Discussion Guide 01.29.12

Life Group Discussion Guide : Sunday, January 29, 2012 (JXG)

Sandy Lake Wesleyan : Shawn Cossin, Lead Pastor

Not So...Modern Family, Week 4 & New Year, New Life ALIVE! Celebration

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Look through these discussion points and focus on what you think will be most beneficial to your Group. 

Discuss and pray about the things below—don’t feel the need to ‘cover everything,’

 but use this as a guide to help your Group process what God is teaching them.  

Be sure to pray for and encourage each other.

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What are your Group members celebrating this week?
Take time to celebrate with them and praise God for what he’s doing.

Read Romans 6:11, discuss…

...What does it mean to be ‘dead’ to sin? 

...What hope does this give us in our ability to be obedient to God?

...What does the writer mean when he says we are alive to God through Christ Jesus?

Sometimes we look at Baptism like it’s the end of a journey, but it isn’t. We were reminded that baptism isn’t about having all of life’s answers or everything ‘figured out,’ but is about being obedient to what Jesus calls us to.

• What are some of the excuses we make to avoid obedience not only in baptism but in other areas of life?
• Why do you think some of our steps of obedience can be so difficult for us to take?
• What can we do to help us choose obedience even when it’s hard? What habits, relationships, and disciplines?

Which video/testimony this morning resonated with you the most? Why?

In the videos we saw today, each person being baptized shared about another individual God used to help them find HIm and step toward him in obedience. 

• Who has this person/people been in your life? 
• In which relationship(s) do you feel God leading you to be this kind of influence? 

Stop and pray for each other that you would be obedient in the ‘next steps’ God has for you and in following the leading of the Holy Spirit as he directs you to connect in relationships of impact with others.

We have been reminded throughout the current message series that ‘whoever you are; wherever you are, God wants to and can use you for good’ and that change in our relationships/families starts with us. 

• How has God been speaking to your heart about what your response should be regarding these truths?
• What keeps us from being ‘used for good?’ 
• What keeps us from being the agent of change in our relationships? 

Read Mark 16:15-16, discuss…

...Jesus appears when his Disciples are relaxing and he scolds them for unbelief and hard hearts, then speaks the words of vv.15-16...

...Jesus scolded his Disciples for ‘stubborn refusal to believe…’ 

• What does it mean to be stubborn in our refusal to do something? 
• How do we see that playing out in our lives?

...Why is it significant that Jesus shared these words as part of his last discussion with his first followers?

...What are the ‘two ditches’ we can fall into as far as thinking about the significance of baptism?

Pastor Shawn said, “Baptism may not be essential to salvation, but is entirely essential to obedience.”

• What do you think is meant by this?
• Do you think it is possible to ‘believe’ but not ‘obey’?
• Scripture clearly teaches that belief and obedience can’t be severed. What next step of belief is God 
• calling you to take as individuals? As a Group?
• In what way(s) can your Life Group help encourage and hold one another accountable in the areas 
• God is calling you to believe and obey? 

Be sure to follow-up with each other in the days & weeks ahead about these areas where God is leading you to act.  Don’t hesitate to connect with a member of the Ministry Team if you would like help with coaching your Group members on their next steps of belief and obedience.

NOTE: You can download a copy of this discussion guide as a .pdf here.

Life Group Discussion Guide (January 15th)

Life Group Discussion Guide : Sunday, January 15, 2012 (JXG)

Sandy Lake Wesleyan : Shawn Cossin, Lead Pastor

(Not so) Modern Family (Week 2-- “Generations”)

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Discuss and pray about the things below—don’t feel the need to ‘cover everything,’ but use this as a guide to help your Group process what God is teaching them. Look through these discussion points and focus on what you think will be most beneficial to your Group. Be sure to pray for and encourage each other.

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As the Holy Spirit speaks to each of us about elements in our hearts and families he wants to redeem, be sensitive to how he would have your Group members step in their lives and situations. Please don’t hesitate to connect with a member of the ministry team if there are questions or issues you would like help in while journeying with your members.

What are your Group members celebrating in their lives and families/other relationships this week? Take time to celebrate with them.

At the beginning of the message time, we showed a quick, funny video about family. It showed how our flat response that things are ‘fine’ is usually a loaded phrase that doesn’t paint a full picture of what is happening in our lives; what are some ways we keep people at a distance from what’s going on at home?

Pastor Shawn shared that the failure of one generation can effect & impact following generations, not curse them. How does this change what our response might be in terms of generational tendencies in our relationships?

We’ve been using this definition for “generational sin:” “Generational sin is the result of pursuing our own agenda at the expense of God’s best.” And Pastor Shawn used Abraham’s family as a Scriptural example of generational sin.

What was the agenda this family chose at the expense of God’s best for them? 

How did this chain of sin & dysfunction eventually stop?

Read Ezekiel 18:19-23. Discuss…

What kind of hope does this give us as we examine generational sin in our families? 

How does this show us our responsibility in how we influence others?

What does God say pleases him in this situation? What does that mean for us today?

We are told that we might be shaped by our parents’ decisions, beliefs, mannerisms, and perspectives but we are not cursed by them. In the same way, we influence those around us. What are some of the ways we influence other in small ways and big? 

Tell of a time someone influenced you for better… and a time someone influenced you for worse.  What did you learn from those experiences?

