commit 11.0 Stay strong and keep following Jesus

Transcription

1 commit 11.0

2 commit 11.0 Stay strong and keep following Jesus God loves you. That s right, you. He loves you with all your holes and defects, your bad attitudes and mistakes. He cares about you. That is why he wants you to follow his instructions. Disobedience leads to trouble and heartache. God wants a better life for you. You have learned a lot through your I am Second group. You have heard God speak and you have seen lives changed. What will you do now? Will you return to a normal life or will you listen to God and keep following Jesus? Will you commit to obey? 11.1 disobedience commit obey obey all the way use it or lose it Leader s Guide how to lead your I am Second group helps Be sure to register your group at iamsecond.com/join e3 Partners Ministry. All rights reserved. 2 1

3 commit 11.1 disobedience Opener Watch: the Parks film. Question: How did the Parks learn from their disobedience? Talk with God Following Jesus Model. You have learned to talk with God in a balanced way. Relationship. Worship. Surrender. Ask. Forgive. Protect. Worship again. Some days you will take one or two of these topics. Other days you may do all seven. What will you talk with God about today? Spend some time right now talking with God. Hear the Bible Read this as a Group Background: Before Jesus came to earth God spoke through special messengers called prophets. Jonah was one such prophet charged with carrying God s message to Nineveh, the capitol of the mighty Assyrian empire. Assyria was a powerful enemy of Jonah s country. The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me. But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us, and we will not perish. Then the sailors said to each other, Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity. They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 2 3

4 commit 11.1 So they asked him, Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you? He answered, I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land. This terrified them and they asked, What have you done? (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.) The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us? Pick me up and throw me into the sea, he replied, and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you. Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. Then they cried to the LORD, O LORD, please do not let us die for taking this man s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O LORD, have done as you pleased. Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him. But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. Jonah 1 (NIV) What it means 3. What does this story teach about people? 4. What does this story teach about God? How does God respond to disobedience in this story? Live and Tell 5. What will you do now? What are some things you have learned through I am Second? Are you obeying what God has taught you? Explain. What will you do now? Talk about the Bible What it says 1. What did you like about this reading? 6. Who will you tell? Telling others about what you are learning builds accountability. Who do you know that needs to hear about what you learned today? 2. What did you not like or find confusing about this story? What disappoints you about Jonah? 4 5

5 community dialogue 0.4 commit 11.2 commit Opener Watch: the Nate Larkin film. Question: What consequences did Nate face for his mistakes? What did he have to do to get his life back? Check-up Live and Tell. Each time you meet, challenge each other. Follow up with your commitments. Keep each other accountable. Inspire each other to follow Jesus. Inspire a revolution of Second. (If people did not do what they committed to do, consider going back and reviewing the last discussion topic again. It is important that people do what they say they will do before moving on.) Talk with God Background: Jonah disobeyed God and he knew it. God sent trouble sweeping over Jonah s life. Broken, Jonah cries out to God vowing to obey him. Jonah s mistakes brought hard times. Jonah committed to obey. Use his prayer as a model for your own recommitment with God. Be honest. Be open. Commit. Jonah 2:1-2 (NIV) From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said: In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. Worship. Jonah was at the brink of death and he cried to God for help. Are you stressed, troubled, or hurting? Share your troubles with the group. Tell God about your hard times and thank him for listening to you during this crisis. Do this right now. Jonah 2:3-4 (NIV) You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. I said, I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple. 6 7

6 commit 11.2 Ask. Jonah faced danger and desperation but he had hope. Are you facing hard times? Describe your feelings, thoughts, and difficulties. Tell God right now about your situation. Ask God for hope. Live and Tell 1. What will you do now? You have committed to obey God. What specifically do you need to do between now and the next time your group meets? Jonah 2:5-7 (NIV) The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God, When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. Ask. Jonah feared for his life. He cried for help and God rescued him. Be honest with God about your fears and your worries. Take some time right now to ask God for help through your hard times. Jonah 2:8-10 (NIV) Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD. And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. Worship. Forgive. Jonah praises God and vows to obey him. Do you have sins you need to confess to God? Tell God right now why you want your relationship with him to be right. Commit to better follow him. 2. Who will you tell? Who do you know that needs to hear about recommitting to God? 8 9

