WHEN LOVE COME TO TOWN: A U2 CHRISTMAS
I STILL HAVEN’T FOUND WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR
***Before you begin! Reaffirm the ‘Vegas’ rule with your group – what happens in small groups stays in small groups. This is very important to talk about every week. Encourage everyone that the environment is safe, and that there is no judgment.
***The reason we do small groups is to ‘belong and become’ – Have a safe group of friends to belong to and become more like Jesus every day. This is the vision of small groups – remind your group of this each week.
1. If you could have one material possession for Christmas, and money was no object, what would it be? When you were a kid, what was the one thing that you wanted for Christmas more than anything in the world? What are some of the feelings that we long to feel around Christmas time?
2. Can anyone in the group recap Jonah’s story? What two themes controlled Jonah’s life? What justice and judgment did Jonah desire to see fall against the Ninevites? Are there groups of people that we wish would suffer judgment and justice?
3. Read John 8:1-11. From this story we can see the two messages of Jesus’ life – what were they? Why does Jesus want us to focus on a life of repentance and restoration rather than a life of judgment and justice? What benefits are there to a life lived in the message of Jesus?
4. Read Jonah 4:11. What is Jonah’s response to God’s question? Why do you think Jonah kept seeking judgment and justice even though he knew God was about repentance and restoration? Why do we seek judgment and justice rather than repentance and restoration when someone wrongs us? Are there people in our lives that we’ve been seeking judgment for that we should start praying for repentance and restoration for?
As always, end the group with general sharing of prayer requests and prayer. Some groups have found it effective to pray for each request as it’s given, rather than creating the list of requests. Use your discretion as a leader.
ADVANCE 2009:
PROCESS
***Before you begin! Reaffirm the ‘Vegas’ rule with your group – what happens in small groups stays in small groups. This is very important to talk about every week. Encourage everyone that the environment is safe, and that there is no judgment.
***The reason we do small groups is to ‘belong and become’ – Have a safe group of friends to belong to and become more like Jesus every day. This is the vision of small groups – remind your group of this each week.
***Be sure to point your group to the website every week of this series: www.advance2009.com.
1. What are the big dreams or ideal goals we all have for our lives? What will it take for us to achieve those dreams or goals?
2. Read Nehemiah 6:8 and Nehemiah 4:10. What opposition was Nehemiah facing in rebuilding the wall? Has anyone gone through any kind of construction project? What were you feeling as the process went on?
3. A line Dale used Sunday was, “between the promise and the payoff is a painful process.” What examples can you think of from the lives of others that makes this point? What painful process have you gone through in your life before seeing a payoff?
In those situations what does it look like to feel overwhelmed, feel tired, or face opposition?
4. Dale talked about how often times we want the payoff, but aren’t willing to go through the process. What are some examples that he gave or ones that we have of how this statement is true in life? What process is God calling us to that we are too scared to go through with?
5. When we go through painful situations, we often think the payoff is the point. However, the point is the process, not the payoff. What do we need to dive into the process God is calling us to?
For prayer time tonight, specifically pray for the processes that God is calling people to and that they are too afraid or unwilling to confront. If no one opens up that deeply, proceed with normal prayer time.
PROCESS
***Before you begin! Reaffirm the ‘Vegas’ rule with your group – what happens in small groups stays in small groups. This is very important to talk about every week. Encourage everyone that the environment is safe, and that there is no judgment.
***The reason we do small groups is to ‘belong and become’ – Have a safe group of friends to belong to and become more like Jesus every day. This is the vision of small groups – remind your group of this each week.
***Be sure to point your group to the website every week of this series: www.advance2009.com.
1. What are the big dreams or ideal goals we all have for our lives? What will it take for us to achieve those dreams or goals?
2. Read Nehemiah 6:8 and Nehemiah 4:10. What opposition was Nehemiah facing in rebuilding the wall? Has anyone gone through any kind of construction project? What were you feeling as the process went on?
