Sermon Questions

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Funny Little Thing Called Love #1

stuartmcpherson Sermon Questions

SERIES: Funny little Thing Called Love

WEEK 1

Icebreaker	Who would you swap lives with for twenty-four hours?
Recap	We began our series on love this week by exploring several verses in the Bible that describe the love God has for us. We learned that God’s love requires both faith and sacrifice and that His love surpasses all understanding.
Scripture Reference	1 John 4:9-10, 15-16; Romans 5:6-8; Ephesians 3:17-19; Luke 15:1-7
Focus Questions	Read each of the Scripture passages referenced above out loud one at a time. What did each passage say? What did you hear? Try to repeat what you heard. (Others in your group can help you along the way.) What does this passage tell us about God, Jesus or his plan? What does this passage tell me about people? What does this passage tell me about myself? What am I doing well? What do I need to change? If this is God’s word for my life, how will I obey it? Who needs to hear this story, and how can I tell them? Who am I going to tell?
Send Out	Reflection: I love traveling, tacos, reading and sunshine. I love chai tea lattes, Korean dramas and gel pens. I love my children, my friends and my family. And I really really love crème brûlée (especially when it’s made by someone else). We throw the word ‘love’ around in our culture on a pretty regular basis but do we truly understand what real love is? We say we want to experience real love but are we ready to receive it? Most of us have experienced a love that touched deep inside us that we couldn’t explain. It may have been a romantic love, or the birth of a child, or a friendship that you were able to be vulnerable in. Most of us have also experienced the pain that followed when that relationship ended, or a child closed the door on us, or the trust in our friendship was betrayed. It’s easy to end up believing that opening up regardless of the outcome isn’t worth it. We hold our arms out to create a safe buffer zone between our hearts and anyone else. We keep our troubles to ourselves so that no one can use that against us. We build up walls so fortified that when someone dares to even hint that they care about us, we scoff and immediately doubt their words. Because who wants to be hurt like that again? I was in my twenties with two kids doing the whole financially challenged single mom thing when I met a man through mutual friends. When he asked me out I simply looked at him and explained, “You don’t want to date me.” My life was complicated and busy. I had two jobs, a hateful ex, and was trying to parent when I didn’t know how. It just seemed too exhausting to invest in someone that was only going to walk away from this chaos anyway. But he didn’t go away. I’d find little gifts on my porch that were practical and helpful. A package of diapers one night, some groceries for a simple meal a few nights later. He never pushed me or demanded anything more than what I could give. He simply wanted the opportunity to care for me. That’s exactly what God wants you to experience, too – His care, His love. He will not grow weary of caring for you. He will not get tired of you, lose his feelings for you, decide it’s not you but Him and that he needs to move on to loving someone better. He loves you. Right now where you stand, with your 30 extra pounds, your financial debt, your previous failure in relationships. He loves you in your questioning and doubt and guardedness. He loves you with your humiliating past, your horrible decisions and your insecurities. When you tell Him that He doesn’t want to waste His time on you, He says, over and over, that you are exactly who He wants to spend His time with. Questions: Do you feel uncomfortable receiving love from others? Have you decided that you’re getting by just fine on your own? Do you waver between accepting love and rejecting it because you want to feel loved, but you don’t want to get hurt again? How willing are you to make loving sacrifices in your relationships with others right now? How does that affect the way you see and receive love? God didn’t just say He loved us, he showed us in the most sacrificial, undeserved way – by sending His perfect son, Jesus, to die on the cross. God showed us that true love is more than just emotion or sentiment. True love is intentional and action-oriented. When we intentionally take time to explore and try to understand the depth of love Jesus has for us, we free ourselves to love each other in that same sacrificial and intentional kind of way. Why is it important that we find the definition of love in the cross rather than somewhere else? Is there any situation in your life right now that is causing you to question the love of God? Do you find yourself more loving or more critical and judgmental of others right now? How can you reconnect with the love of God in Christ this week? Do you want to experience real love? What are you waiting for?

