Chronos Groups
We are going to begin something new with Kairos, and it’s called Chronos!
Kairos = A specific moment in time when something happens!
Chronos = The continuum of time, what happens over the long-haul.
We will be forming small groups (2-3 people) for a three-fold purpose of
1) Accountability and encouragement in our Christian walks,
2) Reading Scripture
3) Praying for those who are not yet believers
Rather than posting all the info here, I am going to leave it as a comment on this post. Feel free to copy and paste it into an email or a Word document, so that you can read it later at your leisure.
Remember what we memorized from Psalm 1?
1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
I am firmly convinced that a good healthy dose of God’s Word will bless you beyond measure!
posted by Wade at 9/01/2005 10:47:00 PM
1 Comments:
Chronos Groups
Changing lives through Reading God’s Word
What are Chronos Groups - Chronos Groups are groups of 2-3 people that meet weekly for discussing the Bible, accountability, and prayer. The Groups are self governing and follow no specific curriculum. By design, these groups encourage the participants to discover the Word of God by themselves, with the Holy Spirit and one another to guide them. There is no need for a leader per se, as the group members decide the time and place of the next meeting, and which book of the Bible to read next.
What do Chronos Groups Do? - They meet together once a week for one hour to go through personal accountability questions designed to increase personal holiness, and encourage individual faith sharing. Each week they choose a book of the Bible to read in its entirety. Each person should end up reading about 20 to 25 chapters of scripture a week, so if it is a short book, you may read it 5 or 6 times in a week. If it is a long book, you might only read it twice. The idea is to get a broad picture of the Scripture, and to allow the Holy Spirit to speak through it.
What Happens if We Don't Finish Our Bible Reading? - If one or more members of the group fail to finish the set readings for the week, then everyone in the group starts the reading again, until everyone arrives having read the set amount for that week. This repetitive reading of the scripture really helps you get to grips with what the Bible is saying.
What are the Accountability Questions? - Each person can share questions to answer each week to encourage a Holy life and to encourage each person to witness to the power of God. Sample questions are shown at the end of this document. The members of the group do not have to have the same questions. Remember the enclosed questions are only a starting point, and the questions you use should be targeted to specific things within your life.
How Do I Join a Chronos Group? – You can set one up on your own if you’d like! Simply find another person/other people of the same sex to meet with. Because the existing groups should always be looking to multiply, you may well be asked to join someone else's group.
Where Do Chronos Groups Meet? - Chronos Groups can meet anywhere, in a home, coffee shop, restaurants etc.
Why Are the Groups Same Sex? - Because of the need for honesty and transparency during the confession of sin, this is best done within groups of the same sex.
Why Is There No Leader? - There is no need for a leader. One of the joys of this model, is that anyone can facilitate a group. All you have to do is choose a location, and a book of the Bible to read.
Don't we need a Bible Teacher or Study Notes? - No! The idea is to cut out the middle man and allow God to speak directly to you through the scripture. In many areas of our spiritual life we depend on others to spoon feed us or to take responsibility for us. Chronos Groups encourage us to communicate directly with God, and to take responsibility for our spiritual lives.
What is the Lifespan of a Chronos Group? - There is no set lifespan. Groups will either die when one or more members don't bother meeting anymore, or will multiply into two groups, when a fourth member is present.
Do all the members have to be Christians? - No. These groups are a really good place to bring seekers into, and for them to let God minister to them through scripture. Friends, family, neighbors and work colleagues will all benefit from being immersed in scripture.
What about Prayer? - Although the primary focus of Chronos Groups is not on prayer, prayer will naturally flow from the confession of sin. You are encouraged to pray for friends and for each other during the week as well. 'Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.' James 5:16
A Sample One Hour CHRONOS GROUP Meeting:
I. Opening prayer
II. One person begins asking another the Character questions. When each person has answered, move on next to…
III. Scripture reading from the past week is discussed
IV. Strategic prayer requests are mentioned, and prayed for.
V. Closing Prayer
The 3 Essential Elements of a Chronos Group.
1. Sin is confessed in Mutual Accountability
Christians need “to think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of His coming back again is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:23-24)
Chronos Groups begin as each member takes turn asking another member the character questions. Chronos meetings start here because it is easy to lose focus and talk only about safer things. Beginning with confession of sin tends to sanctify the rest of the gathering. The questions are asked straightforward. Each person takes a turn answering a question before moving on to the next. The confession of sin to each other, commanded by the Scriptures (James 5:16) prepares the soil of people’s hearts for the Word of God being read each week.
2. Scripture is read repetitively, in context and in community.
Jesus said “People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every word of God” (Matthew 4:4).
To expect lives to change and bear fruit without first planting the seed is foolish and will end in disappointment. Each CHRONOS GROUP decides on a passage of Scripture their group will read that week. We recommend that each person carefully read about 20-30 chapters each week.
When the CHRONOS GROUP meets together the following week, members ask each other if everyone completed the reading assigned. If anyone in the CHRONOS GROUP failed to read all they agreed to read, the whole CHRONOS GROUP agrees to read the same portion the following week. Reading large sections of the Bible repetitively, in context and in community, will yield rich rewards.
Once all in the CHRONOS GROUP complete the reading in the same week they choose the next passage of Scripture to read together. A group can decide together what the next passage will be or alternate which member of the CHRONOS GROUP chooses the passage each time.
