Word Night, December 11-17

Text: Luke 1:26-56, 2:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25

An old-school method of small group leadership is making a comeback in the discipleship world, especially for missionaries overseas.  It's called "Story Telling."  Try it out this week with your group and see how you like it!

1. Retell the story.  Tell the group the story from the passage above.  It doesn't have to be word for word, but be familiar enough with is so you aren't having to read it but you don't leave out any of the important details.  Telling a narrative story can be a lot more engaging that simply reading text from a page!

2. Allow the group participants to respond to some or all of the following questions:
a. What is God trying to say to you?
b. What does this passage say about God?
c. What do you like/not like about the passage?

End with this question: Now, what are you going to do about it?  What are you going to tell people about this passage?

I hope this gets the conversation moving some and will help involve some people in your group that may not be regular contributors or big talkers.


If you prefer to stick with the old format, here are some questions to think about.

1. What were some of the characteristics of Mary and Joseph?  Their personal lives, their relationship with God, how they treated others?  How important do you think those characteristics were in God choosing them to be a part of the Bethlehem stories?  What challenge is that to us as we desire to be used by God and be a part of His story here in Winston-Salem?

2. Talk about some of the adjectives Mary uses to describe God and Jesus in Luke 1:46-55.  Catholicism, along with some other religious sects, believe that Mary is the hero of the Christian faith.  Talk about the difference between the vessel that is used and the actual savior.  What is the difference between us having the message and being the mouthpiece, and Jesus being the message and having all the power?

3.  So many of us are good.  We have good stories, good ideas, and good lives.  The story of our life is good.  But how can you move from good to God?  How can your life be a God story instead of just a good story?  Is your story this Christmas about family, carols, Christmas trees, and presents?  Or do you want your story this Christmas to be bigger than that?  How can you change your attitude, actions, and lifestyle this season to make your life a vessel available to God so he can tell a story through you?