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Rethinking Habits #4

stuartmcpherson Sermon Questions

SERIES: Rethinking Habits

2/28/2021: WEEK 4

Icebreaker	Would you rather be the star of your favorite TV show or movie, or be a member of your favorite band?
Recap	We’re wrapping up our series of Rethinking Church where we’ve been asking the question, “What constitutes church?” We’ve explored how the holistic expression of church can exist anywhere, at any time, but in order to be successful we need to develop, grow and strengthen four habits: Shepherding Others, being On Mission to spread the gospel truth, Develop Others, and Accountability. This week’s sermon focused on the need to be held accountable to God’s Word, to one another, and to ourselves and our own convictions.
Scripture Reference	1 John 3:21-22; Hebrews 4:12-13; Galatians 6:1-5; Hebrews 3:13-14
Focus Questions	Read the Scripture passages referenced above out loud one at a time. What did each passage say? What did you hear? Try to repeat what you heard. (Others in your group can help you along the way.) What does this passage tell us about God, Jesus or his plan? What does this passage tell me about people? What does this passage tell me about myself? What am I doing well? What do I need to change? If this is God’s word for my life, how will I obey it? Who needs to hear this story, and how can I tell them? Who am I going to tell?
Send Out	As my best friend and I walked along together I began listing all the things wrong with my partner. I was so frustrated and angry by all the little things he did and I was getting all of that off my chest. For almost ten minutes my best friend listened to me as I grew louder and more emotional. Abruptly she stopped and turned toward me. “I’ve got to tell you,” she said quietly, “sometimes you’re not very nice to him.” What?! Didn’t she just hear all the things I told her that was wrong with him? He left his dirty plates and dishes everywhere. He’d leave candy wrappers laying around not even caring that I had spent time cleaning up! This wasn’t about me – this was about him! She continued gently, reminding me of a recent gathering with friends where I had embarrassed him in front of others and she knew it was on purpose. He had handled it with grace, not responding, and we went on with our evening. I was the one who made everyone feel awkward. I explained that he had said something first – “I know,” she said. “We all heard it. But you decided to punish him in front of everyone instead of waiting until you could discuss it in private. You have to learn how to hold your anger and not erupt. Wait until the next day when you can tell him that what he said hurt you, instead of making a scene in front of everyone.” She was right, of course. I had let my emotions get the better of me. I had wanted to embarrass him and make him look foolish. But in the end, I only made myself look petty. “C’mon,” she smiled, “let’s go into this store. I need to find a gift for my mother-in-law’s birthday.” No one likes to be corrected. No one enjoys hearing they’re wrong. No one wants to be told they need to step up and do better than what they’re currently doing. I know I certainly didn’t like that moment on the street with my best friend, but she knew I needed to be called out. I can say her words that sunny afternoon were placed into my heart and I knew I had to do better. I started seeing different interactions from my partner’s point of view and realized that there were many times that I chose abruptness over gentleness and God expected more from me. Without her words on the street that day, I might never have seen the growing that I needed to do. Name out loud the people you have in your life that challenge you to live by God’s Word. The people that will steer you back into the Word and ask if your words, actions or behaviors are supported by biblical truth. Name those who can call out your sin with love and hold you to God’s standard of who He calls you to be. Who in your life will remind you of your own personal convictions and the original passion you had in your relationship with Christ? What would your life look like one year from now if you had people in your life making you accountable to God’s Word, to one another, and to yourself and your convictions? What do you need to be held accountable for?

