10/30 SERMON: THE CHALLENGE OF SERVICE

Friends,

Below you will find the scriptures that I preached on in yesterday's message about service as well as some thought questions to help your group dig deeper into the topic should you decide to use the sermon as the basis for this week's discussion. Have a great week and I'll see you on Sunday as we dive into the Challenge Of Generosity.

-Kev

THE CHALLENGE OF SERVICE:

• On Sunday, Pastor Kevin said that if he were pushed to pick one word to describe what it means to have an encounter with God and be a follower of Jesus, he would use the word SERVANT. Is this the word that you would use? Why/Why not?

⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45 – NIV)

• Our goal as Christians is to be in an ever increasing process of knowing God and becoming more like Christ. In Mark 10 we see that one of the defining reasons that Jesus came to earth was to serve. Why do you think Jesus came to earth to serve?
• One of the benefits of serving others is that it pushes us outside of our comfort zones and opens the door for for spiritual growth, and builds our character. How have you seen this play out in your life?

Philippians 2:5-11 gives us a great picture of Jesus as a servant when it says:

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; ⁷rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! ⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

From Philippians 2 we see three actions that a servant must take:

• A servant puts God first in life.

¹³ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. (Luke 16:13 – NIV)

• What does it look like to give God control of every area of your life?
• How do you know if you have given God complete control?
• What do you do if/when you realize that you have not given control of some area of your life over to God?

• A servant protects their attitude.

 ⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; ⁷ rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)

• The key to protecting our attitudes is to empty ourselves of our rights the way that Jesus did. We have the "right" to do a lot of things that are not helpful for our relationship with God, but if we want to serve like Jesus did, then we need to take on his attitude of HUMILITY.
• What does the word humility bring to your mind? 
• How can you protect your attitude by having a mindset of humility?

• A servant chooses to plant daily seeds of love and kindness that become lifestyles of service.
•  Mother Theresa once said "there are not great deeds, only small deeds done with great love."
• Why does God call us to plant daily seeds of love and kindness?
• What are some ways that you can plant daily seeds of love and kindness? 
• Who are some people that you can plant seeds for?

Kevin closed Sunday's message by saying that our destiny begins today with a single choice. That choice leads to an action, the action leads to a habit, the habit forms our character, and our character leads to our destiny. 

How do you want to be remembered? What kind of destiny do you want to leave? Are you making choices today that are leading toward that ultimate goal?

 

10/23 SERMON: THE CHALLENGE OF PERSEVERANCE!

Friends,

Below you will find the scriptures that I preached on in yesterday's message about perseverance as well as some thought questions to help your group dig deeper into the topic should you decide to use the sermon as the basis for this week's discussion. Have a great week, and like I mentioned in the email, for the next 3 weeks I would suggest spending the first hour of your group time digging into the scripture and using the last 20 minutes to share prayer requests. This will make give your group the space needed to dig into God's Word a little longer.

-Kev

THE CHALLENGE OF PERSEVERANCE:

• In Hebrews 12, the author is talking to a group of Christians who are facing a choice, will they continue to run the race toward God and face persecution, or will they sell out on their faith and live mediocre lives where they are Christians in name only.  

¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:3 – NIV)

• What types of things "hinder" you from completing the face of faith?
• What types of sins seem to "easily entangle" you?
• Based on your reading this far, what would you say is the vision of New Testament Christian living that has been laid out for you?

¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13 – NIV) 

• Do you believe that this can be true in your life? What is the key to experiencing this type of power?

4 Opportunities To Persevere

1. God wants us to persevere in our prayers

  ⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

   ⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:7-11 – NIV)

• Jesus says "keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking." What does it look like to persevere in our prayers?
• Have you ever experienced God answering your prayers?
• If God wants to give us good gifts, why does it seem like sometimes our prayers go unanswered?
• What is God what to teach you about persevering in prayer?

2. God wants us to persevere in our spiritual growth

• In the sermon, Kevin said that spiritual growth does not happen without resistance because we're walking on an uphill journey against the values, beliefs, and systems of this world which are often times in complete opposition to the teachings of Jesus. 
• Are you facing resistance as you follow after Christ?
• What are some of the ways that you face resistance to your spiritual growth?

• Kevin also mentioned that the way that we respond when we face resistance is the key to experiencing God in the situation. How do you respond when you are feeling the resistance that comes with following after God? 
• Do you follow Him begrudgingly, happily, with some hesitation, etc?

In 1 Timothy 4, Paul encourages us to ^"7 Train yourself to be godly." (1 Timothy 4:7 - NIV) 

• The idea of training yourself is that you would push yourself to the limit. What kinds of things can you do to train yourself to be godly?

3. God wants us to persevere in times of failure and loss

^"3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Romans 5:3-4 – NIV)

• What does it look like to "glory in our sufferings"? 
• What do you notice about the chain of events that happen if we draw close to God in our times of suffering.

In Romans 8:28 Paul promises that "God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28 – NIV)

•  This promise if for people who are following after God. How have you seen it come to fruition in your life?
• Do you believe that God really does (not only can, but does) work all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose?

4. God wants us to persevere in influencing others for Christ

2 Peter 3 says that "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9 – NIV)

• Jesus is waiting to return so that people have the opportunity to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ and come into a relationship with Him.
• How does this reality influence your views on evangelism

• Do you believe that God really calls every follower of Jesus to be a witness of God's love to others?

• How are you currently influencing others for Christ?

• Make a list of people who you think God would want you to influence for Him.

 
Putting It Into Practice:

• Which of these 4 areas of perseverance is God asking you to trust Him in?
• What is one thing that you can do this week in 2 of these areas to put the things that you're learning into practice?
  

10/16 SERMON: THE CHALLENGE OF RADICAL LOVE

Friends,

Below are the scriptures that Ron preached on yesterday as well as some discussion questions. Again, I would only suggest using a sermon based Life Group model if a topic comes up on a Sunday that has been a good topic of discussion within your group either in your discussion or prayer times (or has been a topic that has been stumping people in your group). Otherwise, you can use this blog as a resource for yourself and your group on various topics as they arise in the reading.

-Kevin

RADICAL LOVE...

In John 13 Jesus says:

John 13:34 – I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. – NLT

• This is not a new commandment, in fact (as Ron mentioned) it was one of the most important commandments in the entire Old Testament. What is new about this commandment is that through the Holy Spirit, we have the capacity to be able to keep this commandment. 
• In your group discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in keeping the commandments of God.

4 COMMITMENTS OF RADICAL LOVE: 

1. Radical love chooses to respond peacefully.

Matthew 5:38-41 – You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. – NLT

• What are some ways that you can respond peacefully to others as you follow Jesus example of radical love? 

2. Radical love chooses to forgive freely.

Matthew 6:14-15 – If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. – NLT

• This seems incredibly harsh and a bit unnerving if we have any sort of forgiveness in our lives.  

• Why does Jesus make such a big deal about forgiveness?
• How does experiencing forgiveness from God help us to forgive others?

Matthew 5:43-45 – You have heard the law that says, 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. – NLT

• What does enemy love look like in your life?

3. Radial love chooses to view others graciously.

Matthew 7:1-5 – Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye. – NLT

• How does the way that we judge others come back to play into our own judgement? 
• Is there a difference between judging others and standing up for what is right and true? How does that difference play out?
• Should Christians hold other Christians to a certain level of commitment, or is that being judgmental?

4. Radical love chooses to serve sacrificially.

Matthew 7:12 – Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. – NLT

• The key in point for is the word "sacrificially."
• What does sacrificial service look like? 
• What is the cost of sacrificial  service?
• What is the reward of sacrificial service?
• Is the cost worth the reward?

Putting It Into Practice:

• Which of these four key's of radical love to you feel most competent at?
• Which of them do you struggle with the most?
• What is one thing that you can do this week to grow in your capacity to experience and share the radical love that Jesus calls us to?

 

 

SERMON: LAYING OUT THE CHALLENGE (10/9)

Friends,

Below are some questions, thoughts, Scriptures, and ideas for using Sunday's message to go deeper with your Life Group.  Feel free to use this information if you find it to be a helpful tool for leading your Life Group discussions. I want to apologize because I had a few formatting issues (background color) with this week's blog that I can't seem to get corrected, but I will have them corrected for next week.