7 commit 11.3 obey Opener Question: What is the hardest thing God has asked you to do? Check-up Live and Tell. Each time you meet, challenge each other. Follow up with your commitments. Keep each other accountable. Inspire each other to follow Jesus. Inspire a revolution of Second. (If people did not do what they committed to do, consider going back and reviewing the last discussion topic again. It is important that people do what they say they will do before moving on.) Talk with God Following Jesus Model. You have learned to talk with God in a balanced way. Relationship. Worship. Surrender. Ask. Forgive. Protect. Worship again. Some days you will take one or two of these topics. Other days you may do all seven. What will you talk with God about today? Spend some time right now talking with God. Hear the Bible Read this as a Group Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you. Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city a visit required three days. On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned. The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: 10 11

8 commit 11.3 By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish. When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. Jonah 3 (NIV) 4. What does this story teach about God? God threatened punishment but relented, what changed his mind? Talk about the Bible What it says 1. What did you like about this story? Live and Tell 5. What will you do now? Are there things you need to recommit to doing? Are you sharing your faith, making disciples, loving your neighbor, etc.? What specifically is God telling you to do? 2. What did you not like or find confusing about this story? 6. Who will you tell? Who do you know that needs to hear about what you are learning? What it means 3. What does this story teach about people? 12 13

9 commit 11.4 obey all the way Opener Question: Have you ever been mad or confused by God? Explain. Check-up Live and Tell. Each time you meet, challenge each other. Follow up with your commitments. Keep each other accountable. Inspire each other to follow Jesus. Inspire a revolution of Second. (If people did not do what they committed to do, consider going back and reviewing the last discussion topic again. It is important that people do what they say they will do before moving on.) Talk with God Following Jesus Model. You have learned to talk with God in a balanced way. Relationship. Worship. Surrender. Ask. Forgive. Protect. Worship again. Some days you will take one or two of these topics. Other days you may do all seven. What will you talk with God about today? Spend some time right now talking with God. Hear God s Word Read this as a Group But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the Lord, O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live. But the Lord replied, Have you any right to be angry? Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Then the Lord God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered. When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah s head so that he 14 15

10 commit 11.4 grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, It would be better for me to die than to live. But God said to Jonah, Do you have a right to be angry about the vine? I do, he said. I am angry enough to die. But the Lord said, You have been concerned about this vine, though you Talk about the Bible What it says 1. What did you like about this story? did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city? Jonah 4 (NIV) What it means 3. What does this story teach about people? Do you tend to be more like Jonah or God in this story? 4. What does this story teach about God? What is the character and heart of God? How does God show his authority in this story? Live and Tell 5. What will you do now? God s plan will happen but he wants you to be a part of it. Will you be an unwilling participant or a happy coworker with God? What does this mean for your life? Be specific. 2. What did you not like or find confusing about this story? How does Jonah s heart and attitude compare with God s? 6. Who will you tell? Will you keep this story to yourself or will you pass it on? Who do you know that needs to hear what you have learned? 16 17

11 commit 11.5 use it or lose it Opener Watch: the Josh Hamilton film. Question: How did Josh s decisions affect his life? Check-up Live and Tell. Each time you meet, challenge each other. Follow up with your commitments. Keep each other accountable. Inspire each other to follow Jesus. Inspire a revolution of Second. (If people did not do what they committed to do, consider going back and reviewing the last discussion topic again. It is important that people do what they say they will do before moving on.) Talk with God Following Jesus Model. You have learned to talk with God in a balanced way. Relationship. Worship. Surrender. Ask. Forgive. Protect. Worship again. Some days you will take one or two of these topics. Other days you may do all seven. What will you talk with God about today? Spend some time right now talking with God. Hear God s Word Read this as a Group Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money [which is many years worth of pay], to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master s money. After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. Master, he said, you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more. His master replied, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge 18 19

12 commit 11.5 of many things. Come and share your master s happiness! The man with the two talents also came. Master, he said, you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more. His master replied, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master s happiness! Then the man who had received the one talent came. Master, he said, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you. His master replied, You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV) What it means 3. What does this story teach about people? 4. What does this story teach about God? How will God reward faithful servants? How will he treat disobedient servants? Live and Tell 5. What will you do now? Will you invest what you have learned or will you bury it? What do you need to do to be a stronger Second? Talk about the Bible What it says 1. What did you like about this story? How does the man reward the faithful servants? 2. What did you not like or find confusing about this story? How does the man treat the worthless servant? 6. Who will you tell? Who do you know that needs to hear about what you are learning? 20 21

