Scripture Memory: Memoirs of a Successful Failure

October 23, 2018October 23, 2018 / thecgblog / Leave a comment

-Guest post by Small Group Coach, Catlan Sardina

I once tried to memorize the Book of Romans. I learned a few things from that effort.

1) Scripture memory is hard.

2) Actually storing the Word of God in your heart is even harder.

But, I think what I learned in my journey could be helpful and encouraging to you. Let me paint the picture of how I got to where I am in pursuit of memorization, so I can help you memorize scripture more effectively.

Last year I led our group through Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, by Donald Whitney. This was the second time I went through the book in a Small Group setting, and I knew what I was in for. If you are not familiar, Whitney challenges Christians to practice ten disciplines (including memorization) for the purpose of godliness. I didn’t want the semester to be just another book study, so I really buckled down and prepared to make some lifestyle changes to be a more disciplined Christian (and leader) for the purpose of godliness.

In regards to the discipline of Scripture memorization, I set the goal to memorize the entire book of Romans. At first it was without a prescribed due date. I did some research to find effective tools and techniques, then decided my tool of choice would be “Scripture Typer,” an iPhone app. The premise is that you plug verses into the app, and then memorize the verses through a three step process that increased in difficulty. You just type the first letter of each word, and boom! You’ve memorized Scripture.

The app is more useful than I just made it sound, and I was hooked. I’m a bit of a nerd, so I built a spreadsheet to accompany my memorization progress. I found that in the first 21 days I had memorized the entire first chapter of Romans, an average pace of 1.52 verses per day. (Please don’t judge my analytics too harshly.)

I knew that was an unsustainable pace, so I made the adjustment to memorize at .71 verses per day like this:

Monday – 1 new verse
Tuesday – 1 new verse
Wednesday – review new verses and eventually 1 whole chapter
Thursday – 1 new verse
Friday – 1 new verse
Saturday – 1 new verse
Sunday – Review every verse I’ve ever memorized

It all seemed really impressive, and I had convinced myself that I was crushing it. About four months in I was working on Romans 4:21, and couldn’t be any more proud of myself. (Warning, pride comes before a fall!)

Every once in a while I could convince my wife to listen to me recite my memory verses, God bless her, and for the most part I could recite Romans 1:1-4:21 with very few “helps”. Better yet, I had a really high score in the Scripture Typer app, and was en route to Christian greatness. Everything was gravy until the day the bubble popped (not the housing bubble).

One day I was talking to a friend at work about Romans’ claim that everyone really knows God exists. I knew that this truth was stored in Romans 1, right around verse 20. I got super excited and started wagging my tail because I was about to throw verses of Scripture right in his face!

I only had one little problem. In the fiery furnace of workplace (self-inflicted) persecution I couldn’t for the life of me remember a single word from my verses. Forget about the obvious problem of failure to perform my dream recital from way up high on my holier-than-though soap box. It occurred to me that I hadn’t written a single verse on my heart! It was time to spend some significant time in prayer, reconsider my motives and methods, and possibly reconsider my .71 verses per day.

I’d like to say that this is when I stumbled across some insightful C.S. Lewis or C.H. Spurgeon quote that kicked me into hyper-Spirit mode. But, alas, my flesh prevailed, and I gave up Scripture memorization outright. Months went by. My Scripture Typer app would occasionally look at me like a child depraved of attention. Sometimes I would even open it and see how many “stale” verses needed review… Then I’d close the app, pretend like I never opened it, and read some ESPN. I was officially defeated by my prideful flesh, the lies of the Enemy (“You are too dim and prideful to memorize God’s Word”) and the pressures of the world (“You have more important things to do, anyway!”)

But, praise God for His sovereign persistence in pursuing my heart. Praise God for the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Praise God for passages like Matthew 4:1-11, where Jesus conquered Satan, not by supernatural power and lightning bolts, but by speaking memorized Scripture at the stinky beast. Praise God for Paul declaring the Bible as our offensive weapon in Spiritual Warfare in Ephesians 6:17. And Praise God for Ephesians 6:1, because I have four kids and I love that verse.

So, what did I do that worked? I decided to start a humbler adventure, at a humbler pace, aware of my memorization limits, and just enjoy the ride. (So humble of an adventure that I am writing a blog post about it.) I read more about memorization techniques. I looked into stories of people memorizing Scripture successfully. I sought out different tools and methods.

