Is Coffee Break a Missional Small Group?
Marian Lensink on Mon, 05/10/2010 - 8:26pm
Like many readers, I've been involved in the ministry of Coffee Break for many years. I began leading a group, with a babe in arms. Coffee Break, indeed the study of God's word with other women, changed my life. But more impacting was the opportunity to share the truth of scripture with someone who had never heard. That was life changing, for me!
In my early years, a woman shared with me that she simply didn't understand how Christ's death and resurrection could connect to her, 2000 years later. I was invited to share the gospel message, plain and simple. I began to see that in sharing the gospel, I was growing in my understanding of the truth as well. When we live out the gospel, and begin to see God working in us, and in others, we will be transformed in the process.
Coffee Break began as an evangelistic ministry, where God's Word shared through the relationships of women transformed lives, and brought women, from our communities, into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. These groups have always been very missional to the core. And yet, today, in a changing culture, many groups struggle to maintain this evangelistic perspective. I wonder, how is it going?
Can you share with us, some of the things you're doing, to engage the mission of God in new ways? What are the ways that you are following God, beyond the huddle of your group, to begin to engage the people He came to save. I look forward to your responses!
Freda Kennedy on Tue, 05/11/2010 - 8:21am
HI Marian
It's great to see a forum for Coffee Break! Coffee Break in the town of Brighton is a community oriented bible study, where women at all stages in their faith, from seekers to strong women of faith, from women in their 20's to women in their 80's, from pentecostal, to United to CRC to unchurched, come to a safe and loving place to learn and share and grow in their walk with the Lord.
We don't 'do' anything really different, what we do 'do' is pray and study together first of all as leaders. We study a different book each year and this year we read through 'Lead like Jesus' a wonderful book teaching us how to be servant leaders like Christ. We pray together as leaders prior to every session and are open to the Lord's leading and we try to lead like Jesus and serve in love. That is the strength of Coffee Break, women leading women to grow in their relationship with Christ.
In todays world women don't think they need each other, they think they can do it alone. When we finally do get together and share in a loving atmosphere of acceptance through Christ then great things happen. That is why Coffee Break is important. There are very few places today where women can get together and feel accepted, can share their concerns and can grow in their relationship with other women and with the Lord. The Holy Spirit does amazing things when we give Him room to work.
In Brighton, we intentionally focus on studying a book of the bible through the Discovery Bible studies, and this year have worked through Exodus. Who would have thought Exodus would have brought out so much discussion and heart to heart conversations.! We had an awesome year of learning God's character and faithfulness through the study of Exodus.
We also take time to invite community agencies such as Hospice and Samaritan's Purse to come and tell us what they do and then invite the women interested to participate in their organizations. So rather than the community coming in, we try to encourage our women to be part of the community.
The success of the Brighton Coffee Break however, is not in what we 'do' but rather in what the Lord does. For in the end its not us who brings the women, who transforms the women, who saves lives. All we can do is be the hands and feet of Jesus and show his love and tell His message.The rest is up to Him.
Marian Lensink on Wed, 05/26/2010 - 11:08am
Thanks Freda, for sharing about your Coffee Break ~ it sounds like things are going very well. Thanks for the renewed call to prayer, to God's Word, to the practice of meeting together, and to being open to God's Mission! May we all be encouraged to follow God's leading as Coffee Break continues to embrace the greater mission of God!