3. Not-yet-believers are prayed for specifically and regularly
Jesus taught us to pray “May Your will be done on earth, just as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
At the end of this document you will find CHRONOS GROUP character conversation questions as well as statements to help with your time of Strategic Prayer. This is to remind each in the group to pray specifically for each of the people named on the card as they read their Bibles throughout the week.
Each member of the CHRONOS GROUP is to identify two or three people locally whom the Lord lays on their hearts because they need Jesus. The names of these people are then written down on the cards of every member of the group. Each person in the group prays throughout the week for those on the list. It is best to choose one name from the list each day and pray for them.
Those who begin to seek Christ become ideal candidates for the next CHRONOS GROUP and multiplication occurs naturally and spontaneously.
Character questions (Mt 5:13-7:29)
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other” (James 5:16)
The following questions are possibilities to be asked of one another in a weekly meeting of accountability. They are to stimulate conversations of character and confession of sin in a safe environment, which values honesty, vulnerability, confidentiality, and grace. Note: I am enclosing several examples of different kinds of questions. Feel free to revise the questions to fit you best, as you know better than anyone which questions you need to be asked every week in order to help you stay on track with spiritual growth. Some groups will focus on just a few questions to ask each other and to answer each week.
Sample Questions – List #1
1. Have you remained angry with another or secretly wished for another’s misfortune? Have you damaged another person by your words, behind their back or face-to-face?
2. Have you been exposed to sexually alluring material or allowed your mind to entertain inappropriate sexual thoughts about another?
3. Have you been honoring, understanding and generous in your important relationships?
4 Have you lacked integrity in your words and financial dealings?
5. Have turned the other cheek, gone the extra mile?
6. Have you practiced good deeds to be admired by others, or to be noticed by God?
7. Have you condemned other’s shortcomings or prayed for their wholeness?
8. Have you bought or are you planning to buy anything the Kingdom does not need for you to own? Have you given generously because you trusted God to provide?
9. _______________________________________ (Your personalized accountability question)
10. Did you study all the Scripture you agreed to read? What did God tell you to do? Are you doing it?
11. Have you been salt and light? Have you shared some of what you are learning about God with a non-believing friend?
Sample Questions – List #2
1. Have you been a testimony this week to the greatness of Jesus Christ with both your words and actions?
2. Have your lacked integrity in your financial dealings or coveted something that does not belong to you?
3. Have you been honoring, understanding and generous in your important relationships this week?
4. Have you damaged another person by your words, either behind their back or face to face?
5. Have you given in to an addictive behavior this past week? Explain.
6. Have you continued to remain angry toward another?
7. Have you secretly wished for another's misfortune so that you might excel?
8. Did you finish the reading and hear from God? What are you going to do about it?
9. Have you been completely honest with me?
Sample Questions – List #3
1. In what ways did God make his presence known to you since our last meeting? How did you respond? What experiences of prayer, meditation and spiritual reading has God given you? What difficulties or frustrations did you encounter? What joys or delights?
2. What temptations did you face since our last meeting? How did you respond? Which spiritual disciplines did God use to lead you further into holiness of heart and life?
3. Have you sensed any influence or work of the Holy Spirit since our last meeting? What spiritual gifts did the Spirit enable you to exercise? What was the outcome? What fruit of the Spirit would you like to see increase in your life? Which disciplines might be useful in this effort?
4. What opportunities did God give you to serve others since our last meeting? How did you respond? Did you encounter injustice to or oppression of others? Were you able to work for justice and peace?
5. In what ways did you encounter Christ in your reading of the scripture since our last meeting? How has the Bible shaped the way you think and live? Did God provide an opportunity for you to share your faith with someone? How did you respond?
A Note on Confidentiality: These groups must be a safe place for personal accountability. To be a participant in a CHRONOS GROUP, you must commit yourself to being confidential. Violating a confidence is grounds for immediate dismissal from the group.
Strategic Prayer
Each participant in a CHRONOS GROUP is to identify two or three people locally whom the Lord lays on their heart. List the names of all those identified in your CHRONOS GROUP on each Strategic Prayer Focus sheet. Keep this sheet in your Bible as a bookmark for your daily reading so that each time you open your bible you are reminded to pray for these people/needs. You will notice that some of the statements are listed more than once. This is to allow you to list more than one person who God might be laying on your heart to pray for.
Strategic Prayer
Lord, I pray you draw ____ to Yourself (John 6:44).
I pray that ____ may seek to know You (Acts 17:27).
I pray that ____ hears and believes the word of God for what it really is (1 Thess 2:13).
I ask You, Lord, to prevent Satan from blinding ____ to the Truth (2 Cor. 4:4, 2 Tim. 2:25-26).
Holy Spirit, I ask you to convict ____ of sin and prompt the need for Christ’s redemption (John 16:7-14).
I ask that you send someone who will share their faith with ____ (Matt. 9:37-38).
Lord, I pray that ____ will turn from their sins and follow Christ (Acts 17:30-31, 1 Thess. 1:9-10).
I pray that the Gospel will fall on good soil in people’s hearts. And that it will germinate, grow and produce a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times (Mark 4:8).
Lord, I pray that ____ would put all their trust in Christ (John 1:12; 5:24).
I pray that you will help us to love ____ so they may see we follow Jesus (John 13:34-35).
Lord, I pray that ____ will turn from their sins and follow Christ (Acts 17:30-31, 1 Thess. 1:9-10).
Lord, I pray that ____ would put all their trust in Christ (John 1:12; 5:24).
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