02.02.20 - Small Group Discussion

Killing what’s Killing You - Distractions

Stop focusing on what you’re distracted by, and start focusing on what you’re distracted from.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• What is easy for you to focus on? What is difficult for you to focus on? Why?

• What seems to distract you the most?

Read: John 10:10, Luke 10:38-42, Mark 14:35-36.

• How do distractions keep us from living the full life Jesus wants to give us?

• Where do you picture yourself in the story about Mary and Martha?

• Was what Martha doing important? Why or why not?

• What cultural customs keep you from focusing on what’s important?

• When you allow things like a notification on your phone to distract you, what is the message you’re sending to whatever you’re being distracted from?

• How do you feel when the roles are reversed and someone is distracted from you?

• What distractions do you allow to keep you from focusing on God?

• How can we focus on God?

Prayer: Pray for focus.

01.26.20 - Small Group Discussion

Killing what’s Killing You - Bitterness and Anger

Forgiven people should be forgiving people.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• When you’re angry, what do you do to deal with the anger?

• What does forgiveness mean to you?

Read: John 10:10, Ephesians 4:26-32, 1 Timothy 1:13-14, Luke 23:34.

• How can God give you life to the full?

• What makes anger righteous? How can righteous anger be dangerous?

• What do you think is the practical application for “do not let the sun go down on your anger?”

• Do the people involved in a situation affect how easy it is for you to forgive? Why or why not?

• What makes it easier or harder to forgive?

• How does forgiveness help with anger?

• What does forgiveness look like?

Prayer: Pray that you remember how much you’ve been forgiven when dealing with your anger.

01.19.20 - Small Group Discussion

Killing what’s Killing You - Guilt and Shame

My past will remind me; it will not define me.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• If someone asks you to describe yourself, what do you say?

• What lists do you find helpful? Why?

• What lists are unhelpful? Why?

Read: John 10:10, Titus 3:3-7.

• How did you feel about the writing exercise? What did you put on your list, if you feel comfortable sharing?

• What negatives in the Titus passage do you relate to?

• What would you put on a positive list for who you are after becoming a Christian?

• How can your past remind you without defining you?

• What does having the hope of eternal life do for how you live your life?

• If you’re a Christian, what do you feel like is/has been different in your life since making that choice?

Prayer: Pray that you see yourself the way God sees you.

01.12.20 - Small Group Discussion

Killing what’s Killing You - Comparison and Envy

You’ll never experience the life God intended if you’re trying to live someone else’s life.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• What did you get for Christmas? Did you do any comparing when other people opened their gifts?

Read: John 10:10, Proverbs 14:30, Exodus 20:17, Galatians 5:19-21.

• What does it mean to you to have “life to the full?”

• What imagery comes to mind when you read the Proverbs passage?

• How do you view the role the Ten Commandments play in your life?

• Why do you think envy is included in the list of sins in Galatians?

• What do you find yourself comparing about yourself most with others?

• Have you ever felt content? What was/is it like for you life, and what do you think created the feeling of contentment?

• How can you find contentment in the middle of the bad times in life?

• Can you help others find contentment? If yes, how? If no, why?

Prayer: Pray that God will help you want the life you have.

12.23.19 - Small Group Discussion

Rewriting Christmas - We Three Kings

The gift Christ wants is you.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• Have you ever re-gifted something? What was it?

• What is your favorite gift you have ever received? Why?

• What is your favorite gift you’ve ever given? Why?

Read: Matt. 2:1-12.

• Does it bother you that there may not have been three wise men? Why or why not?

• What would you see as the modern-day equivalent of the Magi visiting Herod to announce something?

• Why would the Magi care about a king being born far away from them? What can we learn from their decision?

• What do you feel is significant about non-Jewish people being among the first to be told of Jesus’ birth?

• What does it look like to gift yourself during the Christmas season and beyond?

Prayer: Pray that you give the gift of yourself this Christmas season.

12.15.19 - Small Group Discussion

Rewriting Christmas - The First Noel

Jesus was born to take away the sins of the world.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• Why are traditions important?

• When can they be harmful?

Read: Luke 2:8-20.

• Does it matter when Jesus was born? Why or why not?

• What, if anything, is the value to you in having Christmas in December? Why?

• The angels declared peace to the shepherds. Where could you use some more peace in your life?

• Who can you help experience some peace this holiday?

• The shepherds celebrated the good news and then they went back to their lives. How do you take the celebration of Jesus’s birth with you into your everyday life?

Prayer: Pray and tell God thank you for Jesus being born to take away our sins.

