Annual Growth: The Same or Different?

Read Acts 2:42

This verse of Scripture is a beautiful picture to us of what ordinary life looked like for the early church. Once they became followers of Jesus, their lives changed, and they became devoted to new things.

Before we go all spiritual, let's just talk about "devotion" in general. What's one thing you would say you're totally devoted to?

If you weren't so devoted to the thing you mentioned (assuming it's a good thing), why would it not be nearly as fun, effective or rewarding?

Now, let's get back to Acts 2:42 and discuss what we as Christians should be devoted to.

What were the 4 things the church became devoted to?

1. The apostles' teaching (which is now scripture, and to discipleship)
2. Fellowship (community with other followers of Jesus)
3. Breaking of bread (sharing/hospitality with all people)
4. Prayer (constant communication with God)


Devoted to the Apostles' Teaching

Do you meet with God on a regular basis?

What is your routine of devotion to scripture? What kinds of things do you do to be devoted to reading and learning from God's Word?

Would you say you are devoted to scripture? Would anyone that knows you well say that you are devoted to reading and depending on God's word?

If you're devoted to God's Word, at what point would you say you should start intentionally discipling others from the knowledge and experience you've gained?


Devoted to Fellowship

What is fellowship? And what is the value of it?

Why does the church break down if it is not devoted to fellowship?

Do you know what the definition of an rGroup is? What's an rGroup?
People who regularly meet and participate in activities together with the goal of experiencing spiritual growth.

What's the vision of rGroups?
Communities (aka fellowship) that change lives.

How can your devotion to fellowship/community with your rGroup be vital to one another's walk with Jesus?


Devoted to the Breaking of Bread

We break the bread to split it up and share with those around us. So, how do you share your life with those around you?

Should we only spend our life with Christians? Why not? Jesus didn't. Why?

Jesus loved hanging out with sinners, and they loved hanging out with him! Would you say you are like Jesus?

How can you be more like Jesus in this area?


Devoted to Prayer

Why did they devote themselves to prayer?

What would you say is the opposite of being devoted to prayer?

Self-reliance is the opposite of a prayer to God. What areas in your life do you need to stop relying on yourself to achieve and devote to prayer?


Conclusion:

Which of the 4 areas of church life are you strong in?

Which of the 4 areas of church life do you need to grow in?

In light of this picture of what the church is to be about, is there anything God is calling you to do or engage in?

What will you do to go from dabbling to devoted?

Who will you ask to keep you accountable to these things?

Annual Growth: Trusting God with Your Money

Read Malachi 3:7-10

Introduction:

What do you think is most people's perspective of money?

Our culture's strategy on money is simple: Make more money --> get more stuff --> do more things. But what if our finances were more than just about growing our money? What if part of God's design was for our money to help grow us instead of just growing our money?

1. In scripture, "giving" is mentioned 2,162 times. Jesus taught about it, oftentimes warning "rich people" that money is a huge stumbling block to them getting into the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus was also clear when he said, "You cannot worship both God and money" (Matthew 6:24) and that "the love of money is the root of all evil." (1 Timothy 6:10).

So why do you think so many people struggle with giving their finances to God?

Why does growth tend to stop when "giving" is mentioned?
(Trust issues, lack of faith, believe that our money is "mine", don't think it's important to give.)

2. Reread Malachi 3:7-10. God lists 2 ways in which we give: tithes and offerings. The "full tithe" is to be brought to God's house (the church), while other offerings/gifts can be made to charities and other needs.

A. Why is it so important for God's people to be generous through the local church? Is giving your tithes/offerings at a local church the same as giving a homeless man some cash or an autograft to United Way through your paycheck?

B. What is the main difference in a non-profit charity meeting a need and the local church meeting a need in our city?
(Think on the lines of "who gets the credit." Think about the message that is delivered along with meeting the need.)

C. In verse 10, God say BRING the tithe to God's house, not GIVE. What is the difference between "give" and "bring"? How does this understanding shift the idea around generosity, joy, and your finances? Why is every gift a regift to God?

3. Read 2 Corinthians 9:7.

A. Scripture commands each person to give "as he has decided in his heart." It doesn't tell exact amounts. How do you decide how much to give? What process do you go through in your heart before you give online or on a Sunday morning? Do you pray, give when you feel led, start with a baseline amount, or use some other method?

B. What does being a "cheerful giver" even mean? does it mean you should smile when you put an envelope in the basket? Be happy when you give?

C. What difference does it make to God whether you're cheerful or not? Doesn't He just want my money?
(Talk about the attitude of giving, the desire behind it, and why the heart trumps the amount/frequency that you give).

4. Read 2 Corinthians 8:7.

What is your definition of "excelling" in gracious generosity? What would it look like for your rGroup to excel in this area?

Personal Reflection Time:

A. Give yourself a grade. Have you done a good job trusting God with what He has entrusted with you? Have you grown spiritually through your giving?

B. What are the steps you need to take NOW to ensure you're trusting God in this area?
(Automate your giving so you won't be tempted to "rob God," tweak your budget to reflect an attitude of generosity, or maybe just spend some time asking God what He would like for you to regift to Him).

Annual Growth: Being a Part of the Miracle

Read John 2:1-11

During the wedding celebration, a problem arises – there's no more wine! (v.3) What does Mary immediately do, and how does that apply to problems in our lives?

Mary turned to Jesus and asked him to help (v. 3). Why do you think Mary asked Jesus to do something, and what do you think she expected Jesus to do? Remember, according to verse 11, Jesus had not yet performed any miracles yet.

Have you ever asked God to do something that you've never seen Him do before?

Mary tells Jesus' servants to do whatever Jesus tells them to do. What does this tell you about Mary's relationship with Jesus?

One indicator of spiritual maturity is when people turn to you to help them solve spiritual problems. Do others that know you well trust you to do this?

The servants listened to Jesus and did exactly what he said. But what if they didn't? What if they made excuses to be skeptical, lazy or non-caring? Do you find yourself doing this for manual labor tasks that God has asked you to do?

How can an obedient response to God's directions lead to spiritual growth?

Verses 10–11 says the master of the ceremonies tasted the wine and said it was the best wine yet! Everyone got to enjoy the miracle, but only a couple helped perform it. Have you ever seen or experienced God do something that you know you missed out on?

Why does God want us to be a part of His work? What is His work?

(Read Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45) Jesus said that he came to serve, not to be served. Based on your life, would you say you are like Jesus?

What are your main reasons for not wanting to serve others?

I'm sure these two servants told people about this story and what Jesus did for the rest of their lives. Jesus did something IN them when he asked something FROM them. Why is this important for us to remember when you think God wants something from you?

In the past, how have you known that you've grown spiritually?

We often think of growth as something that can only take place over a long period of time. How long does it take for someone to actually grow spiritually?

How will you determine whether or not you've grown spiritually this week?

(Read vs 11) The purpose of Jesus' miracle was not to save the groom from embarrassment but to display Christ's glory. What aspects of Christ's glory does this miracle reveal to you?

SABBATH SNOW DAY!!

The Hebrew word for Sabbath means “stop” or “cease.”  Many people believe that Sabbath means church day, the weekend, a vacation, a day off, leisure time, or simply not being at work.  Yet all of those things can still be busy, stressful, overloaded, and taxing on our lives.

ICEBREAKERS:

-What would the perfect day of Sabbath rest look like for you?  If you had to plan it, what would it include?

-Do any of your have a weekly Sabbath?  If not, why? If so, why do you choose to do that and what’s your routine to keep it holy?

-Why do you think our culture doesn’t value Sabbath?

-We oftentimes pay a terrible price for our busy lives.

How has skipping the Sabbath taken a toll on you personally, emotionally, physically, relationally, or spiritually in the past?

Please share! Your past struggle could help someone in the group from making the same mistake in their life.

Let’s look at 3 texts as we unpack the commandments around the Sabbath.

1. Exodus 20:8-11

a. God commands a day of rest. Why do Christians openly flaunt our disobedience of this?  We don’t even TRY to hide it!  Give the group an example of how you have actually bragged about breaking this law in the past.

b. God doesn’t just tell us to have a “stop” day, but He calls us to keep it “Holy.”  How can you make sure Sabbath is focused on God and not just a day off of work where you sit at home and do nothing?

c.  What are the excuses we give ourselves for breaking the Sabbath law? (don’t want to be lazy, don’t need to rest, will rest later, obligation to my boss/clients, trying to get ahead, worried about money). Aren’t these excuses an indicator of a lack of trust in God?

