Helping Disciples Develop Time with God

Sara Bott

Colossians 3:16

As we seek to fan the flame, igniting other's time with God, we should seek to understand three main concepts: our role in motivating people, actions through which we can help motivate, and areas in which we should seek to motivate. When we understand what is our role apart from God's, we can imperfectly but effectively motivate others without falling into manipulation. To ignite a fire in others, modeling is important as well as persuading, instructing, encouraging and vision-setting. With these tools, we can help others develop a consistent and faithful time with God that is still centered around grace.

The Word and Leading Home Group Evangelism

Doug Patch

1 Corinthians 3:5-9

God calls every one of his followers to evangelize, including people who may not be gifted in this area. Therefore, we must strive to lead this practice in our home groups, making sure that we are utilizing God's Word to do so. From there we can begin approaching our group by first making a clear biblical case for evangelism. We should communicate how the group is doing, demonstrate how God's grace empowers believers to do this, develop an action plan for both the inner attitudes and outwards actions, and present vision for where God will lead the group.

Good Friends are Hard to Find

Patrice McCormac

1 Samuel 18:1-23:29

If we want to have good friendships, we need to choose to be a good friend! Through studying the deep friendship between Jonathan and David in 1 Samuel we see many elements of true friendship. Good friends are faithful to promises, willing to warn of danger, speak well of others, and ultimately pursue a friendship that is centered on God and advancing his purposes! \r\n

See, Feel and Do

Gary DeLashmutt

Acts 7:16-17

During Jesus' healing ministry he saw the needs of the people, he felt compassion on them, and he acted by healing and showing grace. He teaches that "the harvest is plentiful", there are many more people in need. "But the workers are few", Jesus is seeking people who will see the needs of the people, feel compassion, and act by guiding them to Him.

Humility and Exaltation

Gary DeLashmutt

Matthew 23:5-12

Jesus emphasizes the importance of humility and God's opposition to pride. God is always opposed to the proud and He always exalts the humble. God does this by looking for: 1) our heart attitudes towards ourselves; 2) our view of human praise and recognition; 3) our fear of man or rest in Him. We can cultivate humility by cooperating with God in the process.

David and Bathsheba

Jim Leffel

2 Samuel 11:1-12:13

David and Bathsheba commit adultery. Nathan confronts David about his sin and David has a repentant heart. David finds freedom in God's grace

That Time the Whole Church Almost Lost It

Scott Risley

Galatians 2:16

The Pharisees try to divide the Church by sowing the idea that new believers need to be circumcised in order to be saved. Their influence even reaches Peter and Barnabas. Both Paul and Peter set the record straight, uniting the church in its theology of salvation by grace alone.

The Critical Divide

Dennis McCallum

Acts 15:1-35

Jews, sent by James to Antioch where Paul and Barnabas were converting Gentiles, said that these Gentile believers had to be circumcised to be saved. The debate was taken to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, who decided that Grace was sufficient for salvation, and not legalism.

A Crucial Juncture

Conrad Hilario

Romans 3:23

The Jerusalem Council is used as a springboard to contrast Grace with being under the Law.