SMALL GROUP LESSON SHEETS - WEEK OF April 4 – April 10, 2010
AROUND THE ROOM
1. What is it about the season of Spring that causes most people to be in a better mood? What do you enjoy most about it?
2. What are some examples of death bringing life around us in the world today?
THE ROUND UP
1. What about the Cross or Jesus’ Death and Resurrection spoke to you on Sunday?
2. After being resurrected from the dead why would you casually ask others to join you for breakfast while you cook and serve? (See John 21)
3. Read Acts 1:1-3. What was the purpose of His 40 days after His resurrection?
ROUNDING THE BEND
1. How does the new life in Christ respond to the evil that comes upon us?
2. How does the new life in Christ respond to evil in public?
3. What did Jesus do and not do after being resurrected? (Think through this) What does this communicate to us?
4. How is the new life that exists in Christians today doing in America today?
5. Are Christians speaking the new life that was resurrected after the cross? Why or Why Not?
WRAPPING AROUND
1. Read Luke 23:32-43 & John 19:25-27. What does your heart tell you about Jesus’ words?
2. Read Exodus 8:23, 9:4, 11:7? What makes the difference? Are Christians today different? How should the cross and the resurrection make us different? Were Jesus’ words from the cross above different? Why?
3. Read Exodus 12:26-27. What is Christianity today telling the future generations?
ONE LAST TIME AROUND
1. What has the past “40 days” taught you? What are you going to do with it?
Monday, April 5, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Small Group Discussion Guide for March 21 - 27 2010
SMALL GROUP LESSON SHEETS - WEEK OF March 21 – March 27, 2010
AROUND THE ROOM
1. What is one of the strangest situations you have ever found yourself in or found yourself watching?
2. Is there such thing as a normal life? If so what would a normal life look like?
THE ROUND UP
1. What kind of man do you think Ezekiel was to carry out the tasks God asked of him?
2. How are the storms of life connected to what God has asked of us? (Be specific)
3. Each character thus far in the 40 day message series has experienced a storm of some kind. What is unique about how all these individuals have weathered the storms? What does that say for all of us?
ROUNDING THE BEND
1. Which of the seven capacities in your life do you need to most work on increasing? (Pain, relational, exposure, identity, crisis, character, risk) Why?
2. Read Job 42:1-17 (Sum up Job for those that may be unfamiliar with the book) What areas did Job’s capacity increase in through his horrific experience?
3. God said to Satan have you considered my servant Job (chapter 1). Be honest about what you feel about Job’s experience when you’ve considered it? Does this scare you about increasing your own capacity?
WRAPPING AROUND
1. What sort of things help you increase your capacity in the various areas we discussed on Sunday?
2. What would occur in the lives of those around you if your capacity suddenly increased?
ONE LAST TIME AROUND
1. What has God begun to reveal to you during the 40 Day message series?
2. What is a message series that you believe would be beneficial to the church and its community?
AROUND THE ROOM
1. What is one of the strangest situations you have ever found yourself in or found yourself watching?
2. Is there such thing as a normal life? If so what would a normal life look like?
THE ROUND UP
1. What kind of man do you think Ezekiel was to carry out the tasks God asked of him?
2. How are the storms of life connected to what God has asked of us? (Be specific)
3. Each character thus far in the 40 day message series has experienced a storm of some kind. What is unique about how all these individuals have weathered the storms? What does that say for all of us?
ROUNDING THE BEND
1. Which of the seven capacities in your life do you need to most work on increasing? (Pain, relational, exposure, identity, crisis, character, risk) Why?
2. Read Job 42:1-17 (Sum up Job for those that may be unfamiliar with the book) What areas did Job’s capacity increase in through his horrific experience?
3. God said to Satan have you considered my servant Job (chapter 1). Be honest about what you feel about Job’s experience when you’ve considered it? Does this scare you about increasing your own capacity?
WRAPPING AROUND
1. What sort of things help you increase your capacity in the various areas we discussed on Sunday?
2. What would occur in the lives of those around you if your capacity suddenly increased?
ONE LAST TIME AROUND
1. What has God begun to reveal to you during the 40 Day message series?
2. What is a message series that you believe would be beneficial to the church and its community?
Monday, March 8, 2010
Small Group Discussion Guide for Week of March 7 - 13 2010
SMALL GROUP LESSON SHEETS - WEEK OF March 7 – March 13, 2010
AROUND THE ROOM
1. Who is your favorite comic book hero? Why?
2. Who is one of the scariest villains you’ve ever seen portrayed or written about? What made him/her so scary?
THE ROUND UP
1. What struck you most about the 40 Days of fear message on Sunday?
2. Do you believe drama has overtaken action in today’s world? Site some examples if possible?
3. Why is the story of David and Goliath one of the most famous Bible stories? What should that tell us?
ROUNDING THE BEND
1. What is it that fear does to us? What does fear cause us to believe about ourselves and about God?
2. Read 1 Samuel 17:16. What eventually happens to us when we do not confront the fear that is hammering away at us day and night?
