Questions for February 6

"God Rocks..."

Opening
Take time to welcome any new comers, briefly review the Connection Group Commitment, and share the church announcements. 
Invite someone to open your bible study in prayer.

Question: Have you ever had an experience that you could only explain as “a God thing?”  A moment, a feeling, a dream, a camp experience as a kid, something that your knew had to be God and rocked your world? 

Learn It
Read Isaiah 6.
Discuss Part 1: God Rocks (v. 1-4)

• Do you come to worship expecting an encounter with the living God?  Can you think of other bible stories where God appeared and the earth shook?
• What is the significance of the Seraphim?  Why are they covering their eyes and feet?  What else do you make of this appearance of God in the temple?
• What does holiness mean, and why is it so celebrated by the Seraphim?  Why is it repeated 3 times?
• Have you experienced the glory (the weight) of God in your life?  What does it mean, or how would you explain it to someone?

Part 2: God Rocks Your World (v. 5-7)

• Why does Isaiah see himself as lost and unclean?  Why his lips?  Why is he part of an people of unclean lips?
• What happens immediately after Isaiah’s confession, and why is this so important?
• What does the hot coal mean or symbolize for Isaiah and for us?  Where else do we see fire in the bible?
• Have you had an experience of feeling the overwhelming glory of God, which lead to an overwhelming feeling of guilt?  What happened, and what was it like?

Part 3: You and God Rock His World Together (v. 8-13)

• Why does Isaiah now hear the voice of the Lord calling?  What has changed in him?
• What is Isaiah’s response?  What does it mean to present yourself is such a way?
• Read over the commission of Isaiah.
• What is he going to do?
• What is going to happen?
• How will things change, or not change?
• Is this going to be an easy, or impossible mission?
• What hope is there in the end?

Live It

• How does this passage point us to Jesus Christ?  How does he rocks, rock our world, and invite us to rock the world with him?
• Has God moved from being a concept to a reality for you?
• Have you had a conversion experience where your life has been so thoroughly changed?  Do you want such an experience of God?  Do you have reservations about such a radical conversion to Jesus?
• If you have heard the call, and said, “Here am I, send me.”  What have you said yes to, or, where have you been sent?

Remember: we are more sinful than we ever imagined, but more loved than we ever dreamed.

Close with a time of prayer with and for one another.

Questions for January 23, "Pray"

Opening
Take time to welcome any new comers, briefly review the Connection Group Commitment, and share the church announcements.  Invite someone to open your bible study in prayer.

Learn It
Read Acts 2:42-47 to put our series in context.  Notice verse 42,
“And the devoted themselves... to the prayers.”

• Share about your “prayer plan,” or any prayer stories from your life.  Perhaps an answered prayer, an ongoing prayer, or a prayer that didn’t seem answered at all.  If you’re not really into prayer, feel free to share why, or ask any questions you have to the group.

The early church immediately adopted the the Jewish prayer pattern.  While there were many different “schools” and traditions, almost all revolved around three times of prayer (morning, afternoon and evening), starting with an affirmation of faith (Shema), and followed by various passages of scripture, both said and sung.

Deuteronomy 6:4-6, “The Shema,”
    4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

• Does this kind of rigorous prayer plan seem attractive?  Oppressive?  Too ritualistic?  Share your thoughts or ideas on this kind of prayer...

Jesus’ disciples asked him to teach them to pray, just as John (the Baptizer) did.  It was customary for a rabbi to teach his students a unique prayer.  It was sort of like a mission statement.

Luke 11:1-4, “The Lord’s Prayer”

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."  And he said to them, "When you pray, say:

• "Father, hallowed be your name...
• Your kingdom come...
• Give us each day our daily bread...
• and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us...
• And lead us not into temptation."

Now go back through and discuss what each line is says,
what it means,
and how it can apply to your life.

Live It
The challenge here is obvious- would you commit to such a rigorous plan of prayer?  What tools would help? 

Consider the following:

• Choose a time and place for each prayer (morning, afternoon and evening)
• Begin each prayer time with the Shema and the Lord’s Prayer.
• For your morning session try a bible reading plan or devotional, such as the ones we gave out and suggested last Sunday.
• For your afternoon session read the corresponding chapter in Proverbs according to the day of the month (24th chapter on January 24th).
• For your evening session write out your prayers and the specific things/people you are praying for.

(This is flexible.  If you’re a morning person and have time, you may want to do your prayer journaling then.)

Close with a time of prayer with and for one another.

Questions for January 16: "Read"

Opening
Feel free to spend the bulk of your first gathering welcoming new comers and catching up.  To begin, you could put people into pairs, give them a moment to talk, then take turns introducing the other person to the group.  After introductions go over the “Connection Group Commitment.”  Address any questions and go over childcare needs if applicable.  Send around a snack sign up and contact information sheet too.

Digging In

• Review the notes from the message and discuss any questions with your leader and one another.  Do you agree that it is impossible to grow as a Christian with out personally reading/studying the bible?  Why or why not?
• If you have never been a bible reader feel free to ask the group questions about bible reading and study.
• If you are a bible reader, share some of your thoughts and best practices in bible reading.

If you are consistently in worship and in a small group you’re literally 2/3 of the way to becoming a student of the bible!  All you need to do now is commit to a personal plan and routine to study the bible. 

Answer the following:

• Do you have a bible?
• Do you have a bible reading plan?
• For families, do you have a family devotional plan?
• Do you have a time and place set aside for bible reading?
• Do you have a plan to create accountability for yourself- with your small group, writing in a journal, posting progress on a social network or blog?

Close in prayer



Connection Group Commitment
Connection Groups target the second part of our mission- to connect with people.  We believe that being in relationships in the body of Christ is an essential part of every Christ-followers life.  In the days of the early Church the first Christ followers gathered the first day of the week (Sunday) for worship.  In addition, they meet throughout the week in homes (Acts 2:46; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15).  We believe that being a part of a Connection Group is not something we do in addition to “going to church,” it is essential to “be the church.”  Why?  Because relationships matter- with God and with other people in “the body of Christ.”

We gather around the following principles:
Common Purpose:  To become more Christ-like in all areas of life.  CG’s do this by creating an environment to...
    BELONG- 1 Peter 2: 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
    GROW- Colossians 1: 28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
    SERVE- 1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

Common Place: To become more a part of our neighborhood, intentionally knowing and being available one another and our neighbors.

Common Possessions: To become more generous in supporting one another spiritually, emotionally, socially and physically.

Therefore,

• We agree to meet for the duration of this semester.
• We will try to make every meeting, or let our facilitator know we will be absent.
• We will discuss the topic/text of worship services or our focus group.
• We will make worshiping at Connections a priority and actively participate in these discussions.
• We will support our facilitators and hosts and respect their roles.
• We will be respecters of all persons in our group.
• We will practice confidentiality.
• We will seek to deepen relationships within the group.
• We will care for and include the families/children of our group.
• We will make a plan to serve together.
• We will make a plan to play together.