Experiencing the HOLY SPIRIT Study Guide Fellowship Alliance Chapel
Special Thanks The work put into producing this small group series is due to the collaborative efforts of our spectacular volunteers that serve at Fellowship Alliance Chapel and its staff. We couldn t do it without them! Once again, special thanks goes to Josh Street and Chloe Krilov for video production. Josh Street also is solely to be thanked for design of the Study Guide and the FAC administrative assistants for all their editing and publishing help. Of course, a huge thanks goes out to the Groups Leadership Team and the Small Group Leaders who tirelessly serve the church and build the Kingdom in helping people develop to look more like Jesus. And thank you to all of those who stepped up this year to lead a small group. Life is better connected! Way to go! Growing spiritually by connecting relationally and serving missionally, Pastor Dave Krilov
Table of Contents What Can I Expect in a Small Group? 1 How to Use This Guide During Your Meeting 2-3 How to Use the Scripture Reading Plan 4-7 Meet the Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testament Session 1 Do You Know the Spirit? The Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testaments Session 2 Experiencing the Holy Spirit in Jesus Life Reading the Gospel of Luke Session 3 Experiencing the Holy Spirit in Creating Your New Life Reading the Gospel of John Session 4 Experiencing the Holy Spirit in Transforming Your Life Reading the Letter to the Galatians Session 5 Experiencing the Holy Spirit in Everyday Life Reading the Letter to the Romans Session 6 Experiencing the Holy Spirit in His Mission Reading the Acts of the Apostles Session 7 Experiencing the Holy Spirit in His Community Reading the Letter to the Ephesians Session 8 Experiencing the Holy Spirit in Giftings Reading the Letter to the Corinthians 8-11 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-19 20-21 22-23 24-25 26-27 Now What? Read Scripture with the Bible Project in Your Group Video Viewing Options 28-33 34-35 Ready, Set, GO!
What Can I Expect in a Small Group? To grow spiritually, you need to be connecting relationally and serving missionally. The way Jesus changes us is in the context of true fellowship with Him, one another and serving others. When we put ourselves in this place of development, the Holy Spirit transforms us to look more and more like Jesus. During your time together, you will explore what it means to experience and live by the Spirit by studying key passages on the Holy Spirit with your group and individually reading large portions of Scripture. You will also have time to get to know each other, pray for one another, and watch God work among you. And believe it or not, this will be fun! By the end of your time together you will know one another a lot better than you do now. In order for you to get the most out of this series with your group we are asking you to do three things: SHOW UP You will need to show up. It sounds obvious, but it is worth saying. In order for you to connect as a group, you need to spend time with one another. And that starts by showing up for the group meeting time. JOIN IN You will need to join in. This means that you need to join in and participate in the discussion. BE REAL You will need to be real. These groups are meant to be a safe environment of grace. No one is perfect. Be who you really are. If you can commit to these three things, there is no telling how God is going to speak to you and use you in the lives of others in your group. 1
How to Use This Guide During Your Meeting Each of the eight sessions within this Guide follow the same format. This Guide was developed to fit into a two hour small group meeting. Our suggested format is as follows: Snack & Chat as people arrive ( 15 minutes ) Use the first 15 minutes of your group time for informal fellowship. Hang out and enjoy light refreshments together. Gather & Catch Up ( 15 minutes) Gather together everyone in the same room and catch up. Ask everyone how has your week been? and what has God been teaching you this week? Pray for people on the spot if needed. This allows you to catch up with each other. Pray ( 1-2 minutes ) To start your study, either yourself or someone else should begin with prayer. Ask God to help you listen closely and hear His Word. Look up Deuteronomy 6:4 if this helps everyone get in this frame of mind. Watch ( 6-7 minutes ) You will watch the corresponding Session from the DVD or from online. 2
Read ( 15-20 minutes ) You will then take turns reading through the corresponding Scripture reading for the Session. Everyone SHOULD have read the Scripture passage prior to the meeting and have watched the videos listed in the Scripture Reading Plan chart in the following pages. When you read the Scriptures together, they will be long, but don t be afraid! It will be a unique experience for everyone to immerse themselves in Scripture. Most of the time, the reading should only take 15-20 minutes. Respond ( 30 minutes ) Ask the questions that are printed in the book. Feel free to ask more questions or less. Pray ( 10 minutes ) Have a few people close in prayer based on what was discussed and read. This will be a little bit longer time of prayer then when you prayed at the start. 3
