Kettlebrook West Bend

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

1. In what ways has your childhood or other life experiences shaped your understanding of people of different ethnicity (either positively or negatively)? How has your ethnic identity shaped the way you see the world? The way you see others not of your ethnicity?

2. Describe a time when you have been in a context where you were one of the only people of your ethnicity (if that has happened to you). What was that like for you and why?

3. Read Ephesians 2:11-20. Try to list the ways that Jesus, according to Paul, brings both reconciliation between us and God (vertically) and between us and others(horizontally).

4. Where might there be a dividing wall in my heart towards people of a different race/ethnicity? What lies might this wall be based upon? How does the good news of the gospel speak into this?

5. What steps might you take personally to grow in the gospel with respect to this issue in your own heart? To help others grow?

In this 90 minute workshop, Tom Atwater teaches on "How to hear the voice of God" as well as "How to heal the wounded heart". Tom is a missionary in Colombia with the ministry 911 Life, an organization that seeks to both bring about the restoration and transformation of at-risk children and families through the powerful love of Jesus, and also to train and equip Christian believers worldwide.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

1. In what ways do you find yourself consuming culture? Why is this the case?

2. In what ways do you find yourself condemning culture? Why is this the case?

3. Read Acts 16:16-34. What sticks out to you? In what ways are Paul and Silas’ responses challenging/convicting?

4. Have you ever experienced a glimpse of the Kingdom culture that you believe Jesus came to bring? What was that like for you? What made it attractive?

5. If someone asked you the same question that the jailer asks in verse 30, how would you respond and why?

6. In what ways has Jesus specifically rescued you like He has rescued the jailer? (assuming He has… if He hasn’t what might be keeping you from this?)

7. How specifically can you create (rather than consume or condemn) Kingdom culture at home? At work? In your community?

8. Note that Kingdom culture seems to be reflected best in groups. Who can join you so that together you can reflect Kingdom culture?

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

1. In this series so far, we have talked about consuming culture and condemning culture as two approaches to culture. Which one do you tend towards and why?

2. What elements of our culture would you most like to condemn? Why?

3. What elements of your life does culture seem to condemn in return and why?

4. Read Luke 9:51-56. When do you find yourself responding like James and John? If Jesus were to rebuke you in this, what do you think He would say and why?

5. When you respond to culture with condemnation, what assumptions are you making? Whose stories might you not be understanding?

6. In what ways are you trying to play the role of the Holy Spirit in others’ lives?

7. Read Mark 7:18-23. In regards to this text, Matt Chandler writes, “Culture is the source of evil. That’s the human heart.” In what ways do you contribute to some of the issues in our culture? How might you confess them to one another and to God?

8. In what way might you/we be able to offer an alternative, Kingdom culture with respect to a cultural issue that you might currently be condemning?