3. What is the Goliath in your life? What do you fear? Why do you fear it? (Take your time with this question, these are the questions if answered honestly that will assist change to occur in your life!)
WRAPPING AROUND
1. Read 1 Samuel 17:20-31. How do we handle the Eliab’s in our lives?
2. Do you think they told David’s question to King Saul in verse 31 because they wanted to help David or harm David? Why do so many (and we for that matter) ask questions to purposely hurt others?
3. Read Psalm 63. This was written by David. Take time to deep into this Psalm to learn from a man that ran into the face of fear instead of hiding from it. What reasons do you find in this Psalm that leads you to see why David is a man who runs into the face of fear? Feel free to express what this Psalm is speaking to you about.
ONE LAST TIME AROUND
1. What spiritual things do we use to hide behind when faced with fear that makes it “appear” they are battle ready?
2. How do you intend to become part of God’s movement that runs into the face of fear?
AROUND THE ROOM
1. Who is your favorite comic book hero? Why?
2. Who is one of the scariest villains you’ve ever seen portrayed or written about? What made him/her so scary?
THE ROUND UP
1. What struck you most about the 40 Days of fear message on Sunday?
2. Do you believe drama has overtaken action in today’s world? Site some examples if possible?
3. Why is the story of David and Goliath one of the most famous Bible stories? What should that tell us?
ROUNDING THE BEND
1. What is it that fear does to us? What does fear cause us to believe about ourselves and about God?
2. Read 1 Samuel 17:16. What eventually happens to us when we do not confront the fear that is hammering away at us day and night?
3. What is the Goliath in your life? What do you fear? Why do you fear it? (Take your time with this question, these are the questions if answered honestly that will assist change to occur in your life!)
WRAPPING AROUND
1. Read 1 Samuel 17:20-31. How do we handle the Eliab’s in our lives?
2. Do you think they told David’s question to King Saul in verse 31 because they wanted to help David or harm David? Why do so many (and we for that matter) ask questions to purposely hurt others?
3. Read Psalm 63. This was written by David. Take time to deep into this Psalm to learn from a man that ran into the face of fear instead of hiding from it. What reasons do you find in this Psalm that leads you to see why David is a man who runs into the face of fear? Feel free to express what this Psalm is speaking to you about.
ONE LAST TIME AROUND
1. What spiritual things do we use to hide behind when faced with fear that makes it “appear” they are battle ready?
2. How do you intend to become part of God’s movement that runs into the face of fear?
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Small Group Discussion Guide Week of January 24 - 30
SMALL GROUP LESSON SHEETS - WEEK OF JANUARY 24 – JANUARY 30, 2010
AROUND THE ROOM
1. What relationship in your past or present has inspired you to reach for more in your life?
THE ROUND UP
1. Do you agree that our primary relationships in life rub off on OUR characters? Why or Why not?
2. Does your personal testimony about coming to Christ include a human relationship that was influential in helping you come to that decision?
3. What does your answer in #2 communicate to you about how God uses relationships in our lives?
ROUNDING THE BEND
1. Read 1 Samuel 18:1-5 together. What types of things do you think Jonathan saw that caused him to “leave” his father as the primary relationship in his life and rather take up David?
2. What type of person do you see yourself as: A person who settles for poor relationships (or none at all) or seeks out “higher” relationships?
3. What if your primary relationships are family members? How do you delicately back away from these relationships? Should you? Is that what this message was all about? Read 1 Samuel 31:1-6 together. Read verse 6 again slowly. How in actuality did Jonathan leave but at the same time not leave his father?
4. The four “things” to look for: Obeying Authority, Behaving Wisely, Higher Than We Are and Able to Mix with All Kinds of People. Which one is the most difficult to find in people? Which ones are possibly lacking in the current relationships you have now?
WRAPPING AROUND
1. Read Proverbs 13:20 together. What does this bring to your mind? If you are comfortable share a story from yours past that speaks to the truth of this verse, both from the good side and the bad side.