• Any challenge worth taking has both a high level of buy in and perseverance, as well as an amazing pay off for the person who completes the challenge. As we enter into week three of the NTC how are you doing with the challenge (engaging with God in the reading, processing and putting into action the things that you're learning)? 
• What are you finding difficult
• What payoff or reward are you experiencing as you remain faithful?

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. – NLT 

• As you read 2 Tim. 3:16-17 what stands out to you about the role of the Bible in our lives. 
• Are there places in your life that you can already see God changing you as you read through the NTC?
•  Ron encouraged us on Sunday that if we invest 3% of our time in taking the NTC it will drastically transform our lives. This will happen as we begin to apply the things that we're learning. What you you put into practice in your life since beginning this challenge?

 

• The Bible teaches that Jesus was anointed by God the Father for two main purposes. To be our SAVIOR and our LORD. 

• SAVIOR: The New Testament clearly defines Jesus as the Savior of the world: 

Matthew 1:18-21 – This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiance, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." – NLT
 
John 14:6 – I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. – NLT

• Why do you think this reality is so hard for so many people in the world to embrace? 

 

• LORD: The second title that Jesus is given is Lord which means that He is the ruler, authority, final word, and the one we should listen to and follow with our lives.
  

  Philippians 2:6-11 – Though he [Jesus] was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. – NLT

• What does it mean to you that Jesus claims to be the Lord of every person who has given their life go God? How does this play out in your life?
• The Bible clearly states that Jesus is BOTH Lord AND Savior. He cannot be one in our life unless He is both.  

 In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 Jesus said:

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸ For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. ¹⁹ Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

• On Sunday Ron asked us to make the commitment to do whatever God directs us to as we read through the New Testament.  Did you make this commitment? Why or why not?

• Have you found this commitment easy or difficult to keep? What do you think is the key to doing all of the things that God commands?

As you close your group, spend some time praying together that the Holy Spirit would give you the courage and commitment to put the things that God calls us to into practice in our lives as we read through the New Testament Challenge.

 

What Do I Do When People Don't Show Up?

I've edited a very helpful article by Allen White 
for this weeks post. (See original article here)

"Where did everyone go..."

HELP: 15 People Sign Up But Only 5 Showed Up! Maybe those aren’t the specific numbers that you experienced in your group, but the reality is that it happens to every group at some point. DON'T WORRY... We're here to help!  Here are a couple of keys to riding the attendance roller coaster.

1. It’s not about you.  In the church, community is what we want, yet it’s what we resist the most. People got excited during promo month, so they signed up for your group. Between kids beginning school,sports, and work, life just got in the way. After all, the road to you-know-where is paved with good intentions.  If someone didn't show up on week 1, don't take it personally, chances are, it's not about you.

2. Keep them on your list. Keep the communication flowing. Email them along with the rest of your group with information about this week's meeting. Give them a call. The call should go something like this: “Hi, this is_______. I wanted to give you a quick call because I missed seeing you at our Life Group last week.  Do you think you're going to be able to make it this week?” If the answer is "yes," then tell them that you're looking forward to seeing them. If the answer is either "no" encourage them to come to the following week. If the answer is "actually, this group doesn't work in schedule," Then try to connect them with a different group. You can see all of our available groups here. Don't be nervous about calling, chances are that they won’t slam down the phone after saying, “I don’t want you to care about me.” Who doesn’t want that?

3. Focus on who showed up rather than who didn’t.  My second time leading a group, the attendance regularly fluctuated from 10 people one week to 3 the next.Certain weeks there were only three of us. By the numbers, my group is a disaster. Yet, there are things you can talk about with two that you can’t discuss with eight. Maybe you do the lesson. Maybe you set the lesson aside. Before you start beating yourself or your group members up over low attendance, you need to do a quick check-in with God: “What do You intend for this group meeting? It doesn’t look like what I planned. What have You planned?” His plans are better anyway. So focus on who shows up, but make sure to contact the folks who don't.

