COME
Small group Questions:
- Read 99 Reasons To Go To Church, taking turns.
- What are things you have (or still need to) removed from standing in your way to come to church regularly?
- What are some benefits you have personally experienced by coming to church?
- We are not perfect and we have free will, so therefore, although God is perfect, His people are not. What are some negative things you have experienced?
- Remember the illustration of the ember being removed from the fire. How do you see the importance of coming to church? How do you need to change your perspective about the importance?
- Read Hebrews 10:24-25 and then pray together as a group.
CONNECT
Small group Questions:
- Read the “One Another” sheet together. Share a “one another” you have been able to personally experience.
- Even Jesus had a small group! What do you value about being in a small group?
- Pray over your small group and pray for those who need a small group. If someone comes to your mind, invite them to join you!
“One another” is two words in English, but it’s only one word in Greek: ἀλλήλων (ah-LAY-loan). It is used 100 times in 94 New Testament verses. 47 of those verses give instructions to the church, and 60% of those instructions come from Paul. Kissy-kissy? Yes! Four of the “one another” commands are about kissing. But with all due apologies to David Crowder and John Mark McMillan, these kisses are neither “sloppy, wet” nor “unforeseen.” When you look at these verses, a few more common themes show up.
Unity. One third of the one-another commands deal with the unity of the church.
- Be at peace with one another (Mk 9:50)
- Don’t grumble among one another (Jn 6:43)
- Be of the same mind with one another (Ro 12:16, 15:5)
- Accept one another (Ro 15:7)
- Wait for one another before beginning the Eucharist (1 Co 11:33)
- Don’t bite, devour, and consume one another—seriously, guys, don’t eat each other (Ga 5:15)
- Don’t boastfully challenge or envy one another (Ga 5:26).
- Gently, patiently tolerate one another (Ep 4:2)
- Be kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving to one another (Ep 4:32)
- Bear with and forgive one another (Co 3:13)
- Seek good for one another, and don’t repay evil for evil (1 Th 5:15)
- Don’t complain against one another (Jas 4:11, 5:9)
- Confess sins to one another (Jas 5:16)
Love. One third of them instruct Christians to love one another.
- Love one another (Jn 13:34, 15:12, 17; Ro 13:8; 1 Th 3:12, 4:9; 1 Pe 1:22; 1 Jn 3:11, 4:7, 11; 2 Jn 5)
- Through love, serve one another (Ga 5:13)
- Tolerate one another in love (Ep 4:2)
- Greet one another with a kiss of love (1 Pe 5:14)
- Be devoted to one another in love (Ro 12:10)
Humility. About 15% stress an attitude of humility and deference among believers.
- Give preference to one another in honor (Ro 12:10)
- Regard one another as more important than yourselves (Php 2:3)
- Serve one another (Ga 5:13)
- Wash one another’s feet (Jn 13:14)
- Don’t be haughty: be of the same mind (Ro 12:16)
- Be subject to one another (Ep 5:21)
- Clothe yourselves in humility toward one another (1 Pe 5:5)
Here’s the rest:
- Do not judge one another, and don’t put a stumbling block in a brother’s way (Ro 14:13)
- Greet one another with a kiss (Ro 16:16; 1 Co 16:20; 2 Co 13:12)
- Husbands and wives: don’t deprive one another of physical intimacy (1 Co 7:5)
- Bear one another’s burdens (Ga 6:2)
- Speak truth to one another (Ep 4:25)
- Don’t lie to one another (Co 3:9)
- Comfort one another concerning the resurrection (1 Th 4:18)
- Encourage and build up one another (1 Th 5:11)
- Stimulate one another to love and good deeds (He 10:24)
- Pray for one another (Jas 5:16)
- Be hospitable to one another (1 Pe 4:9)
Of course, Jesus and the apostles give many more instructions to the church; these “one another” passages are a good start, though.
Also: make sure you read these in context! These commands come from Jesus, Peter, John, Paul, and James, and they’re scattered across the New Testament. Don’t just stop at this list: dig into these passages to see what the author was talking about. One more note on the kissing: check out the cultural settings of these verses before planting one on your pastor’s cheek next weekend.
COMMIT
Small Group Questions:
- If you are serving on a team at church or somewhere else, how are you allowing it to bring you life and build up others?
- Jesus said in Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Where do you struggle with serving?
- A quote from Sally Koch says “Great opportunities to help others seldom come but small ones surround us everyday.” What are some small opportunities that you may have in your own life?
- Read John 13:1-17 When you think about Jesus and how He served, what totally blows your mind
COACH
SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:
- Where are you in the C4 model? Where do you feel God is calling you to move into as a result of this Study.
- Where do you feel you need to grow as a disciple: Character, Competence, or Confidence?
- Read Matthew 28:19-20, John 15:16, and Ephesians 4:16. How do these verses connect with C4?
- Do you have a Paul(mentor), Barnabas(peer), and Timothy(disciple)? Spend some time in prayer for direction on these if you don’t.