By Patrick Porter
Begin with prayer
Gather together as a Community in a comfortable setting. Take a moment in silence, in the presence of Jesus and each other. Have one pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide your time together.
Have someone read the book of Philemon over the group.
Debrief the most recent teaching and discuss the following prompts
- What did you take away from the most recent teaching, and what has God been doing in your life this past week because of it?
- Have you ever been in an unresolved conflict with somebody?
- Is there currently anyone that you are in an unresolved conflict with? How do the teaching and Philemon affect how you feel about this conflict?
(feel free to be specific or vague with these details)
Talk over this coming week’s Practice
This next week, you will again set aside time to read through the entire book of Philemon once each day. Each time you read this short letter, try to find something new that stands out. Then, ask Jesus to speak to you as you meditate on that part of the letter. Discuss as a group what time of day you will each be ready so that you can keep each other accountable.
Optional Practice for Parents:
This summer, as our church goes through the Scriptures in teachings and Practices, parents are invited to engage their children with the Scriptures by reading with them. Feel free to use age-appropriate Bibles or Bible stories for your kids. If you already have a rhythm, consider how you can add something to it – if your rhythm is to read with your child(ren) in the evenings, consider one morning in the week you could read a Bible story with them. If you don’t have a routine, think about one time a week you could read the Scriptures with them.
Close in prayer
End your time together by having someone pray over the group.