4. Remember your Life Group and your sphere or influence are not the same. Some people may never show up for your group. Or, they’ll come once or twice, then you won’t hear from them for a while. Here’s the deal: whether they attend every week or once in a blue moon, they are in your sphere of influence simply by signing up for your group. The group members who meet three out of four times a month are essentially your Life Group. Everyone else is your sphere of influence. There is a reason that God has placed these folks in your life. Keep up with them. Help them when they need help. Pray for them. This is not some clandestine plot to convince them back to the group through your kindness, but it might work. This is your opportunity to love and serve, even if you never get anything in return

In a perfect world, everyone would honor their commitment and show up for every group gathering. But, this is not a perfect world. Here’s the deal: for that no-show on your list, you just might be their only connection to the body of Christ. Their well-being, of course, is not up to you. But, there is a reason that in all of the Life groups in our community, they signed up for yours. God will show you why.

RELAX- It's Biblical

As we wrap up another great session of Life Groups I am reminded how important it is to the health of our lives and ministry to REST & RELAX.  I've combined a blog from Rick Warren about the importance of rest and relaxation with a Sabbath "How To" which came out of a sermon that I preached a few years ago. My hope is that you are able to rest in the goodness of God as we close out the Summer and head into the Fall.

 ENJOY...

Rest and relaxation are so important that God put them in the Ten Commandments. God tells us to rest every seventh day. If you’re not taking a day off every week, you’re breaking one of the Ten Commandments – and you won’t be as effective as you could be in ministry (or anything else you do).

Jesus reminds us in Mark 2:27 that the command to take a Sabbath is for our own benefit: “Man was not given for the Sabbath but the Sabbath was given for man.” God gave us the Sabbath to help us to rest and restore. Our bodies need it.

Jesus modeled this in His own ministry, and we need to model it in our ministries.

Relaxation: We need to take time to enjoy life.

Mark 6:31-32 says, “Because so many people were coming and going that they didn’t even have a chance to eat, [Jesus] said to them, `Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest’” (NIV). In other words, Jesus said, “Fellows, you deserve a break today. Come to the desert and we’re going to rest.”

Jesus modeled this God-created need to rest and relax. I’m more and more convinced of the importance of balance in ministry. All areas of our lives need to be balanced. There is an ebb and flow in ministry, a time when you give out and a time when you receive, a time when you work and a time when you rest. Ecclesiastes says, “There’s a time for everything in life” – to laugh, to cry, to build up, and to tear down.

The Bible says in Matthew 11:19 that Jesus came enjoying life . You don’t hear many theologians talking about that verse. They talk about Jesus the old sourpuss. Have you noticed on TV that the media always shows Jesus with a sour, dour, very serious face? But the Bible says, Jesus came enjoying life. He survived stress by enjoying life.

God wants you to do that. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:17, “God richly gives us everything to enjoy” (NCV). As we use it for His glory, we also get to enjoy it at the same time.

Balance is a key to stress management. I constantly remind my staff to --

* Divert daily – Take a mini-vacation every day to recharge.

* Withdraw weekly – Take a day off every week.
* Abandon annually – Take an extended period of time off every year.
Jesus rested regularly because he knew God designed us to need rest, but also because he was being obedient to the commands of God.

One great way to "Withdraw Weekly" and rest in the presence of God is by taking a sabbath.  Here are some practical elements to add into a sabbath day that will ensure that it is more than merely a day off.  Maria and I have been taking a sabbath for the past year and it has become a wonderful part of our weekly rhythm. If you have more questions about taking a sabbath feel free to contact me and I'd be happy to talk.

SABBATH "HOW TO"

5 Distinctives To Include In Your Sabbath Experience

1) Celebrating God:

> Focus on the gifts that God has given you, not on the things that you don’t have. No focusing on the negative things in life on Sabbath.

> Spend time reading the Bible and talking with your kids about the amazing love of God.

> Get out into nature or some place where you generally connect with God (i.e. the beach).

2)   Celebrating Family:

> Sabbath is a time for blessing your family. Spend time telling each person in your family what they mean to you and how much you love them.

> If you’re married, this is a day to be intimate with your spouse as a celebration of God’s gift of marriage.

3)  Celebrating Fun:

> Do something fun with your family. Imagine having kids who can’t wait to spend time with God because it’s so much fun!

4)  Celebrating Service:

> The one group of people in the Bible who were not commanded to stop working on the Sabbath were the people who served in the church. 

> Look for ways to serve in the church & community as part of Sabbath.  We don’t take Sabbath from serving God. We take Sabbath by serving God.

5)   Celebrating Food:

> Sabbath is a time to have an amazing meal with those closest to you. 

