Bringing Home the Message

Believing that study and application of Scripture in the context of Christian community can greatly enhance the transformative power of the preached message, in Bringing Home the Message Robert Perkins aims to help pastors integrate small group ministry with their preaching. Perkins lays out the biblical, theological, historical, and sociological basis for the importance of hearing God''s Word in the context of community, and provides a practical methodology for implementing sermon-based small group Bible studies. This helpful book also includes a sample fourteen-part series of Study Guides and Leader''s Notes for the Gospel of Luke. Step-by-step instructions illustrate how to prepare effective inductive Bible study questions for small groups that will challenge members to grow in their faith and discipleship through understanding and applying God''s Word together.""In the context of an excellent, in-depth reflection on the biblical and theological meaning of community, Perkins shows how small groups, as churches in miniature, can enable people to hear biblical truth preached, experience its meaning for their lives, and then live it out with strength and courage. . . . Here is the secret of lasting revitalization of parish ministry.""--Lloyd John Ogilvie, Senior Pastor, Hollywood Presbyterian Church, Hollywood, CA""Perkins is a preaching pastor who argues in favor of interactively involved parishioners, who not only listen to sermons but also study with others the texts from the Bible in ''sermon-based'' small groups. These groups become inductive, expositional explorations of the biblical text that are the sources of the sermons. The good result of this . . . is in its potential for life-changing impact in the lives of people because both people and pastors are encouraged to become expositors of and listeners to the texts of the Bible.""--Earl Palmer, Pastor emeritus, University Presbyterian Church, Seattle, WA""His plan for sermon-based small groups and his own reflections on implementing the plan will help preachers and congregations who are serious about reclaiming the essential connection between the Word preached and how it is lived out in a particular congregation.""--Rob Weingartner, Executive Director, The Outreach FoundationRobert Perkins is the senior pastor of Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church. A graduate of Stanford University (BS, MS), Fuller Theological Seminary (MDiv), and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (DMin), Robert has pastored churches in Massachusetts, California, and Bangladesh, and served as a missionary in India and Thailand. Robert lives in the east San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and their twin sons.