Church

Vision: Thanksgiving Essentials

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THANKSGIVING ASSESSMENT

1. Would the people who live nearest to you characterize you as a complaining person or a thankful person?

2. When you look at your world, do you find yourself celebrating God's common grace?

3. Do you view yourself as one who has been constantly short-changed and or do you view yourself as one who has been unfairly showered with blessings?

4. Do you choose to focus your communication on what is broken and wrong or do you tend to communicate what is beautiful and good?

5. What is your tendency? In your relationships, are you encouraging friends and family to continue their grumbling or are you encouraging friends and family to find reasons to give thanks to God?

6. What is your tendency? In your relationships, do you find yourself frequently tearing others down or do you find yourself frequently building others up?

7. What is your plan to cultivate the discipline that Paul calls Thanksgiving? 

Vision: Discover & Treasure Jesus

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Faith Talks:

Please set aside at least 10 minutes this week as a household to have an honest talk about what God spoke to you in the sermon today.

1.We are called to lay aside every weight and sin. Over the next week or two take 1-3 hours to get alone with God.  Ask God to reveal to you the weights and sins in your  life that would hinder you from running well. Write them all down and create a plan with the Lord to change those things. 

2. When you think about the cloud of witnesses and Jesus cheering you on in your race, how does that make you feel? 

3. How can you let the truth that you play a crucial part in God's plan for redeeming all things impact the way you live everyday?

Vision: Lead Like Jesus

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Faith Talks:

1.  If Jesus has such a high view of what we can become in Him, why do we consistently keep selling ourselves short?  Name 2 ways you sell yourself short. 

2, Are there any areas of your life that are either off limits, or have not be submitted (surrendered) to the Lordship authority of Jesus Christ? What are they, and why are they off limits? 

Vision: Follow Jesus Into Every Area of Life

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Faith Talks:

1. Which of the two “bookshelf” illustrations do you identify the most? Why?

2. Can you think of a moment when following Jesus brought joy to you?

3. What is a current area in your life where you find it difficult to follow Jesus? And which of the three obstacles considered today may be preventing you from following him?

Knowing God: Living Resurrection Reality

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Faith Talks:

  1. Write down an issue in your life that involves suffering or frustration.  How can this situation increase your hope in the resurrection? 

  2. What truth about heaven and the resurrection did you find most interesting? Email that to one of the pastors.  

  3. In what way can you see your current life affected by your belief in heaven and resurrection?  Share this with a trusted friend.

Knowing God: To follow Jesus do I have to believe in heaven and the resurrection?

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Faith Talks:

  1. Talk about your level of certainty regarding heaven and resurrection. In what way can you see your current life affected by your belief in heaven and resurrection? 

  2. We all have questions about heaven and resurrection. Talk about your questions. Make a list and come prepared next weekend to see what questions get answered. 

Knowing God: Application of Spiritual Gifts

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Faith Talks:

  1. Talk about what you think if your top motivational spiritual gift. 
  2. Are you currently using your spiritual gifts? Why or why not? 
  3. What are next steps you can take to discover, develop and deploy your spiritual gifts?
  4. Fill out the connect card with your top motivational spiritual gift.

Knowing God: Doctrine of Spiritual Gifts

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Faith Talks:

 

  1. Talk through each of the spiritual gifts; which two most resonate with you? 
  2. Why do you think knowing and developing your spiritual gift is so important from God’s perspective? 
  3. Where are you in your journey to discover, develop and deploy your spiritual gifts? 
  4. What are next steps you can take to discover, develop and deploy your spiritual gifts?

Knowing God: Spiritual Gifts

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Faith Talks:

 

  1. Based on today’s teaching what are two significant things that we miss when we do not employ our spiritual gifts?

  2. Share a story of a time when God used you to bless another person as you followed Jesus using your spiritual gifts.

  3. Prayerfully consider talking to another person, this week, about any obstacles you face  when thinking about using  or when using your spiritual gifts.

Knowing God: Resurrection

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Faith Talks:

 

  • According to the teaching today why was the resurrection so important to the early church?
  • How could a belief in the resurrection of a man 2000 years ago impact your life today? 
  • Be intentional, or as Pastor Nate said last week, be subversive and plan together 1 or 2 things that you will do this week because Jesus is alive.

Knowing God: What does the Atonement change?

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Faith Talks:

  • In what aspect of Jesus’ New World (citizenship, identity, status, posture, relationship, purpose, your body, hope) do you MOST need to fight for faith?
  • Talk together about creative ways to do intentional “acts of subversion” so you can hold onto faith in Jesus in defiance against the World we live in.

 

Knowing God: Atonement Past, Present & Future

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Faith Talks:

  • Which of the three views of atonement we looked at today (Christus Victor, Christus Exemplar, Regeneration) stick out to you as most/least accessible?   Explain your thoughts to a trusted friend.
  • Do you tend to think of atonement more as past, present, or future?  Share your thoughts with a trust friend this week. 
  • How does being ‘at-one’ with Jesus change the way you approach each day?  Be specific.  List 2-3 things that you want to change.

Knowing God: To follow Jesus do I have to believe He died for my sins?

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Faith Talks:

  • What are you currently involved in where you need the presence of God?  If you aren't involved in anything where you need his presence talk about why not. 
  • Talk about a time in your life when you felt like the presence of God protected, empowered, or encouraged you to live out the things of the kingdom.  
  • Pray everyday this week for clear signs of the presence of God in your life.

 

Knowing God: Living the Doctrine of the Kingdom

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Faith Talks:

  • What are you currently involved in where you need the presence of God?  If you aren't involved in anything where you need his presence talk about why not. 
  • Talk about a time in your life when you felt like the presence of God protected, empowered, or encouraged you to live out the things of the kingdom.  
  • Pray everyday this week for clear signs of the presence of God in your life.

Knowing God: Why Church? Ephesians 4:11-16

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Faith Talks:

  1. Talk about ways Jesus' Church has been His Body -- acting on His behalf in this World. Think about in your own life, in the life of LFA, even in other countries.
  2. Talk about your place in Jesus' Body. What gifts has He given you? In what ways have you served? Are there ways you would want to serve?

Knowing God: I like Jesus but I don't like the church

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Faith Talks:

  1. What ways can you relate to the statement “I like Jesus but I don't like church”
  2. What did you learn today about the dangers of independence?
  3. What did you learn today about the blessing of interdependence?
  4. What will you do about the areas in your life where you lean towards the idolatry of independence?

Redemption, Not Reversal - Stanley John

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Faith Talks

What are two brand new things you learned from Stanley Jon? 

On a scale of 1-4 how normal has living on mission become in your household.
1-it’s a challenge and doesn’t happen
2-it happens but it is rare
3-it’s not as consistent as I would like but it’s happening
4-it’s just part of who we are and what we do

Take some time as a household and review the On Mission page to consider how you can be part of what God is doing around the world. 

The Making: Discover Jesus Through His Church

The Making: Discover Jesus Through His Church 

Faith Talks:

The Bible calls us, at times, to be childlike and at times not to be childlike. Talk together about the ways we should and should not be childlike.

Talk about ways in which you want to grow in childlikeness.