Questions for week April 17th - 23rd

Christian Atheist

Part 3

I Believe in God But don't really have a Passion for God

 

1) Just for fun: What were you passionate about as a kid? (Playing team sports, hanging out with friends, etc.)

2) What is something you are very passionate about today(a hobby, family, etc.)? Where do you think that passion came from want drives it (maybe your father took you hunting as a child, and you love to the stillness of the woods and it calms your soul. Or you had an illness that drives you to help others with the same illness)?

3) Pastor Mark listed 6 ways our passion for God could be drained. Of these 6 listed below, which one can you identify the most with?

• An unbalanced schedule
• An unused talent
• An unconfessed sin
• An unresolved conflict
• An unsupported lifestyle
• An unclear purpose

4) Who is someone that you know is VERY passionate about God and advancing his kingdom?  What in their life do you see that identifies them as having that passion? What things in their life do you feel you need to adopt in your own life?

5) Do you think you are more passionate today than you were when you first started following Christ? Or is it the opposite, do you feel less passionate today than when you first started following Christ?

Close your time together praying for God to ignite those in your your group with a renewed passion for him and the purposes for which he has placed us here for... to Love God, Love People and Serve Others.

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

Questions for week April 10th - 16th

Christian Atheist
Part 2
I Believe in God, but I'm Skeptical of His Will for My Life



1) Just for fun: Pastor Mark talked about the time when there were only three different choices of Ice Cream Flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

2) Read Proverbs 9:10, Proverbs 14:27, Proverbs 22:4 and Psalms 36:1-2.

• What’s your gut definition of fearing God? How does the word fear make you feel about God?

3) The fear of the Lord is an ongoing attitude of our heart that moves us to choose over and over again to obey God when it’s easier to do something else. The greatest evidence of the fear of God is complete obedience to God.

• Share a story of a time when your fear of the Lord led to a wise decision, a fuller life, success, honor, or health.

4) Read John 8:4-11. Place yourself in this scene.  

• What would be the emotions of the woman as she is “caught in the act” of adultery?  
• What would you be thinking as part of the crowd gathered around Jesus when this scene unfolds?  
• What is the emotional element gripping the woman’s accusers?

5)  These religious leaders were trying to trap Jesus. If he answered, "stone her,” he would be in trouble with Roman Law which forbade local governments to impose the death penalty without their permission. But if Jesus answered, "let her go," he would be going against the Mosaic Law that called for the death of an adulterer.

"But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. . ."

• Where do you think the crowd’s attention has been focused while all this was going on? In other words, who do you think people are staring at?
• The Bible never tells us what Jesus wrote on the ground. What do you think He could have been writing?
• What can we learn from Jesus about helping someone who has fallen?
• Share a time when you experienced undeserved grace. How did it impact your life?

6) When it comes to the word of God, we have to obey all of it, not just the parts we like. Is this something you have struggled to overcome in your life? How are you dealing with this now? 

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

Questions for week April 3rd - 9th

Christian Atheist
I Believe in God but Don't Really Know Him


1) Just for Fun: It's Spring Cleaning time! What is one thing you really should throw away, but probably never will?

2) “You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.” James 2:19

It’s interesting that the verse says demons not only believe, but they shudder. They believe that He is powerful, and they know enough that they shudder and fear Him, but that is the extent of their knowledge. Believing in God is different than personally knowing God.

·      In your relationship with God do you only believe enough to shudder?

·       What is the outcome to just believing?

3) If we accept what has been told to us about God instead of finding out for ourselves, we will never really know Him, rather only know what we have been told about Him. This is stopping short of truly knowing God and leaves us with only the option of believing in Him. When you just believe it causes you to live by your own rules.

·       How does life look when you live by your own rules?

“We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”  1 John 2:3­4

·       What truth is the verse talking about and how do you acquire this truth?

·       What does knowing Him have to do with obeying Him?

·       Why is a right heart required over only right actions when it comes to obeying God’s commands?

Next Steps:

·       When believing in God is as far as you go, you follow a religion. When you begin to know God, you start to live in right relationship with Him.

·       What moves you from a religion to a relationship?
Describe what your relationship with God currently looks like.

·       What are your expectations of God? To keep you out of hell, shower you with blessings, or to be your God?

·       What does the process of moving from believing to knowing look like for you?

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