Small Group Questions
Could try this:
3 Reading Process
(Lectio Divina)
Inform the group that the aim of reading like this is to listen for what is God saying to us through this passage. Encourage them to listen to the text for what stands out, what is a key thought. It is helpful if every person has a bible/text in front of them.
(this process takes around 30 minutes)
Process
1.Use John 15:1-8
2.Open in prayer – invite God by his Spirit to speak from his Word.
3.The leader encourages the group to listen prayerfully then after the passage has been read to share what they see/have heard in the text. One person reads out the passage, a period of silence until someone shares. The leader lets this sharing run it's course then proceeds to the second reading.
4.A second person reads the text again. The group shares what they have see/heard as they listened
5.Finally the leader asks the group to listen for the final time and to consider what God might be saying to them personally and to us as a people. Invite them to share this with the group after the third reading. A third person reads the text.
6.Wrap up the time with responsive prayer shaped by what had come out of the sharing.
Questions
Talk Summary.
When we imagine what it means for us to be Church:
we are the people of God.
we are nothing without Jesus.
we are to bear the fruit of Jesus' life.
we know God's knife brings more life!
So often we frame the Christian life, 'being saved', as a ticket to heaven. What is the problem with this? How do we understand God's involvement in the world today? What do we mean when we say we are bringing God's salvation to the world – is this about preaching/ gospel sharing or more?
What does it look like in practice for us to be the people of God, to be part of what God is doing in this world, and for God to be present amongst us?
As individuals and as a Church community – what fruit is God calling us to bear?
“We can't do everythingâ€. Jesus promises we will be pruned. Can we share any stories of pruning. What was hard, what was good (eventually). What might God be pruning from us as individuals and as a Church? For what reason – in what way might this help us bear more fruit.
Pray for one another and our church -especially if we have shared that we believe God is wanting to prune something from us that we are struggling to release.