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Australian Christian Resources |
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Background of Creative Worship Ideas for Small Groups
While living in Tasmania, New South Wales and Canberra, I have been in leadership positions in different secular and church groups. Together with my husband Bruce, my passion has been to encourage effective group life in churches.
It seemed to me that there was a need for a practical resource to help small-group worship leaders. I began to pray about this, asking God for guidance and creativity.
The worship ideas in this book have been used in a variety of groups, and God's Spirit has worked in and through them. Some people have been drawn closer to God and have been stimulated to greater praise and thanksgiving, while others have been challenged to repentance and making changes individually and in group life. Interactions have been more encouraging and intimate, with the benefits being felt as the group moved into Bible study, prayer and service. All these things have enriched the unity of the group and their bonding with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
While writing the book, I have been deeply touched and blessed by God. My hope and prayer is that the worship ideas will be helpful to small-group worship leaders across all denominations and that group worship leaders will be stimulated to develop their own ideas for leading joyous and bonding worship.
Using Creative Worship Ideas for Small Groups
It is important to me that we recognise that all of our group time - as we study the Bible, pray and share, fellowship and care - is worship. This book concentrates on the ten to twenty minutes allocated to a worship segment. Some segments can be extended to fill the entire meeting time.
The emphasis in the worship time is on internalising and personalising Bible truths - rather than on analysing them - so that delight in the Lord and his word will well up within us, overflowing into our love relationship with God (see Psalm 1:2).
In writing I have put myself in the role of the worship leader and written the worship outlines so that you can speak them word for word - or use your own words.
You will find leaders notes and worship hints at the end of each segment.
You can adapt each worship outline to suit your unique needs. The activities are simple, but the doing of them is powerful in bringing people close to God.
At the end of this introduction you will find a checklist for leaders.
At the back of the book is an index by subject to help you find worship ideas that relate to the themes of your group meetings.
