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Vision Group Study Guide

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Vision Group Study Guide REFLECT 6. Ponder the following quotation by Gene Edwards; what moves Garland Church your heart in this? What calls you higher? How does it compare to your life lately? How does it call out a hunger in you that you haven’t much considered? Vision Groups Study Guide “Is it possible to know if there’s true brokenness in a person? I think so. Such a person is not in rebellion toward anything: Nothing in their circumstances. How to use this Study Guide. This tool based on you taking a personal look into the Nothing that has to do with what others inflict upon them, and, Scriptures and themes related to its associated Sunday talk. Each unit will have three Nothing that God chooses to lay into their life. major segments: OPEN questions are to break the ice, get you going, help you to share This Christian is at peace in all three circumstances. No one ever arrives at this a bit about yourself in the group. DIG questions are designed to help you probe into the sort of character position unless, like a grain of wheat, they have fallen into the Scriptures and to talk about how God’s Word is impacting you. REFLECT questions are ground and died.” designed to help you take a personal inventory and to share on a more vulnerable level. Finally, there’s a new segment — APPLY — to give you a chance to take action on what you’re learning. Do yourself (and the church) a favor and take it seriously...take notes on Sunday, get this Vision Guide, ask the Holy Spirit to teach you, do the personal Bible Study and participate in your Group. By God’s grace, may your roots “grow down into [Christ Jesus], and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness” (Col. 2:7). ————— OPEN 1. What are some of your very favorite things to do? As in, what activities help you to feel most “alive”? 7. What’s something you would like to change in your life as a result of APPLY what you’ve studied this week? Write down something specific. Ask God to fill you with his Holy Spirit that you might be able to grasp for what you reach. Share your desire with your Vision Group and ask them to pray for you in this... 2. Quite literally, movement can cause a reaction. Share a time when you saw something move unexpectedly and it startled you or excited you. DIG For the next several weeks we’ll be visiting themes from the VitalChurch- 4. Consider the last phrase in vs. 13, “...that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up recommended book, Simple Church by Rainer and Geiger. According to the book, to the full and complete standard of Christ.” a “simple church” is a congregation “designed around a straightforward and strategic ministry process that helps people move through the stages of spiritual growth” by How close do you feel you are to this standard? Where do you feel your maturity is emphasizing four important principles: Clarity, Movement, Alignment and Focus. better-developed? Where do you feel you have a long ways to go? As we continue on our journey of revitalization, we’ll need to apply these principles: Clarity...is the ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people. Movement...is the sequential steps in the process that help people to advance to greater levels of commitment to Christ. If you compare your life today to yourself of some time ago, in what ways do you see that you’ve moved toward maturity in Jesus compared to… Alignment...is the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the simple process. Focus...is the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple process. - One year ago? And remember: The Gospel is our core message. Making disciples...pointing people to Jesus...is our core mission. - Five years ago? Life Truth #1: Our quest is to keep MOVING toward maturity in Christ Jesus. - 10 or 20 years ago or more? 3. Read Ephesians 4:1-16 (for context) but focus on vss. 11-13. Answer the following: Life Truth #2: As a church, we must design steps What is the primary responsibility of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and in our disciple-making process that help people MOVE toward Christ. teachers? 5. Read Ephesians 4:14-16 and answer the following: What is the problem with trying to live the Christian life apart from the church? In what ways do you need us? In what ways do we need you? According to vs. 12, when these leaders have done this effectively, what will the result be for the church? According to vs. 15, what is the goal of the church? According to vs. 13, what three outcomes will there be? .
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