13 leader s guide How to lead your I am Second group Jonah liked obeying God. But when God asked him to do something hard, something unselfish, Jonah refused. He knew God was kind and compassionate. He liked that, too. But he did not want this kindness helping his enemies or those he did not like. Unable to run any farther, Jonah grumbles his way through obedience. But he no longer liked obeying God. He was mad. He realized that God wanted something more than cold obedience. God wanted heart. God wanted obedience that made a difference, but he also wanted the heart to go with it. Your I am Second group will see hard times. Obedience will become difficult. Endurance will seem impossible or impractical. Will your group survive? Will you commit to last? Will you commit to obey? Will hard times choke out your group or will they bind your group together? Keep Looking Out. When you stop growing you start dying. This means two things. First, keep reaching out to your community and world. Keep doing community service projects. Keep sharing your faith. Start new groups. Love your neighbor. Second, this means do not neglect your Live and Tell commitments. God has no interest in smarter sinners. He wants obedient followers. If your group turns into just another Bible study without application, your group will fade off and die. Commit! The choice is yours. God will carry out his plan. He wants you to be a part of that plan. Will you obey with a joyful heart or will you run and complain like Jonah? Keep Meeting. Just because the official I am Second discussion guides are coming to an end does not mean your group should end. Keep meeting! God never meant for you to do life alone. Consider the tips below as you proceed on your own. Create your own Discussion Guides. Talk about where to go next. Will you study a book of the Bible or pray through the Bible s prayers? Will you discuss a theological topic or a Bible character? Every group is different. What does your group need to discuss? Use the discussion guide Where to Go from Here for guidance on how to write your own discussion guide. Write it down or just live it out. Writing out your own discussion guides is good but not necessary. Maybe you or someone in your group is a talented writer. If so, consider writing out your own discussion guides to share with the larger I am Second world. The important thing is not that you develop slick looking discussion guides, but that you live out the basic functions of an I am Second group. 1. Keep Jesus First. 2. Check-up. 3. Talk with God. 4. Learn from the Bible. 5. Live and Tell

14 leader s guide helps disobedience 11.1 Summary: Jonah liked obeying God when it was easy. When he chose to disobey he paid the price. His disobedience hurt him and the people around him. God had a plan to bring his message to Nineveh and he was not going to allow Jonah to ruin that plan. God was still in control. Is God trying to do something through you? Are you running from God? Are you disobeying him? Are you Jonah? Talk with God: What will you talk with God about today? Relationship. Worship. Surrender. Ask. Forgive. Protect. Some Help with the Discussion Have you talked about the main things? 1. What did you like? God was in control. Jonah knew God was the creator of the land and the sea and that nothing was outside his control. But Jonah chose to disobey anyway. God decided to punish Jonah for his disobedience. But he punished to correct and instruct, not to vent uncontrolled rage. When Jonah repented, God spared the sailors and Jonah from further trouble. 2. What did you not like or find confusing? Jonah is a big disappointment. God commands Jonah to go to Nineveh. Jonah gets on a boat going the opposite direction. God sends a storm and everyone begins to pray, but Jonah goes to sleep. The sailors confront Jonah about his disobedience. Jonah refuses to repent and instead insists on being thrown overboard. He would rather die than obey. Jonah does everything wrong in this chapter. 3. What does this teach about people? People are broken. Even religious people who clearly understand God disobey and fail God. The day you reach perfection is the day you begin lying to yourself. When you find your mistakes, make them right. Do not run. Running causes only heartache and trouble. 4. What does this teach about God? Pretend that you are a parent. You are in the front yard when suddenly your child darts across the street without you. You run to rescue your child from oncoming traffic. Punishment and a stern scolding quickly follow. Your child s behavior was dangerous and foolish. This punishment is meant to correct that behavior. Your love for this child demands that you discipline him to teach him obedience. Jonah disobeyed. God, like any good parent, punished this disobedience. Jonah was being both dangerous and foolish. God wanted to protect Jonah and teach him. God punishes because he loves. Live and Tell 5. What will you do? Be specific. 6. Who will you tell? Who do you know that needs to hear this story? commit 11.2 Summary: Disobedience is dangerous. God wants you back. Commit to return. Take time today to talk with God, share with your group, and recommit. What do you need to change? Check-up: If people did not do what they committed to do, consider going back and reviewing the last discussion topic again. It is important that people do what they say they will do before moving on. Talk with God: Use Jonah as a guide. Briefly discuss Jonah s prayer and then talk with God. Commit to recommit. As the leader, examine your own life. What do you need to change? Leaders are the first to admit mistakes and change what needs to be changed. Your group needs your honesty and openness. Make today a day of confession and recommitment for everyone. Live and Tell Commitment means action. Obedience is more than learning a bunch of facts and some Bible verses, it is about a changed way of life. Make specific plans to change and grow. Be a stronger Second. obey 11.3 Summary: Jonah obeys. God loved Nineveh and wanted the people there to know him. Jonah s obedience brought God to the hearts of the people of Nineveh. Committing to obey and actually obeying are two different things. Follow through. Obey. Opener: There is no video for this lesson but there is an opener question. Use this question or one like it to break the ice for your group. Check-up: The last time you met your group committed to make some changes. If they have not taken any steps towards obedience consider going back to the previous lesson. It is important that everyone follow through with their commitments before moving on. Some Help with the Discussion Have you talked about the main things? 1. What did you like? Jonah obeys. Jonah has stopped running from God. Jonah goes to Nineveh and the whole city repents and turns to God. Even 24 25

