In every Gathering, you will see time set aside for prayer, worship, reflection and discussion.
Let's take a closer look at each of those and what you can do to help set the tone in your home.
Take a moment to imagine some things:
What if you pray for someone and they see God's love for them for the first time?
What if you ask God to bring peace into your home and He does?
What if you commit to praying and then it becomes a normal part of your friends' or family's rhythm?
Choosing to go first in prayer can make a world of difference.
1. Be honest.
How are you feeling? What do you need? What are you believing about God as you are praying?
Prayer is simply a conversation with God.
2. Don't add pressure.
It doesn't have to be formal or fancy.
You don't have to say everything perfectly right.
There are no bonus points for length.
If you're talking to God, you're not doing it wrong.
3. Remember that God hears you.
God made you. He loves you.
He knows how you think and how you talk. He speaks your language.
Most importantly, He has invited you to talk to Him.
Have you ever had a dance party in your living room? Sang your heart out in the shower? Kept a playlist running in the background?
Worship in your living room might feel a little different, but chances are, music in your home is nothing new.
Here's how you can set the tone for worship:
1. Turn up the volume.
You'd be amazed at how natural it feels to sing when your voice isn't the loudest thing in the room.
2. Warm it up.
If this is something very new in your home, you may find it helpful to warm up with your own playlist before the Gathering starts.
3. Practice.
If you want worship to feel like a normal part of your home, you can start today.
You can play worship music:
- In the background as you eat dinner,
- While you're doing chores,
- In the middle of the day when you just need a minute to yourself.
You might even find yourself singing along.
reflection and discussion
Woven into each week's message are moments for you to think about what you've heard and then discuss with your people.
Going first means choosing to speak up, even if no one else is talking.
As the conversation gets going, you might have some questions.
...I don't know what to say?
Take a deep breath.
You don't have to give perfect answers, just honest ones.
...Someone in my home wants to accept Jesus?
CELEBRATE BIG!!!
What's next? We have additional resources for you at jenkschurch.org
...Someone has a question I don't know how to answer?
"I don't know," is a perfectly fine answer.
You guys can work together to find the answer. Or email us at office@jenkschurch.org!
Your people might be in the room with you, or you might be gathering together over FaceTime. Either way - don't miss out on the discussion!
Here's your invitation today:
Even when it's uncomfortable, even if you've never tried these things before, will you choose to go first?
This is how you can lead in your home.
