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Homegroup - Leaders Notes
Exodus - Unit 7 (last one of 2013)
Top Tips for Healthy Homegroups
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Don't let prayer and praise get squeezed out.
Leaders - always be on the lookout for ways to involve lots of people and develop their gifts
Maybe ask someone to lead one of the questions
Maybe ask someone to lead a 5 minute creative worship slot
Don't let the teaching part become a monologue
Remind people occasionally about the importance of confidentiality
Encourage people to get in touch and tell you if they cannot attend that week - it develops a sense of
responsibility to others
Encourage people to read ahead and do the homework - it uses up half your valuable time if you have to read all
the passage
Do something different
Try using a different location for your gathering
If your group gets smaller than about 7 people - talk to Simon/Graham/or Emma - we will see if there are other
people who want to join you
If your group gets bigger than about 14 - start thinking about splitting your group to form two new groups
Ask the group for new ideas
Each term think about organising a social and invite your fringe along
Each term think about arranging a social action event or asking Graham if there is a project that your homegroup
could be helping with.
Do you celebrate Communion in your group? Tom's group have arranged to go and share communion with Betty
who has been part of their group but is now unable to attend and living at a home in Risby. Just brilliant.
This is the last Homegroup Study before Christmas. Your group may also have a social arranged - or
have some 'good deeds' planned - like helping Graham give out hampers, or delivering our Christmas
leaflets, or carol singing around the estate on Wednesday December 18 at 6:30pm.
Homework - please read Exodus Chapter 16 and 17.
Bring along an object that reminds you of God's help in your life (see question 6)
Q1
This will be given to you on the day
Q2
What did the Israelites get nostalgic about (See also Numbers 11v5) What do we get nostalgic
about? What are the dangers of nostalgia?
Q3
What does God think about grumbling? (Exodus 14v11-12, 15v24, 16v2, 17v3)
Q4
Have a general discussion sharing everything that you know about manna? (I have 18 facts about
manna) Do you think that manna teaches us any spiritual lessons?
Q5
Chapter 16 talks about keeping some manna in a jar to remember God's goodness and for the
benefit of future generations. This was eventually put in the Ark of the Covenant. What else was put
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inside the Ark of the Covenant? If the Ark of the Covenant was found with these objects inside what effect do you think it would have on your faith? As part of homework you were asked to bring
along an object that reminds you of God's goodness in your life. Share briefly (2 minutes max) what
you have brought and why.
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The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua,
“Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top
of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”
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So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to
the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but
whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew
tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands
up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So
Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and
make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from
under heaven.”
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Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner. 16 He said, “Because hands were
lifted up against[c] the throne of the LORD,[d] the LORD will be at war against the Amalekites
from generation to generation.”
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Q6
Look at the verses 8 - 16. Share thoughts, insights or questions. Encourage those who haven't
spoken much to share. Try and keep your gabby ones quiet. (1) Who were the Amalekites? (2) What
were their normal tactics? (3) Who won this battle?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This is the last study of this year. Please pray for all the events over Christmas and invite freinds,
family, neighbours, workmates to the Family Service, Orchestral Carols, Carols by Candlelight - as
appropriate. To invite somebody to The Apex must be the easiest ask of the whole year - let's make
the most of it.
As we start 2014 - please join in with the Week of Prayer. And six Nitelife's in January and February
are being given over for us all to follow the Network Course from Willow Creek - Discovering,
Developing and Deploying your spiritual gifts. We hope you will make a special effort to be a part of
it
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Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— Psalm 103v2.