3. A line Dale used Sunday was, “between the promise and the payoff is a painful process.” What examples can you think of from the lives of others that makes this point? What painful process have you gone through in your life before seeing a payoff?
In those situations what does it look like to feel overwhelmed, feel tired, or face opposition?
4. Dale talked about how often times we want the payoff, but aren’t willing to go through the process. What are some examples that he gave or ones that we have of how this statement is true in life? What process is God calling us to that we are too scared to go through with?
5. When we go through painful situations, we often think the payoff is the point. However, the point is the process, not the payoff. What do we need to dive into the process God is calling us to?
For prayer time tonight, specifically pray for the processes that God is calling people to and that they are too afraid or unwilling to confront. If no one opens up that deeply, proceed with normal prayer time.
Mark Driscoll is a church planter in Seattle, and he describes the leadership of Jesus in three ways: Jesus the Prophet, Jesus the King, and Jesus the Priest.
Jesus has a pretty good reputation, and deservedly so. He had a grasp of what was going on around him that was simply amazing. He understood people, their needs, and what they needed to hear when they encountered him. Jesus was extremely kind hearted to those whom society hated. He let the little children come to him when his disciples thought it a bad idea. He didn’t function under the norms of society, but rather through the norms of the Kingdom of Heaven. He loved the outcasts, the sinners, the diseased, the children, and even women (who at that time were basically seen as pieces of property). Jesus was ‘full of compassion and abounding in love.’
This is the call for leaders as well. I think we’ve all seen pastors like this; pastors who seemed to just walk around and ooze compassion for everyone. As Christian leaders, we are called to function like Jesus in this way. There’s a reason why Jesus was prophet, King, and priest, because he held all of these in check with one another. Jesus showed very little compassion to the religious rulers of the day, but overwhelming compassion for the outcasts of society. Why? Because Jesus knew that the Pharisees didn’t need compassion, but to hear the truth. He also knew that for the outcasts of society to hear the truth, they must be shown compassion. More than that, Jesus was genuinely compassionate for those whom society had written off. Showing this compassion comes naturally for some and requires a lot of prayer for others.
Who are you leading right now that you know you need to show more compassion towards? Who are you leading that you know doesn’t need compassion, but needs to hear the truth?
Jesus has a pretty good reputation, and deservedly so. He had a grasp of what was going on around him that was simply amazing. He understood people, their needs, and what they needed to hear when they encountered him. Jesus was extremely kind hearted to those whom society hated. He let the little children come to him when his disciples thought it a bad idea. He didn’t function under the norms of society, but rather through the norms of the Kingdom of Heaven. He loved the outcasts, the sinners, the diseased, the children, and even women (who at that time were basically seen as pieces of property). Jesus was ‘full of compassion and abounding in love.’
This is the call for leaders as well. I think we’ve all seen pastors like this; pastors who seemed to just walk around and ooze compassion for everyone. As Christian leaders, we are called to function like Jesus in this way. There’s a reason why Jesus was prophet, King, and priest, because he held all of these in check with one another. Jesus showed very little compassion to the religious rulers of the day, but overwhelming compassion for the outcasts of society. Why? Because Jesus knew that the Pharisees didn’t need compassion, but to hear the truth. He also knew that for the outcasts of society to hear the truth, they must be shown compassion. More than that, Jesus was genuinely compassionate for those whom society had written off. Showing this compassion comes naturally for some and requires a lot of prayer for others.
Who are you leading right now that you know you need to show more compassion towards? Who are you leading that you know doesn’t need compassion, but needs to hear the truth?
Mark Driscoll is a church planter in Seattle, and he describes the leadership of Jesus in three ways: Jesus the Prophet, Jesus the King, and Jesus the Priest.
When I hear the work King, I think of, well, basically the Burger King King. I think of an old wise looking man who is decked out in the latest fashions of the 1500’s who sits on the gold throne waiting for someone to refill his goblet. This is not an accurate depiction of Jesus the King. Jesus the King is a king of details. When we talk about Jesus being king, it often means that he is king of our lives. It means he sits on the throne of our hearts and controls everything about us, all the details of our lives. This is important. Anyone who has Jesus on the throne of their lives vs. just simply following Jesus knows there is a huge, important distinction between the two.
