Questions for week Dec 28th - Jan 3rd

Moment Makers
Joshua 1:6-9

1) Just for Fun: Do you make New Years Resolutions? If you do, are you good at sticking with them? Is there anything you do to prepare yourself mentally and/or spiritually for the new year (Ex. Starting a reading plan, get more organized, etc.)?

2) Read the following scriptures:
Ephesians 5:15-17
Colossians 4:5
Psalms 90:12
Why do you think scriptures speak so much about making the best use of our time? What are some things you can begin doing now to make better use of your time in 2015?

3) Read Joshua 1:6-9 and highlight how many times Joshua is instructed to be strong and courageous and not to be afraid or discouraged. Most of our battles we fight come from the inside. How do you combat your own fears and thoughts of defeat and discouragement?

4) Who you associate with matters and those closet to you will influence you. Have there been people in your past you had to disassociate with because of their negative influence? Have there been people in your life that you began an association with and their presence made you a better person? In what ways do you try to be a good association for others?

5) Procrastination is the arch enemy of our dreams.  Do you battle with procrastination? What is one thing you have been putting off that you know you need to put off no longer?

As a life group close your time together praying for everyone and the things they shared they no longer want to procrastinate doing in 2015.

Thank you for filling out your Life Group Leader Report Form found here. 

Questions for week Dec 14th - 20th

And Now The Good News 

1) Just for Fun: Share any Christmas Traditions that you and your family hold each year.

2) When you were a kid did you believe in Santa Clause?  If so, what led to your revelation of who Santa really was?

3) What was the greatest gift you have ever received either as a child or an adult?  What was the greatest gift you were ever able to give?

4) What led to your spiritual birth? What has the gift of new life through Christ meant to you?

5) In what ways do you express your gratitude to Jesus for the new life He has given you?

6) Who in your life doesn’t yet realize the true reason for Jesus’ birth?  What can you do to share it with them this Holiday Season?

Thank you for filling out your Life Group Leader Report form found here.

Questions for week Dec 7th - 13th

O Holy Night

1) Just for Fun: How do you prepare your heart and mind for the Christmas season (by reading Christmas devotionals, read a Christmas book, Study the Christmas story, ponder the meaning of the season, etc.)?

2) We learned Sunday that even in Bible times the world experienced weariness. Mary, for instance, traveled miles through the desert on the back of a donkey while 9 months pregnant. What do you think gave Mary hope in the weariness we know she had to experience throughout all her pregnancy?

What has given you hope and the ability to rejoice when weariness invades the landscape of life?

3) Everyone would probably agree there's a big difference between what we need and what we want. Describe a time when you were dealing with weariness and God gave you just what needed instead of what you really wanted.  How did you respond?  And did you discover that what God gave turned out to be even greater than you thought it could? Explain.

4) Read Hebrews 10:23 in a couple different translations. How does that verse of scripture land on you?

5) What was your main take-a-way, or what ministered to you the most, from Sunday's sermon? 

Don't forget to fill out your Leader Report Form found here.

Questions for week Nov 30th - Dec 6th

Cozy with the Crooks

Robby Rassel

1) Just for Fun: What was a highlight of your Thanksgiving?

2) When was a time someone invited themselves over to something? (Or a time when you did?)

3) Zacchaeus couldn't see Jesus because of the crowds. What are some ways that people keep those who don't know Jesus from experiencing Jesus?

4) How can you live in a way that opens a clear path for people to see Jesus?

5) Robby made the comment, "When we're not full of awe we start to become awful." When was the last time you were in complete awe of Jesus and all he's done?

6) What are some things you can do to increase your "awe" of Jesus?

7) Zacchaeus had an encounter with Jesus that changed everything. Think back to a time (or times) when Jesus has done something in you that changed everything for you. What was one of those times?

8) We tend to try and find fulfillment all on our own by chasing all sorts of things. Are there things in your life that you chase more than Jesus?

9) Jesus seeks and saves, no matter the crook. He sought and saved us. Who in your life is someone who you know needs Jesus that you can invite to church to experience Jesus? 

Thank you for filling out your Life Group Leader Report found here.

Questions for week Nov 23rd - 29th

#dogood 
Part 4
Conspiracy of Kindness

1) Just for Fun: What food do you look forward to enjoying the most at Thanksgiving?  Do you and your family have any Thanksgiving traditions?

Feel free to scroll down and go through previous #dogood questions from Parts 1-3 as well as these.

2) Pastor Mark shared the story about Herbert Hoover and how in Finland, to Hoover means to be kind or to offer assistance and support, to be benevolent. If people were to make a verb out of your last name, what would you want it’s definition to be? 

3) Who is the most generous person you know in the world today? Why would you describe them in this way? 

4) Most people say that if they win the lottery they will be more generous but statistically this just isn’t true. Why do you think so? 

5) What idea, phrase, scripture, or story from Sunday’s message has changed your understanding of generosity? In what way has your understanding been changed?

6) What is something you can do this next week to plant Gospel seeds?

Thank you for filling out your Life Group Leader Report found here.

Questions for week Nov 16th-22nd

We had a guest speaker on the 16th. Due to not having access to his notes prior to him speaking we were unable to write questions for #Part3.

You can discuss the message and you can also click here and here to go over through the questions for the first 2 messages of our Do Good series.

