This week at Society we continued our new series called “Here to Stay” which is a sermon series focused around producing a richer spiritual life and growth where we are planted.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/societychurch/031719.mp3

Getting to Know You

What is your favorite Spring/Summer activity?

Getting Started

Read through Matthew 13:1-23

Which state of the soil do you most identify with right now?

* The Footpath Soil- Hard hearted, unteachable, resistant, embittered through seasons

* The Rocky Soil- Short Lived Growth, underlying issues, feelings based spirituality

* The Weedy Soil- Growth that gets crowded out, easily distracted by fear or greed.

* The Good Soil- Tender and responsive, viewing challenges as fertilizer, teachable, forgiving, open minded, courageous, generous and honest.

Going Deeper

Pulling Up the Weeds of Fear

Re-read Matthew 13:22

* In your life what would you consider the “worries of life”?

* How might fear play a part in worry and anxiety?

Read Mark 8:34-37 together

* How does Jesus say we “save our life”?

* What do you think it means for us to “give up our life”?

* What are some helpful ways you have found to overcome the power of fear in your life?

* What where some Anxiety Prevention or Anxiety Killer practices mentioned in the message that you might want to try out?

Read Philippians 4:6-7

* What are some practices prescribed in this passage for us to overcome the power of worry and experience God’s peace?

Pulling up the Weeds of Greed

Re-read Matthew 13:22

* What do you think Jesus is referring to when he says the “lure of wealth”?

* What are some ways we can get caught up in a continual pursuit for MORE?”

Read 1 Timothy 6:6-11

* What are we encouraged towards in this passage?

* What are we warned about in this passage?

* Do you have to be rich in order to fall prey to the “love of money”?

* What are some “sorrows” we might experience through a “love of money”?

Application Reflection

* What are you currently worried about? (Use these as the group prayer list at the end of the your group time)

* How might you be able to deal with your worry/fear/anxiety in a more life giving way?

* How might you overcome your tendency towards greed and become a more generous person?

* What role might the church play in helping, equipping and inspiring you to be a more generous person in all areas o life?

* Are there some financial management principles (tracking spending, budgeting, debt, savings and generosity) that need to be reassessed so you can live into a generous life more fully? What does that look like for you? Do you know where to start?

Group Prayer

* Use your group list of worries to pray for one another and express a healthy helping of gratitude mixed in with the time of prayer.

* Follow the Philippians 4:6-7 model of prayer:

Talk with God about everything

Tell God what you need

Thank him for what he has done

Philippians 4:6-7 Prayer Promises:

You will experience God’s Peace in your heart and mind.

You may not understand more, but it won’t matter- prayer dismantles the need to understand everything

Roundup for your heart and mind, inoculation against the weeds of fear & worry. 

This week at Society we continued our new series called “Here to Stay” which is a sermon series focused around producing a richer spiritual life and growth where we are planted.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/societychurch/030319.mp3

 

Getting to Know You:

What is one goal you’d like to accomplish during your lifetime?

When you were little, who was your favorite superhero and why?

Getting Started:

Read Matthew 13:1-4, 18-19

Why does a person plant seeds?

What about a footpath would prevent seeds from growing?

What is the reason Jesus gives to his disciples for the seed not growing?

What are some things that you don’t understand about God that you hope to gain clarity about?

Do you agree or disagree with this statement: “We are the most over informed, under reflective civilization in human history.”

Digging Deeper:

* Out of the three “Life Views” mentioned in the message (The Ladder, The Footpath & The Garden), which do you most closely relate to?

* How do you think your “life view” might be currently affecting your relationships, career and direction in life?

Read Proverbs 4:23 together as a group.

What does it mean to “Guards your heart”? What are some ways you can practically do that?

In your mind what does it mean to “Embrace Brokenness”?

Read 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 together

What do you think Paul means when he writes, “when I am weak then I am strong.”?

How might you better embrace vulnerability, brokenness and weakness in your life?

Read James 1:2-4 together

Why does James tell us to consider hardships as “pure joy”?

How have you experienced God amidst really difficult situations in life? Share with the group a story if you are comfortable doing so.

Close in prayer:

Open up  a time for reflection to consider the state of our hearts before God and give space for God to bring clarity, understanding and conviction by the Spirit.

Invite people to take time to thank God for both the good and difficult situations happening in their lives. Pray for any shared prayer requests together.

This week at Society we continued our new series called “Here to Stay” which is a sermon series focused around producing a richer spiritual life and growth where we are planted.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/societychurch/022419.mp3

Community Group Questions

Getting to Know You:

* What is your favorite or least favorite type of weather?

* What is your favorite outdoor activity?

Getting Started:

* Can you think of a time when you have responded or reacted to a situation and you realized after the fact that your heart probably wasn’t in the right place? Open up and share about a time this happened to you.

