And, let’s be honest: it is awkward, embarrassing, and discouraging. If you have led a small group for any length of time you know that sometimes you ask a question and no one responds. The king of Israel, David, reminds us about the limited time we have and how we must make the most of it, However, be sure to begin and end on time.īEGIN AND END ON TIME Starting and Ending on Time Is Your Responsibility as the FacilitatorĪs the small group facilitator, you are the leader of your group. Similar to John Calvin and his reverence for time, you too, as a small group facilitator, need to make the most of the time you have in your group meetings. In Calvin’s theology, every Christian would have to give an account to God for every moment of his life, and the personal clock was a way to help Christians make the most of the time they had.Jennifer McNutt, and David Lauber, The People’s Book, p. In John Calvin’s mind, timeliness was a virtue because a Christian was not supposed to let minutes go unused for the Lord. However, John Calvin allowed the clockmakers to stay.

When John Calvin had political influence in the city of Geneva, one thing he instituted was a Consistoire, or “ecclesiastical court.” This “court” got rid of jewelers and goldsmiths making crucifixes, chalices, and other instruments serving papacy and idolatry. In the city of Geneva, jewelers and goldsmiths made crucifixes, chalices, and other items that people were reverent to and sometimes even worshipped. John Calvin was a Swiss reformer and contemporary to the well-known Martin Luther (Calvin is twenty-six years younger than Martin Luther).

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