This is the first LifeGroup curriculum/discussion highlight that I have done, so I thought I should start with my own group. This highlight is simply to let other groups know the type of discussions and material that other groups are dealing with. Maybe you can get some ideas for your own group.
Starting 2 weeks ago my group began to go through the book "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster. This book is a practical and in depth discussion about what spiritual disciplines are as well as providing some how-to's. The book is broken up into three sections: inner disciplines, outer disciplines, and corporate disciplines. The inner disciplines are meditation, prayer, fasting, and study. The outer disciplines are simplicity, solitude, submission, and service. And finally, the corporate disciplines are confession, worship, guidance, and celebration.
We have chosen to take one discipline each week while taking a break between the sections for a time to just hang-out. At the end of each discussion we pose a challenge to incorporate an aspect of that discipline into our week and then share our experiences the following week. The discussions are based out of the chapters but are not limited to its content. Each person brings a question or comment about the particular discipline we are studying (for instance prayer) and shares during the discussion.
So far things are going well and we are learning a great deal about these important disciplines for life. Here is a kind of thesis statement of the material.
"The purpose of the Disciplines is liberation from the stifling slavery to self-interest and fear. When the inner spirit is liberated from all that weighs it down, it can hardly be described as dull drudgery. Singing, dancing, even shouting characterize the Disciplines of the spiritual life."
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