12.08.19 Small Group Discussion

Rewriting Christmas - Away in a Manger

God enters into the chaos of our everyday lives.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• What are the best and worst parts of the chaos that comes with Christmas? Why?

• If a painting were done like Peter Bruegel’s to show the birth of Jesus in our current day, what do you imagine it would look like?

Read: Luke 2:1-7.

• What do you do to keep your attention on Christ’s birth at Christmas?

• What was the biggest change presented in the message from your picture of the birth of Christ? How do you feel about it changing?

• What can we learn by looking at the hospitality in this passage that is given to Joseph and Mary?

• How does the chaos of Christmas hinder you spiritually?

• Do you feel like Christ enters the chaos of your life? Why or why not?

• Who do you know that has a really chaotic Christmas season? How can you help them?

Prayer: Pray that we don’t let the craziness of the holiday season distract us from its purpose.

12.01.19 - Small Group Discussions

Rewriting Christmas - Mary, did you know?

When God asks, a servant answers, “yes.”

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• What Christmas traditions do you have? Has anyone ever tried to change them? What was that like?

• Do you put up a nativity set in your house? What’s it like?

Read: Luke 1:26-38, Isaiah 7:14.

• How can having the details of Jesus’s birth incorrectly in our minds cause problems?

• What do you imagine being your first response if an angel were to appear before you, like Gabriel did with Mary?

• Are you a person that says “yes” to something before knowing all the details?

• What has God done through you when you’ve said yes? What have you said “no” to?

• Do you see yourself as a servant of God? Why or why not?

• Do you believe that nothing is impossible with God? Does the way you live reflect your answer? Why or why not?

Prayer: Pray for the courage to say yes when God asks something of you.

11.17.19 Small Group Discussion

Sinful Insights - The Story of David’s sin with Bathsheba

God uses the Broken.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• What’s your favorite over-the-top show? What do you like about it?

Read: 2 Samuel 11, 2 Samuel 12:1-14, 2 Samuel 12:15-25.

1st passage: When do you find yourself most susceptible to temptation? (hungry, tired, stressed, anxious, etc.)

• Obviously eating when you’re hungry or sleeping when you’re tired would help, but what else can you do to counteract that susceptibility?

• What are tangible ways you can keep yourself more focused on the things of God?

2nd passage: How do typically respond when someone confronts you?

• Should our response depend on the spirit that the person confronts you with? Why or why not?

• How can confrontation and rebuke be a blessing?

• Do you view it in that way? If not, what might that say about you?

3rd passage: As you read this section, do you find David’s reaction jarring?

• Do you tend to be someone who moves with the future or dwells in the past? Why?

• Do you think there is a time and a place for both?

• What does it mean to you that God can bring beauty out of brokenness?

• What does that even look like, tangibly?

Prayer: Pray for humility when confronted with your brokenness, and pray that you are loving to others in their brokenness.

11.10.19 - Small Group Discussion

Meeting Jesus - Blessing the Children

The least are made the greatest.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• Have you had a discussion, or been the subject of a discussion, where a child’s view was disregarded simply because it was coming from a child?

• For those who work in the service industry, how do you feel treated? For those that don’t, how do you see and treat those who are?

Read: Matthew 18:1-6, 19:13-14.

• What does it mean to you to have a child-like faith?

• Jesus’ stance is that it would be better for anyone who causes a believer to stumble to be dead. Is the heavy weight of that statement kept in your mind when you teach and/or learn alongside other believers? Why or why not?

• Why do you think the disciples were trying to keep the children from Jesus?

• Why would Jesus say the kingdom of God belongs to such as these (children)? What does that mean?

• How can you take a low position and raise others up?

• Who specifically will you interact with this week that holds a lowly position in our culture? How will you encourage them?

Prayer: Pray for faith like a child.

11.03.19 - Small Group Discussion

Meeting Jesus - A Gentile’s Faith

Jesus is for all people.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• Have you ever had a conversation go poorly because you can’t convey the tone correctly?

• What things are you possessive of? Why?

• Where do you see people being possessive when it comes to church, faith, etc.?

Read: Matthew 15:21-28.

• Can you think of a current-day parallel for the Canaanite woman? What would your response be to the person interrupting your time with Jesus?

• How do you respond when someone interrupts your downtime to ask something of you?

• When praying to God, do you try and explain a request, or do you just ask, “Lord, help me!”?

• Frank used the examples of Athens (philosophy), Rome (power), and Alexandria (learning) as significant places that Jesus did not go to. What would be the equivalent for today? What do you find significant about his choice of location?