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Rethinking Habits #3

stuartmcpherson Sermon Questions

SERIES: Rethinking Habits

2/21/2021: WEEK 3

Icebreaker	Would you rather be able to read minds or accurately predict the future?
Recap	As Christians we have an enormous advantage in that we have Jesus as our leadership role model. We are called to daily grow to be more Christ-like. That includes being a leader and encouraging others to lead, too! Jesus took the time to develop the twelve apostles as leaders and sent them to tell others about Christ. This week we learned the importance of developing others, speaking words of encouragement over them, calling out their skills and talents, and what Biblical prophetic declarations look like and where they fit in.
Scripture Reference	Numbers 27:15-20; Judges 2:10; Matthew 16:16-18; 1 Corinthians 14:1,3; Hebrews 4:12
Focus Questions	Read the Scripture passages referenced above out loud one at a time. What did each passage say? What did you hear? Try to repeat what you heard. (Others in your group can help you along the way.) What does this passage tell us about God, Jesus or his plan? What does this passage tell me about people? What does this passage tell me about myself? What am I doing well? What do I need to change? If this is God’s word for my life, how will I obey it? Who needs to hear this story, and how can I tell them? Who am I going to tell?
Send Out	The future of the Christian Church depends on the development of people today. If no one is encouraged, developed, and raised up into leadership positions, the Church will be unable to move forward and continue to grow. Imagine a bunch of parents piling into a bus to go get groceries, except no one knows how to drive. Without the driver, no one waiting in the bus will ever get to the grocery store, and several families and children will be unable to receive nourishment. In a way, it is the same for the soul-nourishment a relationship with Jesus can provide. We need to be developed into drivers to bring others to Christ. Over and over in my social media feed I saw a young mother post about her love for yoga. She would mention scripture along with a picture or talk about how doing yoga provided her space to focus on Christ. While she thought she was just updating her social media with a picture from her mat on the kitchen floor, many of us began to see the leader she could be. Her relationship with Christ was evident and so was her talent for yoga. Imagine, people told her, if you started a Christian Yoga class as a way to invite people to learn more about God while learning how to slow down their bodies, their breathing and the thoughts racing through their minds. Others began to speak into her: “I can see you leading a Christian-based class!” “You are such a natural teacher.” “I would totally take a class taught by you!” We know our purpose in life (to make disciples); it’s the “how” that hangs us up. In this case, we could clearly see that the “how” would be through yoga. Maybe for you it’s through running, or tutoring, or cooking, or car repair. Most of the time it’s an interest we already have inside of us – it just needs to be called out and developed. Have you ever had someone speak something into you? Maybe they saw a skill or talent you overlooked. Maybe they could see how your skills or talents could be developed into something more than you ever dared to imagine for yourself. Did you ignore what they saw in you, or did you embrace it? Think about someone you know that you can see has a skill or talent that could be developed to do Kingdom Work in an even bigger way than it is now. Tell that person. Send a text or a card in the mail or tell them in person: “I see this in you.” Pray for a deep conviction to develop others and to allow others to speak into you for your own development. The more drivers we have, the more busses that can run. That means, the more people we can introduce to Christ!

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Rethinking Habits #2

stuartmcpherson Sermon Questions

SERIES: Rethinking Habits

2/14/2021: WEEK 2

Icebreaker	Should everyone on earth get 3 wishes at the same time? Or should people get three wishes by a lottery system?
Recap	This week we concentrated on 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 noting the mission for us as Christians is to spread the gospel and the way we do that is through our methodology. This might be through serving meals, adopting a single mom and her children, or helping teach agriculture and gardening. However, whatever good we’re doing we need to be sure to stay focused on our mission: to spread the gospel.
Scripture Reference	1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Focus Questions God Humans Me Tell Others	Read the Scripture passage referenced above out loud. What did this passage say? What did you hear? Try to repeat what you heard. (Others in your group can help you along the way.) What does this passage tell us about God, Jesus or his plan? What does this passage tell me about people? What does this passage tell me about myself? What am I doing well? What do I need to change? If this is God’s word for my life, how will I obey it? Who needs to hear this story, and how can I tell them? Who am I going to tell?
Send Out	Read Matthew 28:16-20 about the Great Commission. The Great Commission is when Jesus Christ instructs his disciples, and us, to spread the gospel to all the nations of the world. It is about making disciples through the gospel. When Christians talk about the gospel, they mean the truth that Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for our sin so that we might become the children of God through faith alone in Christ alone. Simply put, the gospel is good news—the good news of what God has done in Jesus Christ. And God wants us to tell others all about this good news! There is a lot of chatter in our society about finding our “purpose” in life. We can take classes, quizzes, and go on retreats all in the hopes to help us identify our purpose, or reason, for being here. But we already know our purpose! God tells us our purpose is to spread the Good News: the Gospel! It is not so much our purpose that hangs us up, since we know what that is, but our methodology, or the way we’re going to deliver the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 we read about how the Apostle Paul became all things to all people in order to stay on mission and spread the gospel. Have you ever had someone try to tell you about Jesus, but it didn’t just come across well? Maybe it was someone who you had never spoken to before. Or maybe they sounded judgmental, spoke down to you, or were loud and angry. What are some ways people share the gospel that don’t work? What are some things we can do to change our methodology – or how we deliver the gospel – so that we create a safe space for others to want to hear us? What is the difference between being kind and being Kingdom Kind? What are some people groups you can think of who would benefit from some Kingdom Kindness? (e.g., the elderly, single fathers, farmers, volunteers for certain organizations, etc.) What is a method (something you could do) to take that first step to developing a relationship that would open the door to ultimately have a conversation about Jesus with them? How can we be “all things to all people” and honor how someone else lives while still honoring Christ in order to build relationships that would welcome the sharing of the gospel?

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Rethinking Habits #1

stuartmcpherson Sermon Questions

SERIES: Rethinking Habits

2/07/2021: WEEK 1

Icebreaker	What two things do you consider yourself to be very bad at?
Recap	The habit of being a shepherd in an impact community is more of what we all do, it’s not just a who the individual is in the community.
Scripture Reference	Hebrews 3:12-13; James 5:16; Ecclesiastes 4:9-10; Colossians 3:16
Focus Questions	The function of a shepherd is to watch over, care for, protect, and direct their flock. As Christians, shepherding should be a habit, not a who; in what ways do you shepherd people around you (family, friends, coworkers, etc.)? Who has been a good shepherd in your life? What makes them a good shepherd? Have you ever seen someone turn away from God? What made you able or unable to speak into their situation and try to shepherd them back to God? Is there anyone close enough in your life who would be able to see your heart getting hard and calloused to God? Read Hebrews 3:13. How can we encourage others daily when we’re so busy with our own day-to-day life? Do you receive more encouragement than you give? What would daily encouragement look like to you? Read James 5:16. “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” How do we know if we are considered righteous enough to produce powerful and effective prayer? When you say you’re going to pray for someone, do you stop then and there to pray? How comfortable are you asking for prayer from others? Who would you go to if you needed someone to pray for you? Do people ask you to pray for them? Why or why not? Who are your 2am friends? Who in your life would drop everything and come to you when you called? And would you call or would you tend to believe you could handle things on your own? What is the difference between being vulnerable and real to let people walk alongside you during difficult times, and “airing your dirty laundry?” Think of your closest friend(s): how much of you do they truly know? How much do you keep hidden? Read Colossians 3:16. What is your initial reaction to the word “admonish?” The Greek word for admonish is “noutheteo” which means “to put in mind.” What other words can you use to describe what God is calling us to do as we “admonish one another?” (i.e., direct, counsel, instruct). What makes Biblically admonishing one another difficult? Why is it important to learn how to do this in a loving way?
Send Out	Open your Bible to John 10:1-18 and read about The Good Shepherd and His Sheep. Who does Jesus say he is in verse 11? How is God described in the Old Testament? Read Psalm 23:1-3; 80:1; Isaiah 40:11. What is Jesus saying about himself when he makes this statement? What does Jesus say the good shepherd does for the sheep? Read John 10:11-15 & 17-18. What is Jesus referring to when he says he lays down his life for the sheep? Have there been similar statements in the book of John? John 1:29; 3:14-15; 8:28. Who is the hired hand that Jesus talks about? What does the hired hand do when the sheep are in danger? How can you show love and devotion to Jesus because he is your good shepherd? Jesus is the good shepherd who knows, cares for, and protects his sheep. As sheep, make it your desire to follow Jesus wherever he may lead you this week. He may lead you into an uncomfortable situation. He may lead you into a difficult conversation. He may lead you into the life of someone you don’t know yet, because you are able to lead them to Jesus. Be a sheep who will follow when it’s not easy and even when it doesn’t make sense, and then shepherd God’s people back to Him.

