Table of Contents. Willow s Story: A Movement of Faith 5

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4 Table of Contents Willow s Story: A Movement of Faith 5 Week 1 Surrender: Prepare to be TRANSFORMED 8 Week 2 Listen: Hear God Clearly 14 Week 3 Obey: Do What God Asks Willow Chicago

5 WILLOW S STORY: A MOVEMENT OF FAITH Getting Started So think about it. What do you want the next chapter to look like in your life? What do you want more of and what do you want less of? Don t get bogged down with specifics. Instead, focus on important life areas: faith, marriage, parenting, family, career, health, etc. Now think about great stories in Scripture. Whether it s God calling Abraham to go to a new land or Esther s timely courage to boldly stand up for her people, great stories are often about moving out into the unknown or daring to do the impossible for God. But we know that nothing is impossible for the God who can do far more than all we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) and who calls us to have mountain-moving faith (Matthew 17:20). And all great stories all great movements start with someone somewhere making some bold move. This study is one giant dare. God is daring us to move. So we want to encourage one another to prepare to make our move by SURRENDERING to God, LISTENING to His guidance, and OBEYING His prompting. 5

6 TAKE NOTE Two of the most powerful words Jesus ever spoke were Follow Me! The One who Himself began the movement of the Church, the Body of Christ, through one bold move after another invites us to make a move as well. To follow Jesus, you have to move. But we re not talking about some random action. Following Jesus means moving like Jesus. You cannot follow Jesus without moving the way Jesus moved. Fast-forward 2000 years. A hungry young student in a seminary classroom has his heart ignited by a passionate professor who, while sharing how the Kingdom Movement got started, dares this young man to follow Jesus indeed, to move with Jesus by starting an Acts 2 local church. And out of a heart of full devotion, Bill Hybels and a committed band of students started Willow Creek Community Church in October of And for the last 40 years, Willow has been growing and impacting the world because thousands of men and women have dared to move like Jesus. This is our story. The movement continues through us and our hearts. Every heart that ever moved to follow God from Jesus heart, to Bill Hybels heart, to your heart has done so following a spiritual decision-making process we might call SURRENDER, LISTEN, OBEY. As Christ-followers, we are called to SURRENDER control to God s loving plan and purposes LISTEN to God s guidance through His promptings OBEY God s specific calls in our lives 6

7 Following this process demands full engagement investing in this journey out of love for God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength. And while deciding to engage this process is something you must first decide to do as an individual, it hugely helps to go through this process in community. That s what TRANSFORM is all about. So way to go for SURRENDERING, LISTENING, and OBEYING in a group context! If you take risks, if you give equal amounts of grace to one another, if you fully engage and complete this study, then you ll see God s Spirit move in and through you individually and as a group. Believe it. Friend, you are embarking on an enormous opportunity for spiritual growth to have God shape our hearts as individuals and families and as a community by trusting Him more deeply, by listening to Him more intently, and by obeying Him more courageously. As we look at 3 stories from the life of Peter together, we ll learn how to SURRENDER LISTEN OBEY. We ll learn how to move for God and feel God moving through us. 7

8 WEEK 1 SURRENDER: Prepare to be Transformed Conversation Starter In a recent survey it was discovered that the top 10 hardest things to surrender in life are: smoking, alcohol, shopping, sugar, salt, nail biting, the Internet, coffee, TV, and fast food. For you, what would be the hardest item on this list to surrender and why? What would you gain if you did surrender one of these items? Saying no to one thing means you are then saying yes to another thing. When God calls us to say no to one thing, He then calls us to say yes to another thing (even when we don t know what that other thing may be). God s plan doesn t always make sense to us, but still we are asked to follow it. At times in our faith journey, we will be called to make moves that show our trust in God. What happens in these moments can shape our lives forever. Let s take a deeper dive into the surrendered life by watching the following video of our Lead Pastor, Rob Campbell. Video God s plan doesn t always make sense to us, but still we are asked to follow it. At times in our faith journey, we will be called to make moves that show our trust in God. What happens in these moments can shape our lives forever. As you watch the video for Session 1, use the following outline to record anything that stands out to you: 8

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10 Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch. Luke 5:4 What are DEEP WATER MOMENTS? Those moments before a miracle when God asks us to move to do something, to make an investment or sacrifice that might not even make sense to us, but that will result in God moving in some incredible way on our behalf. Every fully devoted Christ-follower can point to key moments in their story when God asks them to make bold, risky, and sacrificial moves. Rob Campbell Peter SURRENDERED his judgment, experience, and assumptions as a fisherman to Christ s authority. As a result, God moved to demonstrate His power. Then Peter SURRENDERED fully to Christ s invitation to follow Him: Come, follow Me, Jesus said, and I will send you out to fish for people. At once they left their nets and followed Him. Matthew 4:19-20 Group Discussion What stuck out most to you about what Pastor Rob said? Why? 10

