Online Connect Group // Renewed // Week 1

Posted June 19, 2020 — Lincoln Berean

June 21, 2020 // Coming Together: Part 1 // Hebrews 10:19-25

Introduction

Welcome to a new sermon series!

This summer, we plan to come together to know Jesus, be more like him and help others do the same. On Sunday, we focused on the first part of that statement: come together. Josh challenged us to rethink church and Sunday worship. The church is a people, not a place! This week in your groups, spend some time thinking through what it means to be the church.

We don’t provide a lot of space for your answers to these questions, so we suggest having a journal handy to write down your thoughts. You’re not expected to have time for all these questions during your online meeting, but we encourage you to reflect on them and jot down thoughts on your own.

Getting to Know Each Other (Suggested time: 30 min)

Begin your group time by learning more about each other. If you need them, here are some questions:

• What’s your favorite summertime memory?
• What’s the most significant thing that’s happened in your life in the last two weeks?
• Do you have any summer projects or vacations planned? If so, what are they?

Getting Started

Begin to transition into group discussion.

1) Invite someone to open the group in prayer. Here are a few potential prayer items:

a. God to reveal His truth and love for the group

b. Openness to each other and God’s voice

c. Friendships to deepen and grow

2) Invite someone else to read Hebrews 10:19-25 to the group.

Study Questions (Suggested time: 40 min)

Please complete these questions prior to your group’s meeting time.

1) Read Hebrews 10:19-21. Prior to Jesus’s time here on earth, the temple was the only place that people could enter into the presence of God. Even after traveling long distances, temple visitors were still separated from the Holy of Holies by a curtain. The High Priest was the only person permitted past the curtain, and only once a year! Through Jesus’s work on the cross however, God’s presence now dwells within us. The church building is not the temple; we are His temple!

Read 1 Corinthians 3:9-17.

a. Do you behave or present yourself differently at church than you do at work or at home?  How come?

b. Is it important that our life looks the same at church, home and work? How come?

2) Read Hebrews 10:22-23. There are many good things that come from weekend worship services. However, the Christian life is more than just the weekend. It’s not meant to be lived in isolation, it’s designed to be lived out together. We miss out if we try to live a Christian life without fellow believers!

a. Other than meeting online, how can our group draw closer to each other as we collectively grow closer to God?

b. How can we promote a group culture in which group members feel safe to be open and vulnerable with one another?

3) Read verses 24-25. We all long to be loved and respected. We want others to celebrate our best qualities, and we want to be encouraged and uplifted when we’re down. However, we also need to be challenged and developed in areas where we need to grow. As believers, we have a profound desire to love and do good works—which Josh referred to as “spurring one another on.”

a. Who are you actively “spurring on” with the truth? Who could you add to this list?

b. This week, what could you do for someone listed above that might spur them towards love and growth?

4) Changing our perspective from “church is a weekly activity” to “church is who we are” may be a foreign concept for many of us. Even among Christians, the idea can be counter cultural. Take a few moments to reflect on your motives and intentions.

a. Why do you attend weekend service at Lincoln Berean Church?

b. If you were to put your reasons in a percentage, what percent is to get (receive encouragement) and what percent is to give (encourage/serve others)?

c. If you tend to lean towards being a consumer, what needs to change so you are a participant? What needs to change if you find it difficult to allow others to love and serve you? What makes this a challenge?

Group Prayer (Suggested time: 10 min)

Prayer is an important part of each Online Connect Group. It’s natural for some to be reluctant to pray aloud; others are so comfortable that they can unintentionally take over the prayer time. Continue to deepen your relationships through prayer as you gain trust with one another.  

Take a few moments to prepare a prayer request. Consider the areas you need to grow, receive help or show love. A significant part of “coming together” is being open and honest with our fears, hopes and dreams. Sharing these things can be scary, but it also invites others to share in your life!

Share short prayer requests and be mindful of needs throughout your discussion. Hosts will wrap up your time with prayer; pray aloud if you’re comfortable, but everyone enters into prayer as you reflect together.