Going Public with Your Faith Involves Building Relationships - Leader Guide - Week 2, Week of August 30 Sept. 4 Lesson & Series Overview Lesson Purpose The purpose of week 2 is to lead group members to focus on our relationships as the bridge over which the gospel message must be taken. The climax and challenge of the lesson is to focus on some things we have in common with those on our Impact List (the three people for which we are praying) and to specifically think through some ways to strengthen those relationships. Series Notes THIS IS IMPORTANT FINE PRINT! 1. The book is specifically written for cultivating relationships and sharing Christ in the work place. Because so many of the Westwood family are students, homemakers or even unemployed, we have tried to broaden the scope of these lessons because many of the principles apply to other environments as well. 2. Key Components - The Westwood Curriculum Team believes that the series will be most effective with the following elements fully utilized: a. Discussion - A group time that is heavily dependent on discussion and interaction. Our belief is that the lesson is as much (or more) about motivating people to obey God s word as it is about teaching God s Word. Believers already know more than we do. Some Biblical background is provided in the Teacher s Study Section, but please don t cover all of this at the expense of group member interaction. b. Daily homework (supplied each week) for continued involvement with the study. This will be delivered electronically to each person who signs up for the e-list, but also in written form as needed. c. Individual Reading Books are available in The Source for $10 to group members. d. Sermons Although each lesson doesn t exactly align with the sermon, overall they are very complimentary. Please encourage your group members to attend worship. e. The Big Challenge - We want group members to leave the lesson with a Big Challenge of the week. It isn t enough just to learn, we want members to do something with each lesson. f. Your Personal Stories Nothing brings teaching alive like real life stories experienced by the leader. Please ask God for wisdom in sharing from your own life experiences to enhance the lesson. 3. This teaching guide and the student handouts will be available online at WestwoodGroups.com at least one week in advance. ABS Teachers will receive a copy in your class box each week as well.
Scripture Focus of the Lesson Bible Passages 1 Corinthians 9:22... I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. Philippians 2:6-7 Who [Jesus], although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. John 17:15-18 (15)"I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. (16)They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (17) Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. (18) As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. Leaders Preparation Read chapters 3 & 8 of the book Going Public with Your Faith. Session 2 is based on those chapters. Suggestion: For good flow and ease of use, try to teach from the Learner Notes. Review this teaching guide and write your notes on the Learner Notes of things you want to cover from the Leader Guide. Leader Preparation Section Key Points from the Text Book Quotes are from Going Public with Your Faith People will best be able to find Jesus when followers of Jesus bring Jesus to them, starting at their level of understanding and interest and accepting them where they are. As you intentionally engage in the cultivation phase of evangelism with as many people as possible, you may discover that there are a few individuals who respond more favorably to you personally. Consider investing more time with these people in order to discover other areas of common ground. People don t necessarily want to hear you preach a sermon or have you hand them a gospel tract, but they do want to see and hear about what God is doing in their friend s life. Deceit, dishonesty, and hypocrisy with our social, political, business, & religious leaders have invoked a general deep distrust creating a breeding ground for skepticism. If no one can be trusted, the intelligent response to a person who claims to know the truth is to question assumptions & challenge assertions. A decreasing number of people are willing these days to go to an evangelistic crusade, but most will respond to a relationship. When our message of what Jesus can do for a person is limited to the afterlife, we not only miss a major part of the gospel message, but we also lose our audience. People are concerned about the quality of their lives. They
want a God who can handle their needs, dreams, hurts, disappointments, & failures right now. A God who is good for today, not just the hereafter. Our God is interested in the details and dilemmas of everyday life. The more time someone spends with you, the more time he or she has to observe the difference Jesus is making in your life. As a relationship develops, meaningful communication will take place, softening hard soil and providing a means through which biblical truth can later be exchanged. THERE IS NO IMPACT WITHOUT CONTACT - Let s learn to communicate what we believe in ways that build bridges, not walls. Remember, they are not believers and some of their behavior may be offensive. We must learn to respond inoffensively to their offensive behavior. Looking for common ground shared areas of interest in life is imperative. It could be common interests, needs, talents, neighborhood or concerns. Key Points from the Scripture Comments from Warren Wiersbe: The Bible Exposition Commentary, F.F. Bruce: The International Bible Commentary 1 Corinthians 9:22... I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. Paul was an ambassador, not a politician. He was not a chameleon who changed his message. Paul searched for things in common with others. We must do the same. He lived his life so as not to be an offense to the Jews or Gentiles. He did not parade his liberty before the Jews, nor did he impose the law on the Gentiles. It takes tact to have contact. Philippians 2:6-7 Who [Jesus], although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Jesus did not cease being God, but voluntarily lowered his status to that of man. Jesus left heaven to insure our relationship with God. We must leave our comfort in order to share. Jesus communicated best with us when He was one of us. The same is true in our relationships. This is the supreme example of giving of ourselves for the benefit of others. John 17:15-18 (15)"I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. (16)They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (17) Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. (18) As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. To sanctify means to set apart. We as believers are set apart for a special purpose. God wants us in the world. True sanctification comes through the ministry of the Word of God, not from separation from the world. We are sent on a mission, just as Jesus was sent. Loving God and learning about Him should lead to living the life He calls us to live, representing Him.
