Connection Group Discussion Guide | Week 3 The mission statement of St. Andrew is “Calling the Christian-ish to become passionate servants of Christ.”
Connect (5 to 10 minutes) Come together to build relationships through fellowship and sharing about this week’s worship. • Take a few minutes to share your thoughts about worship this week. What aspects of worship did or did not connect with you? What story or illustration made an impact on you? • Icebreaker: Share about a time when you decided to try something new that was a little out of your comfort zone. What was that experience like?
Context (30 to 40 minutes) Dig deeper into the videos and scripture for this week through questions and discussion. Watch the video for this session on your Connection Group DVD or online. • Take a few minutes to look at the mission statement of St. Andrew. What words stick out to you and why? How does this mission interact with the Great Commission and the mission of the United Methodist Church? • When have you had a “Christian-ish” season in your life where you have paused or even moved backward in your faith life? What was that season like? How did you move forward from it? • Are there any hobbies or forms of “harmless” entertainment that distract you from your faith? Do you feel like we’re called to eliminate these completely from our lives? • Have you ever had a moment in your faith that terrified you to follow through on (talking to someone about Jesus, praying in public, etc.)? Did your faith change after you followed through with it? • Do you see missions as an easier way to invite others into the church family? When have you seen someone develop deeper faith through service? • What unique gifts do you think St. Andrew specifically has to offer to God’s mission in the world? What part are you trying to play in how St. Andrew is living that out?
Read John 20:19-23 • Do you ever have fear for the future or unknown? What do you typically do to cope with this fear? • Does this fear pull you from God or draw you closer to him? • The disciples didn’t have faith in Jesus’ return until he was in front of them. How do we have that faith in our own lives when we don’t see Jesus face to face? It is important to note that this story does not just concern the eleven disciples, as we might assume. This room was probably filled with many of Jesus’ disciples, not just those who were in leadership positions. Notice too how Jesus gives the disciples the Holy Spirit: he breathes on them. Much as God does in the story of creation when God gives life to Adam and Eve.
In this story, the disciples seem to be in a state of fear. They are hiding in a room with locked doors, and it seems that they don’t believe Mary’s testimony that Jesus has risen from the dead. This fear turns to joy upon seeing Jesus.
• The most important thing the disciples seemed to receive from Christ before being sent out was the Holy Spirit. What do you think it means to “receive the Holy Spirit”? • When have you realized the Holy Spirit was guiding you? What was that like? • How does the Holy Spirit help us to follow the Great Commission, the mission of the United Methodist Church, and the mission statement of St. Andrew?
Call (10 minutes) We believe that God not only shows us who God is but invites us to participate in God’s ministry by answering unique calls in our own lives. Join together in discovering how we can respond to scripture and God’s presence as a church and as individuals. Read Isaiah 6:8 • Can you fully live out your faith without having the answer of “Here I am. Send me.”? What do you think it means to be “sent” in ministry? • Has there ever been a time in your life when you have responded to God in the same way that Isaiah did? What was that experience like? • How can you be sent into the world to do ministry like Isaiah refers to in this passage?
Closing (5 minutes) God calls us into community by sharing our joys and concerns together in prayer and supporting one another in our walks with Christ. As we share testimony and stories of our lives, let us listen to where God is working within our community and how we can build each other up in Christian love. • Share joys and concerns with one another. • Close in prayer, either by inviting a group member to pray or by using the prayer provided below. Closing Prayer Lord, we confess that we often expect things of ourselves that you never said were required for ministry. We imagine that we must measure up to a certain standard before we can go out to do your work in the world. Help to remind us, in our moments of doubt, that you grow faith through action as well as study and prayer. Let us be empowered to move, even when we doubt, knowing that the Holy Spirit empowers us to show your love and grace to the world. Amen.