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Rethinking Church #5

stuartmcpherson Sermon Questions

SERIES: Rethinking Church

1/31/2021: WEEK 5

Icebreaker	Is bacon better crispy or chewy?
Recap	The call to follow Jesus is not a call to comfortability, but a call to be ALL IN. By accepting the call, and choosing to be all in, God will use your passions to reach the people in your life and advance Kingdom territory. The ultimate question is, are you ALL IN?
Scripture Reference	Matthew 4:19-20; Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:8-11; Mark 10:17-22; John 21:17-19
Focus Questions	What is something that you wouldn’t have done on your own, but have experienced because someone invited you? Are you comfortable inviting others (to your home, on a walk, for dinner) or do you lean toward sitting back and waiting for others to invite you? What holds people back from inviting others? Does fear of rejection or fear of others not being interested stop us from inviting them to join something important to our hearts? Why does God keep inviting us after we continually reject Him? This week we learned the Greek word ἐκκλησία – EKKLESIA – which comes from the root word ‘ek kaleo’ which means “called-forth ones.” The word does not connote any special power or authority, rather it indicates purpose. Pastor Josh went on to explain that we are called forth out of the crowd to live differently as the church and as a follower of Christ. In what situations is it easier to go back and blend in with everyone else? Can you think of a time where you were in a situation where you remained quiet about your relationship with Christ or chose to go along with the conversation or activity because you didn’t want to make things awkward by revealing your relationship with Christ? Read Mark 10:17-22. Are you a cultural follower of God, or are you all-in? What do you need to give up in order to go all-in and truly follow God in the way He called you forth? Even those who are “all-in” followers of Christ still make mistakes. Do you believe God will invite you to be in relationship with Him and follow Him just one time, or will He extend that invitation over and over? Do you stop inviting others when they make a mistake, live vastly differently than you, or refuse your invitation? Or do you not even bother inviting them in the first place? God’s calling to His followers includes a vision that there is an expression of Him in every place where people gather. Where are some places you gather? Do any of those places not include an expression of God? Where do people gather that you think should be impacted by the love of Jesus? Why is it important for Christians to be intentional about living boldly as a called-forth one for Christ? Why is it important to stand out as a Christ-follower in every place where people gather? What is holding you back?
Send Out	Do you want to live and speak more boldly for Jesus Christ? How badly do you want it? Do you want it enough to ask, seek, and knock until God answers and to take risks that challenge your fears, anxieties and shyness? Or is it more comfortable to keep sitting on the sidelines, unchallenged, wishing you were one of those bold people? The good news is Christian Boldness is not a personality trait, rather it is acting, by the power of the Holy Spirit, on an urgent conviction in the face of some threat. Let’s look at Acts 4:31. “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” Jesus’ disciples prayed and asked for boldness. They knew that in order to spread their message and make Jesus known, they could not rely on their strength alone. They needed the gift of boldness to complete what they were called to do. And we can do that, too! The enemy would love for those of us who know God to sit peacefully and contentedly in our homes, reading our daily devotions, highlighting scripture and praying before meals. The last thing the enemy wants to see is us being bold, stepping out away from the crowd and shining the light of Jesus in every situation we find ourselves in. This week, challenge yourself to spend some time digging into the enemy’s playbook. Identify the doubts Satan whispers to you that stop you from going all-in and living boldly for Christ. Then shoot down the enemy’s arrows by looking for the scriptural promises of who you are in Christ (see week 2 of this series if you need a refresher!) Does the enemy tell you that you should be quiet, blend back in with the rest of the world? Does the enemy tell you that you are not equipped to talk about Jesus to those who do not yet know Him? Does the enemy tell you that someone else will take care of the idea that is stirring in your heart that will bring the love of Jesus to those who need Him? Pray daily to the Holy Spirit for boldness to live as a called-forth one. Saturate yourself with His promises so you can combat the lies of the enemy.

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Rethinking Church #4

stuartmcpherson Sermon Questions

SERIES: Rethinking Church

1/24/2021: WEEK 4

Icebreaker	Would you rather be a superhero with superhuman abilities (Spider-man), or a superhero with unlimited resources (Batman)?
Recap	This week we heard all about the dream that makes up the purpose of the impact community. God has a purpose for your life, and He has placed a dream on your heart to chase after. Your impact dream is where God’s heart to restore and your desire to make more (of Him) collide. Having the faith to move forward with that dream is what is required to turn the dream into a reality.
Scripture Reference	Matthew 17:14-20
Focus Questions	Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.” If God gave you a dream for impact, would you step into it? We live in a day when we are just one click away from measuring ourselves against everyone else’s dream. We are one click away from seeing how someone else raises their kids, spends their money, or celebrates that big event. If we aren’t careful, we start trying to fulfill a purpose that God didn’t give us. Are you stressed out because you are trying to fulfill God’s purpose for someone else? *Matthew 17:19* *Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”* Many Bible scholars believe that the disciples might have come to a point where their perspective was off. Maybe they were putting their faith in faith instead of where it should be (faith in Jesus). Or maybe they were looking for power in their own actions, instead of looking to God for the power to work miracles (in Jesus’ name). It’s possible the disciples lost sight of the bigger picture of what God was doing. What are you placing your faith in? Where are you looking to get your power source from Your impact dream will come from where you see brokenness around you. Spend time in your group to discuss and write down all the areas you personally see brokenness around you. Using that same list you just created, work through these two questions: Who are you called to impact? (Think people over projects) What are their top needs?
Send Out Question	Based on the list you created, what are one or two simple impacts you could run after immediately to make a difference in the lives of people around you? Who could you invite to do that impact with you that isn’t already a part of your group?