We discussed that we can lead our families toward holiness or toward sin and that both directions will impact generations to come. Ask your Group to share the ways they WANT to influence their children, parents, and other relationships. Pray for the Holy Spirit to show them where their are personal dysfunctions that might keep them from leading in these ways.

Pastor Shawn shared that the root of our dysfunction is usually that we have “believed a lie.” What does this mean?

What are examples of this that you have seen in your relationships? Take a moment to pray among your Group and ask God to show you what lies you have believed that impact how you think, believe, and act.

Shawn asked a couple of hard questions:

“What’s the big lie in your family?” and “What generational behavior is making your family ‘less?’”

What do you think is the best way to honestly find answers to these questions?

What might be some of the obstacles we face in trying to find the honest answers to these questions?

How can your Group members be praying for each other as they wrestle with these questions?

We were reminded that we can be the one who breaks the chain of behavior by refusing to live the ‘big lie’ any longer.

What are some factors that keep us from stepping into this chain-breaking role?

God wants to use us to start new patterns… where do you think the journey of beginning new patterns begins? What role does repentance and forgiveness play in this?

Read Luke 1:50. Discuss…

How does this offer hope when we identify generational sin & dysfunction? 

How does this mold our response when we are convicted about these things in our own hearts?

For our So What? Now What? portion of the message, we were told that the response to these things begins with us and Pastor Shawn gave us a few steps we can take to pursue wholeness:

1. Seek God--pray hard; talk to God about what’s happening and seek him about what we’re supposed to do.
2. Seek clarity -- identify a wise, mature, objective believer who can help us discern whether we’re focusing on a symptom or the deeper issue.
3. Seek Truth -- what is God’s Scriptural truth that counters the lie we’ve believed? (remind your Group members of the resources on Pastor Shawn’s blog and challenge each other to grow more familiar with Scripture).
4. Seek a new pattern -- what is the different way of thinking & living God is calling you to?

How can your Group members support, encourage, and urge each other forward as they seek these things? (GROUP FACILITATORS, MAKE SURE YOU IDENTIFY MEMBERS WHO CAN CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER THROUGHOUT THE WEEK(S) AHEAD AS THEY JOURNEY. CHECK IN REGULARLY AS YOUR GROUP MEMBERS ENGAGE WITH THESE THINGS.)

Take time to thank God for his desire to give us a new heart and new spirit; ask him to search and know your hearts and identify areas of dysfunction that you may not even have been aware of. Pray for God to show you what his best is for your families and to give you the courage to move as he leads. 

LG Questions : JAN 08, 2012 (KD)

Life Group Questions : 01/08/2012

"NOT SO MODERN FAMILY" Series

Sandy Lake Wesleyan : Pastor Shawn

Shawn talked about how we sometimes avoid instructions because they’re overly complex or, on the flipside, are overly simple (i.e., “open box before eating pizza”). Talk as a group… Can you think of some instructions you found too difficult or too simple?

As we step into a series on family (“Not So Modern Family”), we may think that family issues are too complex, or on the flipside, are too simple. We may even find this topic irrelevant. Discuss this question… Why do you think talking about this issue is important for everyone?

We all have family… whether single, married, married with or without kids, single parent, divorced, widowed, etc. The list goes on and on. Quick question for discussion… tell your group about one of your favorite relatives, and why he or she is your favorite!

[Scheduling Note : Please try and make it to our free movie night on Friday, January 27, at 7pm. We’ll be watching the movie, “Courageous” as a church family together.]

Shawn asked us to look at the life of Joseph, the Old Testament hero who had some really difficult family moments. Consider and discuss this… What are some of the struggles Joseph faced, particularly in relationship to his family?

Read Genesis 50:19-20… how did Joseph ultimately respond to his adversity? What encouragement might you take from the response of Joseph?

Read Psalm 78:1-8… What lessons does this section of Scripture bring to light? Take time to reflect on this section of Scripture together as a group.

Shawn repeatedly uttered these two statements today… “Wherever you are, God can use you for good,” and “God is not so much concerned about your happiness as He is your holiness.” Take time to discuss these two statements as a group, considering a couple of questions. First, why would Shawn feel so compelled to repeatedly share these with us? And second, where do you see the reality of these two statements showing up in your life and the lives of those around you?

Shawn talked about the statement on the latest Reader’s Digest… “Everything we do must be for our children.” He said that this statement sounded right, but in light of Scripture, it’s actually a false statement. We love kids – and those of us who have them love our children – but everything we do must be for God. As a group, discuss the challenges and opportunities to do this in our world today.

God uses families and relationships – our connections with friends and those in the community – to make us holy, to make us better than we could be on our own. Discuss this… How has your family, group of friends, and even those in the church/community helped you become more of the person God wants you to be?

Read Psalm 78:56-59… What does this section of Scripture tell us of those who turn away from God?

So What / Now What? What is the trajectory of your family? Where are you headed? What would it look like for you to influence your family toward God this week?

Share with the group some ways God may be calling you to respond, then close in prayer together.

(Not So) Modern Family

Here's the video teaser we showed this Sunday for the upcoming message series at SLW. Enjoy! :-)

No Discussion Guide This Week!

Just a reminder there's no discussion guide this week.

If your Life Group *is* meeting this week, be sure to take the time to celebrate what God has done in 2011 and pray about how he would lead you into 2012.

If  you'd like to discuss the weekend message, why not discuss the ways you see in Scripture and life that Christ's supremacy is seen and what it means for our families, jobs, financies, churches, and future?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!