GC must be a safe place for us, for all and each one of us, to be who we are and grow to be who we are meant to be.

it is defined as an interacting group of various species in a common location;

Both definitions sound similar but in the biological community there is the word, the action point “interacting” implies that any and all the members of a community (species, different individual groups) must have some kind of impact or actively living as a part of the community, a mere presence with no impact is not enough to make a being be part of a community.

When we BELONG to a “healthy” community we are moved to take an active part in it.

A healthy community promotes the growth of all and each member of the group so they would BECOME more successful.

What they did with my brother and I is what in the Christian healthy community we refer to as BLESS, they bless others first my brother and I, but not just they did bless my brother and I, they blessed other people as well.

1. Myths of leadership
   1. Leaders are born, not made
   2. Leadership is a rare skill
   3. Leadership exists only at the top of the organization
   4. All leaders are charismatic
   5. Leaders control by manipulation
2. The Cost of leadership is:
   1. Make the commitment to learn how to lead
      1. Personal things
      2. Time
      3. Resources
      4. Friendship
      5. Options and freedom
   2. Start leading. You do not learn to lead by learning but by doing.
      1. I know where I am going
      2. I have been there
      3. I have influence on people, being there and take you there
      4. Impacts people. When we multiply ourselves.
         1. Lead,
         2. Equip and train people,
            1. Learn yourself
            2. Lead yourself
            3. Develop others
            4. Lead other
            5. Lead others to lead others
            6. Lead others to lead others
3. Mother Teresa had on the wall in the children's home in Calcutta
   1. People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered, LOVE THEM ANYWAY
   2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives, DO GOOD ANYWAY
   3. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies, SUCCEED ANYWAY
   4. The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow, DO GOOD ANYWAY
   5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable, BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY
   6. What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight, BUILD ANYWAY
   7. People really need help but may attack you if you help them, HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY
   8. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth, GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU'VE GOT ANYWAY.

Growth Community Questions

Remember to use these questions like a menu, not a checklist. These questions are not mandated material you have to cover, but options to help guide your discussion as much or as little as you like.

HANGOUT [Warming Up to the Topic - in one Large Group]

1. Review this week’s teaching and talk about what stood out to you the most from what Lauren and other shared.

2. Meditate on how have you responded when something happened that changed your day, week, month, or even life plans?

Think about a life-changing event for someone in the Bible that you can remember? (Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Esau, Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel, Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, etc.)

HEAR [Listening to God through Scripture]

3. Share the reason why do you think Jesus was for in a Manger.

a) Close your eyes and think touching a rock that has been carved to put water so animals could drink. This is Jesus first place of rest, how does this compare to the last place His body was placed?

b) How does this changes the way you live your life?

4. Mary "kept these things in her heart. Did she tell these events and to whom?

5. Read and meditate in the Song of the Angels and the response of the shepherds:

a) Imagine an army singing, and proclaiming the deserving Glory to God in Heavenly places and declaring Peace to those on whom His favor rests.

b) What do you think that motivate the shepherds to share with the shepherds, Mary/Joseph and other people?

HUB [Making it Personal and Praying Together] 6. So now what?

Can you see interruptions in a different way? Share something that you are going through now and is forcing you to change your plans. Pray together.

ESPANOL

Preguntas sobre la comunidad de crecimiento

Recuerde usar estas preguntas como un menú, no como una lista de verificación. Estas preguntas no son material obligatorio que deba cubrir, sino opciones para ayudar a guiar su discusión tanto o tan poco como desee.

HANGOUT [Calentamiento del tema - en un grupo grande]

1. Repase la enseñanza de esta semana y hable sobre lo que más le llamó la atención de lo que Lauren y otros compartieron.

2. Medite en cómo ha respondido cuando sucedió algo que cambió su día, semana, mes o incluso sus planes para la vida. ¿Piense en un evento que cambió la vida de alguien en la Biblia que pueda recordar? (Abraham, Sara, Jacob, Esaú, José, Moisés, David, Daniel, Zacarías, María, José, los pastores, etc.)

ESCUCHAR [Escuchar a Dios a través de las Escrituras]

3. Comparta la razón por la que piensa que Jesús nació en un pesebre. a) Cierre los ojos y imagínese tocando una piedra que ha sido tallada para poner agua para que los animales puedan beber. Este es el primer lugar de descanso de Jesús, ¿cómo se compara esto con el último lugar donde se colocó su cuerpo? b) ¿Cómo cambia esto la forma en que vive su vida?

