S E R I E S G U I D E

Transcription

1 SERIES GUIDE

2 This guide is intended to be a tool to help you take steps to further your spiritual growth. If you are not already a part of a Small Group, consider joining a group and navigate this guide together. Small Group encourages accountability and growth. If you are unable to become a part of a group, feel free to use this guide on your own. Either way, we pray this guide inspires you to take the next step!

3 ACTION STEPS After working through the guide for each week, write down the action step you will take from the list below in the designated space provided. Intro: Complete the 7 Marks Survey. This survey will be located in your program on January 6 & 7. You may also complete the survey online at crossroadsonline.org/7marks. Step 1: Belonging; Attend the Connecting to Membership class. Saturday, January 20 at 5:30PM Sharpsburg campus, Conference Room Sunday, January 21 at 10:45AM Sharpsburg campus, Conference Room Sunday, January 21 immediately following the service Thomas Crossroads campus, Room 201 Senoia campus, Cafeteria Step 2: Growth; Attend the Connecting to Group class. Saturday, January 27 at 5:30PM Sharpsburg campus, Conference Room Sunday, January 28 at 10:45AM Sharpsburg campus, Conference Room Sunday, January 28 immediately following the service Thomas Crossroads campus, Room 201 Senoia campus, Cafeteria Step 3: Worship; Attend our Night of Worship & Communion Service. January 28, 6:00PM at our Sharpsburg campus - Page i -

4 ACTION STEPS Step 4: Serve; Attend the Connecting to Service class. Saturday, February 10 at 5:30PM Sharpsburg campus, Conference Room Sunday, February 11 at 10:45AM Sharpsburg campus, Conference Room Sunday, February 11 immediately following the service Thomas Crossroads campus, Room 201 Senoia campus, Cafeteria Step 5: Stewardship; Attend the Managing Your World class. This new class begins February 18, 10:45AM Sharpsburg campus, Conference Room Join Financial Peace University Next session begins February 18, 9:00AM Thomas Crossroads campus, Room 112 Register online at crossroadsonline.org/events. Step 6: Sharing; Be a part of Serve Day. February 24, 9:00AM Thomas Crossroads campus Team up with others to serve our community. Pick up a Christ Map in the lobby. This map is an easy tool to help you share your faith. Step 7: Reproducing; Attend the Disciple-Making Challenge. March 4, 10:45AM Sharpsburg campus, Conference Room Let s begin! - Page ii -

5 January 7, STEPS - INTRODUCTION START HERE! 1) What was the happiest moment in your life? 2) What is the greatest regret of your life? Every day we take steps to get where we need to be. Our spiritual walk is no different. We must take steps in order to move forward in our growth as disciples of Jesus Christ. 7Steps offers practical, Biblically-based steps to get you where you need to be and, more importantly, where God wants you to be. Reference the Action Steps located in the preface of the series guide for intentional steps you can take each week. Be sure to write down the action step you will take at the end of each section. Scan the QR code to download the Crossroads Church app and access a digital version of the 7Steps Series Guide along with other great content. Search reading plans located on the side bar. - Page 1 -

6 and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. - Acts 1:8 HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO REACH OUR WORLD THIS WEEK: PERSONAL Invite someone you know to our 7 Steps Series. CORPORATE Make plans to serve together at the Community Garden Work Day, January 20th from 1PM-4PM. GLOBAL Pray about your involvement in global missions. Is God calling you to pray for global missions, give to global mission efforts and/or go on a short-term trip? CROSSROADS MISSIONARY HIGHLIGHT Pray for Marvin and Catherine Tucker Notes of encouragement to: Catherine.tucker@om.org. Write down in the space below the way you will focus on reaching our world this week (Personal, Corporate, or Global). - Page 2 -

