Hello!

Hello, Good people.

What is going on is really here and I am

excited about us launching our forward small groups and I'm

so excited that you are joining us for this particular

cost. Hey, this video is just kind of equip you

and to inform you of the why the how the

what and just to give you some simple basic instructions

on what to expect.

So let's talk about the why really quick.

Here it is.

We're going into this new series, we're identifying and helping

people overcome strongholds.

Guess what?

This isn't going to be done just from the platform.

We're inviting you into this journey to help other people

destroy and overcome the strongholds.

And this is what you signed up for.

So thank you so much for doing this with your

small group.

Um, here's some details and you're gonna get an email

uh kind of like informing you more about this, but

it's a six week curriculum that starts the week of

the 24th, october the 24th through december the fifth.

Um and the goal, the next step goal for your

group is to take people through the forward experience on

december 4th and it's going to be a big, huge

deal. Not only you can be able to see your

people thrive and grow, but they're going to get to

celebrate this on december the fourth when we have our

one day forward experience, new content, new information.

We took two days of the forward experience and we

smooshed it down into one big, life changing experience and

you get to lead the charge.

You get to lead your people to that place.

So that's the goal for the next step.

That's the goal for your group.

Um, Here's another thing that I wanted to give you

is what is the purpose for your forward small groups?

Well, it's real simple.

Um, it's really three things.

The first is to provide a safe environment for weighty

conversations. Um, yeah, you're gonna be talking about a lot

and people need a safe processing place where they can

chew on this truth and really ingest this truth and

allow this truth to metabolize and to change their life.

Um, here's another thing, you've got to create a space

sensitive to the Holy Spirits lead.

So here's the good news.

You don't have to do much talking.

All you gotta do is quietly listen for the Holy

Spirit to direct you on what words you should use

as you lead your group.

And here is the last thing is attuned to the

emotions of others.

Listen, be watchful for what's going on in their life.

What is emerging?

What are some of the feelings that are being provoked

as they go through the four classes of the basics?

You want to equip them and prepare them on how

to surrender those emotions to God and that means that

we have to have a very clear mind and a

clear set of ears uh to hear God direct us

in that area and I believe you haven't, you are

more than equipped, We have the right people signed up

for this and I am pumped to see you in

action and hear all the stories that are going to

come out of your small group.

Um I want to kind of thought an acronym out

there that kind of helps us understand like the how,

how are we going to create a safe place, create

an environment where uh the Holy Spirit can speak, where

we can attune to people's emotions, where we can kind

of be good stewards of weighty and emotional conversations.

Well, the acronym again sacred, real easy to remember.

Hopefully uh this can kind of be like something like

a sticky note.

You can just kind of write down or if you

want to just keep this video that you're more than

welcome to do it.

But I'm gonna use the acronym of Sacred.

Um it's not really an academic could be across stick,

but the first word in that across stick or acronym

that I'm using is a safe place.

S is for safe place.

Just remind people of confidentiality.

That helps this place become absolutely say that what you

say here stays here, that christ is here.

Usher in the Holy Spirit, you know what to do,

You know how to lead small groups, Just remind people

that this is a safe place for them to bring

all of their truths, all of their fears to the

table without the fear of judgment without condemnation.

Um here's another thing is affirmation, make sure that while

we're not there to fix their problems, were not there

to be jesus, we're not, you know, try to have

the savior complex to every single trouble that they're experiencing,

but we are there to affirm them, remember our goal

is to affirm people that they are sons and daughters

of God, and you get to do that, so make

it a place rich with affirmation.

Um here's the third thing, remember its community, it's community,

so they're dealing with a lot of personal things, but

in a safe communal environment.

So whatever you do to make your place friendly to

make your place, um um you're a host, you're a

host to allowing to to people who are allowing jesus

to kind of unravel some of their deep secrets.

There are some of the darkest thoughts, some of their

um all of their insecurities, all this stuff is going

to be coming up.

So you you get to do this in community, whereas

normally people do this on their own now, you get

to do this in the same place of community and

community in this aspect is so healing to be able

to unravel with safe people in a safe place is

such a healing tool and again, this is why this

is so needed.

So, again, thank you, here's the other thing uh our

redemption. Remember a lot of people are struggling with some

things in the past and they're wondering what is the

point of bringing up my past?

Um Well here's the thing is when we bring up

our past and we lay at the feet of jesus

with safe people, there is redemption like no other.

I mean there's something so powerful about taking our sacred

secrets, the things that we have been holding and the

things that have been holding on to us and to

lay him at the feet of jesus and to surrender

them okay to the Lord in front of our friends.

That is that experience leads to such a feeling of

resentment. A redemption.

It is a reclaiming of the past and we are

reclaiming it in giving it to christ.

How powerful is that.

Um And then e for empathy?

Remember empathy is about listening.

It's about hearing, it's about feeling with others.

It's not so much using your mouth to try to

fix the problem.

Is using your ears and using your heart to feel

alongside them.

So if someone says man, this reminds me of my

divorce back in 2000.

This reminds me of my partner's infidelity.

This reminds me of the loss of my son rather

than trying to silver line it with uh positive words.

Um um feel with them and say I want to

sit here for a second.

I just feel that pain with you, I'm so sorry

you went through that God loves you and we are

here for you and we are going to give you

this guarantee that in this pain right now you are

not alone and redemption is happening right now.

So I would encourage you.

Positive words are great, positive words are great but positive

words without having an empath uh empathic or empathetic.

Empathetic is not a good word, but more empathic response

or showing empathy if you have good words, but don't

show any empathy, those words are like clanging Cymbals, it

just doesn't make sense.

Okay. Um and so the last word is disciple, remember

we are a church of disciples, so what I'm looking

for is this, I'm looking for that not only in

our stories is a redemption.

Not only are we creating a safe place for people.

Not only are our emotions emerging and were able to

hold those those emotions well as leaders, but we're also

encouraging people to become closer to jesus, that they will

look more like jesus, they will experience the freedom of

God and that they will, they will truly understand with

conviction and gravitas, the weight of the cross and the

freedom that jesus so freely gave to us years ago

on calvary, that is our ultimate goes so sacred.

Remember that if you want to, you can play this

back, you can share this with your friends.

Listen, I am so excited about this, God bless you,

I look forward to the next steps and you're getting

all your people together.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact

us, and we will reach out to you immediately if

we don't answer right away, God bless you.

Hello!

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