach is there to guide you through any difficulties you might encounter on the journey. Yes, there will be situations that create conflict of varying degrees; that’s what happens when sinners get in close proximity. But conflict is not bad if it resolved biblically. Whether the issue is theological, relational, or methodological, your coach is your ally. He’s not there to keep an eye on you. His job is to watch out for you. And you won’t have to worry about administrative duties for your group. Your coach will teach you how to use our groups database which emails you a simple form for submitting administrative information quickly electronically.

Frankly, if your group is new, the more people you can bring to the New Group Orientation meeting, the better the chances are that you will have a smooth ride through the Grace Matters series.

Tomorrow, we’ll look at the Connection events…