I accepted failure in my new adventures, and continued because I wasn’t under the gun of my past failures. I found joy in memorizing in a way that works for me, and asking God to daily write the words on my heart. He receives the glory from my previous failure, because He showed me how incapable I am on my own.

Organization doesn’t write Scripture on your heart, neither does discipline, only Spirit empowerment with the right heart and mind will give you the joy of a scriptural sword that is ready for battle.

Here are a few successful tips I’ve picked up on this iteration of the journey.

1) I am still memorizing a large passage, but not just because I can. Romans 1 started with an introduction, and it is valuable because it is the Word of God. But is Paul’s introduction to a letter really a necessary place to start? No. So, this time I started working on the Sermon on the Mount. It starts with the Beatitudes, so even if I fail to get all of Matthew 5-7, I at least have those gems with me.

2) I’m memorizing verses that align with our Church’s focus in that season. I have no idea what my pastor was preaching on when I was memorizing Romans. But while I’m memorizing the Sermon on the Mount our Pastor is doing a series on the Sermon on the Mount. I feel more aligned in my personal discipline with my communal worship.

3) I am engaging as many senses as possible in my memorization techniques. The only resources I used consistently in my pursuit of Romans were my Scripture Typer app and my Bible. Now, I write my verses on note cards; I draw a picture to help me remember the verse (and the reference!!!!); I listen to verse-in-song (thank you Fighter Verses app!!), and I read them in my Bible. It is important to read them out of your Bible so that you can see in your brain’s eye exactly where that passage is in YOUR Bible. (Thanks small group sister Jennessa for that tip.)

For your enjoyment, here are some examples of my ridiculous drawings.

4) I’m slowing down. 0.71 verses per day was so useless to my natural limitations. D.A. Carson can memorize whole chapters in multiple languages (supposedly), but I will happily crawl through an enjoyable season of Beatitudes before running too quickly and never writing a word on my heart.

5) Most important, I am worshipping God in my memorization. Every success is to His glory. Every verse comes with deeper meaning of the text or I do not consider myself ready to move on. For example, I don’t think I ever internalized or meditated on meekness properly until I memorized Matthew 5:5.

Friends, will you join me on the God glorifying, highly personalized, transforming, empowering, and equipping journey of memorizing God’s Word?

Catlan Sardina

Planning Your Next Semester: Winter/Spring 2018

December 29, 2017 / thecgblog / Leave a comment

Praise God, our groups are winding down a memorable Fall 2017 Semester. This post, which is revised and updated each year, aids leaders in planning for our next semester.

How NOT to Start Your Next Semester

Let’s begin with how NOT to start your next semester.

A typical question leaders are asking is: “What curriculum should I kickoff the Winter/Spring semester with?” My preferred answer would be… NONE!

NONE, Why is that!? This goes back to why our groups exist. Are they Bible studies alone? No, definitely not. But, experience teaches that if a group launches a new term immediately with the new Bible study or curriculum on the first week, then that group will become forever locked into the “study” mold and mentality, as if that is all you exist to do, no matter what you try to do later.

The Solution: Start your semester with some of the other vital small group elements which often get crowded out. Ideas include:

Start with a meal or fun night. You are a spiritual family, after all. Set the tone to enjoy each other!

Start with a worship, prayer, and/or communion night, seeking God’s guidance and setting a worshipful pattern for your year.
Start with a service/outreach project, or series of them, declaring: “We are going to be the hands and feet of Jesus!”
Start with sharing a few personal salvation testimonies, to celebrate God’s grace in our lives and get to know each other well.
Start with having the kids involved in worship, so they see Jesus Christ as the center for your group’s existence.
Then, start your curriculum, having become close friends and spiritual siblings; soul mates and teammates. We have 16-20 weeks in the Winter/Spring Semester. No need to rush into a curriculum, there is plenty of time to do it all!

Calendar and Small Group Agreement Pages

Pull out that Winter/Spring Calendar, found in the first couple pages of the Leader and Member Toolkits, with your group to plan out the entire semester together – host locations, fun days, weeks off, trips together, meal plans… whatever you can plan.