11 What are the areas in your life that are totally surrendered to God? What nets have you dropped to follow Christ? What are the areas that are difficult to surrender to God? What obstacles are you encountering? Have you ever had a Deep Water Moment when God called you to do something you didn t yet fully understand? Describe it to the group. What did you learn about God in these Deep Water Moments? What did you learn about yourself? 11

12 When it comes to your time, talent, or treasure, what is one area that you believe God may be calling you to surrender more of? Prayer Consider praying as a group with hands open as a symbol of your desire to surrender your entire lives to God. Ask God to give you the wisdom and strength to identify areas of needed surrender, while also asking Him to strengthen and unify our church during this small group process. Next Steps Personally take these specific action steps this week to live out God s teaching. Time, Treasure, Talents Inventory Step 1: On one sheet of paper, make a list of all the assets you have: your time, treasure, and talents. Time: Where do you invest your time and dedicate your attention? Treasure: What are the tangible resources you have in your life? Talents: What is your unique set of knowledge, ability, and talent? Step 2: Dedicate time to pray over this list. Thank God for what He s given you. Pray a prayer of surrender, acknowledging that God s plan for your time, treasure, and talents is far above your own. 12

13 What are the things that are easiest for you to surrender to God? What is most difficult for you to surrender to God? Have you received any promptings from God in writing this list or in your prayer time? Note them here. Surrendering requires faith deep trust in God. Are you willing to follow God s promptings to grow your faith and trust? 13

14 WEEK 2 LISTEN: Hear God Clearly Group Connection Have two participants share their top three turning points, and why they were so pivotal in their life journey. Again, a turning point is an event or episode (either positive or negative) that shifted the direction of your life in a substantial way. Describe your experience with last week s NEXT STEPS exercise you re TIME, TREASURE, and TALENTS INVENTORY. Did you have any insights? What did God show you? Conversation Starter The National Day of Unplugging is a 24-hour period running from sundown to sundown and starts on the first Friday in March The project is an outgrowth of The Sabbath Manifesto, an adaption of our ancestors ritual of carving out one day per week to unwind, unplug, relax, reflect, get outdoors, and connect with loved ones. For you, what would be the hardest thing about participating in The National Day of Unplugging? 14

15 Why is it hard for us to unplug, slow down, and simply sit in stillness? Consider this week s topic. Has listening to direction from God or others ever been difficult for you? Why or why not? Video We only have the option to follow God when we deliberately make time and space to listen to Him. To really know how God wants us to move, we have to really listen for His voice. In theory, listening is an easy task, but this is the hardest step for many of us. Keeping focus on God amidst our busy lives can be challenging, but the reward is far worth it. Let s jump in with a short challenge from Rob Campbell now As you watch the video for Session 2, use the following outline to record anything that stands out to you.. 15

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17 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. Acts 10:9 Peter created intentional space to be with and hear from God: 1. To be alone with God, he got away from distraction. 2. To hear from God, he set aside time. 3. He chose an environment that was meaningful to him. It s in the stillness that God instills the knowledge of His will in us. Stay in the stillness. Linger in the listen. Rob Campbell Group Discussion Consider how well you usually listen as a part of your decision-making process. Is listening a challenge for you? What gets in the way most often? Think about the three things Peter did to create intentional space to be with and hear from God. Which area can you focus on to grow in most? 17

18 My sheep LISTEN to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. Jesus Christ in John 10:27 Tell the group about a time you heard from God, whether it was a prompting, a revelation of insight, or something else. How did you confirm it? What impact did it have on your life? Exercise: Peaks & Valleys Life Map Before your next group meeting, take time to write out your own Peaks & Valleys Life Map. On page 27, you ll find a horizontal line that represents time from your birth until today. Draw a line that represents your life from left to right. Draw it very high for Peak Experiences or positive life events that have affected who you are today in a significant way. Draw it very low for Low Points or circumstances that were painful or negative but nevertheless had a dramatic shaping influence in your life. Label these peaks and valleys and write in any other important experiences. For example, you may want to write, Got Married, Graduated College, Met Sam, or Lucy s Birth things that are important for telling the story of your life. Also, be sure to note important encounters with God on this chart like, First Trusted Christ, Came to Willow, or Got Baptized. If you are comfortable, come next week prepared to briefly share the top three key turning points of your story with the group. [NOTE: A turning point is an event or episode (either positive or negative) that shifted the direction of your life in a substantial way] 18

