Growth Groups

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Leader Guide to Growth Group Homework
For the week of October 12, 2008
(This guide gives you some helpful hints in preparing and leading your group in discussion - for a more extended guide listen to the audio resource)

Finalize Weekend of Service Plans – The more involved the bigger the impact.  Everyone in your group may not be able to do the same project together.  Do all you can to help everyone find a project that works for them.  People can sign up for multiple projects.  Click Here to see available projects and to sign up.

QUICK REVIEW

Was there one point from “An Open Door…Now What” that particularly caught your attention, challenged you or confused you more than the other points?
This question is a wide open question designed to allow people to comment on anything from the sermon. If someone’s answer corresponds to one of the digging deeper questions, feel free to jump to that question and then come back to the My Story questions.

MY STORY
Most likely, you’ll only have time to answer two of these questions at most.

1. When you think of the words “witnessing,” “evangelism” or “evangelist,” what positive and negative words, images or stories come to mind?
This would be a good question to have everyone answer.

2. Can you think of any ways you or someone you know has suffered rejection or opposition for being a Christian or talking about your faith?

3. What was your response to what Chris shared about “shaking the dust off our feet” when it comes to dealing with people who are closed to the Gospel?
 

DIGGING DEEPER

1. One of Paul’s strong motivations for what he was willing to endure was his understanding that people are spiritually lost without Christ. In Luke 15:1-10, Jesus tells 2 stories which give us some perspective on how God views people who are spiritually lost.

Luke 15:1-10
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
 1Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
 3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
 8"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' 10In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." [NIV]
Note: There is a third story about something lost in Luke 15 (the prodigal son) that we aren’t reading because of its length. You may want to include it if time allows.  It differs from the first two stories by the fact that it is a human who is lost, not an inanimate object (so the value is much greater), and the father doesn’t mount an all out search for his lost son. He waits for the son to “come to his senses” and return.

What similarities do you see in these stories?
Something of value is lost; the person who lost it mounts an all out search for it. When it is found it causes great joy which reinforces the fact that it is valuable.
One difference – in the first story one of 100 was lost; in the second story one of ten was lost, and in the last story one of two was lost.

What lessons do these stories teach us about spiritually lost people and God’s attitude towards them?
He values lost people and seeks them out.

What do Luke 19:10 and 2 Peter 3:9 add to your understand of how God wants us to view spiritually lost people?

Luke 19:10
10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." [NIV]

2 Peter 3:9
9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. [NIV]

Jesus’ reason for coming was to save lost people and God doesn’t want anyone to remain lost and bear the consequences of being lost for eternity.

2. Colossians 4:2-6 does a good job of summing up our role in the calling to be light that Chris talked about. Read the passage and list any specific guidelines or tips that could help us be more effective in sharing the Gospel with people.

Colossians 4:2-6
2Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. [NIV]
Note: Paul, who was highly educated and experienced, sees a need for the Colossians to pray for open doors and clear presentation. That’s a good model for us to emulate.
Additional Questions: In what ways have you been wise in acting towards “outsiders” (unbelievers) and making the most of every opportunity? What does speech that is full of grace look like? How do we season our speech with salt?

Paul asked the Colossians to pray for an open door for the Gospel. How aware do you tend to be in recognizing a potential open door?
Additional Questions: Has there ever been a time when you recognized an open door and were able to tell someone about your relationship with Jesus? What was that experience like for you?
When you do recognize an open door, how do you typically respond?

Often we can think that the only way to capitalize on an open door is to share the Gospel with someone. Can you think of any other ways you might take advantage of an open door besides sharing the Gospel?
Possible answers: invite them to church, offer to pray for them, give them a book or CD, share your testimony
Additional Questions: What does an open door look like? What are some ways you can recognize an open door?

3. One effective means of sharing the Gospel with others is the “Roman Road.” Whether you are a new Christian, a long-time Christian, or still trying to understand Christianity, this tool can help us understand our need for salvation and how a relationship with Christ begins. Even though you may be familiar with these verses, it is critical that we constantly remind ourselves about our need for a savior. As you read each verse, jot down what essential truth each passage communicates about your relationship with Christ.

Romans 1:19-20
19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. [NIV]

Romans 3:23
23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God [NIV]

Romans 5:8
8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. [NIV]

Romans 6:23
23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord. [NIV]

Romans 10:9-11
9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." [NIV]

Suggestion: You might want to encourage your Growth Group members to memorize these verses or mark them in their Bible so they can locate them quickly. A further help would be if they wrote the next verse in the sequence next to each verse so they can easily follow the Roman Road.

Looking back at the verses above, which one of them stands out to you most? Explain why.
This is a good question to hear from everyone on.

Take a few minutes and talk to God. Thank Him for what He has done for you.  Ask Him to help you understand how you might communicate the “good news” to others. 

TAKING IT HOME

1. In your current circle of relationships, who would you most like to see take a step closer to Jesus (perhaps the person whose initials you put on the rock at the tent meetings)? Is there anything you could do or say that might help that happen?

Answering this question could take some time as people explain who they put on their list. Hearing people’s answers is also a good way to learn more about the people in your group.

Spend some time praying for these specific people and God’s work in their life. 

2. We as a church are committed to being a light to our community. The upcoming Weekend of Service is a great way for us to show our neighbors God’s love in very practical ways. Have you gotten a chance to sign up for a project yet? To sign up, see the information below (feel free to sign up for more than one time slot if you want).
If you are planning on doing a project together and haven’t decided on which one, now would be a good time to nail that down. If you’re not doing a project together, now would be good to hear from everyone as to what project they have signed up for.