Focus Series - Connect Groups

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Connect Groups

Focus 3 - Connect Groups:

We want to see our church community become committed to a Connect Group to deeply nurture biblical literacy, accountability, and a desire to serve.

Read the following article then discuss the questions at the end:

The Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation but in fellowship with other believers. For this reason, Hebrews 10:24–25 tells us to “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

If we hope to grow spiritually and endure for the long haul, we need our brothers and sisters in Christ for encouragement. Regular, real-life, day-to-day fellowship with other Christians is an essential component of Christian growth and perseverance.

If we live with the expectation that the day of Christ’s return is soon, we’ll grasp the importance of spurring one another on in our walk of faith. But if we give up meeting together, how can we expect to give support and receive encouragement?

The richness of community among first-century believers provides a worthy model for Christians today. These early believers were devoted to meeting daily in their homes for teaching, fellowship, worship, eating meals, sharing in the Lord’s Supper, and praying together “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts” (Acts 2:46).

A spirit of mutual consideration and cooperation permeated the early church. Coming together to care for one another was the prevailing attitude among believers in these early gatherings (1 Peter 1:22; 1 Thessalonians 4:9).

Only through authentic relationships with other believers can we live out the faith we profess and become all that God has destined us to be—when we do not give up meeting together with other Christians.

Retrieved from: https://www.gotquestions.org/do-not-give-up-meeting-together.html

Questions:

1. Is there a difference between a connect group and the Sunday gathering?

   1. What makes them different?

   2. Are they an either or/or both and, can we function and grow fully by just attending a connect group or just going to worship on Sunday?

   3. What do we lose in our faith walk by only gathering in one aspect and not both?

2. Discuss the idea that as we get bigger, we need to get smaller.

3. If Jesus is our model for life, what lessons can we take from how he interacted with others;

   1. The multitude

   2. The 72

   3. The 12

4. What makes a Connect group a group, talk about the attributes that you see would make a group a Connect group?

Primarily Connect groups are about strong and deeper relationships of support, encouragement, and accountability.

The Devil's Beatitudes:

Below is a funny (but challenging) look at the things that get in the way of us living all the one another we find throughout the New Testament. What gets in the way ofa strong healthy church life? The Answer - US.

1. Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians – they are my best workers.

2. Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked-I can use them.

3. Blessed are the touchy who stop going to church-they are my missionaries.

4. Blessed are the troublemakers-they shall be called my children.

5. Blessed are the complainers – I’m all ears to them.

6. Blessed are those who are bored with the minister’s mannerisms and mistakes – for they get nothing out of his sermons.

7. Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his own church – for he is a part of the problem instead of the solution.

8. Blessed are those who gossip – for they shall cause strife and divisions that please me.

9. Blessed are those who are easily offended-for they will soon get angry and quit.

10. Blessed are those who do not give their offering to carry on God’s work-for they are my helpers.

11. Blessed is he who professes to love God but hates his brother and sister – for he shall be with me forever.

12. Blessed are you who, when you read this think it is about other people and not yourself – I’ve got you too!

Questions:

1. How does this speak to our attitude when we come together in whatever way we gather as God’s people?

   
   

2. How does it challenge us to think about why we come together?