Fostering Healthy Confession of Sin in Your Huddle
Sharing struggles and confessing sin isn’t easy. It can feel awkward, difficult, and embarrassing. But we know that 1 John 1:9 tells us, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” This is why we value the habit of confessing sin. We want to see people receive God’s grace, have their faith built up, and be empowered to walk in freedom and obedience.
In order to help foster healthy, biblical confession in order to see people walk in forgiveness and freedom, we recommend being a part of a Huddle, which is a gender-specific group made up of 3-4 people.
Huddles are spaces to model vulnerability by sharing honest struggles and confessing areas of sin in your life. However, it’s not always easy to get the ball rolling or to know what to say when someone shares something personal. Here are some helpful notes when someone confesses sin in your Huddle:
Encourage one another to be transparent and vulnerable
Helpful questions to consider for momentum:
“Where do we feel stuck?”
“Where are we struggling?”
“What’s the question I should be asking you?”
After someone confesses sin, respond by
Relating
“I have been there…”, “That’s difficult…”
Ask simple questions
“What do you think was underneath that?”
Point to the Gospel/Word of God
What is a verse, theme, or quality of Jesus that speaks to their sin?
What hope of forgiveness, freedom, healing, or restoration do we see in the Bible?
Pray
Ask God to change hearts and keep them soft towards Him and others
Ask Him to give the grace, faith, and power to walk in obedience and freedom