15 leader s guide helps the king humbles himself and makes God first in his life. God sees this mass repentance and does not destroy the city. Jonah was part of God s plan. When God gets ready to act, he often gets a person involved as his representative. 2. What did you not like or find confusing? God threatened to destroy an entire city. Most people are accustomed to thinking of God as the ever-smiling grandfather in the sky. This story shows a great deal of God s anger. While at times it is hard to imagine, God s anger is a natural outworking of his goodness. A good God must hate theft, murder, violence, and greed. Just as a good government is one that fights against crime, injustice, and oppression, so also God fights against every evil. 3. What does this teach about people? People are slow to obey. Nineveh allowed evil and violence to fill its streets. God had to threaten death before Nineveh turned to God. Jonah nearly drowned before he was willing to obey. Obedience can be hard but disobedience is much more dangerous. 4. What does this teach about God? God hates evil. The king himself admitted that Nineveh was full of evil and violence. God is patient and allows people time to turn and make things right but there is a limit. Nineveh was reaching that limit. So God sent Jonah to this city to give it one last chance to repent. The people repented. God relented. God is willing to bring punishment and pain to your life to get you to turn around. Will you repent before it is too late? What needs to change in your life? Live and Tell As people make plans to better commit their lives to God, help them be specific. Help people make attainable, measureable, and challenging goals for their life. obey all the way 11.4 Summary: Jonah obeyed God but hated every minute of it. Jonah knew God would save Nineveh if they repented. Jonah did not want Nineveh saved. Nineveh was the greatest enemy of Jonah s country. His country feared and hated the people of Nineveh. God wants more than cold obedience. God wants people willing and wanting to follow him. Do you obey because you enjoy following God or because you feel pressured to follow the rules? God wants you to share his heart and not just follow his rules. Half-hearted obedience does not work for God. Opener: There is no video for this lesson but there is an opening question. Use this question or one of your own to jump start today s conversation. Some Help with the Discussion Have you talked about the main things? 1. What did you like? God shows himself to be both patient and forgiving. Nineveh was filled with evil and violence but when they repented God heard their cries. Jonah continues to be stubborn but God continues to work with Jonah to change his heart. 2. What did you not like or find confusing? The story ends on a bittersweet note. Nineveh is saved. But Jonah seems more lost than ever. He is filled with hate and bitterness. He cannot stand the fact that God would save such an evil city just because they repented. 3. What does this teach about people? Rule followers are not what God is looking for. God wants people who obey out of love. Jonah followed God s command to go to Nineveh but he did not share God s love for the people. Jonah hated Nineveh. Jonah shows that a person can obey the letter of the law but still miss the heart of God. 4. What does this teach about God? God wants obedience. But he wants your heart to be in it. Obeying the rules just to stay out of trouble is not what God wants. God wants your heart to line up with his. He wants you to love what he loves and hate what he hates. God wants obedience but more than anything he wants your love. If you love God you will obey him. Live and Tell Obey God. Obey him with all your heart and not just your actions. This call to action involves more than you just changing your behavior. God wants you to change your heart along with your behavior. What can you do to better love and obey God? use it or lose it 11.5 Summary: Jesus tells a story about three servants. The servants are given money to invest. Two obey and invest well. The third servant does nothing. Sometimes the greatest sins are not what you do but what you do not do. Which servant are you? Some Help with the Discussion Have you talked about the main things? 1. What did you like? Obey. Commit. Two servants understood. They took what the man gave them and they invested well. Will you do the same? 26 27

