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

Fat Cows...

Here are some study questions from Gordon on the message he preached on Amos 4 and here's the link to the Sermon: Fat Cows of Samaria

Reading: Amos 4 

1. Consider the question, “What has God done for you lately?” Do we only think of things which prosper us or make us feel more comfortable, or are we able to recognise God's discipline a source of blessing also? (Ref Hebrews 12 :5-11)
2. Read vs 1-5. Discuss how the lifestyles of the people of Samaria and their attitudes towards the poor reflect those of  society today. How should God's people be different?
3. In what ways could it be possible for our worship to be full of tradition and ritual, with a sound knowledge of scripture, but be worthless in the sight of God?
4. Vs 6-11 Discuss ways that God might use to encourage individuals or nations to turn back to Him? Are there areas where we as a nation are guilty of not listening to  his warnings.
5. How is it possible for us as weak, unholy people to be prepared to meet our God as described in v 13?

Because God loves us, He corrects us...

Here's the link to the Sermon: God loves us and corrects us

 Reading: Amos 3 

1. Who is God speaking to here?
2. Read through verses 3-6: what is the message in these 7 questions and answers?
3. Does God bring disasters? Discuss various the thoughts on this and draw a biblical conclusion.
4. Has God told us everything that will happen? (verse 7)
5. This passage is full of judgement, discuss
1. what had the people done?
2. was God's judgement fair, discuss why or why not?
6. How does this passage apply to our lives as a nation, a church and individuals today? or to put it another way - how ought this challenge us?  

God always hit's the bullseye!

Here's the link to the Sermon: God always hits the bulseye!

 Reading: Amos 1-2 

1.  If you were being interrogated by the "bible police", what could you tell them about Amos? i.e. who, when, what, where, why, how...
2. look at the pattern laid out in Amos' imagine what the original hearers of the message would have felt as the message unfolded?
3.  Describe the society in Amos' day; how does it compare to the UK today?
4. God will judge all nations and all people:
1. discuss what this means;
2. what responsibility do we have for shaping our society?
3. how does this impact us as individuals?
5. How does God judge believers compared to non believers? (Luke 12:48)
6. God cares about the attitude of our hearts, what wrong attitudes might we have and how can we encourage/challenge each other over these (in love!!)

 

Devastation at the hand of God

Here's the link to the Sermon: God disciplines... 

 

Reading: Joel 1

1. Verse 1. What do we know about Joel? e.g. where did he live, who did he minister to, what did his and his father’s name mean? Does any of this matter?
2. Verse 2, why do you think Joel started off addressing the elders?
3. What do you make of a God who would deliberately bring such unpleasantness and damage to people?
4. Discuss how Deuteronomy 28 fits in with this?
5. How had these people messed up? What was their sin? (verse 12 gives a clue)
6. What is an idol?
7. How does all of this apply to us today?

Prayer for Sierra Leone Mission

1. There is so much corruption among public officers in the country and that is causing distrust and poverty. Pray that God transforms the leaders and civil servants of the nation.
2. There have been so many situations of rape (sometimes of children as young as 7 yrs.) and violation of women and children sexually in Sierra Leone is rampant of late. Please pray for the victims and that God may have mercy on us and heal the hearts of men.
3. Pray for the recent flood victims in Freetown and other places in the country (over 10,000 households); especially for innocent children. 
4. Pray for the people affected by ebola, because some of the aid do not seem to be reaching the actual victims but to those who are not directly affected and can afford far more than the poor affected, especially orphans and widows.
5. Pray for Samuel Mansaray of Brama Church, who has not been keeping well in the past month, thanks to the Friends of Sierra Leone for their financial aid for his hospital bills.
6. Help us pray against the recent spate of ritual murder allegedly sponsored by politicians seeking to gain or maintain power.
7. Pray for the right choice of leaders in the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion Sierra Leone which is due in February next year. Elections can sometimes be a divisive issue in the Connexion over here.
8. Pray for God's provision of funds to complete Bethesda before February 2016. God has been so faithful to this project. His provisions are always forthcoming.

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…