Growth Focus Library
Find below a list of resources that we’ve compiled that we think are really helpful for us in your weekly growth focus:
BIBLE PROJECT
The bible project team are amazing. They have videos for everything in the bible, including really helpful overview videos for each book of the bible. If you ever study a book of the bible, it would be well worth fronting the study with a bible project video.
Find these here:
https://www.youtube.com/c/bibleproject
They have also developed a number of small group studies on a range of topics with videos for each. Check these out here:
THE PRAYER COURSES
24/7 Prayer have developed three online courses on prayer . One is on prayer and explores different ways to deepen your prayer life. The second is on unanswered prayer. The third is on the practice of lectio divina These are all ready to go resources with a video and accompanying guide to run each session.
PRACTICING THE WAY
A fantastic collection of courses and other resources to help people engage with God in being shaped into Christlikeness. Very practical and engages with many of the spiritual disciplines.
ALPHA
Whilst maybe not an obvious choice for a small group, Alpha is a great way to revisit some of the basics of what it means to be a Christian enabling a time for open discussion and questioning that might not usually be possible in a normal meeting. Each week has testimonies from people speaking of their experiences, these build faith and encourage. Do speak to us if you’re thinking of running Alpha in your small group. You can preview the first session here to get a flavour of the new films.
THE BIBLE COURSE
The Bible Course by the Bible Society is focused around helping you to understand the Bible for yourself. It has 8 sessions that look at the big picture of the Bible storyline- from Genesis to Revelation. It provides tools and skills to help you read it for yourself. The videos and handbook are available in the office.
EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY DISCIPLESHIP & EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS COURSES
These courses help people to reflect on the interplay between emotional and spiritual health and how a neglect of this leads to spiritual stagnancy. They are very practically orientated around seeking growth and change. Emotionally Healthy Discipleship is focused on our own spirituality and Emotionally Healthy Relationships around how we relate to others. We have copies of both in the office but you can trial the first session of each online at:
STRANGE NEW WORLD
This is a video course exploring the themes of Carl Trueman’s amazing book ‘Strange New World’. This book explores the current cultural moment through a Christian lens asking how and why we have arrived at a world where self-expression and expressive individualism have come to be viewed as the highest good. A great resource to help your group better understand and navigate the current cultural moment as an apprentice of Jesus. This is available in the office.
HOMEGROUPS.ORG.UK
This is an enormous library of pre made studies. Each comes in a short few week series. They are sorted by topic/category and have something for everything. From prayer to mental health to the environment. A good place to check for ideas or if you know what you want to look at but can’t think of a resource.
RUTHLESS ELIMINATION OF HURRY
This is a four session video series to accompany the book 'The Ruthless elimination of Hurry' by John Mark Comer. You can engage in this alongside or without reading the book. It’s a very practical series looking at developing and trying spiritual practices that help you slow down to be with Jesus. You can find a study guide for the session online here. (Start with session 2 as the video for session 1 isn’t online) https://reader.rightnowmedia.org/1790/729104
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CZDF0FIUUk
(The other 3 videos can be found by searching ‘The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry pt2’ etc)
BIBLE SOCIETY LYFE SERIES
36 ready to go different studies on a variety of topics. Each session has a short video followed by a framework for a group discussion and time of prayer.
https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/explore-the-bible/lyfe/small-groups/
HTB
A variety of ready to use series based on a variety of topics including books and themes in the Bible, Christian literature and many more.
The Belonging Course
We have an epidemic of loneliness in the UK. While loneliness impedes life, belonging supercharges it. The Belonging Course explores some key elements of ‘loneliness-busting’ belonging and challenges participants to think about how they can build deep relationships with each other and with members of their local community.
The 6 part video based course is designed to encourage and equip Christians to build a culture of belonging in safe and effective ways, both in and outside their church family.
The following resources are available as hard copies from the office just contact us for more information.
LIVE NO LIES VIDEO SERIES AND STUDY GUIDE
This is a four-session course based on John Mark Comer’s book ‘Live no lies’. It’s all about how we fight the things that harm our spiritual wellbeing namely the world, the flesh and the devil. We have a copy of the study guide in the office. You can sample the first video online:
MISSION SHAPED LIVING COURSE
This is an 8-part course, aimed at helping people reflect on growing in what it means to live missionally every day. The course is highly practical and grounded in daily living. This is available in the office.
FOR EVERYONE STUDIES
These began as a series of short and accessible new testament commentaries by renowned scholar Tom Wight. He has now developed a study guide for each book of the New Testament. These are a great resource in leading a study on a NT text. We don't have hard copies of these but are open to getting them, if you would like to use one they are available at: