Lights! Camera! Action! A 3-session Connect Group study moving you towards impacting your world.
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR LEADERS Thank you for your faithful leadership of a Connect Group. You are such a valuable servant in Salem’s ministry. This study will feel a little different than others we have produced. It is designed that way. Each of the three studies contains shorter Bible verses/passages so that your group can have more time to discuss significant questions. Embrace these times of discussion. Please don’t feel compelled to fill every awkward silence. Helping Salem’s people move from Connect to Impact and live missional lives starts with honest, open, accountable conversations about what’s hard and what’s good and what’s real. Find ways to encourage and care for your group members wherever they find themselves on this journey of living out God’s love in the world around us. May the Holy Spirit strengthen and bless you as you lead, guide, and direct for God’s glory.
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR GROUP PARTICIPANTS Have you ever been to a Bible study where the leader kept talking and talking? That is not what is supposed to happen in this one. If your leader does that, I give you permission to interrupt and say something like: “Isn’t this study one where we get to do a lot of the talking?” The Bible study is built to work best when people honestly and openly share. Prepare yourself to be active in the discussion. This study is designed to help all of us wrestle with the concept of living missional lives for the sake of God’s glory and His Gospel truth. That means more than donating money to a worthy cause or volunteering with a non-profit on a Saturday once a year. Be ready to discuss. Be ready to be challenged. Be ready to be uplifted in prayer. Be ready to grow in your faith. God has gifted you in a unique way to make an impact for His kingdom. May God bless you and keep you as you figure some of that out and as you talk about it.
MOVING YOU TOWARDS IMPACTING YOUR WORLD.
Lights! See Yourself as Sent Opening Prayer for Week One Lord Jesus, by Your authority, You sent Your disciples to the world around them to heal the sick and cure people from their demons. We know that You have also called us to go and live out Your love to people around us. Give us joy and peace as we consider how we, too, are Your disciples whom You have sent. Bless our conversation and the study of Your Word today. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Bible Foundation
Questions to Discuss
Before Next Time
On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
1
Ask two people who know you well and will genuinely speak truth to you:
JOHN 20:19-21
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. EPHESIANS 2:10
Jesus has sent you. To whom? To do what?
2
What’s hard about this? Why?
3
What solutions can we come up with to help?
“What are your strengths, gifts and talents? “ Take notes on their responses.
Camera! Picture Your Scene Opening Prayer for Week Two Heavenly Father, You have created us to make a difference in people’s lives in Your world. Show us how You made us to best do that. Give us wisdom, direction and encouragement to use the gifts You have given us to impact others in Your name. Bless our time together as we study and discuss. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Bible Foundation
Questions to Discuss
Before Next Time
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
1
Take one step towards one person to do one thing using the gifts God has given you.
2
Be ready to talk about what you did and how you felt in the process next time we meet.
1 PETER 4:8-10
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-6
What did you learn about yourself from your assignment conversations? What might it look like to use your gift(s) in real life?
3
What’s the best thing that could happen? What makes you anxious?
4
How can we, as a Connect Group, motivate and encourage one another to actually use our gifts to serve other people?
Action! Make an Impact Opening Prayer for Week Three Lord God, fill us with Your Holy Spirit that our lives may reflect Your love. Help us to be people who “do” and not just people who “talk about”. Guide us to the people in our lives that need to know Your saving grace and help us to be bearers of that grace. Thank You for Your power and Your promises in the Bible. Use them to inspire us to serve You and others well. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Bible Foundation
Questions to Discuss
Before Next Time
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
1
Read and consider the “Next Steps” page at the end of this booklet.
HEBREWS 6:10
Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?” The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” MATTHEW 25:37-40
Did you do the assignment from last time? If so, tell us what happened. If not, what was your obstacle?
2
How did you feel in the process?
3
What could this group do to help you continue to make a difference in that same specific person’s life or try with someone else?
Share your story at salem4u.com/share.
Next Steps Make a plan and stick to it! Consider writing it down and putting it up somewhere you can see it. Answer these questions:
Regularly share your stories with your connect group. What felt good? What was challenging? What happened as a result?
• What are some ways I can personally live out the mission of Christ with those around me? Annually? Monthly? Weekly?
Engage in IMPACT opportunities at Salem Personally and as a connect group. Contact Paul Cheney (pcheney@salem4u.com)
• What are some ways my connect group can serve others together? Annually? Monthly? Weekly?
Read some books about living missionally and get some inspiration. Here are some great starting resources:
• Make a plan to keep yourself on track, especially when it gets tough. • Consider asking someone to meet with you regularly and hold you accountable. • Write down what will keep you motivated and encouraged and give it to your accountability partner. • Keep track of stories along the way - write them down and submit them to salem4u.com/share • Stories of struggle and difficulty are just as powerful as stories of success - your stories can help encourage others. In addition to individual accountability partners, consider using your connect group as an accountability group. Check in on a regular basis with each other and report on your efforts to live missionally. Let the group not only keep you accountable, but also offer encouragement and problem-solving. Mike Frost (in Surprise the World) calls these “DNA groups” for Discipling, Nurturing, and Accountability.
Surprise the World: The 5 Habits of Highly Missional People by Michael Frost The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door by Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon Joining Jesus on His Mission: How to be an Everyday Missionary by Greg Finke Don’t give up! Living missionally is often challenging, but also incredibly rewarding. It can take time and we don’t always see the results of our efforts. Trust in God and that the Holy Spirit is working in the hearts of those you reach out to. Take heart and be faithful for the long haul. This is the calling we have as Christians and there is no greater calling than to share the wonderful love of Christ with a world that desperately needs it. Blessings to you on your journey!