UnChristian: Too Focused on Getting Converts
Colossians 4:5,6 and Selected Scriptures
Connect:
Share how you have seen God in the Highs and Lows of your week.
Discuss how resolutions made last week in “growing more like Jesus” worked themselves out – what God did in and through you (Phil. 2:13) Celebrate and thank God for those together and pray with those who experienced some “Lows” this week, for God’s encouragement for them.
Prayer:
Pray that God would lead your discussion time and bring fresh insight, conviction, and hope through your time together.
Review:
We are launching into a new series looking at ways that Christian engagement in politics is perceived by those who do not believe in Jesus Christ. Each week we are taking a key aspect of reputation, grounded on research of the Barna group, and looking at this while avoiding defensiveness, seeking to understand, and engaging authentically in the conversation.
In the last couple of weeks we looked at hypocrisy and political engagement, and this week we look at engagement in our witness for Jesus!
The Grand Tour of the message: Thinking back on what you heard this Sunday…
o What did you learn about God?
o What did you learn about people?
o What did you learn about yourself?
o What do you want to commit to putting into practice?
Reflect:
Contrast the different ways you have seen/experience of Christian witness— everything from wearing signs to street music to tract distribution to personal evangelism to big tent revivals… what is the approach that resonates best with you? Talk about that…
Discuss the following Scriptures and read the verses in context:
As missionaries to our own communities, how can we most effectively reach the people around us? ( Ephesians 6: 18-19, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, Matthew 28: 18-20,)
Identify some principles of the various ways Jesus built relationships. ( Luke 4:16-21 Luke 14:12-14, Luke 19:1-10,)
What kinds of conversations are more likely to build redemptive relationships? ( Colossians 4:5-6, Ephesians 4:29, Acts 8:26-31,)
What are some characteristics of the community we can build as Christians which people will be drawn to… and what is it going to take to build that? ( Acts 2:42-47, John 17:17-21, Acts 2:32-35,)
How can we maintain a heart to reflect God's love for others - saved and unsaved? ( John 15:4-5, 1 John 4:7-12, 2 Corinthians 5:14-20,)
Respond:
Scott ended the message this week with a story about Christians who took in the sick and suffering who had been cast away by their families… these were people who had previously persecuted them! This kind of love is unexplainable apart from the love of God flowing through His people. Spend some time in prayer together for God’s refreshing your experience of His love and open eyes to see the opportunities He puts in our path to let that love flow out from us to the world around us!
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