"Spirituality?" Spirituality is about changing and growing more and more to participate in the character, pattern, passion, and kingdom mission of Jesus of Nazareth—the Christ, our Savior, Leader, Lord, and Friend.
Jesus’ parting words to the first disciples were, “make disciples of all nations.” In the ever-unfolding story the Bible describes and history tells of the extension of the church, those parting words still use us. “Make disciples of all nations.” We’re thinking and believing that if a church of Christians is really producing grown up Christians, the church will look, live, love, and act like Jesus—living passionately for God’s kingdom. Our tactics for producing grown up Christians for the mission of Jesus are not complete. New leadership is still emerging with gifts, imagination, energy, and calling to pursue them. Some things we haven’t yet dreamed up. But if you’re going to keep growing all your adult life in Christ, you’ll want to pencil out a map for your spiritual direction.
The Seven Marks
What does “spirituality” look like? Spirituality—Christian spirituality looks like Jesus. Only seven?
Instead of seven marks you could come up with ten, twelve, or twenty marks of a person that looks, lives, and loves like Jesus. To make it simple and transferable, we keep these seven in mind. We’re grateful to Glenn McDonald for his insights in, The Disciple Making Church. Please don’t mistake this for a cookie cutter approach to disciple building. We know the process is nuanced by the individuality of each person. We’re certain that the Holy Spirit knows how to heal, shape, and equip people for the mission of Jesus in the world and to make spiritual progress. Disciples have…
A HEART FOR CHRIST ALONE
A MIND SHAPED BY SCRIPTURE
KNEES FOR PRAYER
HANDS TOGETHER IN GOD’S FAMILY
ARMS OF LOVE
A VOICE TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS
A SPIRIT OF SERVICE & SELF GIVING
THE DAILY WORD
Of the many habits of the ordinary Christian life none is more important to our spiritual progress than the daily hearing and responding to Christ’s lordship in Scripture. Every four weeks a new reading guide is available. The Bible readings are based upon a plan (The Daily Lectionary) that is used by millions of Christians throughout the world. Imagine spending time with God reading and meditating on Scripture, worshiping, and offering prayer with millions of sisters and brothers around the world. Each day offers a reading of two Psalms for morning, an Old Testament reading, a New Testament reading, and a Gospel reading. Two Psalm selections are kept for the evening. Pray without ceasing...hear the Word unceasingly too! Get a copy of The Daily Word HERE and print.
GRACE PARTNERSHIP SERIES (G.P.S.)
Where do you want to go? How do you want to get there? Get a map. Membership at Grace Church is not about “membership.” Okay, maybe we’re mincing words. But words are loaded with meaning and imagery. In volunteer, associational North America too often “membership” means “club,” privileges, and perks (e.g. free use of a fellowship hall, no charge for your son or daughter to be married in the sanctuary). Instead, membership is a three-way “partnership” with You, Jesus Christ, and Grace Church. It’s a partnership for the development of your spiritual life, for the discovery of your spiritual gifts, and discovery of God’s purpose for your life. Membership is partnership; it’s partnership for spiritual formation and kingdom mission.
This group is offered as needed—however often it takes to orient believers new and old—to the vision, mission, core beliefs and values of Grace Church. Following the G.P.S. experience, participants are urged to map out a plan for a life-long journey in spiritual formation and mission.
G.P.S. Themes: The Grace Church Story • Our “DNA”: Mission, Vision, Core Beliefs, Core Values • “Disciple-Making Church” • “Missional Church” • The 3-Way Partnership • Mapping a Journey for Adult Spiritual Formation
SUNDAY GROUPS
Sunday adult groups meet at 9:00 a.m. on an array of themes from Bible study, Christian book studies, and Christian life themes. Space permitting, some P.a.L.S. Groups can use Sunday morning for the gathering time of their group for learning, sharing, and praying. The coffee is “on” by 8:45, so grab a cup on your way.
WEDNESDAY MEAL & MINISTRY NIGHT (M & M)
Most Wednesdays of the year (September through May) we gather together for a meal at 5:30 p.m. and a time at 6:30 for P.a.L.S. Groups to meet. Some P.a.L.S. Groups choose to follow up the Wednesday fellowship meal; instead of in a home, they pull their group together at the school for their learning, sharing, and praying time. Other opportunities are offered for learning, prayer, Bible study, or book study following the fellowship meal. There are programmed ministries for student ministry, and children, including GraceKids Chorus. Sometimes the whole church is called together for worship, prayer, Bible study, learning, or for other matters of concern to the whole body. The Wednesday Meal & Ministry Nights conclude before Memorial Day in May.
