CG Leader’s Study Guide, Mission Connect, for the week of Sept 5, 2021 PDF VERSION
Community Group Leader Guide
For the week of September 5, 2021
This guide is designed to give helpful hints in preparing & leading your group in discussion.
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LEADER NOTES |
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⇨ COMMUNITY GROUP COVENANT Go over the Covenant with anyone who missed the first week. If anyone did not sign the Covenant, remind them to do so. ⇨ SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT WEEK #2 Remember we’re on week #2 with your group. People are still acclimating, especially any new people. Lead your group through the questions according to how well everyone knows each other. There are plenty of questions in this guide to take you deeper. And remember, as a leader, your goal each night is to lead your group in such a way that you hear from everyone and use the Bible as your guide. Know that if you do this each week, the people in your group will grow! Remember you don’t need to cover all of the questions. Great conversation and connection are far more important than covering all of the questions. ⇨ Prayer Note Check out the Tips on Group Prayer at the end of this Leader’s Guide. If you have new people in your group, please make sure you go over this. And NEVER make someone pray. Group prayer is similar to public speaking, which is the #1 fear people have. ⇨ ATTENDANCE Submit your group’s attendance online |
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
Have fun with the first question below. It’s meant to be light-hearted and engaging for everyone. It’s recommended to definitely ask the Quick Review question.
Group Discussion Tip: Go around the circle and have everyone answer, or open it up to the group and ask someone who doesn’t talk much to answer. Remember, giving the group time limits helps keep one person from dominating the discussion.
1. Would you rather:
… always be 10 minutes late or always be 20 minutes early?
… have unlimited, international, first-class tickets or never have to pay for food at a restaurant?
… be without your phone for a week or without transportation for a month?
2. This weekend we had Missions Connect. Which organization stood out to you? What is your next step?
QUICK REVIEW
Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time or something that caught your attention, challenged or confused you?
DIGGING DEEPER
1. Putting others first and loving others sacrificially can be no small challenge with all life throws at us. What motivation and guidance do the following verses give when it comes to putting this kind of love into action?
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 New International Version (NIV)
14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
Additional Question: Can you think of ways you’ve seen or sensed God’s spirit work this out in your life or the way you think and live?
Have you had a specific time you sensed God “compelling” you to understand this or do this? Was there anything specific going on that helped make this happen?
Galatians 5:13-15 New International Version (NIV)
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
John 15:9-14 New International Version (NIV)
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
Additional Question: Can you think of any life experiences or people that have helped you understand or have been great examples of what it means to live by denying themselves and putting others first?
Which one of the verses above is most motivating to you and why when it comes to living out “It’s not all about me?”
2. Humility is a character quality that is vital to putting others first. It allows us to have the vision to see God at work. How do the following verses help us evaluate if we really are humble, as well as understand who we are and who God is?
James 3:13 New International Version (NIV)
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
Romans 3:23 New International Version (NIV)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
TAKING IT HOME
SERVICE CHECK: Is there somewhere or someone you need to adjust your posture toward and serve in new way? Family, friends, those you disagree with, other?
Because it is only the second week of group, it is recommended to not use names and keep people focused on using the categories for the responses and not a specific person.
Looking back at your notes and study questions, what’s most important for you to remember and why?
PRAYER REQUESTS
Prayer is an amazing avenue God has given us to communicate with Him and He with us, but we also come to it with a lot of different thoughts and feelings. Which of the following statements are most true for you?
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Group prayer goes best when…
WE PRAY FOR ONE TOPIC AT A TIME
Anyone in the group is free to introduce a prayer request either before prayer begins or during the prayer time. Once a topic is introduced, the group focuses on that request alone. Once it’s covered, the group moves on to the next topic.
EACH PERSON PRAYS MORE THAN ONCE
Because the group is focusing on one topic at a time, each person is encouraged to pray several times during the prayer time for those topics they feel most led to pray about.
WE KEEP OUR PRAYERS SHORT AND SIMPLE
Group prayer goes better when members keep their prayers short and to the point. When someone prays for a long time, it’s hard for the other members to stay focused and long prayers tend to intimidate those who are just learning to pray out loud in a group.
MEN PRAY WITH MEN, WOMEN PRAY WITH WOMEN
Breaking up the group into smaller groups based on gender, allows for everyone to get a bit more personable and share deeply. Remember, what we say in the group, stays in the group.