Questions from Colossians 1:23-29

This weekend Pastor Steve asked us to discuss these questions in our Life Groups about the price we pay to follow Christ:

1) What is my ministry to others costing me?

2) Have I ever held back something from Christ, in any way, because I knew it would cost me too much?

3) What has following Jesus cost us?  What would it cost us to take following Christ to the next level?

4) Could what we are saying, and doing lately as followers of Christ ever be considered a threat to a sinful system of greed, power, selfishness or moral depravity?  What actions might Christ be calling us to that might stimulate opposition?

5) What is the next thing that Christ would want us to say or do that would result in us paying a greater price as we imitate Christ?

Please share your thoughts with your Life Group and post your comments here.

Acts 2 Community

This weekend Pastor Steve challenged us to look at our own community in each of our Life Group's in the light of the community of the early church recorded in Acts 2.42-47:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Although community in our context may look different, we can look to Scripture for examples of individuals as well as Christ's body, the Church, and ask ourselves what can we learn from them as Christ's followers today, and how can we grow as a community together?

Here are 3 questions for each of our Life Groups:

1. How is your group like this early expression of the body of Christ? How is it different?  Does your group do the things this community had committed themselves to doing? Why or why not?

2. Which of these characteristics of the early church community are you most comfortable with? Which are you least comfortable with? Why?

3. What is one thing your Life Group can do to participate with God in Christlike community in the way the early church did? How might your group incorporate one or two of these practices or develop these qualities in a more consistent way?

Please share your thoughts with your Life Group and post your comments here.

Some Pictures from Converge 1.9.11

This past Sunday 150 of our Life Group Leaders gathered for Converge.  Here are a few pictures from the breakout sessions with Josh Jonas, Chuck McCallum, Clyde Wayne and Dr. Rob Dalrymple.  Don't miss the next Converge on August 21, 2011.

A Simple Spiritual Inventory

Take a Spiritual Inventory.  Here are a few questions to get your mind thinking about the health of your spiritual life and where you are in your journey with God:

1. Am I enjoying my life with God or is it a chore and a bore?

2. Is my relationship with God producing authentic change in me?  Am I becoming for example: more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, gentle, faithful, self-controlled? Am I becoming any one of these lately or has my relationship with Christ become static and making little difference in my life lately?  Would my family, friends and those around me agree with my answer?

3. Is my spiritual life active and flourishing? Am I growing increasingly like Jesus?  Or do I think this as good as it gets?  Do I find myself wondering lately if there something more to the Christian life?

Post your comments and talk about your thoughts on this with a spiritual friend, mentor, or your Life Group.