Pastor James talked about the importance of community when it comes to our spiritual growth. Simply speaking, there are no healthy “lone rangers” in the Body of Christ.
MY STORY
Describe your “tribes”, the distinct groups of people to whom you belong, and the unique purposes of each one.
WHAT DOES GOD WANT US TO HEAR?
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers...And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42-47
What are all the things that these early Christians did with, and for, one another?
What do these kinds of things look like today? Which of them are your favorite? Which ones do you find more challenging?
Spiritual Director David Benner stated, “If you are making significant progress on the transformational journey of Christian spirituality, you have one or more friendships that support that journey. If you do not, you are not. It’s that simple.”
How do you receive this bold statement? What emotions and thoughts does it stir up in you?
What does God want us to hear? Based on the passage and the questions above, what "takeaways" do you think God has revealed to you?
WHAT DOES GOD WANT US TO DO?
Pastor James said, “Here at Crossroads we believe that, to grow spiritually, to experience the life promised by Jesus and the Bible, we need to cultivate two primary things. A personal connection with God, and a meaningful connection with people to support and encourage us in our spiritual journey.”
Which is a stronger connection for you: with God, or with people?
In what sense is your relationship with God affected by your relationships with others? And vice versa?
Pastor James said that some of most common reasons for not pursuing community include:
- I’m too busy
- My faith is just between me and God
- I don’t have time for other people’s drama or surface level programs
Which of these reasons have you used? How about any excuses that are not listed?
If you were encouraging someone into community and they shared one of these, how would you respond to encourage them to take a step into community?
What does God want us to do? Flowing out of our reading and interpretation, what action does this passage or the Spirit's leading, call us to?
WHAT DOES GOD WANT ME TO DO?
Pastor James said, “One of the first visible fruits of the resurrection life is Christian community. God empowers us to live beyond the type of individualism that plagues humankind.”
Based on this truth, in what sense is your spiritual health reflected by your relational health?
What specific things can you do to strengthen your connections with current tribes and your relationship with God? What new connections could the Holy Spirit be prompting you to explore?
What does God want ME to do? What is the personal application and action step God is calling you, personally, toward?
Message Notes
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