In light of this week's message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

1) What are your top character/personality traits? (ie. honesty, adaptiveness, drivenness, determination, persistence, compassion, empathy, patience, courage, etc.) Go here for a list of examples: https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-personality-traits.html

2) What/who do you believe has most influenced those behavior traits?

3) Read John 3:16. What is the power of belief in this passage? Read John 14:12. What is the power of belief in this passage? Why do you believe we have memorized John 3:16 but not John 14:12? How should this type of belief change your behavior (works)?

4) In this Red Letters series we are highlighting the characteristics of Jesus, and how it looks to be Christ-like in our words and actions. These first characteristics we are highlighting are the approachability, availability, and awareness of Jesus. Read Matthew 19:13-15 and share your thoughts on how Jesus showed these characteristics.

5) What, specifically, would change if you were willing to be like Christ in being approachable, available, and aware of the overlooked and forgotten people around you? Who is one person you need to make yourself (more) available for to love and bless?

In light of this week's message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

1) Do you ever experience any of these: Stress, Worry, Fear, Uneasiness, Nervousness, Apprehension, Dread, Doubt, Despair, or Hopelessness?  In what ways do they rob you of life?

2) Read Psalm 139:23-24. If you were to allow God to search you, what would he uncover? What is it that causes you such unrest?  What is it that robs you of your peace?

3) Read Luke 12:22-29.  In the teaching, it was said, “Worry left unchecked will lead to anxiety.” Have you found that to be true in your own life, or in the lives of your loved ones?  If so, how?

4) Read Mark 4:1-2, 35-41.  In the teaching, it was said that, “Fear left unchecked will lead to anxiety.” Have you found that to be true in your own life, or in the lives of your loved ones?  If so, how?

5) Read Philippians 4:6-7. If you want to experience true life in Christ, you need to “Recognize the Irrational” and “Focus on the Relational”.  What are some ways you can do these things as you choose Peace NOT Anxiety?

DIG IN QUESTIONS

In light of this week's message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

1) What is the best example of unity you have seen in your family, church, or community?

2) What is the best example of division you have seen in your family, church, or community?

3) Read John 17:20-21. Why did Jesus want us (the Church) to be one?

4) Bryan shared an example using towels to illustrate the power of love in serving others, even those who disagree with you. What is a powerful way you have served others, or how others have served you?

5) If the beginning of unity starts with humility, who is one person you are committing to humbly serve this week? Have you considered serving at FCC? To sign up to serve, go to: www.forkchristian.org/serve

DIG IN QUESTIONS

In light of this week's message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

1) How much would this world change if everyone lived contently with what they had and there was no longer greed in the world?

2) How much money do you think you would need in order to be content? How much money do you need to have to start living generously?

3) Read Philippians 4:10-13. What would change in your life if you actually lived as if you were content with what you had?

4) How can you relate to Stephanie's story of having to learn how to be content?

5) Read Hebrews 13:5-6. How does knowing Jesus will "never leave you nor forsake you" change how you view your circumstances and desires? What is one thing this week with which you can choose to live open-handed? What do you need to let go of in order to learn how to live with contentment in Christ?

In light of this week's message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

1) Have you ever realized, “I can’t quit doing this? What is one habit you have had the most difficult time breaking?

2) If you have ever beaten a habit or if you could beat your habit, what would it do for you? How would it change things for you?

3) Read John 8:34. What was Jesus meaning when he talked about being a slave to sin? Have you ever felt that way?

4) How can you relate to Bryan’s story of his Buddy Brad?

5) Rick Warren said, “If you’re losing the battle against a persistent bad habit, an addiction, or a temptation, and you’re stuck in a repeating cycle of good intention-failure- guilt, you will not get better on your own! You need the help of other people. Some temptations are only overcome with the help of a partner who prays for you, encourages you, and holds you accountable.” Are you someone who needs help overcoming a struggle? Are you able and willing to help others?

*If you or someone you know is needing additional counseling, Pastor Bryan is open to meeting with you. In addition, for professional help, Fork has partnered with True Life Discipleship Counseling, you can reach out to them for help at: https://onetruelife.org/

**if you or someone in the group is considering suicide please immediately call 1-800-273-8255

In light of this week's message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

1) Have you ever asked, “What’s the point?” Maybe you have asked, “Why God?” Share a little about these moments where nothing seemed to make sense at the time.

2) Have you ever looked back over time and seen that there was a purpose behind the situation/person all along? Was there something God provided or accomplished despite or through the situation that seemed to have a purpose after all.