2. Read Proverbs 18:24 together. What does this mean in practical terms? What are you communicating to others when you offend someone and then say: “Well, that’s just the way I am.”
3. What are some practical ways you can help one another learn to trim time off poor relationships and increase time in stronger relationships?
ONE LAST TIME AROUND
1. What do you think are the most powerful things that bring guests back to New Heights a 2nd and 3rd time?
2. How can you help with that (#1)? What role can you play?
AROUND THE ROOM
1. What relationship in your past or present has inspired you to reach for more in your life?
THE ROUND UP
1. Do you agree that our primary relationships in life rub off on OUR characters? Why or Why not?
2. Does your personal testimony about coming to Christ include a human relationship that was influential in helping you come to that decision?
3. What does your answer in #2 communicate to you about how God uses relationships in our lives?
ROUNDING THE BEND
1. Read 1 Samuel 18:1-5 together. What types of things do you think Jonathan saw that caused him to “leave” his father as the primary relationship in his life and rather take up David?
2. What type of person do you see yourself as: A person who settles for poor relationships (or none at all) or seeks out “higher” relationships?
3. What if your primary relationships are family members? How do you delicately back away from these relationships? Should you? Is that what this message was all about? Read 1 Samuel 31:1-6 together. Read verse 6 again slowly. How in actuality did Jonathan leave but at the same time not leave his father?
4. The four “things” to look for: Obeying Authority, Behaving Wisely, Higher Than We Are and Able to Mix with All Kinds of People. Which one is the most difficult to find in people? Which ones are possibly lacking in the current relationships you have now?
WRAPPING AROUND
1. Read Proverbs 13:20 together. What does this bring to your mind? If you are comfortable share a story from yours past that speaks to the truth of this verse, both from the good side and the bad side.
2. Read Proverbs 18:24 together. What does this mean in practical terms? What are you communicating to others when you offend someone and then say: “Well, that’s just the way I am.”
3. What are some practical ways you can help one another learn to trim time off poor relationships and increase time in stronger relationships?
ONE LAST TIME AROUND
1. What do you think are the most powerful things that bring guests back to New Heights a 2nd and 3rd time?
2. How can you help with that (#1)? What role can you play?
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Small Group Discussion Guide for Week of January 10 - 16, 2010
SMALL GROUP LESSON SHEETS - WEEK OF JANUARY 10 – JANUARY 16, 2010
AROUND THE ROOM
1. What New Year’s Resolutions have you made if any and how is it going thus far?
2. What past year(s) resolutions have you made that truly impacted your life? Why did they?
THE ROUND UP
1. What thoughts come to your mind when we began this focus on being created in God’s Image?
2. When you think of God’s image what are the immediate character traits of God that you think of? Why?
3. Do you think you focus most on the areas of God’s image that you feel you do well and underplay the ones in which you do not do so well?
4. How do you determine God’s image? Is it black coffee or make your own coffee style?
ROUNDING THE BEND
1. Read John 14:5-11 together. If Jesus was surprised that Philip did not know Him yet what exactly did Jesus assume Philip should have picked up on or been learning? In what things and ways should have Philip been able to learn them?
2. Read John 6:45 together. What ways is God teaching us today? Do we trust those ways? Why or why not?
3. Read 2 Corinthians 13:5 together? In what ways do you examine yourselves? What do you do when God reveals something to you?
4. Read Psalm 139:23-24 together? If we are truly allowing God to search our hearts and know our anxieties in which way should we be lead to go from that point? What does that mean?
WRAPPING AROUND
1. Do you believe that the image of God within you yearns for you to be a “minister of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18)?
2. What are you willing to give up in order to truly become a minister of reconciliation? What do you think you need to give up?
3. How much has God forgiven you in Christ Jesus? Based on that answer do you believe that the image of God within you is willing to do the same for those around you?
ONE LAST TIME AROUND
1. What relationship do you have this week that you can begin focusing the image of God upon?
2. How would God’s image be lived out through your group in church on Sunday mornings?
AROUND THE ROOM
1. What New Year’s Resolutions have you made if any and how is it going thus far?
2. What past year(s) resolutions have you made that truly impacted your life? Why did they?
THE ROUND UP
1. What thoughts come to your mind when we began this focus on being created in God’s Image?
2. When you think of God’s image what are the immediate character traits of God that you think of? Why?
3. Do you think you focus most on the areas of God’s image that you feel you do well and underplay the ones in which you do not do so well?
