1. Dating - People will come and check you out.

2. Commitment - Ask people to make a commitment by prioritizing the gathering and ministry of the MicroChurch. Challenge them to give of their time, gifts and money.

3. Honeymoon - Enjoy. It’s amazing.

4. Conflict - Leaders must recognize when conflict arises and facilitate the group and individuals through it. This intervention may happen at a gathering or separately with the individuals involved. This is one of the most difficult challenges of leading a group. But it can be so fruitful and lead your group to …

5. Maturity - Now the MicroChurch is experiencing authentic community. You thought the honeymoon was good. This is so much richer.

6. Making and raising babies - Yup! That comes with healthy families. Welcome the kids and welcome the mess. Make sure newborns are being discipled in a Follow the Way Discover Discipleship Group. Get the young involved in the ministry of the Body as soon as possible.

7. Closure - Not everyone will stay forever and not every MicroChurch will last forever. Saying goodbye and bringing closure is an important function of leadership and an important gift you can give to your gathering.

What does the Bible teach about giving?

STEWARDSHIP

First, the Bible teaches that everything we have belongs to the Lord. Everything is a gift from the Lord, and therefore, we are responsible to Him for the use of all of it, whether we give it, spend it or save it. So ask the Lord how He would have you steward His money. As the Owner, He will guide you to be His grateful and faithful financial manager.

You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth (Deuteronomy 8:17-18).

"Master," he said, "you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more" (Matthew 25:20).

FIRSTFRUITS

Secondly, the Bible calls us to honor God with our firstfruits.

Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops (Proverbs 3:9).

On the first day of the week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money (1 Corinthians 16:2).

Before you spend your income on living expenses, debt payment and saving for future responsibilities, give back to the Lord. Don’t wait to see if there is enough money at the end of the week or month to give – there usually won’t be. Instead, give when you get paid, trusting that God will provide, and that He will guide you to wisely live on the rest. Giving from your firstfruits rather than just your leftovers is a real step of faith. God will honor your faith as you honor Him with your wealth.

3 TYPES OF GIVING

Thirdly, there are 3 types of giving in the Bible.

The Tithe – The word “tithe” simply means 10%. The first place that tithing shows up in the Bible is in the life of Abraham (Genesis 14). After God gave Abraham a stunning victory over those who had kidnapped his nephew Lot and all of Lot’s family and belongings, Abraham gave Melchizedek, a priest of God Most High, a tenth of the spoils. This was a completely voluntary act of sheer gratitude toward God. So not only is Abraham the father of the faith, he is the father of tithing. The Old Testament law, then, builds on Abraham’s first act of tithing and the Old Testament prophets simply affirm it. For example, the Prophet Malachi calls for the tithe (10%) to be brought to the Temple to support the ministry of the priesthood.

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the LORD Almighty (Malachi 3:10-11).

The New Testament builds on the tithe. Jesus says ...

You are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things (Matthew 23:23).

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on” (Mark 12:41-44).

Though Jesus obviously criticizes the legalistic tithing practices of the Pharisees, He specifically says we should tithe along with practicing justice, mercy and faith. And Jesus commends the lavish giving of the widow. So instead of cancelling the tithe, Jesus calls us to even greater generosity. Certainly, those who have experienced God’s free grace in Jesus Christ are to express their gratitude in deeper trust and more radical giving than those who lived under Old Testament law.

In the New Testament, financial gifts also continue to be given to support the ministry of the local church.

They brought the money … and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need (Acts 4:34-35).

Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them (Galatians 6:6).

The place to start your giving is the tithe. Regardless of what you make, give 10% of it to the local church. As you mature spiritually and prosper financially, you will be able to give an even higher percentage of your income back to the Lord’s work.

Offerings – Offerings (or freewill offerings) go over and above the tithe and are given to Kingdom causes and needs both within and beyond the local church. The Prophet Malachi mentions both tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:8). Following Old Testament guidelines on freewill offerings, the Apostle Paul gave comparable instructions for the special offering that was being given to the Christians suffering from a famine in Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 16:1-4 and 2 Corinthians 8 & 9). Unlike the tithe, where the percentage is set by the Lord, the amount of an offering is freely determined by the giver. Start with a tithe, and as the Lord leads you, give to other needs and causes through offerings.