7 7 STEPS - INTRODUCTION Have you ever seen a child take her very first steps? There are very few things in life more exciting than watching an infant move from crawling to walking. It truly is one of life s most exciting experiences. I hope you get to experience it sometime. Could you possibly imagine a parent that never allowed their child to start walking? What if every time a child started to take their very first step a parent swooped in and grabbed the child? A parent trying to prevent their child from walking would be a horrible thing. One of the first and most important goals of parenting is to help your child take his very first step. Taking steps physically is important, but so is taking steps spiritually. When a person comes to faith in Christ, the goal is to take more steps. Salvation is the first step but certainly not the only step. God desires that every believer take every step possible to become a fully trained disciple of Christ. Let s talk about how that happens. Coming to faith in Christ is the most important step one can take spiritually. Briefly explain that step in your life. Read Acts 2:41. Why is the step of baptism so important for a believer? When and where were you baptized? Read Acts 2:42. What were the believers in Jerusalem devoted to? How did this step help these believers grow as disciples? - Page 3 -

8 What verses in Acts 2:42-47 demonstrate the steps of serving and stewardship in the New Testament believers? How can those steps be demonstrated in our lives? Read Acts 2:46,47. How do these verses indicate that believers were taking the steps of worshipping Christ and sharing Christ with others? How important are these steps for believers today? Read Acts 6:7. What should the church look like when people are taking steps to become fully trained disciples? NOTES & PRAYER REQUESTS: Share and write down in the space below your next step and pray that God will help you take it. - Page 4 -

9 TAKING THE STEPS OF BELONGING January 14, 2018 START HERE! 1) The hardest thing I have ever done is... 2) The greatest compliment I ve ever received is... A disciple of Christ is a member of the family of God both universally and locally. This means they have accepted Christ, identified publicly with Him in baptism, and become an active part of a local body of believers. BE Share how you became a Christ follower. Who mostly influenced you to accept Christ as your personal savior? BUILD Who do you need to share your faith with? Scan the QR code to download the Crossroads Church app and access a digital version of the 7Steps Series Guide along with other great content. Search reading plans located on the side bar. - Page 5 -

10 and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. - Acts 1:8 HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO REACH OUR WORLD THIS WEEK: PERSONAL Use this week to pray that God strategically place you in situations where you can start conversations about your faith. CORPORATE Serve together at the Community Garden Work Day, January 20th from 1PM-4PM. GLOBAL Check out short-term teams now taking applications at crossroadsonline.org/row. God is calling. Where is your place in global missions? CROSSROADS MISSIONARY HIGHLIGHT Pray for Lee & Nicole Walters, Bangladesh Notes of encouragement to: Nicole.walters@om.org. Write down in the space below the way you will focus on reaching our world this week (Personal, Corporate, or Global). - Page 6 -

11 TAKING THE STEPS OF BELONGING People love to belong. They really do. In fact, belonging is as popular today as ever. People want to belong to their favorite teams, their favorite gym, their favorite clubs, and even they re favorite Social Media group. Honestly, belonging has never been more in style. I find it interesting how many articles and blogs I have read recently saying that church membership is old fashioned and outdated. There seem to be plenty of authorities out there that are saying that being a member of the Body of Christ is no longer cool. I beg to differ! I differ with these popular voices for one reason. They are not consistent with God s voice! God s Word is very clear. Belonging matters! Being committed to the mission and movement of Jesus Christ is an important part of what it means to be a fully trained disciple. Let s look closer at taking the step of belonging. Think back and see if you can remember the first organization you ever belonged to. Share the organization and why you belonged. Read Matthew 4:19. In what way does Jesus stress the step of belonging while calling the first disciples? How does this indicate the role of belonging in being fully trained? Read Acts 2:41,42. What was true about everyone that belonged to the Early Church? How does this remain the same today? - Page 7 -

12 Take a minute and share your baptism experience. Was it after salvation and as a sign of obedience? Read Acts 2:42. What one word in this verse indicates that there was a shared commitment to belong together? Why do you think some people downplay the importance of belonging and membership today? NOTES & PRAYER REQUESTS: Share and write down in the space below your next step and pray that God will help you take it. - Page 8 -