• How do you imagine the conversation going between Jesus and the woman?

• What is the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian?

• Does being a Christian make us better than non-Christians? Why or why not?

• What is your response to the expectation that the best theology will be coming from South America and Asia in the coming decades?

• How can you live out the fact that Jesus is for all people?

Prayer: Pray that you realize you belong to Jesus, not the other way around.

10.27.19 - Small Group Discussion

Meeting Jesus - The Savior Servant

If you want to be like Jesus, you need to serve like Jesus.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• What characteristics do you associate with leaders? What makes a good leader?

• What do you consider good service? How did you treat the last person who served you?

• What or who do you think of when you think of a servant?

Read: John 13:1-17.

• What does serving mean to you?

• How are love and service connected?

• How do you take Jesus’ words, “Unless I wash you, you have no part of me”?

• What gets in the way of serving?

• Are there right or wrong ways to serve? Why or why not?

• Jesus washed Judas’ feet. How does that inform how you are called to serve?

• How do you currently serve? How will you serve this week?

Prayer: Pray for the humility to serve.

10.20.19 - Small Group Discussion

Meeting Jesus - Grace Reminder

People are quick to condemn; Jesus is quick to forgive.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• Do you lean towards forgiveness or condemning? What factors play a part in your choice (sleepy, hungry, driving, etc.)?

Read: John 7:53-8:11, Leviticus 20:10.

• How do you feel about this passage of John not being included in the earliest manuscripts? Why?

• What do you imagine Jesus wrote in the dirt?

• The religious leaders were just using the woman to trap Jesus. Do intentions matter for the choices we make? Why or why not?

• Nowhere in this story does the woman ask for forgiveness, yet Jesus forgives her. How does this impact how we should approach forgiving people?

• What makes someone’s forgiveness feel genuine? Why?

• If comfortable, share what you’ve been carrying around that you need to let Jesus forgive you for.

• Think about someone you need to forgive. What makes it hard to forgive them? How can you show forgiveness to them this week?

Prayer: Pray that you are quick to forgive, not condemn. Pray for the other people in your group that they accept Jesus’ forgiveness.

10.13.19 - Small Group Discussion

Meeting Jesus - Two Messes

Jesus isn’t afraid of cooties.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• What makes you avoid people?

Read: Mark 5:21-43.

• Why do you avoid “messy” people?

• Do you feel like the Church is a place for messy people? Do you feel that you are welcoming to messy people? Do you feel that the Church has been welcoming to you with your messiness? Why or why not?

• Jairus was a synagogue leader. Does his position have an impact on the situation or the fact that he went to Jesus?

• The woman who was bleeding did not have a high position like Jairus, but Jesus still waded into her mess. What can we learn from the woman and Jairus regarding who we should be engaging with?

• What does Jesus’ willingness to be ceremonially unclean mean for how we need to be for people? Was there anything wrong with being ceremonially unclean? Why or why not?

• How would things be different if we were willing to wade into more messy situations?

Prayer: Pray for courage when confronted with messy situations so that you will engage with the situation instead of avoiding it.

10.06.19 - Small Group Discussion

Meeting Jesus - Calling Matthew

Acceptance does not equal approval.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• What are some of the ways you interact with and affect people?

• Tax collectors were hated for collaborating with the occupying nation and stealing from the people to become rich. Can you think of what a similarly hated occupation might be today?

• Why do we often equate acceptance with approval?

Read: Matthew 9:9-13.

• To accept others the way Jesus does, we need to leave our place of comfort. What keeps you from doing so?

• Frank presents three primary reasons that Christians are sometimes hesitant to interact with non-Christians (They confuse acceptance with approval, they’re afraid the sin will “rub off,” or they’re apathetic about Hell). Do you see yourself in one of these categories? How so? Or, if you don’t, what keeps you from interacting with non-Christians?

• Why does Jesus desire mercy, not sacrifice?

• How can you be accepting to those whose actions or life choices are ones you don’t approve of? What does it look like?

Prayer: Pray that you are accepting and loving to those around you.

09.29.19 - Small Group Discussion

Grumpy Old Men - Micah

Seek justice, love mercy, walk humbly.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• When have you experienced denial? What helps shake you out of it?

• How does denial prevent you from moving forward?

Read: Micah 1:2-5, 3:1-4, 5:2, 4-5, 6:1-4, 8.

• Micah 1 addresses the punishment coming due to the people’s sins. How do you handle situations where you are told a punishment is coming?

• Micah 3 addresses the leaders. Why are leaders held to a higher standard? Does a leader’s poor leadership absolve their followers of their sins? Why or why not?

• We are told to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. Why?

• What does justice mean to you? How can you seek it?

• What does mercy mean? What does it look like to love mercy?

• What does humility mean to you? How do we walk humbly?

• Which of these three instructions is hardest for you? Why?

• For the two principles presented (prophecy is more important for what it reveals about God than what it reveals about the future, and prophecy wasn’t necessarily written to us, but it was definitely preserved for us), what do Micah’s words reveal about God and why were these words preserved for us?

Prayer: Pray that you be shown how to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly.

09.22.19 - Small Group Discussion

Grumpy Old Men - Amos

God wants you to have eternal life; He also wants you to have abundant living.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• What experiences have you had with a good or bad foundation?

Read: Amos 7:7-9, 2:6-7, Deuteronomy 25:9-10

• Amos 7 discusses a plumb line. Do you compare your actions to others’ actions to determine if something is ok? Why or why not? Is this a good thing to do? Why or why not?

• Amos 2 deals with injustice and oppression. What are some examples of injustice and oppression that you’re aware of in our current culture?

• In what ways do you contribute, intentionally or not, to the injustice and/or oppression in our culture?

• For the two principles presented (prophecy is more important for what it reveals about God than what it reveals about the future, and prophecy wasn’t necessarily written to us, but it was definitely preserved for us), what do Amos’s words reveal about God and why were these words preserved for us?

• What are you doing to right the wrongs of injustice and oppression in our world?

Prayer: Pray that you reject partaking in injustice and oppression, and that the only guidance you follow for right and wrong is God’s direction.

09.15.19 - Small Group Discussion

Grumpy Old Men - Hosea

God loves you enough to discipline you and too much to discard you.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• How has your view of discipline changed over time?

• Why is discipline important?

Read: Hosea 1:2-12, 2:6-8, 3:1, Romans, 5:6-8, Hebrews 12:7, 11

• What have you been taught previously about God and discipline? Do these verses match that? Why or why not?

• Is it difficult to reconcile the way God is with Hosea and his family with your view of God? Why or why not?

• Do you find encouragement in these passages? Why or why not?

• What does it mean to you that God’s love is unreasonable? What about that His love is tough and that His love is unconditional?

• Do you believe these (His love is unreasonable, tough, and unconditional) to be true? Why or why not?

• What has God done that makes you feel loved?

• For the two principles presented last week (prophecy is more important for what it reveals about God than what it reveals about the future, and prophecy wasn’t necessarily written to us, but it was definitely preserved for us), what did Hosea’s words reveal about God and why were these words preserved for us?

Prayer: Pray that you receive discipline well and change in accordance to it.

09.08.19 - Small Group Discussion

Grumpy Old Men - Joel

Either you kill sin, or sin kills you.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• What is your initial impression or attitudes towards the books of prophecy in the Old Testament? Why?

• When you hear the word “prophecy,” what comes to mind?

• How do the two principles Frank presented impact your view on prophecy? (prophecy is more important for what it reveals about God than what it reveals about the future, and prophecy wasn’t necessarily written to us, but it was definitely preserved for us)

Read: Joel 1:1-14, 2:12-13

• Like the destruction the locusts bring, sin will destroy us and our lives. How can we acknowledge the cost of sin? What keeps us from acknowledging the cost? Why is acknowledging the cost important?

• What does it mean to genuinely mourn your sin? Why is this important to do?

• What does repenting mean to you and what does it look like in your life?

• Joel speaks to God’s character in 2:13. Have you found his descriptions to be accurate? Why or why not?

• For the two principles presented previously, what did Joel’s words reveal about God and why were these words preserved for us?

Prayer: Pray a pray of thanks for God’s forgiveness and ask for help in counting the cost, mourning the sin, and repenting of the sin.

08.25.19 - Small Group Discussion

Summer of Love - Final Instructions

We’re in this together.

• What’s one idea from the message that stood out to you? Why do you think it grabbed you?

• Can you think of any opening or closing words that you’ve heard from a speaker that have stuck with you? What were they? Why did they stick with you?

Read: 1 John 5:13-21

• What does eternal life mean to you? How does it impact the way you live/think/act/view the world? Do you live like you have eternal life? How or how not?

• Do you believe that God hears you when you pray? Why or why not?

• What is your approach to handling a situation when a fellow believer is sinning?

• What does it mean to you to be a child of God?

• How are we able to know God? How does this impact how we live?

• If you were able to know what your last words were going to be, what would they be and who would you share them with?

Prayer: Pray for God’s will to be done.