Silence & Solitude
LG Leader Guide
Welcome
Briefly welcome the group & pray before eating.
Welcome to life group! Life group is a safe, committed community to walk out our journey with Jesus together. Let’s pray and then eat!
Dinner Discussion (30-40 mins)
Usually dinner discussion will focus on reflecting on last week’s practice. Tonight, spend time first connecting with each other before diving into more focused discussion on last weeks’ topic. Here are some questions to get you started. Encourage people to share, not report.
Welcome to life group! Life group is a safe, committed community to walk out our journey with Jesus together. Let’s pray and then eat!
Dinner Discussion (30-40 mins)
Usually dinner discussion will focus on reflecting on last week’s practice. Tonight, spend time first connecting with each other before diving into more focused discussion on last weeks’ topic. Here are some questions to get you started. Encourage people to share, not report.
- Did you use Lectio Divina as part of your prayer time this past week? If so, what did you think? If not, how can we help you commit to giving it a try?
- Is silence and solitude a regular part of your discipleship to Jesus? If yes, what does that look like in your life rhythm? If no, why not? (Note: The point of this question is honest conversation, not guilt or shame. Work hard to create a safe place in your life group for people at every stage.)
- How does the idea of silence and solitude make you feel? Excited? Scared? Too busy?
Announcements
(5 mins)
World Mandate Prayer | October 27 at 6-7pm
Join us as we pray over World Mandate and press into all that God has planned! This is an hour of blessing the event, asking God for his vision, and aligning our hearts with God. We’d love for you to join us!
Baptism Sunday + Anniversary Sunday | October 30
Let’s Celebrate! We are marking 12 years as Antioch Fort Collins, and there is no greater way for us to celebrate this anniversary weekend than by celebrating through baptisms! Baptism is a public declaration of a person’s faith and surrender to Jesus. Register online at antiochfc.org!
Serve 6.8 Thanksgiving Food Drive | October 30 - November 18
Join us in the annual Thanksgiving Food Drive with Serve 6.8! All donated food will go toward creating Thanksgiving Day boxes for families in need. Please bring mashed potatoes, gravy, brownie mix, stuffing, cornbread/biscuit mix, mac and cheese, canned veggies, canned fruit, 1lb. dried black beans, 1lb. rice, or grocery store gift cards. Email info@antiochfc.org for more info!
Baby Dedications | November 6
We would love to honor all families with new little ones by supporting and praying for you, getting behind you as a body as you raise your kids to love and follow Jesus. Registration for this is also online at antiochfc.org
World Mandate Prayer | October 27 at 6-7pm
Join us as we pray over World Mandate and press into all that God has planned! This is an hour of blessing the event, asking God for his vision, and aligning our hearts with God. We’d love for you to join us!
Baptism Sunday + Anniversary Sunday | October 30
Let’s Celebrate! We are marking 12 years as Antioch Fort Collins, and there is no greater way for us to celebrate this anniversary weekend than by celebrating through baptisms! Baptism is a public declaration of a person’s faith and surrender to Jesus. Register online at antiochfc.org!
Serve 6.8 Thanksgiving Food Drive | October 30 - November 18
Join us in the annual Thanksgiving Food Drive with Serve 6.8! All donated food will go toward creating Thanksgiving Day boxes for families in need. Please bring mashed potatoes, gravy, brownie mix, stuffing, cornbread/biscuit mix, mac and cheese, canned veggies, canned fruit, 1lb. dried black beans, 1lb. rice, or grocery store gift cards. Email info@antiochfc.org for more info!
Baby Dedications | November 6
We would love to honor all families with new little ones by supporting and praying for you, getting behind you as a body as you raise your kids to love and follow Jesus. Registration for this is also online at antiochfc.org
Vision / Prayer / Bible Reading
Vision & Prayer (5 mins) (optional)
This is to help transition into the night’s practice.
Tonight, we’re talking about focused silence & solitude. Let’s first pray over the evening again.
Father, help us to have open eyes to see you, ourselves, and others clearly.
Jesus, help us to engage each other in light of your sacrificial love.
Holy Spirit, help us to walk in your grace and power.
Amen.
Bible reading (5-10 mins)
Use Lamentations 3:19-33 for a lectio divina. Read it out loud for the group, slowly, three times over. Pause between each reading to leave time for the Holy Spirit to speak.
This is to help transition into the night’s practice.
Tonight, we’re talking about focused silence & solitude. Let’s first pray over the evening again.
Father, help us to have open eyes to see you, ourselves, and others clearly.
Jesus, help us to engage each other in light of your sacrificial love.
Holy Spirit, help us to walk in your grace and power.
Amen.
Bible reading (5-10 mins)
Use Lamentations 3:19-33 for a lectio divina. Read it out loud for the group, slowly, three times over. Pause between each reading to leave time for the Holy Spirit to speak.
Practice: Silence & Solitude
Overview (5 mins. Read through this together.)
In our over-busy, digital world, we are the most distracted people in human history. We have to fight harder than ever to make space and time for God. And yet this is not just a problem of today. Throughout the scriptures, we see Jesus regularly stepping away to lonely places to spend time with the Father. These desolate places of wilderness may seem like a place of weakness but they were actually places of being strengthened by the Father.
The same is true of us - we need to purposefully create time and space to go to the wilderness to be with and be strengthened by God. If we are going to be a people of prayer, we have to have quiet times. Daily, weekly, and annual rhythms of silence and solitude can feel uncomfortable but over time, in the simplicity of the quiet, God works deeply and draws us deeper into him. At Antioch, we have traditionally called the daily quiet times, “face time” as we’re seeking to meet with God face to face like Moses.