ANYDAY…ANYTIME…ANYWHERE…GROUPS—P.a.L.S. GROUPS
Though we’re a small church Grace Church is catching on to a vision of being a community of smaller communities. Small groups are a big deal! We want to be a church of small groups not just a church with small groups. There’s a difference.
We are created in God’s image and designed for relationships at the very core of our being, first with Him and also with others. In relationships, we give and receive a taste of God’s love, His goodness, and His character. Yet, because of our brokenness, those same relationships can bring hurt, pain, and suffering. Through small groups at Grace, we learn how to love God and neighbor with our whole self.
P.a.L.S. Groups are about spiritual formation. Small groups are given many names in churches: cell groups, prayer bands, covenant or accountability groups, nurture groups, community groups, neighborhood groups, etc. At Grace we call them by the things these groups do. We call them P.a.L.S. Groups. The acronym? Participants pray together, take mission or ministry action together, learn so as to grow in Christian wisdom for life and mission, and participants share their lives together like a family. It is the genius of close-knit, family-sized communities that people’s lives really change. Outside of large group services at Grace, the primary place where we learn to worship our God and love in smaller communities is through our P.a.L.S. Groups. If you look at the array of tactics for adult spiritual formation, each one is similar to a P.a.L.S. group.
P.a.L.S. Groups are about mission, ministry, and innovation.Our vision is that P.a.L.S. Groups will be the way all kinds of creative new ministries and mission actions will emerge to extend the mission of Grace Church in ways that are aligned with our “DNA.” Instead of programs being dictated from the “top” by leadership of the church, we believe these innovative actions can and should grow out of our “DNA” and the shared life of prayer, learning, and sharing that happens in every P.a.L.S. Group.
Creative outwardly-focused mission actions can take the shape of hands-on efforts like: evangelism and witness, mission trips, outreach to international students at UNA, outreach to the homeless, breakfast bags for job-seeking Work Release detainees, taking part in existing mission efforts in the community, outreach to youth, children…wherever God’s Spirit prompts a group to meet a need in the name of Christ. We envision the emergence of Gospel-motivated mission actions like these from small P.a.L.S. groups that are praying, studying Scripture, and sharing their lives together. There is much to do to model the ways of Christ’s loving reign. There are places to go near and far, there are things to do great and small.
These innovations can also take the shape of needed ministries within the church: Bible studies, book clubs, classes, retreats, men’s or women’s events, student events, outdoor activities, etc. If you have an idea, start praying and sharing your idea with others in your P.a.L.S. Group. Out of the atmosphere of prayer, learning, and sharing, actions like these will be discerned. When God raises up a few others to join you in the vision, let your P.a.L.S. Group leader know. If the vision is one that might include church-wide participation contact someone on the leadership team for support, direction, interpretation, and visibility. You have unique gifts to bless others and we want to release you to use them!
P.a.L.S. Group Leader Training
Since P.a.L.S. Groups are so important to the mission and ministry of Grace Church, the preparation of P.a.L.S. Group leaders is critical. Leaders are committed Christians with recognized leadership abilities who are also committed to the DNA of Grace Church. Leaders are gifted and called to lead a group individually or, preferably as a two-person team.
A month of Sunday afternoons (or some workable time) is devoted to training. But all P.a.L.S. Group leaders will want this training before diving into leadership. This training is “start-up” and not “front-end loaded.” There is periodic support and checking in once a group is launched and meeting together.
P.a.L.S. Group leaders will explore:
the rationale for small groups as the infrastructure of church life, spiritual formation, and mission
the “recipe” for a P.a.L.S. Groups meeting
leader qualities for leadership in a P.a.L.S. Group
the task and maintenance functions of a group leader
the what, where, and when of a P.a.L.S. Group: where to go for resources, where to meet, when to meet…
the mechanics of your P.a.L.S. Group
the life cycle of a group—ways groups “morph” and it’s okay to say “farewell”
participant and group personalities—“quirks”
the principle of multiplying groups
“S.H.A.P.E.” GROUP
Idea: We are committed to helping people discover their spiritual gifts, God’s calling on their lives, and find their personal ministry/mission. We can help with some externals, but this process largely depends on the participants’ initiative following the S.H.A.P.E. experience. Imagine a 10-week group with some follow on mentoring as needed.
