Courageous and Compassionate

Here's the link to the Sermon: Courage and Compassion

Reading: Amos 7

1. Take a few minutes to recap on what Amos has taught us so far.
2. Verse 1 - what is a vision, and what is it not?
3. What do the visions in verses 1-7 show about God's judgement?
4. What does this teach us about prayer - can you make God change his mind?
5. Discuss the meeting with Amaziah. What does this show of Amos' character, attitude and behaviour, and what should we learn and apply from it? 
   
   

Am I Bovvered?!

Here's the link to the Sermon: Bovvered?!

Reading: Amos 6 


In the sermon we looked at this passage under 4 different headings.
As a group take a look at these headings afresh - try not just to regurgitate the sermon J but go deeper and broader and look at how these thing apply to us today.

1. Verses 1-3 Never be Content in the wrong thing
2. Verses 4-6 I’m all Right, Jack is not all right!
3. Verses 7-10 God Dictates; Not You
4. Verses 11-14 Morality Is Important to God

Turn around or be turned over

Here's the link to the Sermon: Turn around! 

 

Reading: Jonah 3

1. How should we react when God gives second chances to a) others and b) ourselves?
2. God demands that preachers preach His message. In which ways might we fail to do that and what are the possible results?
3. Why do you think Jonah’s message was so effective?
4. What is true repentance? How can it be recognised?
5. Discuss fasting, what is it, what might be sensible things to fast from, and why?
6. If God is unchanging (Num 23:19), then why does he seem to change his mind here?

God, You're right!

Here's the link to the Sermon: God, You're right! 

 

Reading: Jonah 1:17 - 2:10

This week the study is less directed, but there is a lot in this passage, so please don't rush through, but take some time to look at the things we didn't have time for in the sermon and also to remind each other of those things we did look at...

1. How long was it before Jonah prayed?
2. Take a look through Jonah's prayer and discuss any points that arise as you read through, line by line.
3. In the sermon we looked at a number of important points for us to apply to our lives today, and there may well be others, spend some time discussing these as a group.
4. What was the question we were left with at the end of the sermon?

Happily ever after?

Here's the link to the Sermon: Happily ever after? 

 

Reading: Joel 3

1. As we come to the end of Joel, it's worth taking a recap of the whole message God has given through the book, and so before looking at this passage discuss what has happened up to this point.
2. Who will be judged and why?
3. Which other books in the bible, both OT and NT have similar messages or messages that fill in some of the gaps?
4. Application - What is the message of this passage to us today, as a nation, a church and individuals?

Pearls, fish, fire: old and new...

Here's the link to the Sermon: The Old with the New 

 

Reading: Matthew 13 : 44-52

1. Verses 44-46:  whilst this looks like an obvious picture of giving up everything to follow Christ, discuss and consider some of the ways that “selling everything” will impact our lives, what are the obvious and not so obvious costs of following Christ.
2. Verses 47-49: a passage we might not want to dwell on! However discuss: a) what it is that makes righteous people righteous, b) what is hell? c) How should  this picture affect us in our everyday lives, living alongside ‘unsaved’ people?
3. Verses 51-52: this was dealt with in the sermon. How should the church adapt to meet society? What responsibilities do all Christians have in this area and how should we work and live together as a church family to effectively live and enable each other to live for Christ. [Clarification: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22]

Single, Married, Divorced, Sex and all that stuff!

Here's the link to the Sermon: Single or Married - What is right for me? 

Reading: 1 Corinthians 7

Using the passage, the sermon, your experience and the guidance of The Holy Spirit, spend some time discussing the following areas (ideally get the questions and discussion coming from all members of the group, and remember these are some hard issues foe some):

1. Marriage – for example: when is it right and when might it be wrong, should a Christian marry someone who’s not, what about sex?
2. Singleness – for example: people could be ‘single’ at various points in their life or for the whole of their lives, what does scripture teach about these? How does society view singleness and celibacy?
3. Divorce – Pastor outlined New Connexions understanding of scriptures teaching on this, what is it, how do you feel about it, does it reflect scripture?
4. What should someone do when they become a Christian, after they marry a non-Christian?
5. How should a bible believing church deal with the sensitive issue of homosexuality (based on what scripture teaches)?
6. What are the implications of all the above on the way we should care and support one another?

Why Are You Heading Naked Into Battle?

Here's the link to the Sermon: Heading Naked in to Battle? 

Reading: Ephesians 6:10-18

1. Discuss who the enemy is; what is the enemy’s aim and what are his tactics? (verse 18)
2. What’s our aim in the battle? (verse 18)
3. Discuss each of the items of armour described and why they are important to us. (verses 14-17)
4. Spend some time in discussion about prayer, and the result neglecting prayer (verses 18 &10)
5. Take time to pray as a group…