13 STEPS TOWARD SPIRITUAL GROWTH January 28, 2018 START HERE! 1) What is one thing you want to accomplish next week? 2) Where did you feel safest as a child? A disciple of Christ is someone that is growing in their faith. Every disciple starts out as an infant in faith. The goal is not to stay an infant; the goal is to grow into an adult in the faith. BE How have you grown in your faith recently? What is one thing you need to do this week to grow in your faith? BUILD Who needs you to challenge them to grow in their faith? Scan the QR code to download the Crossroads Church app and access a digital version of the 7Steps Series Guide along with other great content. Search reading plans located on the side bar. - Page 9 -

14 and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. - Acts 1:8 HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO REACH OUR WORLD THIS WEEK: PERSONAL Invite a guest to Night of Worship January 28th, 6PM at our Sharpsburg campus CORPORATE Encourage your small group to attend Date Night 2018 February 9th together. Register at crossroadsonline.org/events and get two tickets for you and two for guests. GLOBAL Have you ever experienced worship with believers in a different part of the world? How was it different? Where did it challenge you? If you have not, let us help you experience this. CROSSROADS MISSIONARY HIGHLIGHT Pray for Greg & Dorinda Beeley Notes of encouragement to: greg.beeley@lightsys.org. Write down in the space below the way you will focus on reaching our world this week (Personal, Corporate, or Global). - Page 10 -

15 STEPS TOWARD SPIRITUAL GROWTH What would you think if you walked into a college cafeteria and saw all the students eating baby food? My guess is, you would do a double take and all the time be wondering what in the world went wrong with these students growth and development. Just in case you don t get the point, it is not normal for college age students to be eating baby food! Now imagine walking into a church and realizing that everyone is being spoon fed by the Pastor. Would you do a double take or would you simply chalk it up as normal? By the way, it is not normal for Christians to drink milk their entire spiritual life. Once a person has had a spiritual birth the goal is to experience spiritual growth. Every Christian should be maturing in their walk with God. Taking steps toward growth should be the norm and not the exception for a believer. In this lesson we will examine the steps toward spiritual growth. At what spiritual growth stage would you place yourself: infant, child, adolescent, or adult? Explain your answer. Read Hebrews 5: Is this problem still a problem in the Church today? Why do people get stuck on milk and never grow? Read Acts 2:42. How did this environment promote spiritual growth in the Jerusalem church? Will it work today? - Page 11 -

16 Read Mark 3:14. What does this verse tell us about the way Jesus was producing spiritual maturity in his disciples? How do information and application both play a part in producing spiritual maturity in a person s life? What role can a small group play in the process of spiritual growth and development? Read Luke 6:40. What should be the goal in spiritual growth and maturity? What steps are you taking to reach this goal? Take a minute and share prayer requests and pray together. NOTES & PRAYER REQUESTS: Share and write down in the space below your next step and pray that God will help you take it. - Page 12 -

17 STEP INTO A LIFESTYLE OF WORSHIP January 21, 2018 START HERE! 1) Tell us about your best friend. 2) What room in your house do you like best and why? A disciple of Christ will always be committed to private and public worship. They will live a lifestyle of making Jesus bigger! A disciple that worships consistently is a disciple that magnifies Christ. BE Describe your private time of worship. How are you studying God s word? How is your prayer life? BUILD Who do you need to encourage this week to be a Magnifier? Scan the QR code to download the Crossroads Church app and access a digital version of the 7Steps Series Guide along with other great content. Search reading plans located on the side bar. - Page 13 -

18 and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. - Acts 1:8 HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO REACH OUR WORLD THIS WEEK: PERSONAL Invite a friend to your small group. CORPORATE Encourage your small group to attend Date Night 2018 February 9th together. Register at crossroadsonline.org/events and get two tickets for you and two for guests. GLOBAL Take time in your small group to talk about your own experiences in global missions. Where have you been? What have you seen? Who do you know currently serving as a missionary on the field? CROSSROADS MISSIONARY HIGHLIGHT Pray for Rick & Susan Harrell, Italy Notes of encouragement to: rickharrell1@gmail.com. Write down in the space below the way you will focus on reaching our world this week (Personal, Corporate, or Global). - Page 14 -