Silence & Solitude (10 mins)
Gather together in a comfortable setting (around a table, on the couch, the floor of a living room, etc.). Spread out as needed so that you feel like you have your own space but are still part of the group. Remove any potential distractions. As a group, say a quick prayer to invite the Holy Spirit to lead and guide your time together. Then spend 5-10 minutes in silence.
If you need more guidance, start by focusing on your breathing and being present in the moment. Consciously slow your breathing and still your thoughts - intentionally trying to release thoughts that don’t deal with this moment. What do you feel, smell, hear, even taste as you’re sitting still? Then shift your attention to God’s presence - how do you feel him or not in this moment? How is he present with you now? What is he speaking or showing you? If your mind starts drifting or jumping around to other thoughts, worries, or feelings just intentionally come back before Jesus, bringing that other thought or feeling with you and laying it at his feet to become present again.
Practice for the coming week (5 mins. Read through this together.)
This week, we’ll focus on our quiet time with God - on silence and solitude. Just like we did tonight. For most people, the mornings will work best to set aside intentional time for silence and solitude. If you’re new to this, start small - for just 10 minutes a time, 3-5 times this week. If you already have a practice of doing this, consider engaging in it more this week through more time or more focus.
Know your personality, season of life, and stage of life - what works best for one person may not work at all for another. In fact, for some people this practice will be extremely challenging and may be harmful if you aren’t being intentional about pressing into Jesus’ presence. Though for many sitting still in a comfortable chair will be best, for others you may need to spend this time on a walk somewhere quiet and distraction free (like a park) or mentally engage with Jesus while you’re doing something simple with your hands to help focus (like laundry or drawing).
Remember that we are practicing silence and solitude; it’s not a performance and not a perfection. You can’t “succeed” or “fail” at this practice. All you can do is show up. Be patient. This takes some people years to master. Resist the urge to say, “I’m bad at this” or “This isn’t for me.” Don’t judge yourself, especially
Closing Discussion (10-15 mins) (optional)
Have somebody read Luke 4:42 and another person read Luke 5:15-16. Briefly discuss the following questions:
In our over-busy, digital world, we are the most distracted people in human history. We have to fight harder than ever to make space and time for God. And yet this is not just a problem of today. Throughout the scriptures, we see Jesus regularly stepping away to lonely places to spend time with the Father. These desolate places of wilderness may seem like a place of weakness but they were actually places of being strengthened by the Father.
The same is true of us - we need to purposefully create time and space to go to the wilderness to be with and be strengthened by God. If we are going to be a people of prayer, we have to have quiet times. Daily, weekly, and annual rhythms of silence and solitude can feel uncomfortable but over time, in the simplicity of the quiet, God works deeply and draws us deeper into him. At Antioch, we have traditionally called the daily quiet times, “face time” as we’re seeking to meet with God face to face like Moses.
Silence & Solitude (10 mins)
Gather together in a comfortable setting (around a table, on the couch, the floor of a living room, etc.). Spread out as needed so that you feel like you have your own space but are still part of the group. Remove any potential distractions. As a group, say a quick prayer to invite the Holy Spirit to lead and guide your time together. Then spend 5-10 minutes in silence.
If you need more guidance, start by focusing on your breathing and being present in the moment. Consciously slow your breathing and still your thoughts - intentionally trying to release thoughts that don’t deal with this moment. What do you feel, smell, hear, even taste as you’re sitting still? Then shift your attention to God’s presence - how do you feel him or not in this moment? How is he present with you now? What is he speaking or showing you? If your mind starts drifting or jumping around to other thoughts, worries, or feelings just intentionally come back before Jesus, bringing that other thought or feeling with you and laying it at his feet to become present again.
Practice for the coming week (5 mins. Read through this together.)
This week, we’ll focus on our quiet time with God - on silence and solitude. Just like we did tonight. For most people, the mornings will work best to set aside intentional time for silence and solitude. If you’re new to this, start small - for just 10 minutes a time, 3-5 times this week. If you already have a practice of doing this, consider engaging in it more this week through more time or more focus.
Know your personality, season of life, and stage of life - what works best for one person may not work at all for another. In fact, for some people this practice will be extremely challenging and may be harmful if you aren’t being intentional about pressing into Jesus’ presence. Though for many sitting still in a comfortable chair will be best, for others you may need to spend this time on a walk somewhere quiet and distraction free (like a park) or mentally engage with Jesus while you’re doing something simple with your hands to help focus (like laundry or drawing).
Remember that we are practicing silence and solitude; it’s not a performance and not a perfection. You can’t “succeed” or “fail” at this practice. All you can do is show up. Be patient. This takes some people years to master. Resist the urge to say, “I’m bad at this” or “This isn’t for me.” Don’t judge yourself, especially
Closing Discussion (10-15 mins) (optional)
Have somebody read Luke 4:42 and another person read Luke 5:15-16. Briefly discuss the following questions:
- Why do you think Jesus would regularly slip away to “lonely places”?
- What role do you think the regular practice of silence and solitude played in Jesus’ emotional health and spiritual life?
- What challenges would Jesus have faced to carve out time to be alone with himself and God? Do you face any similar challenges?
Closing
End in a time of prayer, sharing short prayer requests if time permits.