Alms – Alms are spontaneous gifts given to those in need. They may be in the form of money, groceries or other assistance. This is an important way to make God’s invisible love visible to those in need around you. Notice needs and let God guide you as you do small things with great love. God is always pleased when we give generously to the poor. (See Acts 10:1-4.) And here is a wonderful promise for those who do: If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and he will repay you (Proverbs 19:17).

Giving is a great adventure of faith and gratitude. Grow in all three types of giving. Begin with the tithe to the local church. Allow God to move your heart to give offerings to other Kingdom causes. And keep your eyes open to the needs of others and give alms.

DISCIPLESHIP

Finally, in the Bible giving isn’t so much about raising funds for the church as it is about raising disciples within the church. Although, it must be said that the primary way that God provides for His church and Kingdom is through tithes and offerings. But still the Bible’s emphasis falls on raising disciples and not just raising funds. I think Randy Alcorn has it right: I’ve never seen a mature Christian who wasn’t also a mature steward. Giving is part of growing.

The church is called to help us grow as disciples of Jesus. And an important area of discipleship is giving.

So we encourage all first time givers to become regular givers. We encourage all regular givers to become proportional givers (that is, 10% tithers). And we encourage all proportional givers to become extravagant givers whose lives overflow with cheerful generosity.

The bottom line is that money isn’t just about money. Money is about priorities. As Jesus said, Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21).

Written by Karl House

Find and share this here—Biblical Giving.

Based on the Vineyard’s 5 Step Prayer Model
Modified by Karl House

ASK

Ask, “How can we pray for you?” Or better yet, “What would you like God to do for you?” Or to make it more Christ-centered and relationally intimate, “What would you like Jesus to do for you?” These last two questions stress that we are looking beyond ourselves in prayer. So they increase faith right from the start by communicating that we’re going to go to God and seek His intervention in the person’s life.

Think of it this way, we’re just a server at a restaurant taking the person’s order and bringing it back to the Chef to cook up something delightful. Our responsibility is to take the order. His responsibility is to figure out what to do with it. We just stand in the middle putting one hand on the person we are praying for and one hand on the One who can minister to their need. But here’s the amazing thing. God uses us to “deliver” His answer. Through our presence and touch and prayers, God moves in Kingdom power in the person’s life. As with any act of Christian ministry, God partners with us in ministering to the person. What a staggering privilege!

INVITE

Invite the Holy Spirit to come and minister to the person. Invite the Holy Spirit to guide your prayers. Take a moment to wait and listen. If you prefer, invite Jesus to come to minister and to guide. Asking Jesus to come is preferable if you have already asked the person, “What would you like Jesus to do for you?” Don’t get hung up on the theological details. Jesus comes near to us through the Holy Spirit. So either way we are asking for God’s presence and pointing away from ourselves as the ones who have the power to heal or guide or provide and we are building faith in the presence of God and the coming of His Kingdom. This is an important step of dependent humility and faith-building expectation. Don’t rush this step. Don’t be afraid of a little silence.

Before you proceed into prayer, ask your prayer team and the person if they got any sense from the Lord as you invited Him to come and to lead you. If you do sense the Lord giving you some direction, it’s best not to say, “Thus saith the LORD.” Instead, share what you are sensing and ask the person you’re praying for, “Does that mean anything to you?” Also check with your prayer team to see if it resonates with them. In other words, let others confirm that you are on the right track or not.

PRAY

Pray as the person requested. Pray as the Spirit directs. In order to build faith, you may want to begin your prayer with, “Lord, we thank you that you are with us and that you love _____ (the person you are praying for).” Begin with prayer and as the Spirit directs you may want to move into speaking healing or freedom or even commanding healing or freedom. 