19 STEP INTO A LIFESTYLE OF WORSHIP Worship means a lot of different things to different people. Most of us think of worship in the context of a church service where we sing and listen to the Bible being taught. However, worship is really so much more than a service. Worship is a lifestyle! Worship is a lifestyle of giving God our attention and our affection. Worship is living a life where we magnify the Lord in who we are, what we do, and what we say. Worship happens every time we intentionally magnify God and glorify Him. One of the most important steps you can take as a believer is to take the step of making worship a priority in your life. To make worship a priority in your life means that you consistently set aside time to meet with God both privately and publicly. A daily time with God for private worship and a weekly time with God in public worship are two of the most vital steps you will ever take. Let s see what scripture tells us about the priority of worship. How would you describe the priority of a private time and a public time of meeting with God to worship Him in your life today? Read Mark 1:35. What does this verse tell us about the priorities in Christ s life? Read and explain why this priority was important to Jesus. Read Luke 4:16. What was Jesus custom according to this verse? Why would Christ have made a trip to the synagogue each Sabbath a priority in his life? - Page 15 -

20 How do you think Christ s priority of a private time with His Father and a public time with His Father impacted the twelve disciples? Read Acts 2: How does the priority of praise seem to be part of the early disciples lifestyle? What happens when private and public worship is missing in our lives? Take a minute and pray for a greater commitment to worship. NOTES & PRAYER REQUESTS: Share and write down in the space below your next step and pray that God will help you take it. - Page 16 -

21 February 4, 2018 STEPPING INTO SERVICE START HERE! 1) If you had a time machine, what point in history or future would you visit? 2) When was the last time you did something for the first time? A disciple of Christ is a servant. They will look for ways to serve and minister to others. A disciple understands that they have been given gifts, abilities, and talents to be used for serving others. BE How are you caring for others? Who have you ministered to this week? BUILD Is there anyone on your ministry team you need to encourage? Who on your ministry team has been missing? Scan the QR code to download the Crossroads Church app and access a digital version of the 7Steps Series Guide along with other great content. Search reading plans located on the side bar. - Page 17 -

22 and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. - Acts 1:8 HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO REACH OUR WORLD THIS WEEK: PERSONAL Share the gospel this week by simply serving someone in need. CORPORATE Plan on serving at Coweta Serve Day, Sat., Feb. 24th. Go to crossroadsonline.org/events. GLOBAL One way to serve in global missions is to help others raise the funding needed to go. Give here to serve our teams today: crossroadsonline.org/give. CROSSROADS MISSIONARY HIGHLIGHT Pray for Kailey & Ryan Floyd, Proskuneo Notes of encouragement to: kailey@proskuneo.info Write down in the space below the way you will focus on reaching our world this week (Personal, Corporate, or Global). - Page 18 -

23 STEPPING INTO SERVICE Have you ever walked up to someone s front door and seen a sign asking you not to ring the doorbell because a baby was sleeping? New parents do this quite frequently. On the other hand, do you think a newborn wakes up in the middle of the night and thinks twice about crying because he might wake up his parents? Not hardly! Isn t it interesting that parents do everything to serve their children and take care of their needs while children hardly even consider a parent s need? You could say that children are selfish, but really they are simply immature. They have not fully developed. Serving others is actually a mark of growth and maturity. A Christian that is becoming fully trained is someone that is learning how to be a minister. They are learning how to put other s needs ahead of their own and serve them. Stepping into service is an important step for every disciple to take. Take a minute and share any types of ministry or serving roles you have in the church right now. Read Acts 2:44 and then read Mark 10:45. Do you see any connection between these two verses? Why do you think some people have a difficult time taking a step into serving? - Page 19 -

24 Read 1 Peter 4:10. What would happen if everyone in our church obeyed this command? How do you feel about the level of ministry in your own life today? Share prayer requests and pray together. NOTES & PRAYER REQUESTS: Share and write down in the space below your next step and pray that God will help you take it. - Page 20 -

