Week 1 - King

WHO IS THIS MAN?: WEEK 1 DISCUSSION GUIDE

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This week we started a new series called, "Who Is This Man?" We are focusing on who Jesus really is and what he is all about. This week's focus was about the fact that Jesus came to us as a servant and as a King. Jesus loves us and serves us. He even laid down His life for us. He also requires us to give him authority over our lives. In the first century, his followers were comfortable with the idea of Jesus as King. They wanted a Savior and Liberator. However, they were not as comfortable with the idea of Jesus as a servant either. Jesus' disciples reprimanded Him for attempting to wash their feet as a slave would. They tried to chase children away from Jesus, and they sought positions of glory and authority instead of positions of servanthood.

Today, however, people most commonly have the opposite perspective. We like to think of Jesus as a servant. We can try to emulate the way He loves and serves others. We like the gentle image of a Savior who gives us his everything. The image of Jesus that we tend to struggle with is Jesus as King. If Jesus is our King then we have to submit to Him and His authority. To follow Jesus as a servant, we simply need to love and serve others. To follow Jesus as King, we must surrender control of our own lives and our own choices. We give His teachings authority over our lives. In a culture that values independence, freedom and autonomy, the idea of submitting to Jesus' as King can be difficult.

DISCUSS

Share a story about when you were younger and had a hard time with authority.

Have you ever had a person under your authority who struggled with the idea of being accountable to you?

Does your present job, education, or life phase require you to surrender to another person's authority? Is this difficult for you? If so, why?

Is there a person in your life to whom you gladly surrender authority?

What does it take to submit to someone else's authority? What does it require of you? What does it require of the other person?

Do you gravitate more toward the image of Jesus as Servant or Jesus as King?

Do you struggle with the idea of Jesus having authority over your life? If so, what would it take to get you to a point where you are willing to submit to their authority of Jesus as King?

PRAY FOR YOUR GROUP

Pray that we will grow to be people who allow Jesus to have authority over our lives. Pray that he will truly be our King.

PRAY FOR FCC

Pray that as a church we will honor Jesus as our King. Pray for the leadership of FCC and their wisdom in leading us to follow Jesus as a church.

PRAY FOR OUR GLOBAL PARTNERS

Pray for FCC's global partners, the "B" Family, in India. Praise God for the work that they are doing among an unreached Muslim people group, who do not know Jesus. Pray that our global partners' school and business will continue to be successful tools in helping to build relationships with the community and open more hearts to the hope and love Jesus offers.

Week 1 - The Foundation of Healthy Relationships

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This week we began a new series called Hot Mess. This series is all about what God wants for us in our relationships. 

Ephesians 5:1 tells us to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. In the following verses Paul goes on to unpack what mutual submission looks like. He describes how wives are to submit to husbands, how husbands are to submit to wives, how children submit to parents, how parents submit to children, and how slaves and masters (employees and employers) are to submit to one another. This kind of submission is not about one person assuming power over the other. It is not about who is dominant and who is dominated. It is about the voluntary act of putting another person’s needs ahead of your own. We are to do this out of reverence for Christ. The person we choose to submit to most likely does not deserve this treatment. We do this because this is what Jesus did for us. He set aside His own life, suffered and died for us while we were still sinners.

 DISCUSS

What is the healthiest relationship you currently have? Why do consider it to be healthy?

 Have you ever had a relationship that was strained by selfishness? What did you learn from that experience?

 While we need to selflessly lean into hurting or broken relationships, we also need to end or limit relationships with toxic people. How do you tell the difference between a relationship that is suffering, and a relationship with a toxic person?

 Tell us about a time when someone set aside their own interests and submitted to yours.

 What is it about the idea of submitting to others that is most difficult for you?

 Is there a relationship in your life that you have been pulling away from, and you need to start leaning into?

 PRAY FOR YOUR GROUP

Pray for our relationships, especially those that are suffering. Pray that we will take to heart what it means to submit to one another, to set aside selfishness, and to put the need of others ahead of our own.

PRAY FOR FCC

Pray that as a church we will be an example to our community of what good relationships look like. Pray for the health of our relationships.

PRAY FOR OUR GLOBAL PARTNERS

Pray for FCC global partners, MidIndia Christian Mission, as they come alongside 15 new followers of Jesus who were baptized earlier this week. They are from the Bhil people group, a mostly unreached people group in India, where no one knows about Jesus. Pray for encouragement and a strong community of like-minded followers to help empower and support them in reaching more of their own people with the good news of Jesus.

Week 1 - Building Momentum

RESET: WEEK 1 DISCUSSION GUIDE

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We all have momentum in our lives, leading us toward something. If you think about your decisions, habits, and routines, they are leading you somewhere, even if there is no plan or intention behind your actions. This weekend, Scott talked about how some of us have positive momentum that is leading us in good directions, while others have momentum that is not leading us to great places.