3) Bryan shared the story of when Jesus had his closest friend abandon him when he was arrested. Can you imagine what they must have been thinking throughout the crucifixion? Have you ever been tempted to walk away from Jesus when things didn’t go as planned?

4) How can you relate to Bryan’s testimony? Do you believe that God can also redeem your most difficult circumstances?

5) How can choosing to see purpose and not pointlessness change the way we behave as Christians and as a Church? Specifically, what would it look like for you to actually see your talents and your testimony with a purpose to go and help everyone find and follow Jesus? Share one way you will see your life with purpose this week and how it will change what you do.

In light of this week's message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

1) How can consciously recognizing and admitting where you have blown it, made a mistake, or messed up help you to choose grace not judgment when dealing with others?

2) How can choosing judgment not grace intentionally or unintentionally rob others of their best life? How can it rob us of our best life?

3) Read Romans 3:21-24. Does knowing that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins cause you to see other’s sins differently? If so, how?

4) Do you remember when you opposed faith or people of faith? Or when there was a time when you couldn’t or didn’t accept all that Jesus had done for you? Do you show people in a similar situation the same grace you were shown or wish you had been shown? What are examples of ways that you can do better at that?

5) When we live like justice is ours, we can easily start thinking that judgment is also ours. Do you find it easy to criticize another’s actions, attitudes, posts on social media, political opinions, and personal choices? Read Matthew 7:2-5. What does Jesus have to say about the way we view the faults of others.

6) When we insist on judgment, it can prohibit the person we are judging the opportunity to experience the grace of Jesus that could be and should be exhibited through us. Do you agree? Why? How can we fix that?

In light of this week's message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

1) Our choices can help others live their best life or they can intentionally or unintentionally rob others of their life. Do those words cause you to want to make life choices more carefully? If so, why?

2) Proverbs 18:21 says “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” How have you seen that played out in your own life or in the lives of those around you?

3) Read Ephesians 4:29. (Use 2 or 3 different Bible versions.) What “Speech” lessons is Paul teaching us here? What are some areas in your life that need improvement?

4) When it comes to the words you say, post, text, tweet, snap, or display on your hats, clothes, cars and coffee mugs…

Do you choose words that encourage, benefit, help and uplift those you speak to, speak about and those who happen to overhear you? What happens when your words do the opposite?

5) In the teaching it was said that if we want to “Choose encouragement and Not Gossip”, we need to listen more and talk less even when talking to those we disagree strongly with… Even those on the other side of the political fence or who hold views different than ours on hot button topics. Why is this so important?

6) We are all tempted to talk negatively or critically to people or talk that way about them to another. What are some reasons we should stop and pray for them before we speak?

DIG IN QUESTIONS

In light of this week's message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

Read Ephesians 2:1-10

1) If there was a song to describe your life, what is it and why?

2) What does Ephesians 2:1-10 teach us about God’s character?

3) In Ephesians, Paul, speaks to both Jews and Gentiles using a collective “ya’ll”. How does it change your understanding of this text from personal responsibility to communal responsibility?

4) Paul acknowledges that we were bound for death, but God made us alive. We have all experienced but God moments in our life. Take time to reflect and share a but God moment with your group?

5) Theologian Christopher Wright notes, “It is not so much the case that God has a mission for his church in the world, as that God has a church for his mission in the world. Mission was not made for the church; the church was made for mission – God’s mission”

• What do you sense the Lord is already doing in your community?

• How can you and/or your small group join God in what he is already doing in your community?

• What would this work require from you as an individual? What would this work require from your family?

• What are some challenges to saying yes to the good work God has prepared for the church to do?

• What are some opportunities to saying yes to the good work God has prepared for the church to do?

• Why is unity essential for God’s mission?

DIG IN QUESTIONS

In light of this week's message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

Read Luke 12:13-21

Read Philippians 4:6-13

1) How do you define contentment?  Based on your definition, how content are you?

2) Paul says he has learned to be content in all circumstances.  What circumstances do you struggle to be content in or content with?

3) Contentment does not mean that we never desire better things or different circumstances or easier situations.  What are some of the negative outcomes in our attitudes or our actions that result from us having a lack of contentment.

4) Paul says we should worry about nothing and pray about everything.  (Phil 4:6-7).  How are those 2 ideas connected?   

5) Read Philippians 4:8.  Why should we think this way?  What happens when we don’t?

6) Our joy is not dependent on what others have or on what we wish we had, but by learning to be content with the life and things we do have.  What are some practical steps you can take to experience joy in contentment?