4. María "guardaba estas cosas en su corazón. ¿Les contó estos hechos y a quién?

5. Lea y medite en el Canto de los Ángeles y la respuesta de los pastores:

a) Imagínese un ejército cantando y proclamando la merecida Gloria a Dios en los lugares celestiales y declarando la paz a aquellos en quienes descansa Su favor.

b) ¿Qué cree que motivó a los pastores a compartir con mas pastores, María / José y otras personas?

HUB [Haciéndolo personal y orando juntos]

6. ¿Y ahora qué? ¿Puede ver las interrupciones de una manera diferente? Comparta algo por lo que estás pasando ahora y le está obligando a cambiar de planes. Oren juntos por eso.

**Growth Community Questions**

Remember to use these questions like a menu, not a checklist. These questions are not mandated material you have to cover, but options to help guide your discussion as much or as little as you like.

**HANGOUT [Warming Up to the Topic - in one Large Group]**1. Review this week’s teaching and talk about what stood out to you the most.

2. Have you ever felt that God has left you empty handed? Share how difficult it was for you or is for you if you are still feeling “empty handed”.

**HEAR [Listening to God through Scripture]**

3. Read and meditate in the Song of Zechariah:

a) Share your thoughts about the transformation in Zechariah’s heart from the time that the angel spoke to him through the time when he blessed his son.

b) How long is a long wait for you? Practice to stay one hour, one day or one week without speaking. (the use of your phone is a distraction too). Focus on the Lord, seek His presence in you.

c) What is the longest time you have waited or been waiting for a situation to pass by?

**HUB [Making it Personal and Praying Together]**

5. So now what? Share with your HUB the hardest part of waiting for a trial to be solved. What would help you to endure the waiting?

**Growth Community Questions**

Remember to use these questions like a menu, not a checklist. These questions are not mandated material you have to cover, but options to help guide your discussion as much or as little as you like.

**HANGOUT [Warming Up to the Topic - in one Large Group]**1. Review this week’s teaching and talk about what stood out to you the most.

2. How would you respond to God’s calling to be available so that He would do something risking your life or changing the way you live or are seen by your friends and family?

**HEAR [Listening to God through Scripture]**

3. Read and meditate in the Song of Mary:

a) Share your thoughts about Mary’s focus when Gabriel greets her.

b) Share a time when you had to walk by faith and not by sight. How does it make you feel now?

c) Share a prophecy that has been fulfilled in your life, Does it make you feel stronger?

**HUB [Making it Personal and Praying Together]**

5. So now what? What does God think about you? What do you think about yourself? How do people around you see you?

Growth Community Questions

Goal: The Holy Spirit gives us the power to witness the transformation of what we were into what we are today and what we will be tomorrow.

Remember to use these questions like a menu, not a checklist. These questions are not mandated material you have to cover, but options to help guide your discussion as much or as little as you like.

**HANGOUT [Warming Up to the Topic - in one Large Group] **

Review this week’s teaching and talk about what stood out to you the most.

What things make you feel excited about? Can you share one or two goals or wishes you have? What steps are you taking to accomplish those goals or wishes?

HEAR [Listening to God through Scripture]

1. Read, pause, meditate and share about the following Scriptures:

John 4: 28-30 / John 39-42. You are a witness to what Christ has done in your life, so you have a story to tell about Jesus. Are you willing to tell your story? Let us take a minute in silence to answer this question.

Acts 1:8 NLT. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” How do you think that the power of the Spirit is manifested in a person’s life (miracle making, prayers being answered, change in behaviors)? What about being bold to testify what much or little God has done in each person? (Matthew 10:19)

Acts 26:12-24. Paul was a pharisee, taught by the greatest pharisee teacher in his time, which one do you think was his strength to share the Good News: his knowledge and hability to present arguments?

Festus challenged Paul telling him that his strengths have driven him out his mind; where did Paul get the power to respond to the King Agrippa and to all the people present there?

HUB [Making it Personal and Praying Together]

1. So now what? Within your HUB share the reasons why you do not feel comfortable or see the need to share when and how did you have an encounter with Jesus.

We have extraordinary encounters with Jesus in the most ordinary times that transform us, people around us and people we may even know. Let's be bold, authentic and pationate sharing God's work in our lives.