Changing this momentum requires two things: a catalyst, and a progression. Change doesn’t just begin without a catalyst. There must be an event, a decision, a crisis, or a circumstance that drives us toward change. But this catalyst alone is not enough. There must also be a progression of actions that follow. These actions must be planned and intentional.

DISCUSS

Just for fun, do you have any stories about failed new year’s resolutions? Where is the current momentum of your life leading you?

How do you feel about new year’s resolutions? Do you make them? How good are you at keeping them?

Did you make any new year’s resolutions this year? If so, what are they? What is one thing that you would like to change in your life?

What was the catalyst that prompted this change?

What is the progression of necessary steps you will need to make if you want to see this change become a reality in your life? Take a minute to list them out. Share them with your group.

If time allows, give one another input and advice about additional action items, and how to stick to the action items they have listed.

PRAY

Pray that we will follow through with our plans. Pray that with God’s help, we will be able to see real life changes that go beyond new year’s resolutions.

Week 1 - DOUBT

DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE DOUBT
WEEK 1: DISCUSSION GUIDE

This week Scott kicked off our Christmas series by talking about Joseph. Joseph was faithful to God, and obedient in taking Mary as his wife, but his obedience began with a struggle. He struggled to believe Mary. He struggled to trust what God was doing. In the end, we see that Joseph was a man of faith. Faith isn’t about blindly believing. We see a lot of people “of faith” throughout the Bible, who also struggle with God. In our current Christian culture, struggling with questions, or having doubts are often judged as being a sign of faithlessness.

Joseph was never judged for his struggles. Within the church, people often conceal their struggles and doubts. We can think that it is weak to doubt. We can feel like it is embarrassing to have questions.

DISCUSS

Just for fun...
Tell us about your favorite Christmas tradition.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were afraid to ask questions?

Do you often deal with doubt?

What are the things that can cause you to have doubts and struggles with God?

When you have doubts and struggles, do they make you feel like you are not faithful, or spiritual?

Struggles and doubts are not a sign of faithlessness. To the contrary, they are things that great leaders in the Bible endured as well. Knowing this, do you need to allow yourself to struggle with some things?

What do you need from other people when you are working through struggles and doubts?

How can you be there for others who are working through these kinds of things?

PRAY

Pray that we will be honest with each other, with God, and with ourselves when it comes to the struggles and doubts that we face. Pray that we will not pretend that these things don’t exist, but that we will learn to face them head-on.

Week 1 - What Makes You Angry

WEEK 1 DISCUSSION GUIDE

This week we kicked off our Be Rich series by talking about giving. A special “above and beyond” offering was taken to share with partners in our community who are doing great things to love and serve people. The idea behind Be Rich is that we would reflect the love that Jesus has shown us. If our hearts are in step with God’s heart, then the things that matter most to God will matter most to us. And what matters most to God is loving people.

We looked at the example of the religious people who criticized Jesus for healing on the Sabbath and we discussed how religion can actually oppose God. When we focus more on preferences, traditions, and rules, than we do on loving people, we use our devotion as an excuse to not love like Jesus.

When we peruse God, we will be people who love others, serve others, and give to others. We will be “rich in good deeds.”

1 Timothy 6:17-19

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in
wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.

DISCUSS

This question is just for fun, let’s talk about being rich in worldly terms. If you won millions of dollars in the lottery, what is the most extravagant thing you would do?

What are some examples of people being so religious that they actually oppose God? How do people use “devotion,” as an excuse to not love others?

Tell us about a time when somebody was rich toward you. Don’t limit the conversation to financial matters. We can also be rich with things like our time, energy, and compassion.

What is your favorite way to be rich toward others?

What is a way that you find it difficult to be rich toward others?

PRAY

Pray that we will be a church that is known for being rich in love and good deeds toward our community, and that we as individuals, will love others like Jesus loves us.

Freeway

As we go through our Freeway series there are several videos available for free to watch that compliment the series. Search "freeway" in Right Now Media. If you don't have an account, we'd love to give you one as a gift. Click below to register.

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Good News

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“The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves that we ever dared to believe, yet at the same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”

-Tim Keller

“The gospel is not a doctrine of the tongue, but of life. It cannot be grasped by reason and memory only, but it is fully understood when it possesses the whole soul and penetrates to the inner recesses of the heart.”

-John Calvin

The New Testament is all about the Gospel, or Good News, of Jesus Christ. If you are in a community group, then this is something you are probably familiar with.
This Gospel belongs to Jesus. It is His Good News. It was created by Jesus. It is about Jesus. It all points to Jesus. But in the book of Romans, Paul refers to this message as his own Gospel.

Romans 16:25
Now to Him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus...

This is confusing until we understand what Paul is getting at. He is not claiming that the message of the Gospel is all about him. He is showing how Jesus’ story becomes our story. As the Gospel of Jesus Christ lives itself out in our lives, we express it through our own experiences in different ways. His good news becomes our good news. And we have a unique story and a unique gospel. It is told through the story of our lives, and what Jesus has done in us and through us.

