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Need more tools and resources to grow in your faith?

BEYOND Resources offer a variety of Biblically-based books, small group resources, and leadership training guides to help Christians find wholeness in their lives. These resources can deepen your understanding and application of Scripture. BEYOND Resources are great tools for individuals and churches interested in awakening their everyday lives to the power of God’s Word.

Study in Small Groups

Fears, worries, and insecurities get blown out of proportion when a person is dealing with them in public. But put that person in a safe small group and vulnerability turns into strength, helping them find healing and spiritual health through their struggle.

Homosexuality is one of the most controversial topics facing the modern Christian Church. The effort by many congregations and pastors to ignore it only makes division around the topic more acute, and the witness of the church less relevant to the world. One of the safest places to explore this complex topic is in small groups, where people can ask their questions and express their fears and concerns in the safety and confidence of others who with them are seeking God’s wisdom.

The messages and testimonies provided in this five-session small group series are given by Tim Wilkins, director of Cross Ministry, Meleah Allard, Director of Truth Western North Carolina, and William Campbell. Together, they provide insight and understanding about sexual brokenness in our society to help Christians learn to show compassion without compromising Scripture. A small group guidebook accompanies this five-part series:

Small Group Topics
  1. Overcoming Barriers to Cutting-Edge Ministry
  2. How One Person Overcame
  3. Compassion Christ’s Way
  4. A Testimony of Grace and Truth
  5. The Little Sins
The Importance of Small Groups & Life Transformation

Small groups have always been an important part of growth and discipleship in the church, even from its inception. In the book of Acts, we read that:

“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:46-47

The early disciples enjoyed corporate worship in the temple, but also met in smaller gatherings in their homes. The dynamism of the early church was felt in its community and lives were changed, no doubt in part because they followed the pattern of Christ. Jesus appointed a small band of men to be with him so that they might become more like him. True spiritual growth happens best when fellowship, training, and worship is experienced in a life-on-life context, through small groups

Training

Want to really make a difference when addressing homosexuality in your congregation and community? You can’t do it on your own! This important issue requires training that your community deserves!

Surveys show that the majority of Christians know a loved one who experiences homosexual attractions, and yet few churches know how to offer ministry for these individuals in a way that honors Christ. We tend to either reject them, or to endorse lifestyles that are contrary to Scripture. But there is a better way. It is incumbent on our church leaders to ponder how Christ would have Christians reach this group of people, and to lead their churches to establish relevant ministry.

This five-session leadership training series can be offered over a weekend retreat, or through five one-hour meetings. A discussion guide is included. The last session of this training will explain how to use the Church Implementation Guide and to Launch this ministry.

Leadership Training Topics
  1. Measuring Grace
  2. Measuring Truth
  3. Where Truth & Grace Meet
  4. Six Spheres in Focus
  5. Implementation Guidelines
The Importance of Church Leadership

Research has shown united and visionary leadership to be a common factor in the development of vital and healthy congregations. This has been true from the days the church was founded until today. The Scriptures call Christian leaders and their congregations to embrace the visionary priorities given by Christ:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Staying true to this mandate, the average Christian church is engaged in international missionary efforts and local outreach projects. Yet there is a huge gap in our vision; we have overlooked a mission field on our doorsteps.

Launch

Your church can be its best, if it will only better itself! Our tools will help your congregation take a good look in the mirror, understand who it is in the now, and prepare to have influence in the future. It’s thoughtful, practical, and simple.

Christians are inundated with books, seminars, and sermons on how to live the Christian life. What we often lack is the support needed to actually do so. Scripture Awakening strives to provide the tools your church needs to move from good ideas … to godly action.

Our Church Implementation Guide, which is included with the leadership training resources, provides the insights and practical steps your church needs to move from controversy to ministry related to people who struggle with issues of sexuality. Supplemental resources and links are provided below. Your input and insights are most appreciated, as indicated within each of the following areas: Prayer, Leadership, Family, Mentors, Small Groups, and Outreach. Each of these areas is discussed in more the Ministry Spheres tab.

Impact Your Church

It’s important to have an accurate picture of the health of you congregation when addressing and exploring such a sensitive and important topic. With that in mind we have provided a free, downloadable, Church Health Survey.

Ministry Spheres

There are many factors which can affect our spiritual health. There are also many voices that speak into the lives of those being transformed. We have included detailed descriptions of the key areas of influence (spheres) that are effective leadership tools for yourself, and to help you equip others.