So what does it look like for us to be kings? We have no authority to sit on the throne of anyone’s life, nor should we attempt to do so. What a leadership ‘king’ does is to figure out the details. People who are natural ‘kings’ are people my generation would describe as ‘anal retentive.’ These are people who are obsessed with systems, policies, and procedures all in the name of effective, efficient organization. I’m all for that, in fact I’ve got some king in me naturally. For any leadership position to function effectively, we all have to either be kings to some degree or surround ourselves with kings. In small groups, this means putting the ‘kings’ of your group in the role of Food Coordinator or Get off the Couch Week Coordinator. These people rock at organizing that kind of stuff. This also means tracking attendance (by name, not simply number) to your church or group and knowing who you need to follow up with. These are just some examples, but you get the gist.
Though the details aren’t always the most fun aspect of leadership, they are a crucial aspect – in fact, one Jesus cared about deeply.
When I hear the work King, I think of, well, basically the Burger King King. I think of an old wise looking man who is decked out in the latest fashions of the 1500’s who sits on the gold throne waiting for someone to refill his goblet. This is not an accurate depiction of Jesus the King. Jesus the King is a king of details. When we talk about Jesus being king, it often means that he is king of our lives. It means he sits on the throne of our hearts and controls everything about us, all the details of our lives. This is important. Anyone who has Jesus on the throne of their lives vs. just simply following Jesus knows there is a huge, important distinction between the two.
So what does it look like for us to be kings? We have no authority to sit on the throne of anyone’s life, nor should we attempt to do so. What a leadership ‘king’ does is to figure out the details. People who are natural ‘kings’ are people my generation would describe as ‘anal retentive.’ These are people who are obsessed with systems, policies, and procedures all in the name of effective, efficient organization. I’m all for that, in fact I’ve got some king in me naturally. For any leadership position to function effectively, we all have to either be kings to some degree or surround ourselves with kings. In small groups, this means putting the ‘kings’ of your group in the role of Food Coordinator or Get off the Couch Week Coordinator. These people rock at organizing that kind of stuff. This also means tracking attendance (by name, not simply number) to your church or group and knowing who you need to follow up with. These are just some examples, but you get the gist.
Though the details aren’t always the most fun aspect of leadership, they are a crucial aspect – in fact, one Jesus cared about deeply.
ADVANCE 2009:
TOGETHER
***Before you begin! Reaffirm the ‘Vegas’ rule with your group – what happens in small groups stays in small groups. This is very important to talk about every week. Encourage everyone that the environment is safe, and that there is no judgment.
***The reason we do small groups is to ‘belong and become’ – Have a safe group of friends to belong to and become more like Jesus every day. This is the vision of small groups – remind your group of this each week.
***Be sure to point your group to the website every week of this series: www.advance2009.com.
1. When you think of a team, what comes to mind? What have been some of your favorite sports teams throughout your life? What teams do you currently work or serve on? What are some keys of being on a successful team?
2. Read Nehemiah 2:17-18. Dale talked about winning teams are teams that are unified. What are areas of our lives that we seek unity? What does it take to bring unity to these areas? Why is a unified church so powerful? What does it take to bring unity to a church?
3. Read Nehemiah 3:1-2. This section of Nehemiah details all of the different people that helped rebuild the walls of the city. Why is it important to not only have a ‘unified’ team, but a deep team as well? What are the keys to being a deep team?
4. Read Nehemiah 3:5. Winning teams do whatever it takes to win. The nobles made excuses to not fulfill the work of rebuilding the wall. At what point after you start attending a church are you officially ‘part of the team?’ At what point after being in the church do you no longer have to serve? What excuses or reasons do people make to avoid getting involved in serving in the church?
