The Gamaliel Principle

At Community of Joy, we are embarking on a new direction... one that I have wanted to see us take but haven't fully known how to move that way or what process to do.  On Thursday of last week, I felt that I was given a gift by the Holy Spirit of a process to make disciples of Jesus or as I have been saying to help people take their next step toward Jesus.   The gift is that we have a couple of years experience with the cornerstone of this new process... 5Q Bible Study method that I have been developing and using successfully for the past several years.  Also on Thursday, I was given several other components to add to this 5Q method and thus is born the 5Q Circle at Community of Joy.  I am excited by the prospects and the transformation that is sure to happen.

There is something powerful that happens when we come as we are, just as we are... warts, flaws, misgivings, and all... and gather in a circle around the Bible and with the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Nothing is more powerful than the community of God gathered in a circle around the word of God with the presence of the Spirit of God!!   Transformation is sure to happen.

But you might ask, shouldn't these leaders have some formal training?  Great question and to be sure we will work at equipping them, but when I look at Acts 4:13 and read, "the members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures.  They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus."   It is amazing what happens in and through our lives - even our ordinary lives- when we spend time with Jesus and let the Holy Spirit empower us!

So, I am not worried one bit about who will lead these groups or what will happen, because I trust the Holy Spirit to be present and to guide and to convict each of us of our sin.  And I am confident that the Gamaliel principle is at work too... and that is "if what we are doing is of God, then it will be unstoppable!"  And besides if you try to stop it and it is of God, as Gamaliel said in Acts 5:39 "you may even find yourself fighting against God!"

So, I pray that the Holy Spirit will lead us, empower us, and work in and through our lives to powerfully multiply the influence of Jesus in our community and world as we take our next step toward Jesus and help others take their next step toward Jesus too!