connect to the third power

Enjoy connecting with persons around you by

asking:

“How did you come to be at Hillcrest?”

“What do you like best about HBC?”

“Tell me one thing about you that few people know.”

What’s your favorite vacation spot?

What qualifies Jesus to lead a movement you would consider

following?

What expectations would you have if Jesus was the leader

of your group?

Read Mark 1:7-18

Jesus was Connected!

•He connected with Israel by fulfilling prophecy about the Messiah.

He was baptizedHe was temptedHe preached the good newsWhat else?

Jesus has the right connections to lead your Bible Study group:

• He connected with Israel by…

• He connected with the sinful people He came to redeem. vs. 9? vs. 15?

Jesus has the right connections to lead your Bible Study group:

• He connected with Israel by . . .

• He connected with the sinful people . . .

• He connected with us with an invitation to join him in His Kingdom ministry. vs. 17

Build Connections

… connect our heart to God’s

… connect our lives to one another

… connect our hands to do the work of Christ

As we find and follow Christ together

………………………………….… our commission

If in your heart you truly believed the chief assignment in your group was to help people

get connected,

Would it change anything ?

What?

LEVEL CLASS COMMUNITY COMMISSIONConnection

Goal Member Minister Missionary

Focus Me Us THEM

Unchurched Conversation Community Conversion

MandateGreat Confession

Mt 16:16Great Commandment

Mk 12:29-31Great Commission

Mt 28:18-20

Conversationswith outsiders What we learned What we did for us What we did for THEM

Prayer General/Safe Specific/Personal Specific/Missional

Records Attendance List Ministry List Outreach List

OrganizationTeacher

Attendance Checker

Need ministry leader, prayer leader,

care-group leader

Need Mission leader, outreach leader,

apprentices, associates

ConnectednessIndicators

ParticipationPreparation

Needs are sharedNeeds are met

Finding ChristFollowing Christ

Biblical ConceptKERYGMA1 Cor 2:1-4

KOINONIAActs 2:42-47

KENOSISPhil 2:5-11

Connect3 Chart

Groups connect people with God’s Word

We help people grow spiritually by leading them to engage the word of God. People grow in body, mind, and spirit.

The leader directs at the class level

Help participants engage scripture:hook - create interestbook – what did it say?look – what did it mean?took – what attitudes, actions, or

affections were challenged?

• Help participants engage scripture

• Seek balance between “going deep” and “being open”

You don’t have to “dumb down” Bible study to be open. Unchurched people want to know what scripture has to say.A proper balance between discussion and lecture helps.Our primary purpose is to study the Bible in a way people understand and can apply to their lives.

The leader directs at the class level

• Help participants …• Always seek balance …

• Focus on the Great Confession Mt.16:16

The leader directs at the class level

• Help participants …• Always seek balance …• Focus on the Great Confession

• Kerygma: understand, share, and defend

the essence of the Good News1 Corinthians 2:1-4

The leader directs at the class level

At the Class level, the group is organized

to stay in touch with members

• Enrollment and attendance are important gages of success

A Class is organized to stay in touch with members

• Enrollment and attendance are…

• Members’ conversations are about what they are learning

A Class is organized to stay in touch with members

• Enrollment and attendance • Members’ conversations are about …

• Members feel they belong to the group (belonging precedes believing)

A Class is open to newcomers

• Name tags – So members know each other– So newcomers feel part of the group

Connectedness Indicators

Participation: Is the weekly attendance an accurate way to gauge participation? Then what is?

Preparation: Do we expect what we get, or do we get what we expect? Why is willingness to prepare a gauge of connection?

Recap - Class Level

Connection Goals

1. As members

2. as MINISTERS

Read Acts 2:42-47

What are actions and attitudes that describe Koinonia?

Groups Become Communities When:

• We minister to our members (Us).

Groups Become Communities When:

• We minister. . .• We fellowship with and pray for

our members and prospects.

Groups Become Communities When:

• We minister…• We fellowship with and pray for …

• We are organized to care for each other.

Groups Become Communities When:

• We minister…• We fellowship with and pray for …• We … care for each other.

• We seek to live out the Great Commandment Mk 12:29-31

Connectedness Indicators

Needs are shared: The group is open and close enough that real needs are shared among the members.

Needs are met: Needs are met at the lowest level of organization required.

Recap - Community Level

Connection Goals

1. as members

• as ministers

• As MISSIONARIES

The next step: build on the other two as it demonstrates

Philippians 2:5-11

• Group members can release

• Send missionaries to other groups

• Group members can release• Send missionaries to other classes

• Support members-in-service

• Group members can release• Send missionaries to other classes

• Support members-in-service

• “Here’s our list of missionaries”

• Group members can release• Send missionaries to other classes

• Support members-in-service

• “Here’s our list of missionaries”

• “Our room is available for use”

• Group members can reproduce

• Reproduce yourself – have an apprentice

• Group members can reproduce• Reproduce yourself – have an apprentice

• Birth a new group

• Group members can reproduce• Reproduce yourself – have an apprentice

• Birth a new group

• Need at least 3 people, prospects, passion, and place to meet

• Group members can reproduce• Reproduce yourself – have an apprentice

• Birth a new group

• Need at least 3 people, prospects, passion, and place to meet

• “Here’s a picture of our family tree”

3. Group members can go on mission

• Help every member engage in ministry

3. Group members can go on mission• Help every member find a ministry

• Intentional outreach – build a prospect list, invite persons to enroll

3. Group members can go on mission• Help every member find a ministry

• Intentional outreach – build a prospect list, invite persons to enroll

• Intentional evangelism – invite persons to cross the line of faith.

3. Group members can go on mission• Help every member find a ministry

• Intentional outreach – build a prospect list, invite persons to enroll

• Intentional evangelism – invite persons to trust Christ

• Prayer is for unsaved persons, for missionaries, mission projects,

people, people groups, fran’s

Connectedness Indicators

Finding Christ: Unchurched people (THEMs) are included in the community of the group and come to a place where they can be encouraged to cross the line of faith.

Following Christ: Group members are led toward being mature, fully engaged followers of Christ.

Recap - Commission Level

Where is your group now? Where would you like it to be?