2. Mark 2:23-27

a. Jesus says that the Sabbath is actually a gift for mankind.  How is Sabbath actually a gift to us and not just a burden of rules or an inconvenient command from God?

b. Some people miss the purpose of the Sabbath because they are militant about the rules around it (no shopping, no fun, no work, etc).  Others miss the purpose of the Sabbath because we are carefree or cavalier about the idea of it (I don’t need it, too much to do, I’m too driven and motivated and successful to do that).  Which category do you fall into?

Why are they both harmful to us and in contrast to the design of the Sabbath by God?

Mark 6:30-34

a. Our version of “21^st Century American Jesus” would have told those disciples to work nights and weekends to get as many results accomplished as possible.  But that’s not what Jesus told them. Why did Jesus want the disciples to pull away?  What is the advantage for us to pull away as well?  (Connect with God, and connect with other Christians for encouragement, challenging, and fellowship together).

b. Can you share a story from the last time you pulled away in Sabbath? What did God teach you? Why did you do it?

4 Tips for a successful Sabbath

1. Unplug. Put away whatever you are plugged in to (phone, email, social media)

2. Engage with God. Spend time reading God’s Word, praying, and being alone with Him. Remember Sabbath is not a rest FROM God, but a rest LED BY God.

3. Be Intentional. Plan it, put it on your calendar, guard it like you would a meeting. It won’t happen by accident.

4. No Guilt! Don’t feel bad about unplugging, winding down, or resting.  Trust that God knows what He’s doing when he designed our lives to have 24-hours of Sabbath.

BONUS Fun Question to Close Down the Discussion…

-Is doing Strike Force breaking the Sabbath (hard, physical labor)?  Is serving in the kids’ ministry disobeying God because we are doing things on Sunday?  Is volunteering in any capacity at a local church on the weekends in direct disobedience to God’s 4^th command?

(When God gives us a Sabbath day, we believe that it actually honors God when people choose to spend some of that Sabbath serving Him and honoring Him through the service of others.  So the next time you pick up your kids from rWorld or see a Guest Services member in the parking lot, remember that they are using some of their Sabbath to honor God and serve you.  So THANK THEM and JOIN THE PARTY!)

New Year, New You

Announcement: Night of Missions, January 22nd, 6pm, North Campus. (Consider letting this be your rGroup meeting for the week. Talk it through with your rGroup.)

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to stop and think about where we're going and where we should be going. So let's evaluate our lives, make plans and goals, and live this new year with biblical diligence.

Before we take inventory of our lives and make new goals, let's read Proverbs 21:5 and then John 15:5 to understand why it's important to be diligent with plans and how they become possible.

(You don't have to go through all of these. Choose which questions your group needs most. Decide beforehand which members you'd like to direct the questions to before leaving them open to anyone to answer. Ask one or two people at most to answer the question in front of the group, but ask each person to write their own answer on paper for themselves. Please insert your own wisdom/thoughts/challenges for each question after giving other people a chance to speak.)

1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

7.  Whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

8. What's one thing you could do to improve your prayer life this year?

9. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in 10 years? In eternity?

10. What's the most important decision you need to make this year?

11. What's the most important need you feel burdened to meet this year?

12. What habit would you like to establish this year?

13. Who is the person you most want to encourage this year?

14. What is your most important financial goal this year, and what is the most important step you can take toward achieving it?

15. What book, in addition to the Bible, do you most want to read this year?

16. What single blessing from God do you want to seek most earnestly this year?

17. What skill do you most want to learn or improve this year?

18. What one biblical truth do you most want to understand better this year, and what will you do about it?

19. If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say? What will you do about it?

20. What's the most important new item you need to buy this year?

21.  In what area of your life do you most need change, and what will you do about it this year?

(Email these questions to each member after your discussion tonight so they can continue to think about them and prayerfully discuss with God.)