Small Groups Small Groups
Small group: Bound to the Church
Small group Questions
Share in what ways you relate with those who are dis-enchanted with the Church?
Why do you bother to remain committed to the community anyway?
Read
Eph 1:15-23
Eph 5: 25-27
Discuss together God's heart for the Church.
What this has meant in history
What this means for our future
How this might shape us now in the way we view the Church and what we hope for the Church.
“To dwell above with Saints we love that will be grace and glory
to live below with Saints we know, now that's another story.”
Read
Eph Ch 2:19-22
Ch 4:1-6
What is Paul calling the Ephesians and ourselves to.
SMALL GROUP Qu: Vision and Vines - John 15:1-8
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.
Study Questions: The BE-Attitudes [2]
Date: August 13, 2006
Passage: Matthew 5:1-12
Message: Blessed are the Broken Hearted
Series: The Be-Attitudes [2]
1. Mourning is not something we VALUE in our culture
We accept it has a place, but it’s always REACTIVE not PROACTIVE.
Australian culture doesn’t put a great store on mourning until something has gone terribly wrong! Discuss.
What are some of the ‘normal’ Ozzie attitudes to life?
2. We mourn over what we really VALUE
Give examples from your life.
Children are often unable to know the true value of things. They mourn over things that are of little value and are light hearted or off-handed at serious things. We accept that in children but it is tragic in adults.
Study Questions: The necessity of Seizing the Moments With God: Numbers 13:17-33
Date: July 2, 2006
Passage: Numbers 13-14
Message: The Necessity of Seizing the Moments With God
Series: Surviving the Wilderness [4]
Talk about your ‘default settings’.
What kind of attitudes, responses or thought processes are ‘automatic’ in your life?
Read v31-34
….we can’t.. [v31]
…we saw…[v33]
…we seemed…[34]
Powerless, intimidated and insignificant!
In what areas of our lives do we often look like this?
What can we do about it?
“Israel wanted the land of milk and honey so much but they wanted it to come with a ‘no-risk’ clause.
They wanted the fruit of the land without a fight.
Study Questions: The necessity of Acquiring a Hunger For God - Numbers 11:1-23
Date: June 25, 2006
Passage: Numbers 11:1-23
Message: The Necessity of Acquiring a Hunger for God
Series: Surviving the Wilderness [3]
….now the people complained about their hardships v1
Sounds familiar!
What sorts of things do you complain about most?
What lies beneath a complaining spirit?
Read v4-9
One of the symptoms of a critical heart is unrelenting selfishness.
Selfishness warps our judgement and our memory.
Turns us into a rabble…
….we remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost
No cost! What had they forgotten about Egypt?
Why do we so quickly forget what God has saved us from?
Study Questions - The Necessity of Maintaining the Community of God
Sermon One - What incidents do you recall from your awareness of the Book of Numbers? How have they influenced your thinking and living?
Sermon Two - To what degree should there be 'integration' in a local congregation?
Is the concept of 'tribes' within 'community' a valid one? How have you seen this occurring - for good or ill?
What is your experience of 'community' in 'good' or 'bad' times?
How do you feel about being a Shepherd to the flock to which you belong?
Sermon Three - In what ways can you encourage the leadership of your congregation?
How important do you think leadership is? Give an example to illustrate your answer.
Study Questions: Mission Minded - The Model John 4:1-26
Date: May 28, 2006
Passage: John 4:1-26
Message: Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Series Mission-Minded – The Method
We all have a past.
Think for a moment how our past influences the way we see our selves in the present.
How has it shaped your life?
How had it shaped this woman’s life in John 4?
1. The Gospel CROSSES all CULTURAL Barriers
[v1-9]
Jesus crossed the ‘Samaritan’ barrier.
What kinds of cultural barriers do we find hard to cross?
How important is crossing cultural barriers in the task of being mission-minded?
How significant was it that Jesus asked this woman for a drink?
Study Questions: Mission Minded - The Means
1. Do you think enough is made of the Holy Spirit's role in the Church?
2. "The Spirit seems not to be one to draw attention to himself." Discuss this statement in light of John 15:26 and John 16: 13,14.
3. What role of the Holy Spirit are you conscious of in your own life? He gives gifts, bears fruit, leads, teaches etc.
4. How does 'grieving' (Ephesians 4:30), 'not being led' (Romans 8:14) and 'quenching' (1 Thessalonians 5:19) affect 'being filled with the Holy Spirit'?
