Dec. 1 - Desperation Truths (1 Sm. 21:1-22:5)

We invite you to ponder the week’s Bible passage and listen to the sermon (posts Sun. afternoon), then use the ideas below to help you and your group apply what the Lord is teaching you.

Icebreaker idea: If you could have an extra $1,000 right now or an extra day in your week this week, which would you take? (And what would you do with it?)

A way to pray: Pray for one another to experience God’s provision and power in those areas right now where we’re most desperate for Him.

Talk It Over:

  • Treasuring God: What can I praise God for, even when I’m desperate? How does the act of praising God help me better face moments of desperation?

  • Being Transformed: Prophecy isn’t just predicting the future; it’s God’s communication to us. What can I be doing to hear Him more clearly / consistently?

  • Loving Others: How aware am I of desperation in others’ lives? How can I intentionally watch for these moments and then move in with gospel wisdom?

  • Pursuing Unity: Do desperate times move me toward involvement or isolation? How might I build stronger community ties before desperation strikes?

Grow GroupsDan Smith
Nov. 24 - Generosity: Born, Maturing, or Indifferent? (2 Cor. 9:10-15)

We invite you to ponder the week’s Bible passage and listen to the sermon (posts Sun. afternoon), then use the ideas below to help you and your group apply what the Lord is teaching you.

Icebreaker idea: What’s a more natural way for you to give to others – spending time together, doing acts of service, or giving tangible gifts? Share an example of a time you got to do that.

A way to pray: Pray for each other to grow in appreciating the gift we have in Christ, and to grow in generosity as an outflow of our gratitude for Him, as we seek to see 2,000 people by 2022 baptized and growing in relationship with Jesus through the Word, prayer, and community.

Talk It Over:

  • Treasuring God: What specific things about God have I been thankful for lately? How have I seen His generosity?

  • Being Transformed: How is God calling me to be more like Jesus? What’s my next step?

  • Loving Others: How have I experienced God’s love recently? How can I share His love with someone this week?

  • Pursuing Unity: Where is the enemy working to cause division and discord? How does God’s love encourage and empower me to seek peace instead?

Grow GroupsDan Smith
Nov. 17 - Unfading Treasure (1 Tim. 6:3-19)

We invite you to ponder the week’s Bible passage and listen to the sermon (posts Sun. afternoon), then use the ideas below to help you and your group apply what the Lord is teaching you.

Icebreaker idea: What’s one thing money can’t buy? OR What’s something in your life that you wouldn’t sell, no matter how much money someone offered for it?

A way to pray: Pray for a deep contentment in our lives that allows us to live generously toward those around us, living as the “salt of the earth” and “light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-16) as we seek to see 2,000 people by 2022 baptized and growing in relationship with Jesus through the Word, prayer, and community.

Talk It Over:

  • Treasuring God: How does believing that God is a good Father help me grow in contentment? When, or in what situations, do I struggle to believe this?

  • Being Transformed: Specifically, what leads me to be discontent? How does remembering God’s past provision for me, and His approval of me, change my heart?

  • Loving Others: In what ways does dissatisfaction damage my ability to love others well? How can a contented spirit empower me to love more effectively?

  • Pursuing Unity: How can a focus on financial gain separate me from others? What would it look like to spur myself and others on toward godliness with contentment?

Grow GroupsDan Smith
Nov. 10 - Undefiled Treasure (Lk. 12:22-34)

We invite you to ponder the week’s Bible passage and listen to the sermon (posts Sun. afternoon), then use the ideas below to help you and your group apply what the Lord is teaching you.

Icebreaker idea: What's something that you appreciate in your life, that you didn't earn for yourself or accomplish by your own strength or smarts?

A way to pray: Pray for one another to grow in peacefulness in the areas of anxiety/worry/fear shared in the discussion below.

Talk It Over:

  • Treasuring God: What aspects of God's character most help me resist the grip of anxiety? How can focusing on His greatness lessen my own worries? 

  • Being Transformed: Which of Jesus' commands speak(s) to the anxiety I experience? How might I reorient my heart to transform anxiety into peacefulness?

  • Loving Others: In what ways does anxiety/worry/fear rob me of the ability to love others as I'm called to love them? What needs to change in me?

  • Pursuing Unity: How does Satan use anxiety/worry/fear as weapons of division (esp. inside the church)? How does this motivate me to fight to be unified?

Grow GroupsDan Smith