16 leader s guide helps 2. What did you not like or find confusing? The man had no patience for unproductive lazy servants. The man invested his own money with this servant but the servant did nothing with it. God hates wasted talent. God hates a wasted life. 3. What does this teach about people? Mediocrity and laziness will not be tolerated. God wants his people to use what they have been given to change the world. Too many people waste their talents and miss out on the very purpose for which God created them. 4. What does this teach about God? God wants you to get up and get involved. Sitting on your gifts, talents, and opportunities is a dangerous and disobedient habit to develop. God did not give you what you have so you could waste it. Use it or lose it. Whether it is your money, education, influence, or talents, God wants you to use it to serve him. Live and Tell The I am Second discussion guides have come to an end but your group should not. Plan out your next steps. You have been given the tools you need to change the world. Now go do it. 28

17 what is the DNA of an I am Second group? I am Second s immediate appeal is aesthetic with its slick design, cool website, and inspiring films. But the real difference is more than skin deep. As you lead, keep in mind the heart behind I am Second s materials: Notes Stories and small. Encourage people to tell their story. Listen to the stories of others. Then discuss stories from the Bible. Keep your group small (between 2 and 8 people) to maximize impact and allow everyone to discuss these stories. Everyone learns. Help people learn how to do these things themselves: a) tell others about Jesus, b) study the Bible, c) pray, d) live in community, and e) endure hard times. They learn these things as they go through the I am Second curriculum. Consider everyone a potential leader. View everyone as a potential leader, both before and after they trust Christ. Give people opportunities to lead if they continue to obey and progress. Hand over leadership roles to different people each meeting. Obedience based, not just knowledge focused. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide people in the life changes they need to make as you do the Live and Tell questions. Then as you start the next session, ask each Second to share how they did with their Live and Tell commitments. Consider not moving on if people did not complete them. This creates an environment in which loving Jesus means obeying Jesus. New groups rather than big groups. As people share with others, encourage them not to invite the new people to your group, but instead start a new group. Encourage new leaders to stay in your existing group, which is a learning group for them. Their new group becomes their leading group. So they get on the job training, but stay connected for ongoing training and accountability. Discuss and discover. Focus on the Bible. Trust the Holy Spirit to help each person discover the meaning of Scripture as your group discusses it. Lead through asking questions rather than lecture. Help everyone participate

18 where next? 1. Follow and trust Jesus. Want to follow Jesus? Tell Him you know you do wrong. Tell Jesus you believe that He died to pay the penalty for your sins, and then rose from the dead. Ask Him to forgive you. Tell him you trust only in Him for eternal life. Commit to follow Him today. 2. Keep meeting. Download the next discussion guide and keep meeting. 3. Talk with God. God cares about what you are doing. He wants to work through you. He wants to change lives. Through this whole process, continue to ask God to give you His plan. Listen for His voice. You are only on your own if you forget to ask for God s help. Need help with how to talk with God? Download the free I am Second Prayer Journal at iamsecond.com/groups or purchase a printed copy through the I am Second store. 4. Keep it simple. In your I am Second group, forget big church models where a skilled musician leads worship and a highly trained teacher preaches a sermon. Teach new believers how to hear and respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit through His Word and in their hearts. Encourage everyone to take part. 6. Create Your Own Discussion Guide. Use what you learned in 10.0 to create your own discussion guide or go to iamsecond.com for additional discussion guides. 7. Multiply. Don t let your group grow too big. As additional people become followers of Jesus, start new groups in their homes or work places. Teach those who lead people to Christ how to lead their own groups. Show them how to identify persons of peace through whom they can make more followers of Jesus and start more groups. 8. More I Am Second tools. Check out iamsecond.com/groups for other leadership kits, small group material, t-shirts and everything else you need to start your Second group. Lots of good stuff to help start spiritual conversations. 9. Register. Connect with I am Second by registering your group at iamsecond.com/join. 10. Questions? Do you need help or have questions? us at coach@iamsecond.com. 5. Keep it biblical. They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42) When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. (1 Corinthians 14:26) Perhaps share a meal when you meet. Ask what the Lord has done in each person s life during the week. Make time to study God s Word. Discuss its meaning and specific applications. Don t answer questions yourself; point people back to Scripture. This helps to establish that the authority is God s Word, not a person. Take time to pray for one another and for those who have not put Jesus First

19 Notes I am Second info@iamsecond.com iamsecond.com All scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved worldwide. You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material provided that you include the following copyright notice: Rev e3 Partners Ministry. All rights reserved. Used with permission

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