Church of The Open Door

Decade of Discipleship: Building a Discipleship Culture

“Built to Last: Part 2”

1 Cor. 3:10-15, Eph. 4:15 and 1 Peter 2:5

Designing the Plan

Vision

Mission

Laying the Foundation

Coming to Christ

Becoming Like Christ

Creating the Structure

Becoming Like Christ

Finishing the Job

Stages of Growth

When you are growing as a disciple and making disciples, you are a part of something that is built to last.

 

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Lives

(If you didn’t meet as a group last week, do questions 1-5. If you did meet last week, do Questions 6-9)

How much construction experience do you have? Indicate which phrase best describes you:

I stacked blocks or built lego projects as a kid

I built/made something for art class in school

I work/ed on a construction crew

I am an Architect or General Contractor

I built my own house

I built a business/organization

2. What are some other purposes churches pursue besides making disciples?

3. When you think about your role/mindset in the church, which phrase best captures your viewpoint: “attending church” or “making disciples”?

4. Which phrase best describes what stage of discipleship you are in:

I am a pre-disciple (not yet a Christian)

I am a Christian but am not serious about discipleship

I am a new disciple

I am a growing disciple

I am plateaued in my growth as a Christian.

I am discipling others

I am coaching others how to disciple others

5. Read Ephesians 4:15 in the NLT. Which of the “every ways” of that verse do you need to most grow in becoming more like Christ?  Pick one of the Core CHRISTlike Characteristics below and ask God to help you in growing and developing that Core CHRISTlike Characteristic at the beginning of this new year. What is an immediate next step you could take to help facilitate that growth?

Connected to God through the Word and Prayer

Heart of Worship

Relates with Other-Centered Love

Intentional Evangelism

Spirit-led Servant

Trustworthy Steward of God’s Resources

6. Read 1 Peter 2:4-5 and 1 Cor. 3:16-17. Both Peter and Paul refer to the Temple in Jerusalem, a towering incredible structure that was stunningly beautiful. What’s the most beautiful or tallest building you’ve ever been in? Describe it.

7. In both of the passages of Question 6, Peter and Paul use “you” to refer to individual Christians and the church. What is the significance of the fact that individual Christians are the “temple of the Holy Spirit” and that together we as the church are called the “temple of the Holy Spirit”?

8. Can you name each of the 5Bs? (If not, go to our church app to find them.) Which B are you in right now?

Has the love of God motivated you to call you out of your comfort zone and are you building a relationship with a pre-Christian?

Have you brought that person to church or a LifeGroup or some other event where they can experience the love of God through the gathering of other Jesus followers?

Are you helping the person you brought feel the love of God and are you surrounding other new people with the accepting, belonging love of God?

Have you shared the gospel with this person (using the Bridge to Life or other plan) so that may believe in Christ and surrender their life to him?

Are you becoming more like Christ through intentional steps of growth?

9. Where would you place yourself right now in the stages of spiritual growth? What do you need to do to go to the next stage? (WYNS?)

Beginning in Christ

Young in Christ

Maturing in Christ

Reproducing in Christ

 

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Trustworthy Steward of God’s Resources/Living Surrendered

Decade of Discipleship

“What’s Your Next Step?”

John 1:35-46, 1 John 2:6, Gal. 5:25, 2 Peter 3:18, Col. 2:6-7

Your next step depends on where you are right now and your willingness to cooperate with the

Holy Spirit:

Steps for Exploring Christ

• Hear about Jesus: Come to church each week

• Read about Jesus: Start reading the Gospels

• Believe Jesus: Surrender your life to Christ

• Obey Jesus: Discover Discipleship: Follow Jesus to learn from Jesus, to become more like Jesus

The best way to explore Jesus is to follow Jesus.

Steps for Growing in Christ (Becoming more like Jesus)

First Steps

• Devote yourself to God’s Word

Do Daily Devotions

Come to Weekly Worship

Obey the Word

• Deepen your roots through LifeGroups

• Do ministry as a lifestyle

Next Steps

• Take the Next Step Survey

• Join or lead a Discipleship Intensive Group (DIG)

• Develop your understanding through classes

We grow in Christ so we can become more like Christ.

As we keep in step with the Spirit, He will lead us to follow Jesus and make us more like Jesus.

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Connected to God through the Word and Prayer/Loving God

Decade of Discipleship: Building a Discipleship Culture

“Built to Last”

1 Cor. 3:10-15, Matthew 28:19 and Ephesians 4:15

1. Designing the Plan

2. Laying the Foundation

3. Creating the Structure

4. Finishing the Job

Stages of Growth

When you are growing as a disciple and making disciples, you are a part of something that is built to

last.

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Trustworthy Steward of God’s Resources/Living Surrendered

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Lives

1. How much construction experience do you have? Indicate which phrase best describes you:

a. I stacked blocks or built lego projects as a kid

b. I built/made something for art class in school

c. I work/ed on a construction crew

d. I am an Architect or General Contractor

e. I built my own house

f. I built a business/organization

2. What are some other purposes churches pursue besides making disciples?

3. When you think about your role/mindset in the church, which phrase best captures your

viewpoint: “attending church” or “making disciples”?

