We strongly encourage everyone to meet regularly in small groups, we call these Life Groups (5-16 people) and Connect Groups (3-5 people, single-gendered). These groups help us to build community with one another, which is a vital part of what it means to be a church, and a great way for us to grow in our faith.
Every week we provide our groups with notes based on the past Sunday's sermon. These include an ice-breaker, discussion questions, an element or prompt for worship, and a challenge to engage in some form of mission. There's also something for children, in case there are any present in your group.
If you've been connecting with us online, but are living too far away to join one of our small groups. We'd like to encourage you to start a group of your own among your friends and neighbours. Feel free to make use of the notes we'll be providing each week on our blog.
Group Notes 15-21 August 2021
If you haven't seen the sermon you can watch it here.
Welcome (Community)
Share a time when you got yourself completely lost (geographically) – how did it end?
Worship
Use the Lord’s prayer as a template for the worship: have quiet instrumental music in the background, the leader says a phrase and then leaves space for reflection, listening to God, or allowing others to add praise or prayer or confession as appropriate; then goes on to the next phrase.
Scripture reading: Acts 2: 14-41
Word (Discipleship):
What do you think Church/Christian community is going to look like in 50 years? Will it be the same? different? And if so, how?
Brent pointed out that the Gospel (good news, not good advice) is everything. Spend the rest of your time together defining the Gospel. If you think of yourself in an elevator, you have about 30 - 45 seconds to speak. What would you say to someone in those seconds that would summarise the Gospel? Each have a turn.
Only when finished – look at this helpful summary: https://www.destinychurch.org/gospelinsix (the idea is not to use this, passages of scripture and all, but that these 6 sentences help shape what we will say in our own words)
Works (Mission)
Have a conversation at your next family devotions about what the Gospel is. Encourage everyone to try and summarise it in a few sentences. Use the above link to help clarify everyone’s thinking.
Children’s address:
This is a great way to teach children the Gospel: http://www.creativeyouthideas.com/resources/object-lessons/the-gospel-according-to-a-tea-bag/
Download these notes in PDF format: