Friday, February 26, 2021

Inner Healing Within Small Groups

 


In our post-Covid environment, small groups are becoming one of the best primary points of entry for new attendees within our churches. Even if our social circles may have shrunk within the workforce or within our social engagements, our hunger for relationships still has not dissipated. Theologically, we understand this because we are made in the image of a God who exhibits perfect relationship within the Trinity. But how does this spiritual truth impact our ability to grow inward within our small group ministries, and how might this contribute to our small groups’ ability to minister to the deepest spiritual needs of our fellow group members?

In this next series of posts, we will unpack and explore how small groups are able to minister at some of the most profound levels to heal the soul. While some of our wounds may be buried deep or are carefully tucked away to help us function as close to normal as possible during the day-to-day, there are times when the presence of the Holy Spirit can fall upon a small group and meet one or more individuals in a powerful way that brings a wound or a lie to the light.

Yet for our purposes here, we will tread carefully. Our conversation on inner healing will not be meant for scenarios or seasons of life that are devastatingly urgent. Indeed, small groups can never and should never be considered a replacement for professional counseling. Nevertheless, there are moments when the Lord chooses to use a small group to either initiate a journey of inner healing or to walk alongside someone and be a partner for them in the journey of inner healing (It will be these scenarios in particular that this new series will focus on).

In his book Healing Care, Healing Prayer, Dr. Terry Wardle’s exploration of inner healing prayer provides an in-depth look of  how it allows us to not only identify the wounds of this world but also replace their dominion over us with the affirmation of God’s love. Writing from the personal experience of his own “dark night of the soul,” his multiple books over the years have empowered both the caregiver and the individual who is receiving care throughout the inner healing process. While Dr. Wardle’s book mainly focuses on the model and structure of inner healing between a caregiver and a single person who is receiving the care, here we will instead reflect upon the core principles of his text through the lens of a small group ministry.

Throughout this new series, we will discuss topics such as how group members can help to contribute toward inner healing, what the group leader’s role is within such a process, and how prayer can be utilized to engage the Holy Spirit within the group setting. Since the journey ahead requires great care and respect, it bears repeating that small groups are not meant to replace counseling (nor could it be promised that small groups are as effective as or more effective than professional care). Nevertheless, I have witnessed the impact that the presence of the Holy Spirit can make within the small group setting and it is very possible that the Lord may soon choose one of our upcoming small group meetings to stir the hearts of one or more of our group members. To help us prepare for such an event, let us prayerfully explore and meditate upon what we group leaders can do to help our group members meet the person of Jesus Christ in a powerful and transforming way.


Thursday, February 11, 2021

Spiritual Plumbing of the Heart


A Home of Surprises
Before my wife and I were handed the keys to our new home in 2013, we already knew that we had signed up for a home with some home improvement surprises. One surprise in particular was a severe issue with the plumbing. During the inspection phase it was realized that the kitchen stack was not properly draining to the pipe that led to the city’s sewers (easily deduced by looking down the access of the city-bound pipe while running the water upstairs). What surprised us even more was that the blockage was so bad that the kitchen sink would begin to fill up as we continued to run the kitchen tap. One experienced plumber diagnosed the problem, explaining that the stretch of underground pipe between the kitchen stack and the rest of the house’s plumbing had likely rotted, and that the pipe was clogged up with food, grease, earth, or a combination of all of the above. Basically, every time we ran the kitchen faucet, the water went straight into the ground, underneath our house.

After deciding to go through with closing on the house, we quickly scheduled a professional plumbing company to come in and carve into our basement floor. Using jackhammers and shovels, they broke ground and began to dig up the shockingly degraded pipe. The expert that quoted the job was 100% correct. Apparently, the home’s previous owners made it a habit of pouring grease down the drain. Over the years, the iron piping rotted away, causing a complete breakdown in the underground plumbing.

Spiritual Plumbing
Plumbing in our homes is not unlike the plumbing that we maintain in our spiritual lives as we communicate with God. Last week, we discussed how we are called to be filled with the Spirit on an ongoing basis. This type of lifestyle requires us to be diligent with the plumbing of our hearts. In our homes, blockages or even damage can occur to the plumbing of the house if we dispose of grease down the kitchen sink or refuse to utilize a garbage disposal. Likewise, continuously absorbing a diet of worldly entertainment and habitually acting upon sinful temptations can cause severe disruption in our spiritual lives (aka blockages of the Spirit).

To help clear the spiritual blockages in our lives and open up the lines of communication with the Holy Spirit, fasting can be a powerful spiritual discipline that can help us recalibrate on what the Lord is calling us to pursue within our current season. By abstaining from food for a short season, we focus more on God and spend more time with Him through our season of fasting. More than likely, the boost in spiritual clarity that we gain during our fast will help us learn to be less resistant to the nudges of the Holy Spirit throughout the day.

Group Fasting
If your group is interested to try something new during its spiritual journey this year, try fasting for the 24 hours before the group meets. Encourage one another that day through a group-text and fall in prayer to support and uplift everyone as you seek the Lord throughout the day. After trying this for a few weeks, see if the group might like to try a longer span of time once or twice within the next month or two. Prayerfully consider the frequency of fasting, for the discipline could quickly devolve into legalism if the activity itself becomes more important than the pursuit of God. Every individual and group is different, and healthy reflection can assist the group in determining what fits best for everyone involved.