19 SAMPLE PEAKS AND VALLEYS See page 16 to draw your own Peaks & Valleys Map. 19

20 PRAYER As a group, spend some time simply being still, gaining comfort to sit in silence with God. After a few moments, begin your prayer by reading Hebrews 4:16, Let us then approach God s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Then present God with bold prayers for your group and our church. NEXT STEPS Personally take these specific action steps this week to live out God s teaching. This week, focus on staying in the stillness by following Peter s example: 1. Get away from distraction to be alone with God. 2. Set aside time specifically to hear from God. 3. Choose an environment that is meaningful for you. Begin your time by thanking God for all He has given you and asking Him to fill the space you are in. Then quiet yourself and listen. In the busyness of our world and in our desire to jump to action, active listening can often feel like we re not doing enough. But listening isn t a passive activity; it s a proactive precursor to a bold move. Focus your energy on staying in the stillness, on lingering in the listen. Draw your attention to God. If you find it helpful, bring your Peaks and Valleys Life Map or Time, Treasure, Talents Inventory to pray over. Ask for God s guidance and direction in these areas of your life. When you have finished your time, take notes of what you heard from God or journal if you find that helpful. Feel free to share with a spouse, family member, or close friend to further process if you feel comfortable. 20

21 Before we ever make a move for God, it s crucial that we stay in the stillness to LISTEN to God. What are your best practices for intentionally listening to God? What would be the impact on our church if we made this a regular discipline of our spiritual lives? 21

22 WEEK 3 OBEY: Do What God Asks Group Connection Based on the Peaks & Valleys Life Map, have two participants share their top three turning points and why they were so pivotal in their life journey. Describe your time of listening from last week s NEXT STEPS exercise. Did you hear God s prompting? What was it like to be still and listen? Conversation Starter Almost everyone has a funny story about disobedience. Think of a pet that just wouldn t listen or a family rule that you always sidestepped. Share a few stories as a group. In his book, Sun Stand Still, Steven Furtick writes, Extraordinary moves of God begin with ordinary acts of obedience. That s true. In fact, in The Gospel of John, every miracle Jesus performs is preceded by a human act of trust and obedience. If you follow God s story throughout the Bible, you ll see very ordinary people doing extraordinary things by following God s lead and OBEYING His calls and commands no matter how big or small. In other words, moments before a miracle, it s your move. What move is God calling you to make? 22

23 Let s jump in with Rob Campbell now Video As you watch the video for Session 3, use the following outline to record anything that stands out to you: Lord, if it s You, Peter replied, tell me to come to You on the water. Matthew 14:28 Truly following Jesus requires sold out faith. Anytime we OBEY God, He transforms us. When God calls you to take a bold transformative step, expect to feel intense emotions like anxiety, fear, and joy. God transforms us to the degree we surrender and obey. Rob Campbell Whenever you ve surrendered and listened to God s prompting, there are only two possible outcomes: 1. Will you overcome your fears and anxiety by following Him stepping out of the boat? 2. OR will you give in to fear and stay in the boat? The choice to trust God and OBEY Him isn t a one-time decision. Time and time again, we will be called to boldly obey. Listen to God s leading, then OBEY. Allow Him to TRANSFORM you. 23

24 GROUP DISCUSSION What stands out to you most about Peter s act of obedience? What are some bold stories of inspirational obedience you ve heard or witnessed? What happened in the person s life when they followed through on a prompting from God? What would your life look like if you obeyed God s commands and calls more often? What specific things would be different in your life? Is the answer to any of Rob s questions still a no for you? 24

25 Have you fully engaged in the spiritual process of SURRENDER LISTEN OBEY? Do you have a clear prompting from God? Are you committed to taking a step of obedience? What is holding back from allowing God to TRANSFORM you? How can the group support you in this? 25

26 Prayer Ask God to make it clear for each member in the group to know how they can best contribute to the ongoing mission and vision of the church. As God has designed the church to be the hope of the world, ask Him to empower and mobilize Willow Chicago to truly be the manifested hope and life of the City of Chicago and beyond. Next Steps Personally take these specific action steps this week to live out God s teaching. 1. Devote time to pray through this devotional prayer to God. Consider meditating on the Scripture passages included. 2. Thank God for how He has spoken to you in these weeks and ask Him to help you submit to His will. God, You are my Provider. Everything I have is from You. You are the Giver of every possession, talent, or gift that I possess (James 1:17). And I trust You to supply and resupply for all of my needs (Philippians 4:19). You are my Protector. You guide me, and I take refuge in Your power and care (Psalm 46). You are my loving Father. I live in peace knowing that You watch over me and care intimately about my life (Matthew 6:25-34). This is the prompting am hearing from You: 26

27 Now, prayerfully commit to be TRANSFORMED by following God s prompting. Ask God for His peace and joy which come from following His will (John 15:9-11). Born Today YOUR PEAKS AND VALLEYS 27

28 28 wctransform.org