How to Use the Scripture Reading Plan READINGS This plan will coincide with the key Scripture passage on the Holy Spirit, and allows you to gain the whole context by reading through the whole book. You ll read large chunks a day, and sometimes skim through larger portions that contain genealogies, census information, etc. The readings are within a 7-day week, but 2 of the days are left blank so they can serve as catch up days if you fall behind in your reading. It is important to note that you are to complete the reading BEFORE you meet as a group in order to get the most out of this study and conversation. VIDEOS Each time you come to a new Biblical book, there will be a short animated video on The Bible Project thebibleproject. com about that book s design and message as well as what to look for as you read (i.e. RS). In addition to videos regarding books of the Bible, you will find theme videos (i.e. THM) relating to topics that appear in that book and throughout Scripture. 4
Study # Small Daily Book Chapters Videos to watch Group reading to read BEFORE we meet Meeting until BEFORE Day next we meet meeting Day 1 Various No No videos 1 The day we meet is: 2 3 4 reading Group Study #1 5 2 The day we meet is: Group Study #2 Day 1 Luke 1-5 Luke Part 1: RS 2 6-10 3 7-15 4 16-20 Luke Part 2: RS 5 21-24 Sacrifice: THM 3 The day we meet : Group Study#3 Day 1 John 1-4 John Part 1: RS 2 5-8 The Law: THM 3 9-12 4 13-16 John Part 2: RS 5 17-21 5
4 The day we meet : Day 1 Galatians 1-2 Galatians: RS 2 3 3 4 4 5 Holy: THM 5 6 5 6 7 Group Study #4 The day we meet : Group Study #5 The day we meet : Group Study #6 The day we meet : Group Study #7 Day 1 Romans 1-4 Romans Part 1: RS 2 5-6 Romans Part 2: RS 3 7-9 Holy Spirit: THM 4 10-12 5 13-16 Day 1 Acts 1-6 Acts Part 1: RS 2 7-12 Gospel: THM 3 13-18 Acts Part 2: RS 4 19-24 5 25-28 Day 1 Ephesians 1 Ephesians: RS 2 2 3 3 4 4 Heaven/Earth: THM 5 5-6 6
8 The day we meet : Group Study #8 Day 1 1 Cor. 1-3 1 Corinthians: RS 2 4-6 3 7-9 4 10-12 Image of God: THM 5 13-16 7
Meet the Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testament With a title like Experiencing the Holy Spirit for this series, I m sure all types of ideas may jump in your head concerning what type of series this can be. In some Christian circles, the subject of the Holy Spirit is simply a subject matter to be studied and experiencing the Holy Spirit in their life is mainly academic. And in other Christian circles, the subject of the Holy Spirit consumes every nuance until it becomes a chase after an experience of the Holy Spirit, rather than letting the Spirit Himself lead. We want to avoid either extreme and focus on the facts with what the Scriptures say about the Holy Spirit and the fact that we should be experiencing the Holy Spirit in our lives. How is the word Spirit used in the Old Testament? 1 Did you know that the first time God s Spirit appears in the Bible is on page 1! Genesis 1:1-3 says, [1] In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. [2] The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (ESV) Let s build our understanding of the Holy Spirit from the ground up, so let s look at what the word Spirit means here in Genesis 1:2. The Hebrew word used here is ruakh and it can commonly be translated as either spirit, wind," breath or mind. 1) Breath The basic meaning in Hebrew for ruakh, surprisingly, is breath. The invisible energy that gives life allowing you to breath in and out is actually God s gift to every human being. Genesis 2:7 says, [7] then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath (or ruakh ) of life, and the man became a living creature. (ESV) 2) Wind Another way ruakh is translated depending on the context is wind. Just as wind is an invisible power that can move leaves on a tree, the same is with the Spirit that animates all life. Often in the Old Testament, when God s visible presence appears and acts, it is connected to wind. 1 The Holy Spirit study guide, The Bible Project. 8
Genesis 3:8 says, Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the wind (or ruakh ) of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. (NIV) Or in Exodus 14:21 - [21] Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind (or ruakh ) all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. (ESV) 3) Spirit Another way the word ruakh is used in the Old Testament is as the personal presence of God that is present in his creation sustaining all life. It certainly exists in seed form in the Old Testament that God is a triune God one God revealed in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And when the word ruakh appears in certain contexts, it is pointing to the personal presence of God that pertains to His action that is sustaining all of life. You can see this in Psalm 104:29-30 [29] When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath (or ruakh ), they die and return to their dust. [30] When you send forth your Spirit (or ruakh ), they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. (ESV) 4) Mind Lastly, the word ruakh can sometimes be used to concern a mindset or conscious motivating frame of mind. For example, Psalm 32:2 says, [2] Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit (or ruakh ) there is no deceit. (ESV) Another example is in Psalm 51:10 where it says, [10] Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit (or ruakh ) within me. (ESV) 1 The Holy Spirit study guide, The Bible Project. 9