And, don’t neglect to review the Small Group Agreement page, to get everyone’s expectations aligned. Among the most important axioms I have learned in church leadership over the years is that “Expectations are everything.” They truly are. Clear and aligned expectations will directly impact your members’ attendance and engagement all year long.

NOW, Choose the Right Curriculum

Since our foundation is God’s Word, a good curriculum or Bible study plan is a vital tool. Come browse our many curriculums in the training sessions or in my office anytime, where you can access our materials to preview or check out.

And, don’t forget that you can help us keep building up our curriculum library, with “The Lake City Offer”, which is:

If you are interested in using a curriculum we do not currently have, I will buy the leader book and DVD (if there is one) for you if you will return it when finished, to add to our library. Your group members will just buy their own participant guides, if there is one. This offer helps future groups and eliminates any hesitation based on the cost of a study!

NOTE: A list of our available and recommended curriculums can be found in the back of the Leader Toolkit.

Important Dates

Here are a few important dates for your calendars:

- * **Leader Training: As always, there is one required January training session for all leaders, offered twice, for your scheduling convenience:
  - Option 1 – Sunday, January , 11:30am – 1:15pm, with lunch.
  - Option 2 – For those who cannot attend the January 7 session, come to the makeup session on Sunday, January 14, 11:30am – 12:40pm, without lunch (snacks only).

*This year’s training will focus on personal spiritual growth and leader development, strategically according to where you in this season of your life. Also included are fellowship with other leaders, coaches, and then key elements of the church’s vision and winter/spring dates.

**This year’s training involves videos to watch beforehand. A link to five videos will be sent to all leaders who then choose two of the five to watch, based on where you are currently in your personal leadership life-season.

Signups: Signups will officially be open to new members starting on Dec. 30/31, with the list of open groups passed down the aisles in church the following two weeks.
Kickoff: Winter/Spring Semester officially kicks off the week of January 14. Leaders of open groups, be prepared to proactively welcome new people right away!

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Our mission and vision remain the same:

All our small group training sessions are always open to everyone. Families and discipleship groups are welcome to attend together.

The Winter/Spring Semester runs through the end of May, so it’s a bit longer than the Fall Semester, leaving you room to do more things and have more fun and transformative experiences.

May God be glorified in our ministry,

Pastor Reg

Planning Your Next Semester: Winter/Spring 2017

December 8, 2016 / thecgblog / Leave a comment

Praise God, our groups are winding down a memorable Fall 2016 Semester. This post is to help leaders pray & plan for next semester.

How NOT to Start Your Next Semester

So, let’s start with how NOT to start your next semester.

A typical question leaders are asking is: “What curriculum should I kickoff the Winter/Spring semester with?” My preferred answer would be… NONE!

This goes back to why our groups exist. Are these groups Bible studies alone? No, definitely not. But, experience teaches that if a group launches their term immediately with the new Bible study curriculum on the first week, then that group will become forever locked into the “study” mold and mentality, as if that is all you exist to do, no matter what you try to do later.

The Solution: Start your semester with some of the other vital small group elements which often get crowded out:

Start with a meal or fun night. You are a spiritual family, after all. Set the tone to enjoy each other!

Start with a worship, prayer, and/or communion night, seeking God’s guidance and setting a worshipful pattern for your year.
Start with a service/outreach project, or series of them, declaring: “We are going to be the hands and feet of Jesus!”
Start with sharing a few personal salvation testimonies, to celebrate God’s grace in our lives and get to know each other well.
Start with having the kids involved in worship, so they see Jesus Christ as the center for your group’s existence.
Then, start your curriculum, having become close friends and spiritual siblings; soul mates and teammates. We have 16-20 weeks in the Winter/Spring Semester. No need to rush into a curriculum, there is plenty of time to do it all!

Provided Calendar: Be ready to pull out that Winter/Spring Calendar with your group to plan out the entire semester together – host locations, fun days, weeks off, trips together, meal plans… whatever you can plan. It is found in the first couple pages of the Leader and Member Toolkits.

NOW, Choose the Right Curriculum

Since our foundation is God’s Word, a good curriculum or Bible study plan is a vital tool. Come browse our many curriculums in the church library, where you can access and check out materials.

