Josh Hunt's Blog, page 268

Verse #3: Never try to teach without a burden

My heart grew hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue. Psalm 39:3 (NIV2011) There is an old John Wesley quote that goes, “Light yourself on fire with passion and people will come from miles to watch you burn.” There is something about good, old-fashioned enthusiasm that makes teaching […]

Verse #2: Never try to teach people you have not prayed for

As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.  1 Samuel 12:23 (NIV2011) One of the first thing I did when I became pastor was to take pictures of everyone in […]

Troubleshooting with Troublemakers (Without Killing Them or the Group!)

Meet some of my best friends. While they don’t try to cause problems intentionally (at least most of the time), they can cause headaches for any small group leader. Here are some ideas for coping. Michael Motormouth: He talks too much. Sometimes he makes sense, but often what he says is only marginally insightful. When […]

Verses for Teachers #1

Nothing will drive steel into your soul like memorizing and meditating on God’s Word. Nothing. I have a new-found zeal for Scripture memory since discovering the app, Scripture Typer. I worked on Scripture memory a lot in my 20s and 30s, but have been less diligent in recent years… until I discovered Scripture Typer. These […]

Lake Pointe Life Groups

When Lake Pointe began more than thirty years ago, we started two midsized Life Groups for couples. One group was for those who were over forty years of age and one was for couples younger than forty. In addition, we started one men’s Life Group and one ladies’ Life Group. This served those who preferred […]

How to lead a Bible Study Group

Good leaders are facilitators. They strike the match which ignites the group—primarily by affirming the members of the group and encouraging them to participate. There are several principles which, if followed, will enable you to be an effective leader. Your attitude as the leader is one of the most significant factors in determining the spirit […]

Why did I do that?

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why in the world did I do that?” Everyone, at one time or another, has regretted something they said or did. A friend recently confided, “Sometimes it seems as if I am observing someone else when I do certain things. Like a mysterious inner force has taken over my body.” […]

Does God care about numbers?

Myth #3: You Must Choose Between Quality and Quantity in Your Church This is, unfortunately, a widely promoted myth that simply isn’t true. Part of the problem is that no one ever defines what they mean by the terms quality and quantity. Let me give you my definitions. Quality refers to the kind of disciples […]

Get un-busy this year

A few years ago I was listening to a sermon in which the pastor led his listeners in a reflection exercise. He instructed us to sit quietly and reflect on the fact that God was present with us. Then we were to ask God if he wanted to show us something or say anything to […]

Apply scripture memory to specific discipleship needs

The first challenge is this: Memorize and pray a verse of scripture each day, all day. Here is what I mean by that. We’ve seen that God has promised to give success when we pray according to his Word. So, what I want you to do is I want you to look at your life. […]