Micro Rhythms
Our Micro is really blossoming in some wonderful and formative ways. (Read more on the Micro Layer.)
It began with going strictly by the LTG brochure you can read all about on CMA’s website, 25-30 chapters of God’s Word each week, 10 character-conversation questions (accountability) and praying for the “sojourners” in our lives. We then tossed in some material from CO2 (Church of 2), learning to tap into what is going on in “my heart, your heart, and God’s heart.” We found both of these structures helpful and we flow pretty seamlessly between both of them.
We read plenty of God’s Word. We use YouVersion.com‘s free, customizable Reading Plans to stay in sync with each other – each day reading the same Scriptures and dwelling in the Word – letting God speak to us as we cultivate a spirit of “listening prayer.”
We check in with each other…as close to daily as possible. At the end of our reading and journaling, we take 5 minutes to write an email to the group – writing what we thought about, prayed about and heard from God during our reading. It gives us a daily “check-in” opportunity, even when we are not meeting up with each other in the flesh. When we meet up once a week, we don’t have to spend all our time going over the minute details of our life because we already know! Instead, we check in spiritually -
“What are the deep issues of your heart, today?” “What are you hearing from God? What are you doing about it? How can we help you?”
We usually have more than enough to share with each other!
We confess sin to each other. Each week we ask, “Is there anything we need to confess today?” Sometimes its sin that is shared, other times its a testimony! When sin is confessed, the others listen closely to the one confessing, and when everything is said, they respond by saying,
“I hear what you are saying. You’re right – this is sin, and wrong…but God forgives you.”
Hearing these words is like salve to the soul…
We pray for harvest workers and for the lost in our city. We meet at 9:00am-10:30am each week – and at 10:02am our cell phone will chime reminding us to pray the pray we read in Luke 10:2 - “Pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest to cast out workers into his harvest field!” We take a few moments to thank God for what he is doing in Chicago, and to plead that God open up the hearts of those we know who are searching for truth.
After 9 months – this is what our Micro looks like. It has embedded within it the seed of a faith community – and while our group may not look exactly like others that start, our rhythms can easily be passed on and re-molded in countless ways. Have you thought of trying it? It’s AWESOME! More and more Micros are starting in our house church network all the time, and I believe it makes us healthier.
I wouldn’t give up my Micro for anything – it is a chance to be real. It is a band of brothers. It is the core and starting place of mission. It is life transforming!