And, don’t forget that you can help us keep building up our curriculum library, with…

“The Lake City Offer”

NOTE: A list of our available and recommended curriculums can be found in the 2016-17 Leader Toolkit, page 29.

Important Dates

Here are a few important dates for your calendars:

*Leader Training: As always, there is one required January training session for all leaders, offered twice, for your scheduling convenience:
- Option 1 – Sunday, January 8, 10:00-11:15AM.
- Option 2 – For those who cannot attend the January 8 session, come to the makeup session on Saturday, January 21, during one of the 50-minute workshops of the Church Family Summit. Attend just this workshop, or better the entire half-day seminar.

*This year’s training will focus on “The Why?”, local and global small group missions, conflict resolution, key winter/spring dates, and more.

Signups: Signups will officially be open to new members starting on Dec. 31/Jan. 1.
Kickoff: Winter/Spring Semester officially kicks off the week of January 15. Be prepared to welcome new people, if possible.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

All Summit workshops and small group training sessions are always open to everyone. Families and discipleship groups are welcome to attend together.

The Winter/Spring Semester runs through early June, so it’s a bit longer than the Fall Semester, leaving you room to do more things and have more fun and transformative experiences.

Our mission and vision remain the same:

May God be glorified in our ministry,

Pastor Reg

How to Make Bible Reading a Priority This Year – 2013

January 2, 2013January 2, 2014 / thecgblog / Leave a comment

Hi Friends,

HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR!

What is going to mark your life in 2013? Here is one important idea.

Both God and experience declare that reading and applying the Bible will impact your life’s success more than anything else. So, let’s make sure we all have a plan to make Bible reading a priority this year.

First, some encouragement. If we spend some time and energy on the Bible, we can master it! Don’t let it get crowded out of your life this year. Love God and His Word. Be excited about these Words of Life! Be committed to them. Never assume they are irrelevant or not understandable. Make this your top priority this year!

Now the question, How?

Here are two keys to success in making Bible reading a priority this year:

1. Christian Friendship

Christian friendships are one of God’s greatest provisions for our lives. Good Christian friends can help us understand the Bible and keep us on track living it out more than anyone or anything else can.

Are your Christian friendships doing this with each other?

If so, you are in great shape for prioritizing God’s Word in your life. I just preached an entire sermon on this subject which lays out the “hows” and “whys” in Christian friendships. You can listen to it here, or read it here: Sermon – Christian Friendship, 123012 – MANUSCRIPT.

2. Bible Reading Plans

Bible reading plans work. There are many. Here are the best for our church to consider:

Our church’s website has for a long time listed this good option – http://www.lc3.com/#/info/bible-reading-plan

Even better is the fantastic collection of creative Bible reading plans offered by “YouVersion” – a free “ap” on your smartphone, or a free website, at www.youversion.com/reading-plans. I have never seen a better collection of Bible reading plans. And, their daily reminder options are actually very helpful. Here are the types of categories of plans that you can try. There are dozens of plans within these categories:

Topical
Whole Bible
Partial Bible
Devotional
Related to the works of many of your favorite authors or artists
Seasonal and Holiday themes
Family
Youth
And more! Don’t hesitate to sign up for a free account with this website. It’s one of the best web tools out there.

Pastor Jim’s favorite website to recommend for reading plans and other various helps for exploring and understanding the Bible is www.biblestudytools.com. Be sure to save that one to your “favorites” as well.

Perhaps the best place to start, however, is with the exciting plan from the appendixes of our recent HEROES study book, the “100 Essential Passages Reading Plan.” My wife, Sarah, and I started reading this together about a month ago, and it has been a fantastic, quick-moving journey through the Bible. Sarah said that it has completely revived her passion for reading God’s Word. It will take 17-20 weeks for us to finish, and then we plan to hop on the YouVersion list to choose another plan together that excites us both.

Download this plan here – 100 Essential Passages Bible Reading Plan

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

You have been encouraged and equipped for a transforming year of experiencing God’s will in your life. The rest is up to you! Enjoy the journey.

Blessings on 2013,

Pastor Reg

P.S. Here is what’s in store for the upcoming Semester, kicking off on January 20!

Winter/Spring Semester, 2013

Here are a few important dates to put on your calendar right now:

2. If you miss the Summit, a small group leader training make-up session happens Sunday, January 20, during 2nd service (10:50AM-12:10PM), in the Gym.