Questions for week Nov 9th - 15th

#dogood
Part 2
Salt
Matthew 5:13

1) Just for fun: Have you began your Christmas shopping? Are you last minute kind of shopper? Do you have a strategy when it comes to Christmas shopping?

2) Read Acts 10:38. How differently would your day look if everywhere you went you were intentionally doing good?

3) At the Sermon on the Mount Jesus introduces the Beatitudes, or the attitudes that should be (Matthew 5:1-9). Read these verses together and reflect on these questions.
-What is an attitude?
-Are attitudes good, bad or both?
-Who has attitudes?
-Are attitudes a choice?
-Why do you think our attitudes are important as followers of Christ?
-Who is someone you know with a bad attitude that you know? How do the affect those around them?
-Who is someone with a great attitude that you know? How do they affect those around them?

4) Each of the beatitudes has two parts: part one begins, "Blessed are..." and part two begins "for they..."  The second part of each of these beatitudes grows out of the first part. Some of the beatitudes seem to make sense and fit into our worldview, others do not. Identify one of the beatitudes that makes sense to you (in other words, one in which you think that part two grows naturally out of part one). Explain what you believe Jesus is communicating in the is beatitude and why it makes sense to you.

5) Some of the beatitudes seem almost backwards. Identify one of the beatitudes that does not seem to make sense (in other words, part two does not seem to grow naturally out of part one.) What do you think Jesus is trying to communicate through this seemingly backwards statement?

6) Read Matthew 5:13.
-Describe some of the ways we use salt?
-What are some of the qualities salt possesses?
-How can the ways salt is used and the qualities it possesses translate to the qualities we have as followers of Christ?
-How do you think your attitude affects your "saltiness"?

7) Every time we do good and live out the love, we are telling the world, "Jesus is real and He really cares about you." Think of some ways as a live group that you can be salt to the world. Maybe plan to adopt a family in need you know about at Christmas time to bless with food and gifts. Or get together to pack your Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.

Thank you for filling out your Life Group Leader Report form found here.

Questions for week Nov 2nd - 8th

Do Good
Part 1
The Right Kind of Rich
1 Timothy

1) Just for Fun: What did you do this past Halloween? Did you go Trick-or-Treating? Spend time with family? Serve on Main Street?

Read 1 Timothy 6:17-19

2) Paul instructs Timothy to tell the rich to not be proud with wealth. How can your identity be wrapped up in wealth? Or asked another way,  the clothes you wear, the stuff you own, and the status of your bank account sends a message you yourself and others. What's the message you are sending?

3) Paul also says, do not trust in wealth. How do you trust in your wealth to gain a sense of security? Do you think you have enough wealth? Why or why not?

4) Paul continues to say, trust in God instead.  What do you think that looks like in real life- to trust God more than money? Use real illustrations from your life if you can.

5) What is the purpose of money in these verses?

6) According to verse 19, how does a person "experience true life" (New Living Translation?

7) What are some of the ways God has used you to do good works in the past?

8) Discuss some ways that your life group can #dogood this month as a life group.  We would love to here your ideas on our Life Group Facebook page.

Thank you for filling out your Life Group Leader Report Form found here.   

Questions for week Oct 26th - Nov 1st

Chosen
Matthew 14


1) Just for Fun: Did you go Trick-or-Treating as a child?  If so, what was your fondest memory or best costume you wore?

2) Read Matthew 14:22-33. What do you think was Jesus' purpose for walking on the water?

3) Why do you think Peter thought he too could walk on the water?

4) How do you think this moment in Peter's life marked him?

5) What did the disciples say in verse 33?
By this verse, and many others in scripture, we see that the disciples struggled with the identity of Jesus, that He was who He said He was. Do you know people, or have you ever struggled with believing in God too? What was your turning point?  How can you help others believe in Him too?

6) Read John 15:16. Has there been a moment in your life when God vividly allowed you to see that He chose you and that He is with you? How has your relationship with God been marked by that moment?

7) What can you do this week to help others know that God has chosen them too?


Thank you for filling out your Life Group Leader Report form found here.

Questions for week Oct 19th - 25th

Unlikely Heroes
Part 3
Unlikely Boldness

1) Just for fun: Is there a story or significance about your name? (were you named after someone, your name has a specific meaning, etc.)

2) Who wrote the book of Daniel? When did it take place? When was it written?

3) Read 2 Kings 24:14 Who did Nebuchadnezzar take into captivity back to Babylon and who was left in Judah?

4) Ready Jeremiah 29:4-7. What advice did Jeremiah have for the Jews that were taken into exile?  Do you think this advice would be easy to follow? What would be the result of following the advice (verse 7)? How can that same advice translate to us today?

5) Why do you think Nebuchadnezzar especially want young men for training (Daniel 1:4)? old men set in their ways, but rather young men who were able and eager to learn

6) Why do you suppose Ashpenaz changed the names of Daniel and his three friends? (possibly to intimidate them, brand them, frighten them, anger them, assimilate them)

7) Daniel requested a special diet of food and drink. Do you think maintaining this diet was easy or difficult for them when everyone else was enjoying the Kings food and wine?

8) How do you feel when you stand up for something that you believe in? (confidence, power, peace, elation, fear, freedom)   If you deal with fears, what helps you combat those fears?

9) Has there been a time in your past that you stood up for something? How has that moment effected you?

10) Was there anything else about this message that stood out to you or helped you?


Thank you for filling out your Life Group Leader Report Form found here.