SCRIPTURE: John 13

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. How can we create opportunities to confront our fears together in our community? 

2. What are some fears or vulnerabilities you feel comfortable sharing with your community to grow together?

3. How can embracing uncertainty help us grow in our faith?

4. What is an area of uncertainty or curiosity in your faith that you would like to explore with your community?

5. Why is it important to have patience and curiosity within a community? Can you think of a time when extending patience or being curious about someone's perspective helped strengthen a relationship?

6. Why should leaders trust their followers, and how can this impact the community?

7. How can we build trust in our community following Jesus' example?

SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter 2, Hebrews 12

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Does the word “catholic” freak you out a bit? That’s okay!

2. What are some practical ways we can cultivate unity and cooperation within the Church and our local faith communities?

3. In what areas can you personally contribute to building unity within your faith community?

4. 1 Peter 2:5 compares the Church to a spiritual house and encourages believers to offer sacrifices acceptable to God. What might these sacrifices look like?

5. What does it mean for the Church to be 'catholic' or 'universal'?

6. How can we better appreciate and embrace the diversity within the universal Church?

7. In what ways is the Church called to be holy? Consider the definition from this morning: “as of God, set apart.” How can we individually and collectively contribute to the ‘holiness’ of the Church?

8. What role do 'saints' play in the life of the Church? How can reflecting on the lives and sacrifices of the saints influence our own faith?

SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 29, Daniel 2

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Have you ever struggled with seasons of waiting? What has made this so hard?

2. Do you resonate with the Israelites’ experience of exile? Have you ever been in a similar spot–where you wonder if God is really present with you? Discuss this with someone you trust this week!

3. What can we learn from Daniel about “waiting well”? 

4. One of the lessons from the Daniel stories is how important it is to do the small stuff. What does this mean to you? What makes it hard?

5. It’s so “like God” for God to speak to Israel’s enemies! What do you think we can learn from this?

6. What would it mean for you to trust more in God’s plans for the future? Can you share your hopes (or your fears!) with someone this week?

SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 5, Luke 4

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Reflect on your own prayer life: when have you seen prayers answered? When have you seen prayers go unanswered? 

2. What does it mean to approach God with a mindset of abundance rather than scarcity? How might this change our perspective on unanswered prayers?

3. How can embracing authenticity and vulnerability in our faith strengthen our relationships with God and others?

4. Can you think of a time when you or someone else shared an authentic struggle with faith, and how did that experience impact your relationship with God and others?

5. What does it mean to live a life of humility, faith, and trust?

6. Why is it important to remember that God's love and blessings extend beyond just our own lives or communities?

SCRIPTURE: 2 Samuel 11-12

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What can we learn from 2 Samuel 11 about responding to our own personal failures? What is necessary to bring real light to reprehensible behavior? Why does it matter?

2. How does the lack of justice in the story of King David and Bathsheba affect our feelings about the story?

3. In what ways has a lack of justice in the world personally affected you, and how have you leaned on your faith during those times?

4. Why is it important not to idolize leaders and instead place our hope in God? Can you think of a time when you put too much trust in a leader or authority figure, and how did that impact your faith or actions?

5. Have you ever witnessed someone in a position of power behaving unjustly? How did you respond or how would you respond in the future?

SCRIPTURE: Judges 13-16

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is the role of forgiveness and redemption in the story of Samson, despite his flaws and lack of commitment to his Nazirite vow?

2. How does the book of Judges, including the story of Samson, remind us that God's people are not perfect and still belong to Him?

3. How does Samson's story emphasize the overarching theme of God's plan for salvation?

4. How do you remind yourself of the importance of grace when you or others make mistakes, and how does this mindset impact your faith?

SCRIPTURE: Joshua 2 & 6

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Have you ever felt like an “outsider” in a new place? Reflect on that experience: did you ever feel “in”? How long did it take? What changed?

2. As you read through Joshua 2, what do you think makes Rahab’s story so important here? What does she know? What does she do?

3. Why do you think she takes the spies “side” here? What does the story say?

4. Why is the act of welcoming others, even outsiders, a significant part of being part of God's story?

5. How can you better practice welcoming and including others in your own life and faith community?

6. What does Rahab's story tell us about hope and inclusion in God's Kingdom, regardless of a person's past?

7. What have your thoughts been about this series so far? What have you learned? How do you think this series connects to our theme this year of “Discipleship”?

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 25-49!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Reflect on your “life with God” so far. When has it been good? When has it been… not so good? Has it gone like you expected it would?

2. If you wouldn’t identify as someone who “has a relationship with God,” reflect on your journey with the idea of God: who have you wanted Him to be? Who might He seem to be? What questions do you still have about Him? Do you think you will ever be open to a “relationship with God”?

3. Jacob is a “striver” from the start! What costs does that have in his relationships with others? What can we learn from his story?

4. Why is Jacob’s encounter with “the man” seem so important to his story? What changes? What can we learn from this?

5. Do you ever “strive” or “struggle” with God? If so, what has happened in the past? If not, what keeps you from this?

6. Whose “ankles” are you clinging on to in your life? Where are you in competition with people? What might happen if you let that sense of competition go?

7. Do you really think God would still love you if you showed Him who you really are? Why or why not? How might all the ups and downs of Jacob’s story bring you reassurance of His love?

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 11:1-9 & 12:1-3

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Have you heard the story of the Tower of Babel before? In what context? What did you take away from it?

2. Why do you think God disapproves of the builders’ plans? What does the text say the “problems” are?

3. Kenny suggests that the deeper issues are clarified when we think about “ziggurats.” What did you learn about these other structures in the Ancient Near East? How does this knowledge inform our understanding of Biblical story?

4. How might we, as a church, be prone to “transactional models” for our relationship with God? What might this look like?

5. How might we, in our personal lives, be prone to these same sorts of models? What might this look like?

6. Is it possible that there is purpose in scattering the people? How might it serve God’s ultimate plans? What does it enable?

7. What does the story of The Tower of Babel teach us about our motivations in our relationship with God and worship?

8. How does the story of Pentecost–where God chooses to dwell in the hearts of His followers–interact with the story of the Tower of Babel?

9. What do you think we can learn from this story about who God is, who we are, and how we might best relate to Him?

SCRIPTURE: 2 Chronicles 36 & Exodus 2-14

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. In what ways can seeing the stories of the Bible as larger narratives about God and humanity deepen our faith?

2. How has your perspective on certain Biblical stories changed as you've grown in your faith, and how can this new perspective impact your daily life?

3. What does the story of the Exodus teach us about God, humanity, and our individual relationship with Him?

4. How does it deepen our understanding of the Exodus story to read from within the context of the Israelites in Exile?

5. Have you ever felt tempted to “settle” into a situation of suffering? What can these stories teach you?

6. How can the message of God's responsiveness and compassion be applied to our interactions with others within our community?