3. The Official Kickoff Week of Winter/Spring Semester is the week of January 20. Of course, groups have autonomy to start earlier or later, based on their semester plan.

4. Pastor Jim resumes the Luke Sermon Series on Feb. 2/3, a good option for any group who would like to study Luke’s gospel along with the weekend sermons. We will have resources.

Winter/Spring Semester, 2013

Here are a few important dates to put on your calendar right now:

1. The 2nd annual Lake City Family Summit happens Saturday, January 12, 9:00AM-1:00PM. NFL quaterback Jon Kitna and his wife Jen will be our primary speakers, along with several breakout sessions. As usual, the small group leaders training will be contained in one of those 50 minute workshops. How small groups fit into the BIG picture of the church as God’s Family is an exciting major theme for this year’s summit. Don’t miss it!

2. If you miss the Summit, a small group leader training make-up session happens Sunday, January 20, during 2nd service (10:50AM-12:10PM), in the Gym.

3. The Official Kickoff Week of Winter/Spring Semester is the week of January 20. Of course, groups have autonomy to start earlier or later, based on their semester plan.

4. Pastor Jim resumes the Luke Sermon Series on Feb. 2/3, a good option for any group who would like to study Luke’s gospel along with the weekend sermons. We will have resources.

Communion in Small Groups – More than a Good Idea

November 14, 2011March 14, 2018 / thecgblog / 7 Comments

The Bible says very little about how we are actually to go about observing communion, yet most Christians have strong preferences, if not convictions, about how to do it. I want to expand your thinking in one area — observing communion regularly in your small group. As we will see, this is more than just a good idea.

No Wafers and Juice Cups in the Bible

Most of us (assuming an audience which holds the “symbolic” view of communion) have observed communion primarily in corporate gatherings, with a short message and Bible reading from the pastor, followed by a collective ingesting of a wafer and a small plastic cup of grape juice. Let me say, I have no problem with the wafer and grape juice! Observing communion in this way has been a major part of my life’s spiritual formation. But my strengthening conviction is that small group members should observe communion together at least once per semester/term.

Here’s why:

At LCCC, we view small groups as not just another ministry or Bible study, but as the “church scattered,” in homes, throughout our community, engaging in directives of church which are not possible in a corporate setting: knowing, serving, loving, taking care of each other; digging in and applying Scriptures together; obeying the Great Commission together; having things in common; bearing each others’ burdens; and “being devoted to the breaking of bread and prayer” (Acts 2:42-47).

Communion in the Bible most always centered around a meal, and small groups allow a better opportunity for that than anything else in the church. At the Last Supper, Jesus effectively changed the Passover Meal into Christian Communion, and He strategically placed the observance of bread and wine within the course of this meal. (Read more about that here.)

Is it wrong, then, for us to observe communion without a meal? Well, no. One of Christianity’s unique characteristics is the freedom Scripture gives regarding church polity and practices; freedoms which enable Christian churches to thrive and transform culture anywhere, at any time, on the planet. Additionally, in 1 Corinthians 10 Paul does allude to the bread and cup without a meal (10:16-17) and in chapter 11 even tells them to STOP the meal because they were abusing it! So, the meal is not required, nor should it replace the Lord’s Supper as the focus of our gathering.

But, would it be appropriate; constructive; healthy for us to observe communion more as the New Testament Church did – as part of a relational, worshipful meal together? That is the more important question. And I believe the answer is a most definite YES!

Guidelines for Leading Your Small Group in Communion

So, to help you lead your group in communion this very semester, here are some guidelines for leaders or any spiritually mature member of a small group who wishes to lead.

1. Don’t be intimidated by this! You are already viewed as a “shepherd leader,” and this is one of the most significant and joyous acts Jesus gave us to do together.

2. Spend some time in the communion passages (Matt. 26:26-30; Luke 22:14-20; Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 10:15-22; 11:17-34, and many others if you want to study the significance of the Passover, its link to Jesus’ sacrifice and blood, and the biblical rules for it.)