The Spirit may actually lead you to have the person you’re praying for pray. This may be their prayer to pray because the issue may be rooted in their own responsibility. You may need to coach them a bit. But then have them pray, supporting them with your faith, agreement and any additional prayers.

Generally, keep your prayers simple and brief. Especially, when you’re praying for people out on the streets (friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, etc), keep the prayer short and sweet. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they think to themselves, “Well, I could have done that” and then they start doing that—they start praying?

CHECK

Check with the person to see what’s happening. You could simply ask, “What’s happening?” or “What are you sensing?” or “What are you getting?” If you’re praying for healing, check to see if there is any change in the pain level or mobility. If you’re praying for direction or reconciliation, check to see if the Spirit is giving the person new thoughts or hope. Check with your prayer team if there is any discernment for further prayer or next steps. 

Repeat PRAY and CHECK as the ministry unfolds and the Lord directs. For example, if there is some pain reduction or some increased mobility, thank the Lord for the change and pray for further pain reduction and more mobility. During this CHECK the person receiving prayer may actually let you in on a deeper issue surrounding their need, which would lead into more targeted prayer. Think of the prayer time as a conversation between you, the person receiving prayer, your team and the Spirit. Take your time and let there be adequate back and forth communication. This may be a good time for the person you are praying for to pray, personalizing the prayer or thanking God for what He is doing.

NEXT?

What’s next? Maybe the prayer was simple or the issue is resolved and you can just wrap things up. If not, assure the person you’ll continue to pray for them. Encourage them to stop back next week to tell you how things are going and receive more prayer. Maybe it would be good to have the team meet during the week to pray for them again. Maybe it would be good for them to meet with their small group leader or pastor. Maybe it would be good for them to get into a small group. Is the person a Christian? Ask. “I don’t want to assume anything, but are you a follower of Jesus? Do you believe in Him as your Savior and Lord?” Maybe their encounter with God through your prayer time has prepared them to make a commitment to follow Jesus. Talk with the person and discern from the Spirit what’s next. How can this prayer time lead to the person’s next step in following Jesus?

When praying for people out on the street, you may want to ask, “Is there anything else we could pray for?” Sometimes people don’t share with you the most significant matter in their life because they don’t know if they can trust you. But when you handle a less significant matter compassionately and wisely, they may go to that more difficult and personal spot with you.

After praying for people, you could give them the 2Kingdoms.org wristband which directs them to a website with a clear and compelling Gospel presentation. You could say something like this, “Thank you so much for letting us pray for you. Can I give you this wristband as a reminder that we prayed for you and that we will continue to pray for you. 2Kingdoms.org is a website that will tell you why we go around praying for people. Because we have experienced God’s love and want to share it with others. And praying for people is a practical and personal way to show God’s love. If you want to learn more about God’s love and the Good News of His Son Jesus Christ, please check out this website. Or if you got some time right now, I can tell you more.” Sometimes this leads to further questions and a deeper conversation about the Christian faith.

Find and share this here—5 Step Prayer Model.

Acts 2:17-18 quoting Joel 2:28-29 (NIV)

In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

1 Corinthians 14:1-5 (NIV)

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.

1 Corinthians 14:12-19 (NIV)

So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.

For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

1 Corinthians 14:26-33 (NET)

What should you do then, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each one has a song, has a lesson, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all these things be done for the strengthening of the church. 

If someone speaks in a tongue, it should be two, or at the most three, one after the other, and someone must interpret. But if there is no interpreter, he should be silent in the church. Let him speak to himself and to God. Two or three prophets should speak and the others should evaluate what is said. And if someone sitting down receives a revelation, the person who is speaking should conclude. For you can all prophesy one after another, so all can learn and be encouraged. Indeed, the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, for God is not characterized by disorder but by peace.

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

GUIDELINES FOR PROPHECY

We can make a distinction between a prophetic word that is intended for the whole MicroChurch and one that is given by an individual to another individual during a one another ministry time.