4. Which phrase best describes what stage of discipleship you are in:

a. I am a pre-disciple (not yet a Christian)

b. I am a Christian but am not serious about discipleship

c. I am a new disciple

d. I am a growing disciple

e. I am plateaued in my growth as a Christian.

f. I am discipling others

g. I am coaching others how to disciple others

5. Read Ephesians 4:15 in the NLT. Which of the “every ways” of that verse do you need to most

grow in becoming more like Christ? Pick one of the Core CHRISTlike Characteristics below and ask

God to help you in growing and developing that Core CHRISTlike Characteristic at the beginning of

this new year. What is an immediate next step you could take to help facilitate that growth?

Connected to God through the Word and Prayer

Heart of Worship

Relates with Other-Centered Love

Intentional Evangelism

Spirit-led Servant

Trustworthy Steward of God’s Resources

Eat this Book

Ezekiel 3:1-4

God Commands us, just like he commanded Ezekiel to:

Receive the Word

Eat the Word

Meditate on the Word

Dedicate yourself to the Word

Obey the Word

Find Comfort in the Word

Speak the Word

Live the Word

EAT THIS BOOK

Stuff yourself / Savor the flavor / Speak about it

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

1. Describe the best meal you have ever eaten? How did it make you feel? 2. What is the Bible? How would you describe this famous book?

3. How might your experience of Bible reading be different if you were trying to make a meal of it instead of reading it for helpful or inspiring bits?

4. What sets the rhythms of your year, your life? How heavily is it shaped by things like school, work, holidays, paydays, vacations, department store sales? What would it look like to live life shaped by the rhythms of scripture, worship and community?

5. Do you ever get the sense that God is speaking to you in scripture? How do you respond?

6. As a lifegroup take a minute to pray and ask Him to speak to you through the scripture and read Psalm 119 together. You can read the whole thing or give sections to each person. At the end, allow time to talk about it.

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic:

Connected to God through the Word and Prayer/Loving God

Longing

“Longing for Joy”

Luke 2:1-20; Matthew 2:1-10

Learning lessons of joy from the Christmas journeys:

The journey of Joseph and Mary.

The journey to joy may be long and hard, but it’s worth it.

The journey of the angels.

Good news becomes great joy when it becomes personal.

The journey of the shepherds.

Good news that brings great joy should be shared with others.

The journey of the Magi.

The journey to Jesus ends in joyful worship.

The journey of you and I.

The joy you’re looking for is found in Jesus.

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

What is the longest road trip you’ve ever taken? Where did you go? How long did it take you?

As a group try to recall some of the famous ‘journeys’ in the Bible. How many can you list?

Which of the first four journeys in our sermon outline do you most relate to? Why?

Brainstorm: Why does God seem to love the idea of asking people (and angels) to “go” rather than stay?

Where has God called you to go this past year? Have you obeyed and what has been the result? *note: this may be “going” to a person (like Gabriel went to Mary) rather than going to a location.

Read Hebrews 12:2 together. How does the joy described here relate to the joy described at Jesus' birth?  How can one have joy over such a horrible circumstance?

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Heart of Worship/Loving God

Longing for Love

John 3:16

Does God Really Love Me?

Why Not?  Wrongdoing, Circumstances, Evil, Pain, Misery?

Does God Know What’s Best for Me?

For God So Loved the World- John 3:16

You’re Part of a Big Story, God’s Story

There is Great Brokenness

But there is also Great Restoration!

He Loves Us So- In This Way

Real, Personal, Tangible

He Gave Us Jesus

Cost is Determined by Payment and

God Gave His One and Only Son

He Gave Eternal LifeGod’s StoryPurpose        - Creation

Provision    - Sacrifice

Promise        - Abraham

Parameters   - Law

Permission  - Kings

Progeny         - David

Pledge           - New Covenant

Presence      - Incarnation

Pinnacle        - Cross

Proof              - Resurrection

Power            - Holy Spirit

Peace            - New Heavens

God Loves You. God Became Flesh, Dwelt Among Us, Lived a Perfect Life, Died in Our Place, Rose Victoriously from the Grave, and is Coming Again!

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

Have you ever thought of the story of your own family?  How does understanding where you’ve come from help you be rooted in where you are and where you are going?

What are the deep longings of your heart? Do you long for love?  Can you trace your ultimate longings back to God? How do expectations of love affect one's longing for love?  Why or why not?

The first coming of Jesus violated many people’s expectations about what the Messiah would be like…How do you need to adjust your expectations to follow who Jesus really is instead of a caricature of who he is?

Do you long for God or for the benefits that are associated with being one of his followers? How do you increase your love and passion for the God that created you?  (Check out Jeremiah 32:40 NLT and pray that over your life)

Could you lay out the story of creation until now to someone who wanted to know where they fit into God’s story? (Try it as a LifeGroup, it’s ok not to get everything, but what would you say are the big points of the bible.)

What competes for your heart? What are the idols your need to smash so that you can love the Lord your God with all your heart?

Read 1 John 4:7-21.  What does the apostle John say about loving God and loving others here?  How does this apply in your relationships?  Pray for one another on this!

 Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Heart of Worship, Loving God

Longing

“Longing for Peace”

Isaiah 52:7

1. Longing is a deep yearning in your soul:

for more

for better

for relationship

for ‘Shalom’

2. ‘Shalom’ is completeness and wholeness, a flourishing peace:

with God

with yourself

with the people around you

with creation

3. Advent is the anticipation of the coming of:

Good news (which is…)

Shalom (which comes through…)

Salvation (which comes through…)

Jesus the King (whose reign brings Shalom!)

The good news is that deep, abiding peace, the Shalom of God, comes from an ongoing, saving

relationship with Yeshua, the King who reigns forever!

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Lives

1. In the sermon introduction, we were asked, "If you could say in one word what you want

more of in life, what would that be?" What was your answer?

2. When you think of peace, what song, slogan, image or moment in history comes into your

mind? What emotions or questions come to mind and why?

3. Review how ‘Shalom’ was defined/explained in point 2. What struck you about this biblical

idea of ‘shalom’?

4. Read Numbers 6:24-26, Isaiah 48:22, Jeremiah 33:6. What is the relationship between these

verses?

5. Read Isaiah 59:8. What is the relationship between justice and peace?

6. How should “Jesus is King” impact how we live our daily lives?

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Connected to God through the Word and Prayer/Loving God

Longing for Hope

2 Timothy 4:8, Romans 15:13

Where do you find yourself today when it comes to hope?

Hopeless

We long for what once was

We long for what we had wanted

Hopeful

A word can speak life into our loss

An action can soothe our deepest disappointments

Hope-filled

God is the source

He longs for our trust so He can fill us to overflowing

He desires to fill us completely

We must empty ourselves

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

Opening prayer time - begin with a few minutes of silence for each person to listen to God and invite Him into this moment, then open in prayer.

How do sales adds, pop up add, tv spots, etc create a longing in your for a certain product?  Do you watch commercials with an understanding of how marketing creates that type of longing in your heart?  Have you ever watched an ad and then find yourself desiring that product?

Read Romans 15:13. What ‘sources’, other than Jesus, have you tried to use to fill your life with hope? Be specific.

What were the results?

The passage of Romans speaks of being “completely filled” with joy and peace from our hope in Jesus. Can you describe a time in life when this has been true for you or someone you know?

How do you find your ultimate hope in Christ and not created things?  Do you long for Christ?  What situations around you do you need to surrender to the Lord in order to find the fullness of your hope in him alone?

Close your time praying for one another specifically in the areas where you need to “empty the cup” so that God can fill you to overflowing with hope

CHRIST-like Characteristic: Connected to God through the Word & Prayer, Spirit-led Servant,  Loving God/Living Surrendered

Giving Grace

“Passing the Test”

2 Corinthians 8:8-9

Test questions to ask yourself:

Do you give out of obedience?

Obeying out of obligation.

Obeying as an act of trust.

Do you give out of grace?

Being generous because God has been generous to you.

Giving out of gratitude for all God has given to you.

Do you give out of love?

Money proves what we love.

Money is a test.

What if everything you have is a test from God to see if you understand grace and discipleship?

 

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

Read 2 Cor. 8:8. People respond to the idea of being “tested” differently. Some love it and some hate it. Some look for tests and others seek to avoid them at all costs. What is your general response to the ideaof being “tested”?

Give an example from any part of your life of “obeying out of obligation” and “obeying out of trust.” If you were to counsel someone who is currently obeying God out of obligation to begin to obey God out of trust, how would you counsel them to do that?

Have you ever felt led to give away money to someone? What were the circumstances? How did you feel afterwards?

Read Luke 18:18-25. List everything this passage tells us about the man and together create a profile for him. Feel free to look at Mark and Matthew’s version of the same story as well.

After you have done question 4, read Mark 10:22 and try to put into words what this man might have been thinking as he walked away “sad.”

After you have completed question 5, consider this question: Do you think he ever came back to follow Jesus? Why or why not?

Which category of giving best describes where you currently are: giving out of obedience, grace or love? Explain your answer.

 Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Trustworthy Steward of God’s Resources/Living Surrendered

Giving Grace

Giving: From The Inside Out

2 Corinthians 8: 1 - 7

Introduction:  God's An Inside-Out God

To Give From The Inside-Out We Have To Know Grace

Grace - First Through Salvation Experience

Grace - Second Through Our Very Ongoing Existence

Grace Leads To Gratitude

Grace is the air we breathe in,

SO

Gratitude is the air we breathe out

Grace Leads To Gratitude and Gratitude Leads To Giving

We offer Him everything AND We offer Him our best

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

What is your salvation story of Grace and how has it affected you in your gratitude and your giving?

What is your understanding of Grace as it is given to us for our very source of existence?

Is this (question 2) and new understanding of Grace for you?

How does this understanding (and experience) of Grace affect you in your gratitude and your giving?

Do you connect giving as an inside-out activity?

In light of all who God is are you giving Him all of who you are?

Are you giving Him your best?

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Trustworthy Steward of God’s Resources/Living Surrendered