Classic Program: Starter Facilitator Handbook for Healing Groups

• When Sam prays, his friend is there. • When Sam tries to run away, his friend follows. • When Sam tries to hide, his friend is right there.

The actors follow the leader’s instructions above to show that no matter where Sam goes he cannot escape his thoughts and feelings about his friend. He cannot escape them until he forgives. Have Sam then forgive his friend, and as he does, release the rope. Forgiveness is a gift that we have received from God, and one that we should also pass along to others (Matt 18:22–35). Alternative version: Use a very long rope or cord. Get volunteers to play the part of each person mentioned: • John (or Joanna) won’t forgive his mother for something she did in his childhood. [Tie her to John.] He has carried her around since childhood. • John had an argument with his boss last month and even though the boss said sorry, John won’t forgive him—so he joins the mother. [Tie the boss to John and the mother.] • Add others until John is pulling around a large group of people. Discuss the effects of having a habit of not forgiving others. Tip Church discipline can vary from being totally neglected to being enforced stringently for things that are not even sin (for example, excommunicating women who have been raped). Know the context before teaching the last section. Time-savers 1. The final section about repentance is generally well known. It can be skipped, if necessary. 2. The closing exercise can be used as a morning devotional.

LESSON 10: LIVING AS CHRISTIANS IN THE MIDST OF CONFLICT

This lesson is intended to help people live out their faith in the midst of group conflict. This can contribute to reconciliation, but political leaders need to be involved to solve national-level conflicts. Since the church is multiethnic and involves people from all social classes, hidden tensions can often surface in veiled ways even if there is no overt conflict. For example, in one church in the United States, a heated debate took place over what kind of turkey should be prepared for the church Christmas dinner. Three ethnic groups had different traditions.

The Lessons

57