25 February 11, 2018 STEPS OF STEWARDSHIP START HERE! 1) Would you rather leave the country permanently, or never leave the state you live in? 2) Would you live a 1000 years if you could? Why or why not? A Disciple of Christ manages his/her time, treasure, temple and talent in a way that honors God. He/she knows their God-given resources are a gift to be used to build the Kingdom of God and to help reach others for Christ. BE If you looked back at last month s calendar, would you say you made your relationship with God a priority? BUILD Who do you need to encourage to be a better manager of their time? Scan the QR code to download the Crossroads Church app and access a digital version of the 7Steps Series Guide along with other great content. Search reading plans located on the side bar. - Page 21 -

26 and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. - Acts 1:8 HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO REACH OUR WORLD THIS WEEK: PERSONAL Practice generosity evangelism by paying for a person s meal behind you in the drive-through line and leave an invite card to Crossroads. CORPORATE Plan on serving at Coweta Serve Day, Sat., February 24th. Go to crossroadsonline.org/events. GLOBAL Stewardship is using what God gives you well. How are you using your God-given resources? Vacation time? Freedom to travel? God has given you more than you realize. What will you do with all of it? Remember pray/give/go. CROSSROADS MISSIONARY HIGHLIGHT Pray for Ron & Kathleen Dooley Notes of encouragement to:ron.dooley@cru.org Write down in the space below the way you will focus on reaching our world this week (Personal, Corporate, or Global). - Page 22 -

27 STEPS OF STEWARDSHIP Few things in life are more frustrating than something that is being mismanaged. This is especially true if the thing that is being mismanaged is your life. A life that is being mismanaged is not God s best for a person. The sad reality of our culture these days is that more people have mismanaged areas of life than not. It is very hard these days to find someone who is not mismanaging their finances, their body, their relationships, their time, or their talents and abilities. Mismanaged lives have truly become an epidemic in our modern society. Remember this- God wants you to become a better manager! Being a better manager is a big part of what it means to become a fully trained disciple. Jesus modeled good management and stewardship for his original disciples and thus taking a step of stewardship is right for us as well. Let s look at what it means to be a better manager. Give an example of the last time you experienced something that was mismanaged and explain how it made you feel. Read Psalm 24:1. Explain the difference between being an owner verses being a steward or manager. Read Ephesians 5:15,16. How would say you are doing at managing your time? Are you wasting it or maximizing it? - Page 23 -

28 Read 1 Corinthians 6:20. How should we manage our physical bodies according to this verse? Would you say your current physical condition is honoring God or not? Read 1 Corinthians 12: What happens when we do not manage our spiritual gifts for God? How would you describe the way you are managing your relationships these days? What area of your life is most in need of better management? Pray for each person in your group to be a better manager. NOTES & PRAYER REQUESTS: Share and write down in the space below your next step and pray that God will help you take it. - Page 24 -

29 February 18, 2018 THE STEP OF SHARING START HERE! 1) What is one of the best gifts you ve ever been given and why? 2) What was the best thing that happened to you this week? A disciple of Christ is a person that understands they are on earth to deliver the message of Christ s salvation to as many people as possible. A disciple is committed to sharing the good news of Jesus. BE Who have you shared your faith with lately? Who do you need to share your faith with? BUILD How can you improve in sharing your faith? Scan the QR code to download the Crossroads Church app and access a digital version of the 7Steps Series Guide along with other great content. Search reading plans located on the side bar. - Page 25 -

30 and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. - Acts 1:8 HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO REACH OUR WORLD THIS WEEK: PERSONAL Practice using the Christ Map on someone you know and someone you don t know. CORPORATE Plan on serving at Coweta Serve Day, Sat., Feb. 24th. Go to crossroadsonline.org/events. GLOBAL Can you share your testimony in 3 minutes? Practice with your small group. On the global mission field, this ability is priceless. CROSSROADS MISSIONARY HIGHLIGHT Pray for Dave & Alice Hoffman Notes of encouragement to: dave.hoffman@om.org. Write down in the space below the way you will focus on reaching our world this week (Personal, Corporate, or Global). - Page 26 -

