Three Reasons Message-Based Discussion Groups Change Lives
I love my church! And I am delighted with the message-based discussion model we offer to promote active journeying with God and His plan for each of our lives. We have developed a 4 D model that we use to explain this pathway.
Let’s dissect this for a bit.
Discussion leads to Discovery. There are two ways this works.
First, when we discuss we have to choose words to explain what we are thinking. I don’t know about you but there are many times when I talk about something and end up working out the whole situation just because I am verbalizing. It goes something like this, “I'm dealing with _________ in my life right now. It’s tricky because__________. I’m not sure what to do, but I wonder if I should __________. You know what? That actually might work. Thanks so much for talking about this with me.” The other person may, or may not, have had much input, but just the fact that I had a safe place to talk made all the difference.
The other way discussion can lead to discovery is when alternative perspectives are shared as a group of people take time to focus on a specific area together. I especially love it when the questions about how to apply God’s word in our real life, which leads us to the second line.
Discovery highlights Decisions. There are often two different obstacles overcome here.
Sometimes the problem is not having any ideas for how to move forward. Discovery can reveal possible options.
OR
Sometimes there are too many options and it is difficult to decide which one to pursue.
Either way, once a decision is highlighted, the next step completely changes the outcome.
Decisions determine Destiny. Living our lives on purpose happens one decision at a time.
Recognition of what needs to be done is a valuable first step, but seeing what needs to happen is just that. Doing comes from decisions. And destinies are changed one decision at a time.
In a group setting the potential for actual change is enhanced as when others are incorporated in the discussion, discovery comes more naturally. And when decisions are verbalized in front of others there is a deeper expectation of follow-through, just know that others care can bring support. Decisions made alone can be altered without consequence. (How many times have you decided to eat better or work out more, but then changed your mind the next day?)
I remember a time when I was talking through making some much-needed changes in my home and they actually happened because I had shared them with a friend and knew I would be talking with her again. She wasn’t “holding me accountable”, I just wanted to be the me I intended to be and bringing another person in to the decision changed the outcome.
How about you? Who do you discuss your life with? Who knows about your decisions? Who is walking with you toward the destiny God has for you?
Building Bridges to what could be,
Cindy
P.S. If your church has small groups, doing life with others can exponentially change the outcome of your engagement in your faith! If your church doesn’t, you can start by having a message-based discussion with a few people.
PROTIP: Just ask these three questions and talk through them together:
What? What was the message about? What scriptures were unpacked?
So What? What does that mean for us today?
Now What? What is God asking me to adjust or accept to apply this concept in my life?