* What do you think “soil” is referring to in the message?

Soil Killer #1- Comparison

Read John 21:15-22

* What do you think is happening here?

* Why do you think Peter gets caught up in comparison with John?

* How has comparison distracted you in life, work or relationships?

* What are some practices that have helped you to stay focussed on your own journey?

* Who are some people you might need to grow in your gratitude and appreciation for?

Soil Killer #2- Competition

Read Mark 10:35-45

* What are clues that lead us to the idea that James and John are caught up with competition?

* How does Jesus respond to their request?

* How do the other disciples respond to James & John’s request?

* What are some ways that unhealthy competition might destroy what God is wanting to do in our life?

* How does competition affect friendship, community, church and family?

* On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your “serve” (ability to show up as a humble, loving servant instead of a self important ruler)?

* What are some ways you might be able to grow your servants heart? (Application Idea- practice your “serve” at church)

Soil Killer #3- Checking Out

Read Matthew 14:13-21

* Why do you think Jesus tells his disciples “you feed them”?

* Have you ever checked out of a situation, project or friendship? What tends to cause you to check out?

* How are you able to identify the moments when it’s time to check in and re-engage?

* How have you seen God work in your life when you have been “checked into” what God is doing?

* What are some situations, relationships or opportunities you might sense God inviting you to re-engage in?

Soil Killer #4- Lack of Character

Read John 12:1-7

* Was Judas leading a double life?

* How did that show up in his life?

* How did this affect his relationships?

* What does it mean to live with integrity? Integrity definition: consistency of character regardless of people and situations.

* What are some ways we can develop our character?

* How might vulnerability play a part in character development?

Close with a time of prayer together. Ideas for prayer time:

* Check in with your group about previous prayer requests and share some updates.

* Spend a 3 minute time of silence and reflection about how God is speaking to you through this message and community group session.

* Have someone open and someone close in prayer and leave space in the middle for anyone to pray for what is on their heart.

This week at Society we continued our new series called Here to Stay which is a sermon series focused around producing a richer spiritual life and growth where we are planted.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/societychurch/021719.mp3

 

Getting to Know You:

What is your most used emoji?

What was the worst haircut you ever had?

Getting Started:

Read Matthew 13:1-9,23.

* What are the 4 soils Jesus describes to the crowd?

* Why don’t you think Jesus takes time to explain this parable to the crowd?

Exploring the Practice of Rooting

Read James 1:21-25.

List some things James is encouraging us to do with the “word of God”.

What is “the word” likened to in this passage?

Is there a danger in hearing “the word” without applying it to our everyday living? If so what is it?

What are some ways you can better hear, listen & apply “the word of God” in your life?

Application Ideas for Rooting:

Take the time to hear & listen- This means come to our Sunday worship gatherings. If you serve, don’t just serve and leave stay for the second service, that is one of the reasons we do 2 services. Or if you miss a week listen in online through our podcast it is one of the main reasons we produce a podcast.

Having a hard time understanding and applying what is being talked about? Go to a community group, ask questions, listen for what others got out of the message.

Actually try some new ways of application. Allow your understanding to grow, develop and mature. Try out some new practices of faith & see what happens.

Exploring the Practice of Abiding

Read John 15:1-9.

What is our relationship with God likened to in this passage?

Is there a goal in our abiding relationship with God? If so what do you think it is?

Give an example of what you think the “fruit of God’s kingdom” is.

How might we allow God’s words to remain in us? What practices have you tried?

Application Ideas for Abiding:

Resources for learning about Abiding

Read & meditate on John 15

Experiencing the depths of Jesus Christ by Jeanne Guyon

Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence

Practicing the Way of Jesus- Mark Scandrette

Exploring the Practice of Production

Read Matthew 13:18-23.

What are some attributes of those with good soil in their hearts?

List out some examples of what could destroy the production of God’s purposes in our lives?

If you could describe the current state of your heart where would you say you are at on a scale of 1-10.

(1)Hard Footpath —– Rocky Soil —– Full of Weeds —– Good Soil(10)

How do you think the state of your heart is affecting what God might be wanting to produce in your life?

Application ideas for Production:

Be patient. Fruitfulness takes an enduring patience to see the embodiment of a promise come to pass.

Don’t give up- Multiple rounds of increased faithfulness is what most often leads to fruitfulness and producing results.

Prepare for growth- Growth and production is a part of the kingdom of God. Are we anticipating growth and development or unfaithful in preparing for what is next. Sometimes the very thing that keeps us from the moments of fruitfulness was our lack of preparation for it.

This week at Society we celebrated our 6th anniversary and started a new series called Here to Stay which is a sermon series focused around producing a richer spiritual life and growth where we are planted.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/societychurch/021019.mp3

 

Community Group Questions:

Getting to know you:

If you could have an endless supply of any food what would you get?