31 THE STEP OF SHARING Have you ever had something really exciting happen to you? If so, I bet you kept that news to yourself? Not! When exciting things happen to people they tell others. People love to share exciting news with other people. Sometimes even with people they don t know! The greatest and most exciting thing that can ever happen to you is to experience a saving relationship with Jesus Christ! This experience is more exciting than winning the Super Bowl, winning Olympic gold, getting engaged, or having a child. Something that exciting requires sharing. The question for every Christian is not, How do I share my faith? The question for every Christian is, How could I not share my faith? Being a messenger of Jesus is a natural response to receiving the gift of salvation. Not wanting to talk about it is not natural! A disciple that is not a messenger is not normal. Let s look at how every believer can become a messenger. Who was the first person to share the message of salvation with you? Was it natural or unnatural for him/her to share? Read Acts 2:47. Why do you think people were being added to the mission and movement of Christ day by day? Read Acts 1:8 and Acts 5:42. How could these two verses be related to one another? How does this verse relate to most Christians today? - Page 27 -

32 If someone looked back over the past twelve months of your life would it be easy or difficult to call you a messenger of Christ? Could it be somewhere between easy and difficult? Read Acts 4: What type of attitude did the disciples have toward sharing the message of Christ? Why do you think they had this type of resolve? What do you think is the greatest barrier to being the messenger God wants you to be? Take a minute and pray that you will be a better messenger. NOTES & PRAYER REQUESTS: Share and write down in the space below your next step and pray that God will help you take it. - Page 28 -

33 TAKING THE STEPS TO BE A REPRODUCER February 25, 2018 START HERE! 1) What sort of impression do you feel you give to others? 2) Did you have a favorite fairy tale or Disney movie growing up? Explain. A disciple of Christ is a person that reproduces more disciples of Christ. They understand that the goal of being a disciple is to multiply more disciples. BE Where are you in the disciple making process... being discipled or discipling others? BUILD Who have you discipled and how? Scan the QR code to download the Crossroads Church app and access a digital version of the 7Steps Series Guide along with other great content. Search reading plans located on the side bar. - Page 29 -

34 and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. - Acts 1:8 HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO REACH OUR WORLD THIS WEEK: PERSONAL Teach a friend how to use the Christ Map. CORPORATE Encourage your small group to serve together at our Egg Drop 2018 on March 31st by creating a fun carnival booth with candy prizes for kids. For more info cjimerson@crossroadsnewnan.org. GLOBAL Who can you invite to go with you on a global mission trip? CROSSROADS MISSIONARY HIGHLIGHT Pray for Robbie & Angela Hollister, Montenegro Notes of encouragement to: angela.hollister@om.org. Write down in the space below the way you will focus on reaching our world this week (Personal, Corporate, or Global). - Page 30 -

35 TAKING THE STEPS TO BE A REPRODUCER They say that one of life s greatest joys is to be a grandparent. I have yet to experience that in the physical realm, but I have in the spiritual. I can tell you that having a spiritual grandchild is, without question, one of life s greatest joys! The sad reality is that very few people will ever know the joy of having a spiritual grandchild. Having a spiritual grandchild means that you make a disciple that in turns reproduces another disciple. When you have reproduced multiple generations of disciples, you will know a joy that few ever experience. Jesus knew the joy of reproducing disciples when he knew his disciples were ready to carry on his mission. In Luke 10:21 the Bible tells us that Jesus was full of joy in the Holy Spirit as his disciples shared with him what they had experienced after he sent them out on mission. Let s examine what it means to take the steps to become a reproducer of our faith. Give some examples of multiplying movements today. How would you describe the difference between a movement of addition and multiplication? Which is God s preferred method? Read Luke 9:1 & 2 then read Luke 10:1 & 2. How do these two passages connect and relate to one another? What was Jesus building in these two passages? - Page 31 -

36 Why do you think that very few Christians ever multiply more than one generation of disciples in their lifetime? Read 2 Timothy 2:2. What would you say are the keys to reproducing disciples according to Paul? Read Exodus 1:8-10 and explain why the enemy fights so hard to stop multiplication. How would you describe your own personal commitment to reproducing disciples? Does it need to change, and if so, how? Take some time to pray that you will become a reproducer. NOTES & PRAYER REQUESTS: Share and write down in the space below your next step and pray that God will help you take it. - Page 32 -

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