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Rethinking Church #3

stuartmcpherson Sermon Questions

SERIES: Rethinking Church

WEEK 3

Icebreaker	Let’s stick with the candy theme. Skittles or M&M’s?
Recap	This weekend we heard about movements God has produced throughout history by mobilizing a few ordinary people at a time. This formula of using “the few” to make a big impact worked in Biblical times and still works today. We learned that not only has God inspired a passion in each of us to accomplish His purposes, He has also placed each of us in community with a few people that he is encouraging us to include in our impact dreams.
Scripture Reference	Matthew 4:18-22; Luke 10:1-23; John 14:12-14; Acts 2:40-41 & 47
Focus Questions	What does ‘God working in the ordinary’ mean? Why do we often not see God working in the ordinary? Read John 14:12-14. How are we meant to do even greater things than Jesus did? What proof do you have that this is even possible? Let’s turn to Luke 10:1-3. Here we read that Jesus is instructing his followers and says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” What does this mean from a kingdom perspective? In this week’s sermon we heard that the workers are few because we keep waiting for the prepared people to do the work; we keep waiting for people who are completely ready to go. Is there an impact, cause, or desire on your heart that you are waiting to get involved in until you are more prepared, have more information, or are more skilled? What are you telling yourself you need to wait for before you go and do? Who are your people – your “few” that God has placed in your life to “one another” with you? People who build you up, lighten the load for you, and are there in the good times and bad? People you are also “there” for? Are all of them believers, or church-goers; do you all attend the same church? Are any unbelievers or seekers that might benefit from getting to know Jesus better through their interactions with you? What might God be able to do with your few? What if not including your few in your impact vision is blocking them from getting to know Christ’s heart through service? How will you reconcile being a disciple-maker with not including your few in the change-making impact God has placed on your heart? What if your few weren’t just meant for the few of you? What if the circles God has placed you in are meant to start something that would change the world? What do you need to “get over” in order to invite your few into the impact that God has placed on your heart? Spend some time in prayer about this. Don’t wait for the perfect group of Christians; when it comes to finding your few, who have you not considered yet?
Send Out Question	Jesus did friendship much differently than we do today. We tend to seek out like-minded individuals that we share much in common with. We tend to cultivate friendships with people who share our same ideals, enjoy the same hobbies, and who we can understand easily because we’re actually incredibly similar. If we used our way of seeking friendships, we would have expected Jesus to find friends among the Jewish scholars, the teachers and the ones who already had a relationship with God the Father. Instead, Jesus took a much different approach! “These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” Matthew 10:2-4 We see that Jesus actually approached and included men who were definitely not worthy of Jesus’ calling. Few, if any, were of noble background, and none of them had religious clout. At least four of the disciples were fishermen. Simon was a Zealot, part of a political group that sought to overthrow the Roman government. Matthew worked for the Roman government as a tax collector and would have been viewed essentially as a traitor to the Israelites. Judas Iscariot eventually betrayed Jesus. But it was through Jesus’s relationship with these twelve “ordinary men” that they were transformed and eventually changed the course of the world. Jesus took men that would have been on the fringe and overlooked and called them closer to Him. To walk with him, do life with him, and witness how he navigated many different situations. In doing so, God also shows us that we, too, can change the world when we allow ourselves to step closer into the influence of Jesus. In his book Making Friends, Making Disciples, author Lee B. Spitzer provides us with an interesting visual for placing people in our friendship circles. Grab a piece of paper and a pencil – we’re going to start by drawing a “bull’s eye” target in the middle. The center of the target (or the bull’s eye) is reserved for your Best Friends. These are the 2 or 3 dearest loved ones God has placed in your life. Write their names here. Now, draw a ring around the bull’s eye. Write the names of your 3-5 Special Friends. Social Friends will be named in the next outer ring. These are the 7–12 people you spend a great deal of time with socially. The next ring is where your Casual Friends are located. These are the 50–200 people you know by name, might socialize or work with, or are acquainted with. (Outside the Circles: Non-friends and enemies. But we’re not focusing on that today.) Now that you can visually see your Circle of Friends, take time this week to intentionally pray for your Best Friends and Special Friends. Pray that their hearts will be awakened to wanting to join you on your Impact journey. Pray that you, too, will be filled with courage to say yes to the impact purpose God has placed on your heart.