3. Use other resources from books, websites, etc. There are tons of good resources out there. I’ll give you a couple of mine:

First, as a kind of template for you, here on a Word document is the communion manuscript from my recent sermon on Philippians 3:13-14 – Communion Manuscript from sermon – What to Remember, What to Forget

Second, from the engaging little book, Going to Church in the First Century, which I have given to all of our small group leaders, below is a copy of the pages which I used to lead my own group in communion just a couple weeks ago.

After explaining the premise of this book – the observations of a young man on his first visit to a house church – I passed around the elements and read the following pages, followed by the 1 Corinthians 11 verses. We then “ate” and “drank” in celebration of the gospel as part of our meal together. It was a fun and worshipful experience. If this appeals to you, I encourage you to try it at your group’s next meal together!

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

FROM PAGES 19-21 – THE BREAD:

Before we began to eat, however, Aquila took up a cob of bread which his wife had laid on the table before him, and said he would like to give thanks. Instead of offering part of the bread to their god, Aquila reminded the people present that their god had offered something for them instead. His only son, no less, who died that they might live.

‘Just before he sacrificed himself for us,’ he went on to say, ‘he took part in a meal with his followers just like the one we’re having now. During this meal he shared around bread and told them that it represented him. Just as they needed bread in order to live physically, so, even more, they needed him if they were to experience real life. And so do we. This is why he wants us to continue having meals together and this is why we are meeting together today.’

Just how a dead person was going to do all this wasn’t at all clear to me. But then Aquilawent on to say that after this person was executed, he’d actually come to life again. I could hardly believe my ears, I can tell you, but that’s exactly what he said! He’d gone to his father after death and this put him in a position where he could share his life with anyone who followed him, wherever they were and no matter how many there were of them. A bit of him living in each of them, so to speak, or at least that’s how I understood it.

‘This means,’ continued Aquila, ‘that although he isn’t physically with us in the room, he is nevertheless really present among us. As we eat the meal together, beginning with this bread’ (which he was now breaking into substantial portions and passing among the guests) ‘we’ll experience him directly within ourselves, as well as through our fellowship with one another as we eat.’

He concluded all this with a brief prayer, if you could call it that. For it was made up on the spot so far as I could tell, and spoken in quite a normal voice. In it he thanked his god for all this and told him how much we looked forward to the meal and everything that went with it. Then he sat down to a chorus of ‘yes’, ‘indeed’, ‘amen’ and the like and began to eat.

FROM PAGE 35 – THE CUP:

At this point we were interrupted by Lysias who, at Aquila’s signal, had begun to refill the cups at our table. Felix was doing the same at the other. Aquila then took his cup in both hands and said:

‘The wine that we’ve been drinking has been part of our meal and a help to our fellowship in the Lord. But it means more than this. For, as Jesus explained, it reminds us that he is the one who has created this bond through his death. It also stands as a promise to us of the fellowship we shall have one day with him when we sit down at his table and dine with him face to face. So as we drink this cup together, let us take these things to heart and be grateful for them, looking back with appreciation on the one and looking forward with anticipation to the other. And may our meetings express that oneness that we have with him more and more so that they are, as it were, a little taste of heaven on earth.’

In this spirit we all drank.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

However the Holy Spirit directs you, I pray that observing the Lord’s Supper with your small group will become a pivotal moment in your life together — one that you will repeat regularly, in remembrance of Jesus.

Blessings on your homes,

Pastor Reg

LC3 Life Blog

Lake City Small Groups, Church Planting, Missions, Theology

Worship

Scripture Memory: Memoirs of a Successful Failure

Planning Your Next Semester: Winter/Spring 2018

How NOT to Start Your Next Semester

Calendar and Small Group Agreement Pages

NOW, Choose the Right Curriculum

Important Dates

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Planning Your Next Semester: Winter/Spring 2017

How NOT to Start Your Next Semester

NOW, Choose the Right Curriculum

“The Lake City Offer”

Important Dates

FINAL THOUGHTS:

How to Make Bible Reading a Priority This Year – 2013

1. Christian Friendship

2. Bible Reading Plans

Winter/Spring Semester, 2013

Here are a few important dates to put on your calendar right now:

Top 10 Posts of 2012

Winter/Spring Semester, 2013

Here are a few important dates to put on your calendar right now:

Communion in Small Groups – More than a Good Idea

No Wafers and Juice Cups in the Bible

Guidelines for Leading Your Small Group in Communion