A caring community: Job loss and financial difficulties

The second in a series on the caring community at church, this post focuses on what your Sunday School or Life Group can do to show love to members who are enduring job loss or financial difficulties.

I believe this is another area where it is prudent to discuss with your leadership team and your minister before acting.

A caring community: Celebrating births and adoptions

This post begins a new series on how your Sunday School or Life Group community can care for each other through different life events.  Today we're talking about a life event that effects most young married groups: the births of babies and adoptions.

"Be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28) certainly takes on a new meaning when you are working with a class of newlyweds and young married adults!  Before you know it, there may be a large number of expecting mommies and daddies in your group-- and don't forget about those who may choose to adopt a child.  Here's a few questions to think through with your leadership team when creating a plan to celebrate growing families:

Talk to me: Prayer requests & testimonies

Today's post is the last in a series on communication in your life group or Sunday School class.  Prayer requests and testimonies may not be first on your mind when it comes to a discussion on communications, but bear with me as I demonstrate how they are integral to the growth and unity of your class.

First, let's discuss prayer requests.  There are numerous scriptures in the Bible exhorting us to pray for each other (James 5:16, Ephesians 6:18, Matthew 18:19-20, among others).  Prayer requests are a great way to bring unity to your class because they involve the verbal act of confessing life's difficulties (or victories, more on that in a  moment) and the spiritual act of intercession.