Welcome to Week Three of The God Experiment! During these 12-weeks, we are personally testing the extreme nature of God and talking about it with others.  Building on Pastor Josh’s weekend message, we will be unpacking his content and taking it further. Feel free to use this guide or change it to fit the dynamics of your unique huddle. Reminder: While people can journey at their own pace, Monday (January 24) starts Week Four of The God Experiment. Pastor Josh will be teaching on the weekends and huddles will be written on this schedule. 

Icebreaker: Getting the conversation started. 

  1. In your daily readings, do you have any “ah-ha” moments, questions, or challenges to what you’ve been reading? Maybe share something you wrote in the “Seek and Simmer”section for this week – page 80. 
  2. Optional: Need something lighter to open your huddle? Try this…Imagine our huddle was dropped off at a deserted island together. What skill/job around camp would you assume responsibility for? What skill would you hope someone else in the group has?

Focus Questions: Going deeper together.  

  1. On Sunday, Pastor Josh unpacked the idea that we have a tendency to try to find satisfaction in temporary things of our world. In your opinion, what “temporary things” are people running to for deep soul satisfaction in our culture?   
  2. OPTIONAL: Have you ever hit “rock bottom” on chasing after something that only brought temporary satisfaction? Share as much as you are comfortable. 
  3. This week in the God Experiment is all about God’s love as we move into a greater relationship with Him. Are you someone who easily experiences God’s love or is it harder for you to feel loved by God? Why? 
  4. Turn to 1 John 4:7-21. (Hint: Ask for volunteers to help read the chapter)
  5. In verses 7-8, what is the relationship between loving others and knowing God? How would you explain this idea to others?
  6. Multiple times in this passage, John writes “God is love” – rather than “God is loving.” While both statements are true, why is the phrase “God is love” so powerful? What does this passage teach us about how He showed His love?
  7. In verse 18, John writes that there is “no fear in love…perfect love drives out fear.” In your opinion, what is the opposite of fear? Why is God’s love for us so countercultural today?
  8. OPTIONAL: John ends this chapter with some pretty strong statements (reread verses 20-21). Which phrase is most challenging to you? Are there any statements here that you are wrestling with or are confusing to you? (Note: The “brother” and “sister” language used here is referring to God’s spiritual family – the Church.)
  9. Commission/Call Your Huddle to Love: As a huddle leader, read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 over your group twice. The first time to remind them of how God loves them. A second time to call them to love others in the same way. (Note: If there’s time, you could debrief what stood out to them the most. If not, let the truth of God’s Word speak for itself.)  

Final Challenge: After discovering more about God’s love, how can you model an illogical outrageous love to others this week? Be on the lookout for opportunities to display His love to others. 

Close by praying for one another and gathering names/contact information for your weekly report.