What has been one of you greatest seasons of personal growth? How did that come about for you?

Getting Started:

Read Isaiah 61:1-4.

What are some attributes of the “Oaks of Righteousness” described in this passage?

Read Matthew 13:18-23.

Which type of soil would best describe your heart right now?

In order to “dig deeper roots” what is one thing you could do to create a more tender heart towards God?

Read Jeremiah 17:7-8.

What seasons of life are the most challenging for you to walk through? (Example – seasons of change, stress, relational strife)

Take a moment to identify some ways you could create a better root system between you, God and others.

Read Isaiah 43:18-19.

What are some “new things” you perceive God doing in your life?

How might you actively discover and walk in the “ways in the wilderness” and tap into the “streams in the wasteland”?

Does anyone have a story about a time when they perceived God doing a “new thing” and saw him bring it to fulfillment? If so share how that unfolded.

What are 1-3 things you plan to do this year to dig deeper roots, grow in your faith and/or experience and share renewal?

Ideas for application:

Society Connect- sign up at societychurch.com/connect

Serve on a team- sign up for more info at societychurch.com/serve

Sign up for some formation classes at societychurch.com/classes

Develop a better devotional life find resources at societychurch.com/refocused-in-the-new-year

Show up to Group & Sundays regularly ready to participate.

Time of prayer:

Go around and share prayer requests. Write down what is going on in people’s lives. Break into groups of 2-3 and spend time having the group pray for one another as you close.

This week here at Society we finished our series called Focused. Where we explored how we can create an inner life that is developing into greater health through faith and learned about some spiritual practices that will help us to stay connected with God throughout our everyday lives.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/societychurch/020319.mp3

 

Community Group Questions:

Getting to know you:

Where is your favorite place to go to eat in Sacramento?

Getting Started:

* Read Matthew 13:10-17.

* What is the surrounding context of this passage?

* Why does Jesus say he teaches in parables (stories with specific meaning)?

* What do you think it means to “have eyes to see” and “ears to hear”?

Application Questions:

* What area of your life do you lack vision for right now? (Relationships, Extended Family, Marriage, Friends, Work, Church, Finances, Parenting, Community Engagement, physical/emotional/mental health)

* Review the 5 steps of getting focused, read the scripture and discuss each step.

1 – Get Vision – Proverbs 29:18

2 – Check Motives – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

3 – Define Steps – Proverbs 16:9

4 – Embrace Limits – Proverbs 15:17

5 – Continue with Perseverance – Galatians 6:9

* What step(s) are you best at?

* What step(s) do you tend to get tripped up on most often?

* How do you see God at work in your life in this area?

* How might your faith grow in this area? What are some steps you might be able to take to grow?

Application Ideas:

Vision Struggle – Spend time in prayer and fasting seeking a vision for renewal

Motives Struggle – Make a list of values that are motivating your decision. Are those values ones you want to bring definition to your current and future life?

Steps Struggle – Look into SMART goals process. (Google SMART Goals)

Embrace Limits Struggle – Look into the idea of Boundaries (Google Boundaries by Dr Henry Cloud for resources) and how establishing boundaries could help keep you focused.

Perseverance Struggle – Spend time meditating on Galatians 6:9, commit it to memory. Spend time with encouraging people.

Share prayer requests and pray together as a group.

This week here at Society we continued a series called Focused. Where we are going to explore how we can create an inner life that is developing into greater health through faith as well as learn about some spiritual practices that will help us to stay connected with God throughout our everyday lives.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/societychurch/012719.mp3

 

Community Group Questions:

Getting to know you:

What is the longest distance you’ve ever traveled by car?

Getting Started:

* Read Luke 10:38-42.

* Who do you relate to more Mary or Martha?

* What do you think of Jesus’s response to Martha?

Application Questions:

* Has there been a time when you struggled with bitterness or burnout?

* How do you generally respond in moments of frustration?

* Read Hebrews 12:15.

* Have you considered how bitterness can affect those around you?

* What are some ways you can do to help you work through frustration and bitterness?

Share prayer requests and pray together as a group.

This week here at Society, with guest speaker Sean Bloumquist, we continued a series called Focused. Where we are going to explore how we can create an inner life that is developing into greater health through faith as well as learn about some spiritual practices that will help us to stay connected with God throughout our everyday lives.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/societychurch/012019.mp3

This week here at Society, with guest speaker Sean Bloumquist, we continued a series called Focused. Where we are going to explore how we can create an inner life that is developing into greater health through faith as well as learn about some spiritual practices that will help us to stay connected with God throughout our everyday lives.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/societychurch/011319.mp3

This week here at Society, we started a new series called Focused. Where we are going to explore how we can create an inner life that is developing into greater health through faith as well as learn about some spiritual practices that will help us to stay connected with God throughout our everyday lives.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/societychurch/010619.mp3