Application - Church on the Hill
Application 8.
How do you experience “Mission Drift” from being focused on drawing unchurched and dechurched people to following Christ? What causes the drift? How can you get refocused on God’s mission for you?
9.
Describe how you think your friends and neighbors see our church? What can you do to improve how they see it?
Week 6 10. How can your group pray right now for boldness and power rather than for comfort and safety?
February 21, 2016
Scott Simmerok , lead pastor
. . . is on display for _______________________ and ________________________ people.
Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you lightbearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 The Message . . . _______________ about how unchurched and dechurched people see them. . . . consists of people who ___________ for unchurched and dechurched people.
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:18-19
. . . exists for _________________.
COMMUNITY GROUP QUESTIONS
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:12-13 . . . ______________ God and their neighbor.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:36-39
Getting to Know You 1.
What was it that first attracted you to a church? Or what attracts you to our church now?
2.
Initially what was unattractive about churches in general?
3.
How does Church on the Hill do in connecting to unchurched and dechurched people? How could we improve?
. . . baptizes publicly because it’s a __________________________ that God still changes people’s lives. . . . is engineering environments where unchurched and dechurched people ____________________________________ and ___________________________ ___________ by becoming disciples who can make disciples.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
A church for unchurched and dechurched people is truly what we all desire, even if we have “Mission Drift.”
How do we know if we have “Mission Drift”? 1.
We are praying for safety and comfort, not boldness and power.
2.
We aren’t able to see our lives and our church through the eyes of the unchurched and dechurched.
3.
We fail to recognize our language that creates insiders and outsiders.
4.
We have created qualifications for belonging beyond faith in Jesus and fishing for people.
5.
We haven’t invited anyone to church in months.
Into the Bible 4.
Read Acts 4:1-7. What is thrilling about this time in the life of the early church? In what ways would you want to experience this today?
5.
Continuing in Acts 4, read verses 8-22. What are the great truths of the Christian faith that Peter claimed?
6.
What do you think caused Peter’s boldness?
7.
Continue reading Acts 4 through verse 31. The followers of Jesus could have asked for many things, but they asked for boldness and power. What stands out to you about this group of believers who were very focused on unchurched people?
How do you experience “Mission Drift” from being focused on drawing unchurched and dechurched people to following Christ? What causes the drift? How can you get refocused on God’s mission for you?
9.
Describe how you think your friends and neighbors see our church? What can you do to improve how they see it?
Week 6 10. How can your group pray right now for boldness and power rather than for comfort and safety?
February 21, 2016
Scott Simmerok , lead pastor
. . . is on display for _______________________ and ________________________ people.
Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you lightbearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 The Message . . . _______________ about how unchurched and dechurched people see them. . . . consists of people who ___________ for unchurched and dechurched people.
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:18-19
. . . exists for _________________.
COMMUNITY GROUP QUESTIONS
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:12-13 . . . ______________ God and their neighbor.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:36-39
Getting to Know You 1.
What was it that first attracted you to a church? Or what attracts you to our church now?
2.
Initially what was unattractive about churches in general?
3.
How does Church on the Hill do in connecting to unchurched and dechurched people? How could we improve?
. . . baptizes publicly because it’s a __________________________ that God still changes people’s lives. . . . is engineering environments where unchurched and dechurched people ____________________________________ and ___________________________ ___________ by becoming disciples who can make disciples.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
A church for unchurched and dechurched people is truly what we all desire, even if we have “Mission Drift.”
How do we know if we have “Mission Drift”? 1.
We are praying for safety and comfort, not boldness and power.
2.
We aren’t able to see our lives and our church through the eyes of the unchurched and dechurched.
3.
We fail to recognize our language that creates insiders and outsiders.
4.
We have created qualifications for belonging beyond faith in Jesus and fishing for people.
5.
We haven’t invited anyone to church in months.
Into the Bible 4.
Read Acts 4:1-7. What is thrilling about this time in the life of the early church? In what ways would you want to experience this today?
5.
Continuing in Acts 4, read verses 8-22. What are the great truths of the Christian faith that Peter claimed?
6.
What do you think caused Peter’s boldness?
7.
Continue reading Acts 4 through verse 31. The followers of Jesus could have asked for many things, but they asked for boldness and power. What stands out to you about this group of believers who were very focused on unchurched people?
