Simply Disciples Podcast

1. Prior to this podcast, how would you have defined the mission of the church? Has your view changed? If so, how?

2. Was it helpful to think of the church in terms of the church gathered as an institution and the church scattered as individuals?

3. Read and discuss the implications of Matthew 28:16ff and Acts 2:42-44 regarding the mission of the church.

4. Bringing it all together, what is the podcast arguing for regarding the mission of the church as it relates to social issues and the church gathered and scattered?

5. What else was helpful in this podcast?

1. True or false - this podcast changed your life. (well, hopefully it was helpful)

2. If you asked most Christians, “what do you think is important in a church”?, what kind of answers do you think you would get?

3. The podcast argued that we believe our presbyterian church structure is important for church health. After listening to the podcast, how would you define Presbyterianism? And why is it important for church health?

4. If someone asks you how Presbyterian is different from other denominations, what would you say (hint: elder led, connected, accountable)?

5. What else was helpful in this podcast?

1. Prior to this podcast, how would you have answered the question, “who should lead the church?”

2. The podcast discussed our world’s attraction to celebrity pastors. What comes to mind when you think of a celebrity pastor? What’s the danger in following celebrity pastors?

3. Read Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Tim 3:1-13 and discuss the importance of the qualifications for those who lead the church.

4. How did the podcast strike you with the conversation of men’s and women’s role in the church and home?

5. We explained that an important piece of Presbyterianism is parity. Why is this crucial for the health of the church?

1. Prior to this podcast, how would you have answered the question “Is there even such a thing as a true church?” Do you know people who struggle with this question?

2. Westminster Confession of Faith 25.4,5 says that the church has sometimes been more or less pure (on a spectrum) and that some have so degenerated, as to become no churches at all but synagogues of Satan (Rev 2:9). And further, a church is more or less pure according to the doctrine of the gospel taught and embraced, sacraments administered, and public worship performed more or less purely (including church discipline). Is this a helpful answer?

3. Read and discuss Acts 2:42-47 regarding the importance of what churches are called to do.

4. The podcast also discussed church discipline. Read and discuss Mt 18:15-20 and 1 Cor 5 and discuss the importance of healthy church discipline and why it’s so important for the church.

5. In light of this podcast, if you had to give someone advice regarding finding a good church, what advice would you give?

1. The Podcast mentioned four questions (puzzle pieces) that help us to understand the church according to the Scriptures: (1) Who are the members of the church? (2) Who are the officers of the church? (3) What is the purpose of the church? (4) What are the defining marks of the church? The previous podcast discussed the first two questions. This podcast discussed questions 3 and 4. Prior to this podcast, how would you have answered question 3?

2. What was new or helpful to you regarding the staff’s answers to question 3?

Read and discuss Matthew 28:16ff and Acts 2:42-47 regarding the purpose of the church.

3. What are the marks of a church that make it a biblical church? Why are each of these marks crucial for a healthy church?

4. What else was helpful to you in this podcast?

1. Prior to this podcast, how would you have answered the question, “What is the Church?” Did you resonate with some of the answers in the beginning of the podcast?

2. According to the Podcast, the Bible describes the church as the Temple of God (1 Pet 2:5), the Bride of Christ (Rev 19:6-9), the Body of Christ (Eph 4:15,16, and the Family of God (Eph 2:18,19). How are each of these descriptions important for how we understand the church?

3. The Podcast mentioned four questions (puzzle pieces) that help us to understand the church according to the Scriptures: (1) Who are the members of the church? (2) Who are the officers of the church? (3) What is the purpose of the church? (4) What are the defining marks of the church?This podcast discussed the first two questions. What was helpful to you?

4. What else was helpful to you in this podcast?

1. In previous podcasts we’ve discussed the Golden Chain of Salvation. Can you name the doctrines in order? (Hint: P… F… R… J… A… S… G…). Why is the order vitally important for our Christian lives?

2. What is Glorification? How is it different from Justification and Sanctification?

3. What does the Bible say about Glorification? (read and discuss Rom 8:29-21; 2 Cor 3:18; 1 John 3:2)

4. What else was helpful to you in this podcast?

1. What is the doctrine of Sanctification? (WSC #35)

2. Why does the order of Justification and Sanctification matter? What changes if we think Sanctification comes before Justification? (read and discuss Eph 2:8-10)

3. As you look back on your life, how have you seen the Lord at work in your sanctification? What/Who has God used to further your sanctification?

4. What else was helpful to you in this podcast?

1. What do you think of J.I. Packer’s statement that “Adoption is the highest privilege of the gospel. The traitor is forgiven, brought in for supper, and given the family name. To be right with God the Judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the Father is greater”?

2. What is the doctrine of Adoption and why is it so important for our daily lives? (WSC #34)

3. How would you respond to someone who believes that all of humanity are the children of God? (read and discuss Eph 2:1-12)

4. What does the Bible say about the privilege of adoption? (read and discuss John 1:12-13; Rom 8:14-17; 1 John 3:1)

5. What else was helpful to you in this podcast?

1. Why is the need for repentance a difficult concept in our culture?

2. Jesus was not shy about speaking of the need for repentance. Read Matthew 4:12-17, Mark 1:15 & Luke 13:1-5. Why are we often shy about calling people to repentance?

3. WSC #87 gives a great summary of the Bible’s teaching on repentance - “repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience.” What are the important aspects of the doctrine of repentance?

4. Why is repentance towards God (and others) often, maybe even always, difficult in our own lives? But why is it important?

5. In this podcast we made the point that when God saves a person (justification), other parts of the “golden chain of salvation” (Rom 8:28-30) follow, including a heart of repentance and the desire to do good works. Read James 2:14-26 and discuss the implications for Christians.