Growth Community Questions

Remember to use these questions like a menu, not a checklist. These questions are not mandated material you have to cover, but options to help guide your discussion as much or as little as you like.

HANGOUT [Warming Up to the Topic - in one Large Group]

1. Review this week’s teaching and talk about what stood out to you the most.

2. Read Matthew 12:13-21. Where do you find yourself today? With the 5,000 families? With the 12? Some other group? why?HEAR [Listening to God through Scripture]

3. Read John 21: 21:1-19.

a) Who do you think that Jesus is giving this mission to?

b) Who are included in the flock of Jesus? Therefore who should I be feeding?

c) Am I a fountain or a drain of living water?

4. Next week we will look into who is watching us, for this week we focus on what has God given to us and how do we see it: Is not enough? is more than enough? He is so good with me? He has given others more?.

HUB [Making it Personal and Praying Together]

5. So now what? How can we pray for each other to make the decision to move into the 12?

By Bill Medina, October 24, 2021

Growth Community Questions

Remember to use these questions like a menu, not a checklist. These questions are not mandated material you have to cover, but options to help guide your discussion as much or as little as you like.

HANGOUT [Warming Up to the Topic - in one Large Group]

Review this week’s teaching and talk about what stood out to you the most.

Did you listen to the podcast recommendation or watch the video suggestion from Love Beyond Walls? If yes, feel free to share it with the group. What did you take away from it?

HEAR [Listening to God through Scripture]

1. Read Luke 10:25-37.

Jesus was a famous teacher in this region of Israel. Many people asked him questions. Suppose you meet a famous teacher like Jesus and could ask him one question. What would the question be?

What are the risks of helping someone today? Why is it important for us to be willing to help others?

Who is your neighbor according to Jesus’ story? What does this story tell us about how to love your neighbor? How should this story impact how we view people today?

In what ways do we justify our lack of love for others? How does it feel when someone has mercy on you? Who do you know that is hurting and has no one to call on? What are you to do?

We may come across someone violently attacked and near death where we live. Who are the “beaten and half dead” in our city? Are there ways that people can be “half dead” by systemic evil or verbal attacks? What would stopping to help look like? Would you be able to see them or could you be blind to their need?

1. Read James 2

How do we display our faith according to James (Jesus’ half-brother)?

When our faith is alive and healthy what does it look like?

How do you feel when you have served someone in need? Are you thankful that you are not in such a need? Do you feel blessed for having all your basic needs? Do you feel afraid that one day you may need help and you will do anything to avoid that?

Do you think that you cannot help as much as others and that they should help more?

HUB [Making it Personal and Praying Together]

1. So now what? How do we help each other follow Jesus’ teaching found in the questions and story of the Good Samaritan? How can we help each other be intentional with our learning about Jesus' will and ways, our time, money, and relationships? Ask God to give you opportunities to love the people you daily come in contact with (name them)

The Church has been called to carry the Great Commission with the power of the Greatest Commandment and humanity can be in the Greatest Community, eternal and unbroken with God.

Sunday, Oct 10, 2021

2 Corinthians 8:1-9

Sacrificial Joy / Our Covenant - Gozo Sacrificial / Nuestro Pacto

Our wealth is not an obstacleGod’s provisions are not ours / Nuestra riqueza no debe ser un obstáculoLas provisiones de Dios no son nuestras

Macedonian Church and the Corinth ChurchLa Iglesia de Macedonia y la Iglesia de Corinto

Sacrificial Joy: “they and me” changed into “us” Gozo Sacrificial: “Ellos y yo” se cambio a “nosotros”

Generosity and Good BusinessGenerosidad y Buenos Negocios

WATCH OUTThere are two main big warnings: Greed and Control. / CUIDADOHay dos grandes advertencias principales: Codicia y Control.

God is the giver of everything, how could we withhold from Him anything?Dios es el dador de todo, como podemos retener cualquier cosa de El?

Take risks for the sake of the Kingdom of God.Tomemos riesgos por el Reino de Dios

Trust GodConfianza en Dios

Giving and GraceOfrendar y la Gracia

What Does God Want Me to Do?Qué desea Dios que Yo haga?

Giving is receiving Grace from GodAct of Grace not guiltNot as a commandMakes us ONEWe learned from Jesus

Dar es recibir Gracia de DiosEs un acto de Gracia no de culpaNo es un mandamientoNos hace uno soloAprendemos de Jesus

Philippians 2:5-11 (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)