Purpose of the K- Group: To create a non-threatening environment where people, via the internet, can share their moments of daily worship time with God and come to experience him more intimately through the spiritual disciplines of prayer, silence, scripture, reflection and sharing.
Scripture Theme this Group: “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.” (Psalm 42:1 [KJV])
Equipment needed to participate? Bible (preferably KJV), personal prayer and reflection time (30 min), sharing & response time (25 min), life encounters and a journal to record your experiences. Expect to spend approximately 60-90 minutes daily.
The Goal for the group:
The goal of this site is to help each participant to intimately experience God by exploring daily experiences and moments when they believed God is speaking to them. Each participate is encouraged not to attempt to fix each other, but to pray for one another and to listen so that they will better know how to pray for and encourage one another. Such questions as, “What do you feel God is saying?” or “How do you feel about this?” questions that help participants to discover God’s voice are permissible. Each participant will be encouraged not to be judgmental or give opinions that reflect what they believe other participants should do, but they will be encouraged to encourage each other to seek God’s mind through scripture.
There will a facilitator whose role will be to provide occasional modeling for participants, maintain a non-threatening atmosphere on the site, provide participants with weekly devotional readings and reflection thoughts and pray for the group.
Outline for the Day:
Moment of Silence: 5 minutes
Reflection: 10 minutes.
Reflect on the day before and ask yourself, “What specific moment did you most clearly sense God presence?” Take some time to remember what events occurred the day before and pick the one that best enabled you to realize the presence of God. Journaling the events of the day before can help with the process. Journaling will enable you to look back at a glance and quickly recall what happened. After choosing that significant moment take 5-10 minutes discerning what it was that you believe God to be saying in that moment.
Post the moment & what God was saying to you: 10 minutes
Give your moment a title for example, The Moment: “Singing in the showing”, “Walking along the river” or “Sitting with my grandfather”. Whatever the moment, give a title that will separate that moment from other moments. Next write “What I sensed God saying”: Share here with the group what you believe that God was saying to you through that particular experience of the day. Take 5-10 minutes discerning God’s wisdom before writing it down and sharing it with the group.
Prayer & Meditation: 15 minutes
Participant at this point should submit their prayer pertaining to what God is asking. There may be times when there is a moment where you sense that God is at work but do not understand what God is saying. The prayer at this point can be a prayer for direction and discernment. Ask God to reveal his wisdom and when he gives it then you can share it with the group if you desire.
Respond to other posting:
Take up to 5-10 minutes responding to the posting of others. Remember that it is more important to spend time praying for each other. Feel free to pass along a bible verse, a poem, a quote, anything that will help fellow participants in their journey with God.
Suggestions:
In order to make good use of your blogging time, it will work best if your comments are first written and then do a cut and paste to post.
Before signing up on this blog please pray about it first. What do you expect from this group? What do you want God to do for you through this sight? This is a process and our main objective to become closer to God and to see him at work in all things. Knowing what is in your heart, your motives and reasons for belongingto this small group will affect your journey. Please discern whether or not this is something for you. Enjoy your time with God
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
Ben: I'm a bit confused. Will this K group blog be a one day event or a daily bog? How many do you hope will join? will you actually do this or is this just an outline for this course? One place you talk about daily and another you outline one day? I was a bit confused. Please clarrify.I have a friend who has difficulty with depression and doesn't like to get out, especaily in the winter months. This type of blog of prayer and contemplation would really be good for her. Thanks for responding.
Lydia
Sorry about the mixup. What I want to do is set up a blogging sight where 7 to 8 people can share their daily experiences with God using the format that I presented. Each day the format would stay the same but the encounters and the sharings would change. Also, the facilitator would be responsible for for sharing scripture and other readings that reflect the postings. I would like to do this on line but I would also like to provide a time when some of the group could get together and experience the process being physically present. I am open for suggestions.
I meant to say 7-8 people sharing their daily experiences of being with God using the format I gave.
We live in an age of technology and I believe that a blog like this is needed and asked for. Who would inter in, How do you keep the (I hope I say this kinely), but the really far out people who don't know what kind of God they believe in. Or do you welcome the seekers as well? how open are you or the facilitator as to who joins?
My friend would love this kind of chating as she is lonely and needs to speak about her spiritual journey with someone. Yes this would be very much needed and welcomed. Blessing on you.
Ben,
I think that your blog for Group Spiritual Direction is a great idea and definitely can be used in bringing a group into prayer. Your details are on point and I understand the concept you are providing in your outline. One question or reservation that I would have is there seems to be no personal contact or meetings between the Blog Group, and I wonder if that can be incorporated Quarterly or in intervals that could get the group together on a personal level to put a face with a name and to get the benefit of live interaction at some point in the process. I just think that getting the people together may open them up to deeper levels of spriitual growth because now the words and prayers on the blog are tied to someone that they have met and that they will see again during the Group Spiritual Direction.
I definitely think that the Blog is a great way to conduct the Group Spiritual Direction and think that this is a great way to get those who are introverts or don't like "getting out" connected in Spiritual Direction and please let me know how this turns out for you as I am interested in this additional Blogging concept myself with the Discipleship Class that I have which can connect those within the Class during the week rather than from just Monday to Monday.
I pray that God continues to bless your endeavors and continues to broaden your abilities and gifts in building His Kingdom.
Ben,
Of course I will pray for your Aunt Lucille. It isn't easy to accept the fact that someone you love doesn't seem to want to do that which is preceived as extending life. All we can do is walk along side them in support.
Looking at your k-group as an online endeavor is neat. It has given me an idea for my group. Perhaps between the times that we meet, a question could be posted to enhance discussion in class. Or maybe, my class can be referred to your blog site. I will have to work it out but you have me thinking.
Intriguing brainstorm Ben, you have opened the spiritual direction door to the globe. There may be benefit in developing a strategy to provide a support structure to this venture, that is, a core group who can train others to lead and develop this seed idea-->Leaven of Heaven--the Kingdom, Matthew 13:33. There is a huge need for spiritual direction and connection, that is, for pastors and disciples. Quality in small-->12 before 120, and the uttermost. . .
(PS: Check out the NRSV or God's Word translation)
Post a Comment