Mighty God
Part of Advent 2022

November 27, 2022
Dr. Steve Brown

FROM ROWS TO CIRCLES:
At North Summit we believe that we learn in rows on Sunday mornings, but we grow in circles, becoming more like Jesus in small relational environments with other people. Throughout this series, we highly encourage each person to identify a few people to get together with each week and make the commitment to have conversations around the Sunday teaching and to pray together. This isn’t a time to re-teach the sermon but to facilitate conversation, knowing that we grow when we are in relationship with one another. We can’t do this alone, we were created to do this with others.

CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR REAL RELATIONSHIPS:
Real relationships involve trust, honesty, transparency, and vulnerability between people, and for that to happen in a group setting, everyone must know there is safety and trust. Below you will see some guidelines that we highly recommend sharing and restating at the start of each group time in order to create a space to be open, vulnerable, and honest.

GUIDELINES:
-CONFIDENTIALITY - What is said here, stays here.
-SILENCE IS OKAY - Sometimes people need more time to process a question before responding; embrace the awkward silence as a tool for a better response.
-NO FIXING - We aren’t here to solve problems or counsel, but to listen and share.
-NO RESCUING - Responses can be uncomfortable, to the point that we want to interject to make it stop. Fight against the urge, knowing the Holy Spirit might be working on the person.
-NO CROSS TALK - Only one person should be talking at a time.
-BE SELF AWARE - Don’t talk TOO much, don’t talk TOO little. Also, be aware of your body language, making sure that you are engaged.
-LISTEN - with eyes, ears, and body language–listen carefully
-USE “I” STATEMENTS - Answer for yourself–not for someone else.

LEADING YOUR GROUP:

REMEMBER YOUR ROLE:
You are someone who facilitates the group’s conversation and discussion through asking questions as well as keeping the group within the guidelines that produce a healthy environment for sharing. As a group facilitator, make sure to:
-Share and uphold group guidelines
-Be vulnerable and transparent
-Facilitate conversation and keep it going (don’t lecture or re-teach)
-Be friendly
-Ask clarifying follow-up questions
-Listen intently

GROUP TIME

OPEN WITH PRAYER
SHARE GROUP GUIDELINES (see other side)
FACILITATE CONVERSATIONS USING QUESTIONS BELOW:

Sermon Observation Questions:
1. Was there anything from this past week’s sermon that stood out to you? Explain. Was there anything from the sermon that confused you? Explain. Was there anything from the sermon that invoked an emotion? If so, what was it?

  1. Observations about this passage: Who was the audience or the characters, if any? Did you relate to any characters in the passage, if so, who and why? What does this passage tell us about sinful man? What do we learn about God or Jesus from reading this passage, and how does that impact the way we love people and love God?

Life Application Questions (Choose 2-3 questions; ask follow up questions to responses):

  1. How did Sunday’s teaching impact you personally?

  2. What thoughts concerning the teaching were going through your mind at the time?

  3. How might the message from this past week impact your circles of influence (e.g., home, work, community, church?)

  4. How could living out the teaching from Sunday differ from how you’ve currently lived?

  5. What might you need to rearrange in your life to apply the sermon?

  6. Why could applying the principles from Sunday be challenging for you?

  7. What questions do you have concerning the teaching?

  8. How might this Old Testament passage reveal Jesus Christ or a need for Christ?

  9. How could what you learned Sunday help you as you disciple someone else?

What’s My Take Away?
-What do you believe the Holy Spirit might be calling you to do in light of the message?

PRAYER
Spend time as a group praying big prayers…missional prayers. Talk to God about aligning your heart more with his, putting people in your path to share the gospel, or to make you bolder in your faith. Don’t simply pray for colds, surgeries, or daily stressors of life. Pray bigger!