Living Groups
Living Groups
Living Groups are at the heart of Living in His Presence Ministry. They are groups that gather weekly to study Secrets in His Presence while enjoying the book, Living in His Presence. The twelve-week study is Biblically based and interactive with practical, life application spiritual principles for learning to live with God moment by moment. While Secrets in His Presence is not a typical Bible study, it is full of Scripture and Biblically sound. God’s Word is weaved throughout the entire study just as it should be in our lives. This inspires Living Groups to apply Scripture and the principles of the Bible to their everyday living.
Living Groups provide a safe environment where members can be honest about their relationship with God as they journey, share, and grow together. This wonderful avenue for spiritual growth and fellowship offers a special safety net of acceptance and transparency which under girds each group. There is a comfort level within Living Groups that is warm and inviting to all who join. Living Groups emerge from church groups, neighborhoods, and workplace settings. They also form amongst family and friends. Many meet one another for the first time when they join to study Secrets in His Presence. Soon, relationships develop, and members grow in the Lord together.
Living Groups are becoming a lifestyle. Some groups continue to gather after the twelve-week study to remain connected. They fellowship and share in other spiritually, edifying works to nurture their relationship with God and encourage one another. Ideally, new groups sprout from the Living Group after the twelve-week study. New facilitators surface from the group to begin additional studies of Secrets in His Presence with more Living Group members. It’s as if rows of lights are flickering in the night when new groups sprout and launch.
The unmistakable presence of God, spiritual growth, and sweet fellowship make Living Groups unique. There’s nothing like feeling valued in a comfortable setting where you can be yourself.
What is a Typical Living Group?
Living Groups gather weekly for twelve weeks. They can meet anywhere… in a house, church, coffee shop, or even at a park. Group size varies from two to twelve members. This format invites intimacy, transparency, and an opportunity for everyone to share and be heard. Each group has a facilitator who keeps the meeting flowing. Facilitators complete normal, weekly assignments but do not have added preparations each week. They simply attend meetings willing to encourage personal sharing and discussion of the material. The facilitator uses the Planning Guide to foster group discussion and assign the reading for each week. Group members read the weekly assignments, complete Living Work at home, and come to meetings prepared to share. Living Work consists of answering a few reflective questions, applying spiritual principles to everyday life, and prayer. Reading assignments are minimal, about 25 pages per week.
Living Groups always open with prayer. During the meeting, groups share insights and answer discussion questions as outlined in the Planning Guide for each week. The facilitator maintains the flow of the meeting and encourages transparency during discussion. Living Groups always end with prayer for personal needs as they apply to the theme of the day. Meeting times are approximately 90 minutes to two hours.
By the end of the twelve-week study, groups will have practiced the five ingredients necessary to thrive in an intimate relationship with God. Living Group members will learn to hear God’s voice better, discover peace in the midst of the storm, watch as worry and fear melt away, and feel God’s presence instead of loneliness.
Living Group Planning Guide
The twelve-week Planning Guide for Living Groups is found in Secrets in His Presence. It is also located on this website. Click the “my books” tab and scroll down. It is a free down load to print.
A Glance Inside Secrets in His Presence
Secrets in His Presence is a personal journey within a workbook. Reflective questions help you identify feelings, struggles, and successes in your spiritual life. Ample space is provided to journal and answer questions. Times to Reflect are always followed by a Living Application…an opportunity to practice daily, what you learn from the study. You will enjoy stories about real people who practice the five ingredients. Word pictures have been painted to help visualize concepts and spiritual truths. Personal, ministry times with powerful prayers will draw you closer to God in the moment. Remember that Scripture is plentiful…weaved throughout your journey in the workbook to help you apply the Word of God to what you study each day.
Many revisit Secrets in His Presence on a continual basis to practice the ingredients, gain fresh insights from the Lord, and embellish their journey. It is a powerful tool that lends a helping hand and equips you to reach deeper levels of intimacy with God, learning to enjoy life with Him moment by moment.
On line ordering sites offer a glance inside Secrets in His Presence as well as Living in His Presence, for your convenience. Go to the “my books” tab at this website. Then click on the picture, for a peek inside.
