BRAVE THE COLD |9.8.2024 | MIKE SCHNEPP
Ice Breaker Option: Would you rather live in a stunning, remote cabin with no internet or in a small, unremarkable apartment in the heart of a bustling city with all amenities?
Hope: Where have you seen God at work in the last week?
SERMON SUMMARY
HEART
• What is uncomfortable or even scary about being in community?
• Can you describe a time when being in community deeply impacted your faith walk?
HEAD: Romans 12:9, 10
• What do these verses instruct us about living as the body of Christ and what words does Paul use to emphasize the importance of these attitude?
• Knowing that the word love here is agape, how does this passage intersect with our being image bearers of God?
• If you were sharing this text with a friend, how would you paraphrase the text to encourage them?
HANDS
• What steps can you take this week to deepen your love for your Savior?
• How can we as a community group make space for people to be imperfect?
• What are some practical steps that you can take to your friendships or develop new ones?
Option: Provide an opportunity for your community group members to practice encouragement with one another. Write everyone's name on an index card. Before your prayer time, randomly hand out the cards. Give everyone time to write an encouragement for the person on the card. This can be something specific they know about this person or and encouragement from scripture.
Hope: Prayer
• Spend time expressing your love for God.
• Pray for courage and boldness in stepping out of our comfort zones as we engage in life together.
Going Deeper:
Questions to reflect upon and encourage the conversation to go deeper.
Romans 12:9, 10 are central to Paul's discussion in Romans 12 about the body of Christ. Read Romans 12.
• How well integrated into the body of Christ are you?
• How are we to live our faith through the body of Christ according to this text?
• How does the way we live in community within the church impact our lives in the community outside the church?