5. At the end of service, Dale gave opportunity to get involved through the Volunteer Brochure, as well as the Volunteer Expo. What areas did each of us sign up for? What areas are we considering getting involved in?
As always, end the group with general sharing of prayer requests and prayer. Some groups have found it effective to pray for each request as it’s given, rather than creating the list of requests. Use your discretion as a leader.
TOGETHER
***Before you begin! Reaffirm the ‘Vegas’ rule with your group – what happens in small groups stays in small groups. This is very important to talk about every week. Encourage everyone that the environment is safe, and that there is no judgment.
***The reason we do small groups is to ‘belong and become’ – Have a safe group of friends to belong to and become more like Jesus every day. This is the vision of small groups – remind your group of this each week.
***Be sure to point your group to the website every week of this series: www.advance2009.com.
1. When you think of a team, what comes to mind? What have been some of your favorite sports teams throughout your life? What teams do you currently work or serve on? What are some keys of being on a successful team?
2. Read Nehemiah 2:17-18. Dale talked about winning teams are teams that are unified. What are areas of our lives that we seek unity? What does it take to bring unity to these areas? Why is a unified church so powerful? What does it take to bring unity to a church?
3. Read Nehemiah 3:1-2. This section of Nehemiah details all of the different people that helped rebuild the walls of the city. Why is it important to not only have a ‘unified’ team, but a deep team as well? What are the keys to being a deep team?
4. Read Nehemiah 3:5. Winning teams do whatever it takes to win. The nobles made excuses to not fulfill the work of rebuilding the wall. At what point after you start attending a church are you officially ‘part of the team?’ At what point after being in the church do you no longer have to serve? What excuses or reasons do people make to avoid getting involved in serving in the church?
5. At the end of service, Dale gave opportunity to get involved through the Volunteer Brochure, as well as the Volunteer Expo. What areas did each of us sign up for? What areas are we considering getting involved in?
As always, end the group with general sharing of prayer requests and prayer. Some groups have found it effective to pray for each request as it’s given, rather than creating the list of requests. Use your discretion as a leader.
Mark Driscoll is a church planter who pastors Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA. He describes Jesus’ leadership in three forms – Jesus the Prophet, Jesus the Priest, and Jesus the King. Over the next three weeks, we’ll discuss each one.
Jesus the Prophet is the side of Jesus that speaks prophetically into the lives of people. What this means is that Jesus spoke the truth into the lives of people, even if it wasn’t pleasant. We see Jesus do this often. This is the ‘repent’ type of message in some instances. Jesus goes off on the Pharisees on more than one occasion – Matthew 23 being my favorite. He has little tolerance for people who call themselves Christians and then pursue endeavors that are far from Christ. But this can take a softer tone as well. When Jesus encountered the woman at the well, he spoke prophetically into her life talking about her spirit, her relationships, and her past. This was so profound that the woman said, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet” in John 4:19. Jesus the prophet speaks the truth again and again and again.
As Christian leaders, we must also be able to speak prophetically in this way. By that, I mean, we must be in tune with the Holy Spirit so that we can speak the truth of God into the lives of people around us. This can be a lot of fun. Yesterday I had the privilege of recruiting a small group leader. I was able to speak prophetically and tell them how God had gifted them for this role and how he wanted to use them. That was a blast! It can also be tough. People may approach you that are destroying their lives and ask you for advice. When they do that, you have to be able to speak the truth in love to them for their own good. In other words, you have to speak prophetically, even when it’s tough.
Take some time this week to examine how Jesus spoke prophetically into the lives of those around him and pray that he would allow you to be able to do the same by his strength.
Jesus the Prophet is the side of Jesus that speaks prophetically into the lives of people. What this means is that Jesus spoke the truth into the lives of people, even if it wasn’t pleasant. We see Jesus do this often. This is the ‘repent’ type of message in some instances. Jesus goes off on the Pharisees on more than one occasion – Matthew 23 being my favorite. He has little tolerance for people who call themselves Christians and then pursue endeavors that are far from Christ. But this can take a softer tone as well. When Jesus encountered the woman at the well, he spoke prophetically into her life talking about her spirit, her relationships, and her past. This was so profound that the woman said, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet” in John 4:19. Jesus the prophet speaks the truth again and again and again.
