Because of the question/answer nature of this week's sermon, there are no Soul Care notes.
Here are three suggestions for you as you lead your group...
BIBLE READING: What are the marks of a true believer? Read 1 John together out loud. This can be done in about 15 minutes and answer this question. When Pastor Duke was talking about true believers he referred to this book several times. You can use the questions on page 6 of http://matthiasmedia.com/Samples/otobr/OTOBR-Sheets-for-copying-US-letter.pdf to help with the Bible reading. You don't necessarily need to do preparation before hand. This is a read and think through exercise.
PRAYER: Pray with the glory of God as the focus. Here are some prayer focus questions to use.
How can you, individually, glorify God?
How can we, EBC, glorify God? Think how you can work with others to help fulfill our mission.
How can God work in the lives of others specifically to bring Him glory?
DEEPER QUESTION: Depending on where your group in openness, you could ask "Which one of these best describes you right now? Why?"
changing
and growing
not
perfect but progressing
failing
but fighting
desire
to please God
persevering
in faith
living
outside the will of God and headed toward discipline
HERE IS THE MOST RECENT POST FOR THE WHOLE CHURCH REGARDING SOUL CARE DISCUSION.
As we gather in our Soul Care Groups this week, let us encourage one another to fight sin. As we meet together and grow in Christ this week and beyond, let us encourage one another to fight sin.
When you gather in your Soul Care groups, meet together with others from EBC and do family devotions, think about these 2 questions and 2 prayer challenges.
Think about these two questions,
What are the marks of a church that helps one another fight sin? (Notice is not “What are the marks of a church that identifies sin in others and yells about?”)
Are we the kind of church that helps one another fight sin?
Here are two prayer challenges Pastor Duke shared in the sermon:
Pray that those who don’t believe will REPENT and BELIEVE.
Pray these truths will produce HOLY HUMILITY
Thank God that He saved you
Be reminded how easily we will fall away without Him
Pray that this will help us deal with Christian complexity
Don’t forget the free ebook God is the Gospel by John Piper. Click HERE to find out how to get a copy.
Extended prayer focus times can be difficult but this post is full of ideas to help you with your prayer time.
Romans 1:21—24
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
While this past Sunday's message was great, sometimes there is a human tendency to respond to these truth like Eeyore from Winnie-the-Pooh. “It’s all for naught.” Poor me! This is the song I referred to in the email "The dark is just a canvas for your grace and brightness." Think about the trust from this passage and this sermon with God's glory in mind.
This Thursday is National Day of Prayer. We want our Soul Care groups this week and every week to focus on praying to the God who demonstrated His love by sending His Son to be our Savior
We don't gather together to focus on the problems of this world. This does not mean foolishly closing our eyes and acting like there is nothing wrong. It does mean choosing to focus on the King of Glory.
These questions and prayer items are meant to help focus your minds on God. The links are resources you can use in group or private prayer times.
Based on Romans 1:21—24 and this week’s message, how would you answer this question: What in the world is wrong with the world? The problem in this world is that God is not worshipped by humans the way he should. We are sinners. The problem is not the circumstances I face, my biggest problem is me! Your biggest problem is you!
As we remember what is wrong in this world, let's remember the truth in the month's memory verses for our children's ministry.
Philippians 4:12 & 13. No matter what the circumstance, we find our strength and peace in Jesus Christ.
I must be content, satisfied in Jesus Christ, no matter the circumstances or situation in this life.
This week in Soul Care we want to focus on PRAYER FOR OUR WORLD, OUR COUNTRY, OUR CHURCH and OUR LIVES.
Take time do to the following:
10 minutes: Answer these 3 questions: Your group could probably talk about these all night. Limit the time and encourage people to talk about these questions outside of your group time. - How have you honored God this last week? Questions like this one and the next one should be difficult to answer because we don't want to seem arrogant and self-righteousness. At the same time we should want to talk about how God's has glorified himself in us.
Read through parts or all of this article with your ear listening for prayer requests. Here are some: pray for the Hindus. "Most of the people of the people hit by this tragedy in Nepal are Hindu." "Please join me in praying that this dark tragedy will open up new doors of ministry and make new ways for the hope of Jesus Christ to shine even more brightly in the nation of Nepal, bringing with it the message of hope, consolation and restoration." - Unreached people group of the day http://joshuaproject.net/pray/unreachedoftheday This is the website Pastor Duke referred to during the Missions conference. You can use their other prayer resources.
- This week's missionaries are Jack & Cindy Stumme, He is a U.S. Army chaplain. Pray for the Stumme and the military person that was assigned to your Soul Care Group. Go to http://www.emmanuelbaptist.com/missions.php for more about the Stumme's and our other missionaries.
