Today, we have many small groups scattered across our land. There are small groups of people who meet together who desire to see the Lord's Name glorified, not only in their lives, but also as a group. It has become a real concern for some to be doing more outreach in our communities.
First of all, I do think it is a real good idea to beseech the Lord in prayer for His guidance and direction. Asking God for direction as well as opportunity might be the most important part of the outreach.
Next, what is the goal of a small group outreach? Isn't it helping people understand the message of the Bible? Sure, first of all, there's a contact, but the end result is to see God glorified through the lives of people who come to know Him as their savior. This is where GoodSeed can help--in presenting the Bible's message in a way that is very logical and understandable.
The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus series is an excellent study to use for small group outreach. It is designed to start from the beginning of the Bible and focus on the major topics throughout. Once the study is completed, the student has a clear understanding of what the Bible is all about. The pieces of the puzzle have been put together in a way that makes incredible sense.
In today's society, biblical knowledge (or biblical world view) is almost non-existent. And looking at what is there (from the most basic forms of knowledge - like logic, or the set pattern of the solar system) we see it tainted with humanistic thinking. In other words, the average person's whole worldview or belief system is out-of-sync with the biblical framework.
In order to communicate the message of the Bible to such people, an in-depth study is required. To teach superficially (and quickly) will almost always leave the person with a confused message. They will have some biblical thought, but in the end, that message gets mixed up with their already-held pagan worldview. (Pagan being defined simply as non-Christian.)
So, whether your small group specializes in helping your neighbors with basic tasks around the house (cleaning up yards to re-roofing), working in homeless shelters, card making classes or quilting, once contact is made with an unbeliever, you have a resource to help communicate the Bible's message clearly.
Why use GoodSeed Materials for Small Group Outreach?
If you were to ask people in your group, "Why did Jesus have to die?", your responses may be quite different. Many may give superficial answers, not knowing the workings (or logic) behind God's plan of redemption. Some may not even know who Jesus is, though they may know some things about him.
In reality, the question above is almost a trick question. It actually has 2 parts. "Why did Jesus have to die?" compared to "Why did Jesus have to die?" These are two of the main questions answered through the material.
By having a firm understanding of how the message of the Bible fits together in one cohesive story, it gives people a foundation to which other doctrines can be built. Without this underlying understanding, though Bible truths are powerful, it doesn't make much sense nor have as much power as when they fit together into the overall picture of God's grace.
GoodSeed materials are designed for just that. They explain the message of the Bible as one unfolding story, so the reader understands the logic and overwhelming complexity of how God designed this plan. "It just has to be true" has been said often going through GoodSeed materials, when people see that these 'stories' couldn't "just happen." There is a plan and God working through to bring it all about.
Now, it's not an in-depth study of the Bible, but rather an overview. A skeletal picture, if you may, to which other doctrines and truths can be hung later. But it's that overall picture that gives substance to one's understanding.
Take some time to check it out - most all GoodSeed's outreach materials are available online for free. There are video lessons, books and work books available for one-on-one or group Bible studies. When using the books, we recommend reading the text, and letting the student(s) read the Bible verses. With over 1,100 verses included in the books, the student is exposed to a good portion of God's word. Naturally, it's easier to have a study with books in hand, but the online PDF and other materials will let you evaluate the content, and in some cases, you can use the online content directly.
You can see how this type of Bible study can put the pieces of the Bible together. If the Bible makes sense, then people have all the information needed to make an intelligent decision whether to believe it!