As Christian leaders, we must also be able to speak prophetically in this way. By that, I mean, we must be in tune with the Holy Spirit so that we can speak the truth of God into the lives of people around us. This can be a lot of fun. Yesterday I had the privilege of recruiting a small group leader. I was able to speak prophetically and tell them how God had gifted them for this role and how he wanted to use them. That was a blast! It can also be tough. People may approach you that are destroying their lives and ask you for advice. When they do that, you have to be able to speak the truth in love to them for their own good. In other words, you have to speak prophetically, even when it’s tough.
Take some time this week to examine how Jesus spoke prophetically into the lives of those around him and pray that he would allow you to be able to do the same by his strength.
UNiTE is tomorrow!
5-7 pm
BridgeWay Ministry Center
Field Shopping Center
It's a potluck, so bring something to share
Childcare is provided
We will be hearing from Dale about the vision for the upcoming year - you don't want to miss it!
ADVANCE 2009:
NOW
***Before you begin! Reaffirm the ‘Vegas’ rule with your group – what happens in small groups stays in small groups. This is very important to talk about every week. Encourage everyone that the environment is safe, and that there is no judgment.
***The reason we do small groups is to ‘belong and become’ – Have a safe group of friends to belong to and become more like Jesus every day. This is the vision of small groups – remind your group of this each week.
1. What does everyone think about the launching of a second campus in Pekin? Who thinks that the venture is exciting? Who is nervous about it?
2. Read 2 Samuel 14:14. How have you seen ‘God devise ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him?’ Dale used this verse to talk about a very important part of what BridgeWay is about, does anyone remember what that is? (People not property) What examples from scripture can you recall where Jesus is focused on people or on a specific person? What does that mean for us as the body?
3. Read Genesis 12:1-3. God blesses us so that we can be a blessing. In what ways has God blessed each of us in our lives? In what ways have you been a blessing to someone else’s life over the past year or two?
4. When Nehemiah was called by God to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, he acted in three steps: he identified the need, he looked for God’s hand at work, and he took action in joining God in what he was doing. God is clearly moving us towards a campus in Pekin. In what ways do you think God wants you to participate in this exciting adventure?
As always, end the group with general sharing of prayer requests and prayer. Some groups have found it effective to pray for each request as it’s given, rather than creating the list of requests. Use your discretion as a leader.
NOW
***Before you begin! Reaffirm the ‘Vegas’ rule with your group – what happens in small groups stays in small groups. This is very important to talk about every week. Encourage everyone that the environment is safe, and that there is no judgment.
***The reason we do small groups is to ‘belong and become’ – Have a safe group of friends to belong to and become more like Jesus every day. This is the vision of small groups – remind your group of this each week.
1. What does everyone think about the launching of a second campus in Pekin? Who thinks that the venture is exciting? Who is nervous about it?
2. Read 2 Samuel 14:14. How have you seen ‘God devise ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him?’ Dale used this verse to talk about a very important part of what BridgeWay is about, does anyone remember what that is? (People not property) What examples from scripture can you recall where Jesus is focused on people or on a specific person? What does that mean for us as the body?
3. Read Genesis 12:1-3. God blesses us so that we can be a blessing. In what ways has God blessed each of us in our lives? In what ways have you been a blessing to someone else’s life over the past year or two?
4. When Nehemiah was called by God to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, he acted in three steps: he identified the need, he looked for God’s hand at work, and he took action in joining God in what he was doing. God is clearly moving us towards a campus in Pekin. In what ways do you think God wants you to participate in this exciting adventure?
As always, end the group with general sharing of prayer requests and prayer. Some groups have found it effective to pray for each request as it’s given, rather than creating the list of requests. Use your discretion as a leader.