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Rethinking Church #2

stuartmcpherson Sermon Questions

SERIES: Rethinking Church

WEEK 2

Icebreaker	Would you rather have whatever you are thinking appear above your head for everyone to see or have absolutely everything you do live streamed for anyone to see?
Recap	This week, we focused on the understanding that everything we do, and everything we don’t do, stems from how we view ourselves. In order to view ourselves correctly, we need to know WHO we are in Christ. Knowing who God made us to be and how He’s gifted us helps us effectively impact our world for God’s Kingdom.
Scripture Reference	Ephesians 4:11-13
Focus Questions	If a parent, sibling or friend were describing you, who would they say you are? Describe three things about your character or personality that you don’t like. Describe three things about yourself that you like and are proud of. What does it mean to find your identity in Christ? Aside from just feeling good about ourselves, why is it necessary for us as Christians to find something outside of ourselves that we can lean on for strength, for direction, for purpose; something dependable that will hold up in every situation and is rooted in something that can’t be changed and can’t go away? Why are we not enough on our own? Why do you think we separate those who pastor and teach from the rest of the congregation? Do you think most people find it easier to listen to a service on Sunday than to be the hands and feet of Jesus throughout the rest of the week? What should we strive for as believers in Christ? Read Ephesians 4:11-13. Who is giving these gifts? What is the purpose of these gifts? What is the duration of these gifts? All of God’s people are holy and are expected to serve Him; define the five different giftings God has given His people as described in Ephesians 4:11-13. Do you immediately identify with any of them? How can you discover what your gifts are if you do not see yourself in any of them? Where are some places you find your identity that are NOT in Christ? (Family, profession, athletics, prankster, life of the party, social media presence, etc.) Read Galatians 2:20 and 2 Corinthians 5:17. If you’ve decided to follow Jesus with all your heart, you’re never going to completely fit in with the world. What part of your current identity is wrapped up in the world? How will you let that go? There are numerous Bible passages that we can use to find our identity in Christ, but perhaps the first step is to fully understand and believe that you are chosen specifically by the God who created the universe. Read 1 Peter 2:9, Jeremiah 1:5, and Ephesians 1:3-4. Do you fully believe that out of all the millions of people on the earth, God has chosen you, a virtual nobody in the eyes of the world? Is there any part of this that makes you think, “maybe for others, but not for me”? American Biblical Old Testament scholar Michael Heiser said, “Last, representing God means every job that honors Him is a spiritual calling. Every legitimate task can be part of moving our world toward Eden and blessing fellow imagers-or not. God doesn’t view people in ministry as more holy or special because of their job descriptions. God cares about how each of us represents Him where we are. We either stand against the darkness, sharing the life God wants everyone to ultimately experience, or we don’t. The opportunity doesn’t need to be spectacular; it just needs to be taken.” What part of this quote stands out to you, and why?
Send Out Question	We often define who we are based on what others say about us. We accept the labels slapped on us by people who do not know the inner workings of our heart. We feel a sense of belonging or acceptance if we have nice things, if we’re talented, if we have an impressive job title, if we have a lot of friends or are in a relationship. Have you ever wondered if it’s possible for you to be enough just because you are you? God knows everything about you. He loves you and He says you belong and you are enough to help him advance His kingdom and tell others about Him. We believe knowing God is how we experience true belonging and acceptance in life. This week, take some time to really ponder these questions: Where do I fit in? What do I really want? Why am I here? Where do I want to be? Make a list of all the labels you use or accept as your identity. What labels would you like to remove? What labels would you like to add? Spend time in scripture this week looking into the verses that God uses to show you who you are. God says you can be: His Child: John 1:12 A friend of Jesus John 15:15 Chosen and Adopted; Ephesians 1:4-5 At Peace: Romans 5:1 Redeemed and Forgiven: Colossians 1:13-14 Complete: Colossians 2:9-10 What are other verses you can find to help you discover or remind you what your identity is in Him? (You can look in the index of your Bible, search “identity” in your Bible app or even use Google for scripture suggestions.)