Spiritual Gift(s) discover through Biblical study and a “suggestive” instrument
Heartburst—discovering your “heartburst”
Abilities, skills, talents acquired, or “natural”
Personal style
Experiences in life that God can use for ministry/mission
System: This discipleship tactic is a little more complex system-wise. At the end of the group/experience the participants may want more or less continuing guidance (depending on the individual) as to how to get started “doing their call.”
CORE TOPIC GROUPS
Core topic groups are 6, 8, or 10-week study groups with emphasis on study, on the “L” of a P.a.L.S. group—the learning dimension of group life. You could call these groups “electives” since they focus on a specific topic of study. But we want the groups to do so much more for you, for our congregation, for the mission of Jesus, and for our spiritually yearning public. We want them to change your life so you love God more and participate all the more in His mission. Called, equipped, and prepared leaders will lead Core Topic Groups. The public will hear about the groups through this web site, leaflets, newspaper, and personal referrals. Core topics emerge from needs in our world and from our core beliefs, values, vision, and mission.
Leaders of Core Topic Groups are self-consciously teachers and spiritual mentors who are committed to the DNA of Grace Church and who are gifted and called to lead a group individually or, preferably, as a two or three-person team. Leaders have had the start up P.a.L.S. Group leader training, so that although they are leading a group/class through a particular content, leaders are nonetheless focused on helping people make progress as maturing disciples of Jesus Christ.
Core Topics and Recommended Resources
1-Jesus of Nazareth/Christ/Son of God/Savior/Lord—The Gospel of Mark—Garry Willis’, What Jesus Meant, N.T. Wright’s, The Challenge of Jesus, Philip Yancey’s, The Jesus I Never Knew
2-The Graceful Spiritual Life: Prayer—various biblical texts—Michael Baughen’s, Breaking the Prayer Barrier
4-Faith Roots: The Resurrection of Jesus—The Gospels and key Bible texts—N.T. Wright’s, The Resurrection (DVD) and Surprized by Hope, J.N.D. Anderson’s booklet, The Evidence
3-Faith Roots: The Gospel—our Treasure—various biblical texts—N.T. Wright’s, Surprized by Hope. The “depth” of the Gospel proclaimed and lived. What is the Gospel? What is a presentation of the Gospel?
5-Faith Roots: The Bible and Core Beliefs—various biblical texts—Mark D. Roberts’ Can We Trust the Gospels?, N.T. Wright’s, The Last Word and various creeds, catechisms, confessions, and statements of the Christian faith consensus (e.g. Nicea and Apostles’, Heidelberg, Westminster)
6-Faith Give Away: Witnesses—various biblical texts—Rick Richardson’s, Reimagining Evangelism, Rebecca Pippert, Out of the Salt Shaker
7-Family Care/Marriage Care—biblical texts—Ross Campbell’s, How to Really Love your Child (Teenager), Stinnett and Beam, Fantastic Families, Joe Beam, Becoming One
8-Gratitude and Generosity—biblical texts—Dave Ramsey’s Financial Freedom Course
9-Poverty and Christian Responses—various biblical texts—Ron Sider, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger
10-Creation Care and Stewardship—biblical texts—James Martin’s, The Meaning of the 21st Century, and Matthew Sleeth’s, Serve God, Save the Planet
ADVENTURERS…
Idea: “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” --Helen Keller
“Adventurers” is an adult discipleship tactic similar to a P.a.L.S. Group except Adventurers are a group of only two, maybe three. Jesus “likes” to be in the midst of two or more. This smallest P.a.L.S. group is a self-directed two or three-person group that spends twelve to eighteen months together catalyzed by a “yes” answer to the following question: “Would you be willing to meet together on a regular basis for the next year or so, in order that we might learn and grow together in what it means to follow Jesus?”
Plan: Map out a year, get with a Grace pastor, make a check off list, get an Adventurers Brochure with DNA-congruent recommendations and check off list so you and your friends in Christ can launch your journey together. Consider some of these:
Scripture to hear, read, mark, memorize, and inwardly digest…
Prayer and prayers to learn and practice…
Books to read—classic Christian and contemporary…to read, mark learn, and inwardly digest
Songs, hymns, and spiritual songs to learn, sing, and inwardly enjoy…
Experiences to experience…
Actions to take, mission to do…
Places to go and serve…
People to meet and talk with—Christian influencers, leaders, ordinary saints, mentors, and models…