      NOTE: If you're in need of rest, and are looking to take your relationship with God to a whole new level...Try taking a sabbath with your family (or close friends) this week. You will be amazed at how God meets and refreshes you during your sabbath.

Passing The Torch

God has called you and I to do more than lead a Life Group for this summer, he's called us to leave a legacy in our groups that lasts beyond our 12 weeks as a leader. If you're like me, then you want to see the people in your group connect with God in deep ways and take next steps in their faith as He guides them.

Strike up a conversation with someone in your Life Group!

LEADERSHIP - A GREAT NEXT STEP

Is God calling someone in your group to become a leader? When you get into group, you may notice that there is someone (or a few people) who God seems to be calling to take a step of faith and lead a group. Now (THIS WEEK) is the time to sit down with that person and encourage them to step up and lead this Fall.


Nervous to have that conversation? Here's a simple outline:

• Encourage and affirm the person for the role that they play in your group. Tell them things that you appreciate about their participation in the group (be specific: i.e. "you bring great insight into our conversations" or "you are a great encouragement to me and others in our group." 

• Let them know that you think they have great potential to lead a group of their own this Fall.

• Ask them if they are open to the idea of leading this Fall. Remind them that their curriculum and material will be provided for them, so this is a great time to take a step and become a leader for the first time.
• Note: They may be hesitant to say yes, but this is where you can step in and encourage them to take a step of faith.

• If they are excited (or even curious) about leading this Fall, email your coach ASAP with the person's name and contact information so that your coach can follow up with them and answer any questions that they have about leading.

WE NEED TO HAVE OUR FALL LIFE GROUPS SET UP BY THE MIDDLE OF THIS MONTH, SO PLEASE TALK WITH YOUR GROUP THIS WEEK, AND EMAIL YOUR COACH ASAP WITH ANYONE THAT GOD IS GUIDING TOWARD LEADERSHIP!

Living a Life Worthy of the Calling We've Received

Let's hit the mark that God designed for our lives!

In the sermon yesterday, Ron reminded us that one key part of knowing and doing the will of God is turning back to God when we sin, or miss the mark of God's design for our lives.  This is especially true for  us as we lead others in to God's presence. Satan would love nothing more than to make us ineffective in our lives and ministry calling through some secret or un-dealt with sin.  Ron laid out a fantastic plan for identifying and repenting (turning) of sin in our lives. I encourage you to take some time this week and walk through this process with the Lord.

THE PROMISE

Psalm 32:8—The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” - NLT

THE PROBLEM

Psalm 32:9—”Do NOT be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” - NLT

THE ANSWER

Acts 3:19-20—Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord.—NLT

THE PROCESS OF REPENTANCE

1. I MUST DISCERN AND ADMIT I AM OUT OF GOD’S WILL.

1 John 1:8-9—If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.—NIV

ð Discern = Look for telltale signs

a. Violation of Biblical command or principle

b. Troubled Conscience

c. Lack of fulfillment / peace

d. Judgmental spirit

ð Admit = Communicate it

a. To myself

b. To God

c. To the proper person: 

d. Find an accountability partner: This is a person that you can be honest with, who can walk with you through the process of repentance, and can help you stick to the commitments that God is calling you into.

Note: If God is leading you toward talking with someone else about any area of sin in your life, here are a few options of people who might be good to talk with: Life Group coach, close friend, pastor, or spouse.  Depending on the nature of the issue that you're working through, someone of the same sex might be the best person to talk with.

2. I MUST ACCEPT AND WALK IN FORGIVENESS.

Colossians 1:22-23—God has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it.—NLT

ð God won’t make me walk in freedom and others can’t.

ð God will forgive every sin, but He may not remove their  consequences.

ð God will redeem even the worst of consequences.

3. I MUST ASK GOD FOR REVISED DIRECTIONS.

James 1:5—If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.—NLT

ð Repentance is the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently.

4. I MUST ACT IMMEDIATELY ON THE DIRECTIONS GOD GIVES.

John 13:17—Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.—NLT

ð Obedience brings blessing and further revelation.

ð Delayed obedience is really disobedience.

