Getting To Know You…

If you look at our website calendar you will notice that we have several small groups that meet each week, so we thought we would bring you a series of articles called “Getting To Know You”, where we ask our groups a similar set of questions.  Our intention is to give people an opportunity to learn more about these groups and so our first group is…

Men’s Saturday Morning Breakfast Group

Q:  What was the inspiration behind starting your group?

A:  A few years ago, several men from DEC attended a Men’s Christian Conference in Nottingham.  Encouraged and inspired, they decided to form a new group to help discuss important issues of relevance to men in the church.  The Men’s Breakfast Group was born. Our purpose is to encourage one another to become more and more like Jesus in our daily lives.  Jesus is indeed our ‘plumbline’; the standard for our thoughts, actions and behaviours.

Q:  Has it always been on Zoom?

A:  Initially we met face-to-face in our church for several years, then when the Pandemic hit the country, we transferred to using Zoom.  This turned out to be a blessing as we eventually were joined by other men we knew, but who attended churches as far away as Dudley.  The decision was made to stay with this method and it has grown from there.

Q:  How do your sessions work?

A:  We meet every Saturday morning at 07:30 – 09:00.  We usually have some general chit-chat as members join the meeting.  When the meeting is fully opened, we begin with a hymn and an opening prayer.  Each session is led by a designated person (using a rota) who notifies the group earlier in the week of the subject.  This facilitates discussion which then takes place for a period of 45 – 60 minutes.  We then finish with 15 – 20 minutes of spontaneous prayer for things that are on our minds.  The style of each meeting is variable, but the intention is to encourage contributions from all.  We also regularly have what we call a ‘Health-check’ meeting, where we discuss how the meeting/group is working including discussing new ideas to try.

Q:  What sort of topics do you cover in your discussions?

A:  Any chosen topic in the light of Scripture (the Old and New Testaments of the Bible) and how it relates to our day-to-day lives; for example: 

1. How do/should I react when someone ‘cuts me up’ when driving?  Why?
2. What does Paul mean when he says that each of us should ‘think of ourselves with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith God has assigned him’? (Romans 12v3)
3. How can I understand other people better and avoid being judgemental?  
4. What does the parable of the Prodigal Son mean to me?

Another member also added:  The range of topics is broad; for example – Christian doctrine, contemporary issues and scripture.  Personally, my discussions are based on what I sense God is teaching me now or something I am currently going through in my life.

Q:  How do you feel it helps you all grow and in which ways?

A:  Participating in the Men’s Breakfast Group has helped me with my spiritual growth.   It consists of people in different stages in their Christian walk, which fosters a sense of unity and fellowship among believers, creating a supportive community where we can share experiences and learn from each other.  It has helped me align my life with Christian values and principles.  Participants carry each other’s burdens by praying for each other in every meeting.

It was also said that – the group has helped me understand more deeply, my faith, the Bible and how it relates to our lives.  It also has encouraged discussion about difficult-to-talk-about subjects.

Q:  Would you recommend small group study and why?

A:  I would certainly recommend small group study.  It encourages personal reflection and self-evaluation of our faith and Christian walk, helping us to apply biblical teachings to our daily lives.

Other responses included:

• Improve thinking about subjects
• Encourage one another
• Challenge one another
• Provide mutual accountability
• Increase motivation to study
• Application from real-world situations
• Develop interdependence
• Improve and deepen relationships
• Provide ideas and support for use outside the group
• Maintain confidentiality (Chatham House Rule)
• Better problem-solving
• Develop leadership skills
• Promote self-confidence

We hope you will enjoy this series and that you find encouragement to either join or start up a small group in your church.

(Under the Chatham House Rule, anyone who comes to a meeting is free to use information from the discussion but is not allowed to reveal who made any particular comment. It is designed to increase openness of discussion.)