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Rethinking Church #1

stuartmcpherson Sermon Questions

SERIES: Rethinking Church

Icebreaker	Favorite flavor M&M? What unique flavor M&M would you most like to try? Which one would you stay far away from? (Fudge Brownie, Chocolate Popcorn, Sugar Cookie, Orange Vanilla Creme, Cheesecake, Pumpkin Pie, Hazelnut Spread, Raspberry, Mint, Espresso, any others?)
Recap	What is the actual purpose of church? What does “church” mean? This week, Pastor Josh explored the early church as described in the Book of Acts as the ultimate example of how we should be doing church today, and how that doesn’t necessarily mean constructing bigger buildings but rather challenging each one of us to go out into our communities and bring the church to nonbelievers.
Scripture Reference	Acts 2:38-47 Acts 6: 1-7 Acts 8
Focus Questions	This week we learned that roughly 60% of people are un/de/non-churched. Do you know someone close to you who falls into this category? Have you spoken to them and understand why they are still in this category? Why might others throughout the world land in this category? We also learned that only about 8% of people could attend a church in person if they wanted to (due to space constraints). What are some reasons people choose not to attend a church when they are available near them? What is the difference in your mind between “church” and “church community?” Are these two different ideas in your mind? What is the difference between a “congregation-minded church” and a “community-minded church”? What is the Acts church described in the Bible most like? What are some activities you consider to be “normal” in the Christian life? Is disciple-making on that list? Have you actually ever done it? Who personally helped you to pursue God? How did they do it? At what point in your life did they start talking to you about Christ and His promises for you? In what ways do you live “remarkably” as a Christian? In what ways do you stand out from everyone else? Do you live your life so similarly to the secular world that no one would really know you are a Christian unless they knew you closely? Read Ephesians 4:11-12. Jesus wants to send out regular people to make an impact, not just pastors. In what areas of your life do you see or feel a need for a gospel impact? Who do you see could benefit from the promises God has for them and the transforming love He wants to give? (e.g., nursing homes, co-workers, a particular age group or population group, sports teams, hobbyists, etc.) Read Matthew 28:19-20. God wants us to be a part of making different outcomes in the lives of his people. While many of us feel underqualified and ill-equipped, Jesus promises we are not. How? Think about how you answered Question #7 above; what could those who came to your mind benefit from? What do they need? How could relationships be built with them? In what ways has God already qualified you to make a difference in the lives of the people He placed on your heart?
Send Out Question	What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you? Jesus envisioned a church that actually makes a difference in the world. [Matthew 9:36] This week, think about what you already do and where you already go in the life God has created for you that you think would benefit from knowing Jesus better. Maybe it’s your Tuesday golf league or your Friday night Book Club. Maybe you have a desire to do yoga but struggle with the spiritualism that is talked about. Maybe you see a lack of practical knowledge when it comes to young drivers or maybe you always thought it would be neat if somehow the busy younger families in your neighborhood could meet the older, lonelier ones. Write down that group and think about the different ways someone could make an impact in that group. Maybe you’re picturing passing out sandwiches and chips along with crosses printed on golf balls during busy Saturday mornings. Maybe you can picture your Book Club reading a Christian-fiction novel and discussing it the following month. Maybe you’ve been looking for a Christian themed yoga class to invite friends to, or you have a friend with a large enough shop who could host a Saturday evening shop class followed by pizza and soda and a wholesome Christian movie played on a large sheet along the shop wall. Perhaps you and another family could agree to host a simple soup and bread dinner once a month and invite all the neighbors, open house style. Next, start a list of who you could think of that might share or support this same vision. See if you can think of at least five different people.