Some of you may be wondering how the triads will work. This is new territory for many, and I wanted to give you all a brief overview.
First, the general rule is that the details are less important than the heart. The heart is simple: a triad is a place for three believers to pray for each other, share each other’s burdens, and rejoice together. If this is accomplished, it really doesn’t matter how you format the triad.
But for those who need a clearer picture of how to structure a triad, here are four basic ideas:
Meet twice each month at a set time and location. Good places are a park where you can walk or someone’s deck with a cup of coffee. If you choose to use the deck, set up a rotation between homes. Use zoom if necessary, but face-to-face is obviously better.
Establish a pattern of sharing and prayer, and don’t deviate from it unless something really unusual occurs. For example, give each person 15 minutes. With your 15 minutes, spend 5-10 minutes sharing the struggles and joys of the last two weeks, and let the other two triad members pray for you for the remainder of the time. Do this part of the triad first, so it doesn’t get rushed at the end.
After all three people have shared and been prayed for, discuss something interesting, such as a book you are reading, political issues, or a book of the Bible. If you want recommendations for books to read as a group, let me know.
Set an end time that you follow consistently. 60-90 minutes is plenty. As my great grandmother would say, “Leave when you are still having fun!”
This isn’t meant to be rigid. The heart is what matters, and deviation from the pattern is fine if it helps you accomplish the heart! If you have questions, please let me know. You will receive the names of the people you have been grouped with next week. We will be putting the names in a hat, praying over them, and drawing out three at a time. Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit puts people together in a way that draws us all further along in the faith. Once you have received the names, the burden is on you to contact your fellow “triadees” and set an initial meeting time.
Don’t worry if the first meeting isn’t the best thing that you have ever experienced. Deep trust comes slowly, and I am convinced that these groups will bear great fruit over the long haul as we learn to share burdens with each other and pray for each other. As a church we plan to meet in triads for the duration of the school year and end on Pentecost Sunday, May 23.
Steven+