In both cases, the prophecy must be tested. When it is spoken to the whole group, it is to be tested by the whole group. When it is spoken to an individual, it is to be tested by that individual and any others involved in the ministry time.

Here are 3 tests …

A. Is it Affirming?

Spiritual gifts are given for the strengthening, encouraging and comforting of the body. Does that mean there can never be a difficult word of correction? No. But those need to be handled with great care and probably should be processed with a community leader for wisdom on how to proceed. The point is, even a difficult word needs to be given in an affirming way.

B. Is it Biblical?

It doesn’t necessarily have to be chapter and verse specific, although, the Spirit can direct you to a specific passage of Scripture. The question is, Does it fit within the overall flow and teaching of the Bible?

C. Is it Christlike?

From what you know of Jesus, would this be something He would say?

Even if it’s not technically a word from the Lord, but it passes these 3 tests, it just may become a word that the Lord uses to speak to the person you share it with.

When sharing what you sense is from the Lord, don’t say, “Thus saith the LORD.” Say, “I had this thought (passage, picture, pain, prompting, impression). I think it may be from Lord. What do you think?” Or “Why don’t you take that to the Lord and ask Him about it?” Or “Does this make sense to you at all?”

GUIDELINES FOR TONGUES

We don’t consider tongues THE gift that marks the Spirit-filled Christian. Instead, the Spirit-filled Christian is to be characterized by the fruit of the Spirit, especially love, and any gift that the Spirit determines to give them. But tongues is one of those gifts that the Spirit gives and Paul wished that everyone would speak in tongues.

We need to make a distinction between speaking in tongues and praying or singing in tongues. When a tongue is spoken in the context of a MicroChurch that needs an interpretation. Praying and singing in tongues doesn’t necessarily need an interpretation.

If you are teaching on tongues, feel free to ask someone to give a demonstration. Some people may never have heard a tongue. If you are demonstrating the gift that doesn’t necessarily need an interpretation.

You can certainly pray for the gift of tongues and you can certainly pray over those who wish to receive this gift. It is never right, however, to manipulate or manufacture tongues. And never make anyone feel second class for not speaking in tongues. Once again, it is just one of the many good gifts the Spirit gives as He wills. We need to celebrate any and every gift the Spirit gives.

If a tongue in prayer or song is heard by the group, that doesn’t necessarily need an interpretation. However, it might be best for that person moving forward to pray or sing in their tongue silently or under their breath. The point is you don’t want the gift of tongues in prayer and song to call attention to itself.

If a tongue is spoken with the intention that the whole group listens, that needs an interpretation. Pause the group, pray and ask the Lord to give your group an interpretation. The person who gave the tongue or another may give the interpretation. Often this interpretation is not a word for word sort of thing, but a general sense or drift. In other words, the interpretation may take less or more time to say than the tongue itself. This interpretation is to be tested by the same Prophetic ABC Test above.

If an interpretation doesn’t come, throw a “towel” to the person who gave the tongue! They may feel rather exposed. Say, “Thanks for that tongue. Thanks for taking that chance. There isn’t an interpretation AT THIS TIME. One may come though, but at this time we’ll need to move on. And if later anyone gets a sense of interpretation about that tongue, just let us know.”

Read and pray through the passage several times during the week.

Consult the NIV Study Bible or the Life Application Study Bible

Consult Enduring Bible Commentary

Consult the Serendipity Bible for Groups for great questions to ask

The goal is not to teach but to lead to personal and group discovery through leading questions.

There may be times when you need to put your teacher’s hat on to explain something, but those should be few and far between. Put your discovery facilitator hat back on as quickly as possible by asking more questions.

The key is to ask good questions. In fact, in true rabbinical style answer questions with questions. “Good question Tom. What do you think? Or what do others think?’’

GOOD THINGS HAPPEN WHEN YOU ASK GOOD QUESTIONS.

See A Guide for Guides from Follow The Way for helpful training on how to lead a Bible discussion, especially when handling difficult people and discussions

For additional study on interpreting the Bible read Context: How to Understand the Bible by James Nicodem