Stretch & Release

When I was in my early 20's I had some large ear piercings (think pencil sized hole in my ear lobe), but if you looked at my ears today, you would only notice a small hole where the piercings used to be. That's because human skin has an amazing amount of elasticity (think rubber band). We can stretch it to a certain point, and generally it snaps back into place (assuming that we take the right steps).  But there is a certain point where our skin has stretched beyond it's ability to snap back into place (think about someone who has huge holes where ear lobes used to be).

The same is true with our spirituality, life, and ministry. It's why God set up the world with stress and release  times (day and night, week and weekend, etc). It's why we've structured our Life Groups in 12 week sessions(stretch) with 1 month breaks (release) between sessions.

It is also the reason that I want you to pray about this Fall. God has designed us to have ministry times of stretch and release, but I've seen too many leaders over the years who have not listened to God's voice in this area, and have pushed themselves to burn out. When that happens, they usually end up getting disconnected from God and angry at the church.  Friends, I care about you to much to have that happen in any of your lives.

If you've led for the past two sessions, I would like you to spend time praying this week about the idea that God might want you to have a break this Fall from leading a group, and join a group as a member. Even as I write this, it's a little terrifying, because I realize that many of you fit into this category, and it's unnerving to think about having you take a break. But I believe strongly that release points in your journey will serve you, God's people at New Life, and God's plan for our community far more in the long run.

If you've led for two sessions straight (Spring and Summer), then I would like you to prayerfully consider joining a group as a member instead of leading one.  This is not a command or requirement, but I believe it is an incredible way the coaches team and myself to care for you by making sure that you don't hit burn out.

Here are a few benefits to taking a break:
1) It gives you release time to recharge and get ready for next Spring.
2) It raises up new leaders from your group who can take the mantle of leadership.
3) It allows you to sit under another leader.

If you have been leading for one session. I would like pray and strongly consider leading again this fall. God is going to do amazing work in amazing work in our church through the New Testament Challenge, and He wants to use seasoned leaders like you to lead the charge as we dive into this new venture.

NEXT WEEK:
I will be asking ALL LEADERS to reply to my leaders email letting me know if you are:

1) MARRIED TO THE IDEA OF LEADING THIS FALL: You are definitely leading
2) DATING THE IDEA OF LEADING A GROUP THIS FALL: You are considering leading
3) ABSTAINING FROM LEADING A GROUP THIS FALL: You are planning to take a break from leading, and will be joining a group as a member. You may fit into this category because you've led for two consecutive sessions, or because God is leading you to other ministry opportunities this fall.

7th Inning Stretch

Can you believe that we've just passed the half way point of our Spring Life Group Session? That said, I think it's time for the Life Group 7th Inning Stretch. Last week we talked about personal development and goal setting as we journey through this Spring, and this week I want to talk about goal setting and development for your Life Group members in something that I'm calling the Life Group Seventh Inning Stretch. Here are a few tips as you continue to guide our community toward Christ.

• REFLECT:  The 7th inning stretch is a time for looking back at the game so far...
• Spend some time reflecting on your expectations coming into this session and ask:
• How has God worked in the ways that I expected?
• How has God worked in unexpected ways?
• Are there expectations/hopes that I had which have not come to pass? 
• If there are, try to identify why they haven't come to pass.
• Ask God to show you things that you can do to make those hopes a reality.

• SING: The 7th inning stretch is a time for singing and celebrating...
• Spend time thanking God for each of the people in your Life Group. 
• Spend time thanking God for the work that He is doing in the lives of the group members.
• Spend time worshiping God for who He is, and the work that He is doing.

• LOOK AHEAD: The 7th inning stretch is a time for planning for the rest of the game.
• Check your calendar:
• Have you scheduled and begun planning for:
• The groups communion time: See your Leaders Packet for tips on setting up communion.
• The groups service project: If not, scroll down to the blog for Rebuilding Together Petaluma, and sign your group up this week.
• The groups party.
• Look at each member of your group and ask God what He wants for them as they continue meeting together. He might bring up:
• A scripture that you should share with them. Some encouragement or challenge that you should share with them.
• NOTE: If He doesn't, that's okay, but we should always be asking God what He might want to say through us as we lead our groups. 
• Look at your own life, what is God speaking into your life and how are you following his promptings? 

Doing these things will help you connect with God, reflect on the past, and prepare for the future as you lead your group through the rest of this session.