DISCUSS -

This week we just have one discussion question. What is your gospel? Describe how the Gospel of Jesus has become your story. Share what Jesus has done in you and through you.

PRAY -

PRAY FOR YOUR LIFE GROUP
Take some time to pray prayers of thankfulness, for what God has done in our lives, and how His gospel has become ours.

PRAY FOR FCC & OUR COMMUNITY
We have a huge “Block Party” event coming up on September 23rd. There will be four simultaneous parties in four different local parks, where we will be loving our community in a fun way. Pray for the success of these events, and that because of them, people will get connected to FCC, and ultimately come to know Jesus.

Week 1: What Is A Hero?

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We just started a new series called Heroes. During this series, we are having some fun talking about superheroes and what it takes for us to be heroes. Scott focused us on a very short verse that tells us the story of a hero named Shamgar.

Judges 3:31

After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.  

Although this verse doesn’t seem like much, it reveals a lot of truth about what it takes to be a hero. Shamgar was not a hero because of some incredible superpower, or laboratory accident. Shamgar was a hero because he used what he had and where he was, to do what he could. 

God places a high value on the idea of people using the resources that we are blessed with. 

1 Peter 4:10

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

 Read Matthew 25:14-30

In this parable, the servants are not judged by what they have been given, but by what they did with what they were given. The servant who buried his money was called wicked and lazy. 

The greatest thing that we can do with what we have been given, is to place it into Jesus’ hands. When we give our time, money, talents, energy, skills, aptitudes, and efforts over to God, He can do great things with them. We have to decide each day if we will put to use what we have been given, or if we will use it for our own advantage.

DISCUSS

Scott shared these three simple ideas, that reflect Shamgar’s success…

1.   Start where you are.

2.   Use what you have.

3.   Do what you can. 

We are going to take a few minutes to think about these three things and how we can follow Shamgar’s example.

Where are you? How would you describe your present situation, circumstances, and phase of life?

What do you have? What has God blessed you with? What are your assets, skills, talents, passions, and resources?

What can you do? Dream about what you could possibly do with what you have in your present situation. Dream big. Have fun imagining what you might accomplish.

Prayerfully consider if God may be leading you to be a hero for others in a new way. 

PRAY

PRAY FOR YOUR LIFE GROUP

Pray that we will be open to God’s leading, and that we will look at our place, resources, and potential with a fresh sense of vision.

PRAY FOR FCC & OUR COMMUNITY

Pray that FCC will effectively be a hero to our community; using what we have to serve and love others in a way that consistently reveals God’s love.

PRAY FOR OUR GLOBAL PARTNERS

(Jericho will provide this)

Week 1: WHO THE CHURCH IS FOR

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This week we began a new series called “Focus”. We are spending some time focusing in on what Jesus is all about. When Jesus began his ministry, he spoke at the synagogue in his hometown. When he claims to be the Messiah, those present were a bit bewildered by him, yet not offended. They even spoke well of him in spite of this radical claim. What offended them was his insinuation that salvation was for the gentiles; non-Hebrews, who did not follow Jewish laws and traditions. After hearing this, they drive Jesus out of town and attempt to kill him.

The message that got Jesus into so much trouble with the Galileans, was that God is not just for an exclusive group of people, but for everybody. This is a message that Jesus was hated for throughout his life on earth, as he invited tax collectors, sinners, and outcasts to follow him. Throughout Jesus’s ministry, he keeps insisting that many of the “outsiders” are actually in, and many “insiders” are actually out. Sadly, this was a message that the people of the time rejected. And it is a message that many people in the church today still reject.

As the church, we can become just as exclusive. We tend to define ourselves, not by who we are for, but what we are against. Jesus said that he came to seek and to save the lost, but we often position ourselves against those who don’t know Jesus. Jesus said that it is the sick who need a doctor and that they are the whole point of his incarnation. When we see symptoms of spiritual sickness, do we meet them with healing and care, or with judgment and condemnation?

DISCUSS

Jesus was clearly for people. Do people look at us and see a church that is for people?

Acts 15:19
“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the gentiles who are turning to God.

Do we make it difficult for people to turn to God? If so, in what ways?

Jesus is defined by love, and wants the same for us. Do you think that the church is defined by love? What do you think the church is commonly defined by in today’s culture?

Scott said that we need to be a church for people who don’t go to church. How can we show unchurched people that we are for them?

PRAY

PRAY FOR YOUR LIFE GROUP
Pray that we will show love and acceptance to others in our daily lives, and that we will reflect the love of Jesus to all those we come into contact with.

PRAY FOR FCC & OUR COMMUNITY
Pray that we will be come a church that is known in our community by our love and by the fact that we are for people, not against them.

PRAY FOR OUR GLOBAL PARTNERS
Spend a few moments praising God for bringing healing to our FCC global field worker in India with MidIndia Christian Mission, Mr. Lall. After heart surgery, Mr. Lall has recovered and was well enough to travel to the States to be here for the wedding of his son this summer. Please pray for their ministry in India to continue its profound impact, even during our field workers' absence.