5. The Holy Spirit is the "means" - the resource for achieving the goal of God's mission in the world. How doe
Study Questions - Mission Minded - The Motives
1. Read 2 Corinthians 5: 6 - 9
How much of a motivating factor for you is the 'home and away' aspect of Paul's thinking?
2. Can you think of an occasion when a stronger motive than self-preservation has governed your actions? What did it lead you to do? What risks did you take?
3. "A sense of security is a key motivation to a fulfilling and productive life." Do you agree? In what areas of your life has security been important? Remember there are other kinds of security than physical.
4. How does the idea of 'giving an account' affect you?
(2 Corinthians 5:10) Could this accountability be more of a part of our life together in the church?
Study Questions: Mission Minded [1] Romans 1:1-17
Date: April 30, 2006
Passage: Romans 1:1-17
Message: The Message
Series: Mission Minded [1]
As the world looks at the Church from a distance, what do they think of us?
What do they think are our priorities?
1. The Gospel is a MESSAGE
Read v1-4; 8-10; 14-15
- ..agnosticism has grown into something desirable.
It's a sort of cerebral anaemia, a religious neutrality that excuses us from taking the gospel seriously.!
What is so appealing about agnosticism?
How does the message of the gospel confront the agnostic?
- Classic post-modern thinking doesn't like to be propositioned.
Study Questions: Series in Judges [5] Judges 16:21-31
Date: March 12th 2006
Passage: Judges 16:21-33
Message: Reclaimed Failures
Theme: Living in a ‘Yes’ World
Series in Judges [5]
Think of someone who ‘failed’ and then tried again with success. Or share some experience in your own life where this happened.
“I thank God I am not like other men – robbers, evil doers, adulterers, even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.†[Luke 18:12]
What is happening in the mind of this Pharisee as he thinks at the tax collector?
Why do we sometimes think we are “….not like other menâ€
Two things plagued Samson’s life-
Study Questions - You be the judge
1. The lessons we learn from Abimelech are through negative example. Have you learned other lessons in this way? Do we learn more through negative or positive example?
2. What characteristics do you like to see in your leaders? Think
about both civic and church leadership. Is there a difference?
3. In what ways could it be said that you are a leader? Consider the various roles we play - work, family, community etc. How is your leadership expressed?
4. Compare the following verses: Judges 9:24; Psalm 58:11; John 5:24;
Romans 12:19. What does this biblical review suggest about vengeance?
Study Questions - Cutting the fat
1. Gideon discovered that bigger is not necessarily better.
Is there evidence that our culture thinks big is better?
Is it changing in any areas?
2. We tend to avoid the martial references in the Bible these days.
Do the passages like 1Corinthians 15: 57 and 1John 5:4,5 have any relevance to us today? If they do,in what way?
3. God was concerned that the Israelites would think their success
was down to their own strength. Is there a similar danger in the life of the Church today? How can we find the balance which allows for our involvement, but dependence on God?
4. Can you recall a time when you were thrust completely on God to solve a problem?
Study Questions: Undertsanding the Indescribable: 2 Corinthians 9:15; John 1:1-14
Date: December 4, 2005
Passage: 2 Corinthians 9:15; John 1:1-18
Message: Understanding the Indescribable
Theme: Christmas 2005
What makes a good gift?
Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
In the context of these verses why do you think Paul says….thanks be to God for his indescribable gift?
What makes God’s gift so indescribable?
It is a gift –
1. Wrapped up in PROPHECY
Prophecy was never meant to hide Jesus coming, it was meant to HERALD it!
Read Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; 11:1-5;
Micah 5:2
But there is something more.
There is a twist in all this.
The reason this one would be indescribable was because in another sense he was non-descript!
Study Questions - Words from the verge
1. (For those who were present at the service)
Given the format of the preaching event discuss the use of:-
(a) nursery rhymes to illustrate the words of challenge/ caution/ comfort.
(b) dividing the sermon into three segments.
2. If appropriate, share a "verge" that you may feel you are on - individually or as a group.
3. How may we foster the sense of "living in the presence of
majesty"? How may it relate to doing what His Majesty requires?
(Deuteronomy 10:12 - 22)
4. "A self-made man relieves God of an awful responsibility"
What does this say about human nature? How can we safeguard against 'selfishness' and 'isolationism'.