4. How do you determine God’s image? Is it black coffee or make your own coffee style?
ROUNDING THE BEND
1. Read John 14:5-11 together. If Jesus was surprised that Philip did not know Him yet what exactly did Jesus assume Philip should have picked up on or been learning? In what things and ways should have Philip been able to learn them?
2. Read John 6:45 together. What ways is God teaching us today? Do we trust those ways? Why or why not?
3. Read 2 Corinthians 13:5 together? In what ways do you examine yourselves? What do you do when God reveals something to you?
4. Read Psalm 139:23-24 together? If we are truly allowing God to search our hearts and know our anxieties in which way should we be lead to go from that point? What does that mean?
WRAPPING AROUND
1. Do you believe that the image of God within you yearns for you to be a “minister of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18)?
2. What are you willing to give up in order to truly become a minister of reconciliation? What do you think you need to give up?
3. How much has God forgiven you in Christ Jesus? Based on that answer do you believe that the image of God within you is willing to do the same for those around you?
ONE LAST TIME AROUND
1. What relationship do you have this week that you can begin focusing the image of God upon?
2. How would God’s image be lived out through your group in church on Sunday mornings?
Monday, December 14, 2009
Small Group Discussion Sheets Week of December 13-19 2009
SMALL GROUP LESSON SHEETS - WEEK OF DECEMBER 13 – December 19, 2009
Luke 1:39-55
AROUND THE ROOM
1. What is your favorite Christmas song? What is your Christmas Eve and Morning typically like?
2. What types of music and what songs (all kinds) bring about good memories?
THE ROUND UP
1. Why is a large part of Christmas the music?
2. Read Mary’s Song in Luke 1:46-55. Who is she singing this song to? Does it matter who we sing our songs to?
3. What aspects of Mary’s Song strikes you most? Why?
4. What is it about v53 that just absolutely inspires most of us?
5. How does Mary’s Song sing across the ages? (hint see especially v55) What does that matter?
ROUNDING THE BEND
1. How did Jesus live out Mary’s Song with His own life?
2. How do we live out Mary’s Song with our own lives?
3. What strikes you about Elizabeth’s comment to Mary in v45?
4. Would it had mattered if Mary would have believed or not? Why?
WRAPPING AROUND
1. What type of life is lived that appears as a song?
2. What type of life lived sings a funeral dirge?
3. With Christ in our lives what type of song do you believe He would want sung from our lives?
ONE LAST TIME AROUND
1. How can our homes sing the song of Christmas this season?
2. How can our groups continue the song in our group meetings and our gatherings on Sundays?
Extra Reading for the Week – Exodus 15 – Includes the songs of Moses and Miriam – What did their songs focus on?
Luke 1:39-55
AROUND THE ROOM
1. What is your favorite Christmas song? What is your Christmas Eve and Morning typically like?
2. What types of music and what songs (all kinds) bring about good memories?
THE ROUND UP
1. Why is a large part of Christmas the music?
2. Read Mary’s Song in Luke 1:46-55. Who is she singing this song to? Does it matter who we sing our songs to?
3. What aspects of Mary’s Song strikes you most? Why?
4. What is it about v53 that just absolutely inspires most of us?
5. How does Mary’s Song sing across the ages? (hint see especially v55) What does that matter?
ROUNDING THE BEND
1. How did Jesus live out Mary’s Song with His own life?
2. How do we live out Mary’s Song with our own lives?
3. What strikes you about Elizabeth’s comment to Mary in v45?
4. Would it had mattered if Mary would have believed or not? Why?
WRAPPING AROUND
1. What type of life is lived that appears as a song?
2. What type of life lived sings a funeral dirge?
3. With Christ in our lives what type of song do you believe He would want sung from our lives?
ONE LAST TIME AROUND
1. How can our homes sing the song of Christmas this season?
2. How can our groups continue the song in our group meetings and our gatherings on Sundays?
Extra Reading for the Week – Exodus 15 – Includes the songs of Moses and Miriam – What did their songs focus on?
Monday, November 30, 2009
Small Group Lesson for Nov 29 - Dec 5 2009
SMALL GROUP LESSON SHEETS
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 29 – December 5, 2009
Matthew 1:18 – 2:8
AROUND THE ROOM
1. What is your best Thanksgiving memory ever? What was one thing you were thankful for this year?
THE ROUND UP
1. What is it about the Christmas story that is so appealing to people? Where/When/Why does the story stop being “real” in so many lives?