Group Session Guide Review & Accountability Say: Ask: Say: Ask: Last week we learned that successful evangelism begins with prayer. What we say about God to people is only as effective as what we say about people to God. Has your prayer life changed any in the last week, particularly about praying for the lost? We were also challenged to list the names of three people we d like to see come to faith in Christ. What was it like to bump into these people this week? Did you remember that you were praying for them? Starting Point Say: This week we ll talk about the importance of relationships to evangelism. Summarize quote from Learner Notes: We can be the most godly people in our work place or other sphere of influence, but if people are unable to observe us closely, investigate our lives, and ask questions, they can t benefit from our presence. God s method of evangelism has always been personal. People want to know a person, not a message. We are the message! Opening Discussion Questions 1. Do we take time to get to know people as we go through our days? 2. If your personality is not outgoing, how can you compensate in developing new relationships? Scripture REVIEW OF PASSAGES (Note) Read through the verses printed on the Learner Notes and share any insights from your study. (Be careful to allow time for group discussion, being careful to not spend the entire group time here.) We printed the passages on the Learner Notes so that all group members would read from the same translation and so that some passages could be abbreviated. DISCUSS THE PASSAGES 1 Corinthians 9:22... I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. Your comments:
Philippians 2:6-7 Who [Jesus], although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Your comments: John 17:15-18 (15) "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. (16)They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (17) Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. (18) As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. Your comments: Truths to Remember (Note) Invite group members to fill-in-the-blanks on their Learner Notes as you discuss each statement. 1. The less we have in COMMON with someone else, the more careful and thoughtful we should be when we communicate. Share comments from your reading or Ask Why is this true? Possible Answers: 1. There is less trust and more barriers if we are different. 2. People who know us well know our heart and our love for them. 3. It is just easier to communicate clearly with people when we share a number of things in common. 2. You must intentionally INVEST meaningful time with non-christians. Share comments from your reading or share these thoughts: Jesus set the example by spending time with tax gatherers, short people, women drawing water, etc. Someone give an example of how you can personally invest time with someone on your list. What do you think the statement means by meaningful time? 3. As Christians, we have what people want & we need to learn how to COMMUNICATE in ways they can understand. Share comments from your reading or share these thoughts: Read Romans 5:1. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Peace with God is more fulfilling than any of life s pursuits. But people often don t understand their deepest need. Just as God came to earth in a way we could understand, in the form of a man, so we need to focus on meeting people where they are.
4. When we try to over-identify with non-believers, we can end up with an audience, but no message. This refers to trying to be so much in their world that we do things they know believers shouldn t do. After crossing those lines, we would not have their respect if we tried to share Christ. DISCUSS FOCUS SECTION Discuss any insights you have from the Focus Section of the Learner Notes. It is the same as the Key Points from Text above. Open Discussion Questions (Note) We suggest that you plan your lesson in order to spend at least 15 minutes in discussion. This may be difficult if you normally lecture. But guiding the discussion and leading people toward meaningful change in their lives may be easier through thoughtful discussion. Questions in Learner Notes 1. When focusing on building bridges instead of walls, what are some ways we can face offensive behavior inoffensively? 2. It has been said that we now live in a postmodern era. The bad side of that is skepticism. The good side of that is that people value relationships. What truths can we deduct from this about how we can best reach our generation for Christ? 3. How can we sustain contact without contamination? Does anyone have an example? What was the result? 4. Tell about a time you were approached for advice or guidance as a result of the way you live your life or make choices? 5. The authors quoted research as revealing that half of people were annoyed when believers try to share their faith with them. What factors would help us to cut down on the annoyance factor? 6. John 10:10 says that Jesus came to give us an abundant life. Do you think most believers are living that kind of life? What needs to change in our lives so that our lives are attractive? Just for Thought (Note) Encourage group members to consider these questions this week. You do not have to use them during the group meeting. 1. Give some thought to your life and the relationships you have with non-believers. Are there some things you can do to invest more time getting to know people? 2. Are there some bad habits in my life that take away from the message of Christ? What kind of life is God calling me to live?
The Big Challenge Ask group members to turn with you on the Learner Notes to The Big Challenge. Walk through the activity. This week the challenge is to list one way you can connect with each of the three people on your Impact List from last week. Choose one of these persons and seek to develop your relationship with them this week. Person You Pray For Relational Commonalities (& Connection Points) 1. 2. 3. Ask someone to share how they hope to invest in someone this week. Homework Review Homework Listed on Learner Notes 1. Read chapters 6 and 9 in Going Public with your Faith 2. Get a daily homework sheet or visit ewestwood.org/groups to sign up for daily delivery of homework. 3. Continue memorizing Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ask if anyone can share the memory verse yet. Whether there is or not, say the verse together as a class and encourage them to place it firmly in their memory. We will use it during this series.