2. Come up with a situation in your group that most of you agree would be a very difficult situation and now imagine an angel came to you and told you to do the opposite of what you were about to do. Would you do what the angel said? Why or Why not?
3. What are some of the things that Jesus has said that few of us do? Why?
4. What type of man must Joseph have been to follow through with the instructions? Who does he remind you of?
ROUNDING THE BEND
1. The Sunday message talked about BUYING into something as opposed to passing BY something (knowing what it says and that it is there). If you took two identical people one who BUYs into something and one who simply knows it is there (BY) what may the futures of the two individuals end up like?
2. What type of person have you tended to be? A BUY type or a BY type? Do you have any regrets? Do you think you may have missed a glorious event? Do you think you have witnessed a glorious event?
3. What has scared you about the past? What has excited you about the past? (Both your past and the past in general). How is this impacting your present and future?
4. Do you have someone in your family that has done something way beyond what anyone ever thought or imagined?
5. Have you ever been made aware like the chief priests and scribes (Matthew 2:1-8) were of something great and you did nothing? What do you think stopped you?
6. Read Matthew 2:9-11. Do you wish you could have experienced that moment? What does it take to set yourself up for the potential of experiencing such moments?
WRAPPING AROUND
1. Read Ephesians 3:20 together. Discuss this verse together. How should it impact your life? What should it drive us to and toward?
2. How would someone live that has BOUGHT into this verse from Ephesians? How are you living?
3. What would you do for God if you were guaranteed that you couldn’t fail?
4. Who is telling you that you are failing? What/How does God preach/teach as failure and What/How does God preach as success?
ONE LAST TIME AROUND
1. Take time to discuss some of the things you’ve been praying for one another for. Are there other areas in your life in which your group can pray for you?
2. How can your group challenge one another to take up roles on Sunday morning in caring for others?
Extra Reading for the Week – Isaiah 7:10-15, 9:6-7, 39:10-14, 45:23, 49:5-10, 50:5-7, 53:1-12, 54:13, 61:1-3 – Isn’t that simply amazing?
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 29 – December 5, 2009
Matthew 1:18 – 2:8
AROUND THE ROOM
1. What is your best Thanksgiving memory ever? What was one thing you were thankful for this year?
THE ROUND UP
1. What is it about the Christmas story that is so appealing to people? Where/When/Why does the story stop being “real” in so many lives?
2. Come up with a situation in your group that most of you agree would be a very difficult situation and now imagine an angel came to you and told you to do the opposite of what you were about to do. Would you do what the angel said? Why or Why not?
3. What are some of the things that Jesus has said that few of us do? Why?
4. What type of man must Joseph have been to follow through with the instructions? Who does he remind you of?
ROUNDING THE BEND
1. The Sunday message talked about BUYING into something as opposed to passing BY something (knowing what it says and that it is there). If you took two identical people one who BUYs into something and one who simply knows it is there (BY) what may the futures of the two individuals end up like?
2. What type of person have you tended to be? A BUY type or a BY type? Do you have any regrets? Do you think you may have missed a glorious event? Do you think you have witnessed a glorious event?
3. What has scared you about the past? What has excited you about the past? (Both your past and the past in general). How is this impacting your present and future?
4. Do you have someone in your family that has done something way beyond what anyone ever thought or imagined?
5. Have you ever been made aware like the chief priests and scribes (Matthew 2:1-8) were of something great and you did nothing? What do you think stopped you?
6. Read Matthew 2:9-11. Do you wish you could have experienced that moment? What does it take to set yourself up for the potential of experiencing such moments?
WRAPPING AROUND
1. Read Ephesians 3:20 together. Discuss this verse together. How should it impact your life? What should it drive us to and toward?
2. How would someone live that has BOUGHT into this verse from Ephesians? How are you living?
3. What would you do for God if you were guaranteed that you couldn’t fail?
4. Who is telling you that you are failing? What/How does God preach/teach as failure and What/How does God preach as success?
ONE LAST TIME AROUND
1. Take time to discuss some of the things you’ve been praying for one another for. Are there other areas in your life in which your group can pray for you?
2. How can your group challenge one another to take up roles on Sunday morning in caring for others?
Extra Reading for the Week – Isaiah 7:10-15, 9:6-7, 39:10-14, 45:23, 49:5-10, 50:5-7, 53:1-12, 54:13, 61:1-3 – Isn’t that simply amazing?
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