What activities does the Spirit of God do in the Old Testament? Based on the passages above and others found in the Old Testament, what are some of the activities of the Spirit of God in the Old Testament? 1) The Spirit creates and sustains life Based on the passages previously mentioned and more in the Old Testament, we can see that God s Spirit is the invisible, personal presence of God that creates and sustains all of creation. 2) The Spirit empowers people to accomplish God s purposes In addition, we see throughout the Old Testament that God s Spirit empowers people to accomplish His purposes. How the Spirit comes upon Bezalel to enable him to artistically build the tabernacle and how He comes upon Gideon, David, and the prophets are all examples of God s Spirit empowering people to carry out His will. 3) The Spirit is promised to bring about new creation Lastly, just as God created all physical life through His Spirit, God will restore the creation He will restore human beings to a relationship with Him and will restore all of creation through the work of the Spirit. What part does the Spirit of God play in the New Testament and even today? 3 As we have seen, the Spirit of God continues to create and sustain all of life today, and He certainly empowers people to accomplish His purposes. However, the New Testament brings more clarity and builds upon the Old Testament s promise of a restored creation in the following ways: 1) Jesus origins are traced to the work of the Spirit We see in Matthew 1:8 that Mary was made pregnant through the Holy Spirit. In addition, we see in Luke 3:21-22 that Jesus baptism is a deliberate reflection of Genesis 1:2. It is presented here that Jesus is the One who brings restoration to human beings and creation. 3. Ibid. 10
2) Jesus resurrection was the new creation work of the Spirit Romans 1:3-4 (NLT) says, The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David s family line, and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. 3) In Acts and the apostles letters to the churches, the Holy Spirit is equated with the arrival of God s presence in Jesus, with bringing about new creation in the lives of His followers, and with empowering them for His mission to be witnesses of this new creation work After Jesus resurrection, John 20:21-22 (NIV) says, Jesus said, Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. And with that he breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25 says of the Spirit s work in the lives of Jesus followers, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Acts 1:8 says that the Spirit will empower us to be witnesses. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. As 1 Corinthians 12 explains, God s Spirit provides gifts to his followers for the work of ministry, just as it says in verse 11, All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. This is just a brief overview of the Holy Spirit s work in the Old and New Testaments, and there are many more passages of Scripture that can be explored. But for now, it will give you some context as you explore the question, How does God want me to experience His Spirit and what difference can it make in my life? For a deeper study, check out the following resources: 1) thebibleproject.com/explore/holy-spirit/ 2) Knowing the Holy Spirit through the Old Testament by Christopher Wright 3) Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit by Christopher Wright 4) Forgotten God by Francis Chan 5) Jesus Continued by J.D. Greear 11
Session 1 : Do You Know the Spirit? The Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testaments Homework before we meet for this session: Read the following sections in this study guide: - What Can I Expect in a Small Group? - How to Use This Guide During Your Meeting - How to Use the Scripture Reading Plan - Meet the Holy Spirit...In the Old and New Testaments Snack & chat as people arrive (15 minutes) Use the first 15 minutes of your group time for informal fellowship. Hang out and enjoy light refreshments together. Gather & catch up (15 minutes) Gather everyone together in the same room and catch up. Ask everyone how their week has been and what God has been teaching them this week. Pray for people on the spot if needed. This allows you to catch up with each other. Pray (1-2 minutes) To start your study, either you or someone else should begin with prayer. Ask God to help you listen closely and hear His Word. Read Deuteronomy 6:4 if this helps everyone get in this frame of mind. Watch (6-7 minutes) Watch Session 1. Read (15-20 minutes) Take turns reading together Meet the Holy Spirit...in the Old and New Testaments found in this study guide. Note: For this first session, you won t be reading a large portion of Scripture. In the following sessions, you will be able to read A LOT of Scripture together! 12
Respond (30 minutes) Discuss your answers to the following questions: 1) In your reading of what the Old and New Testaments say about God s Spirit, what has challenged your current thinking about the Holy Spirit? What has strengthened your view of the Spirit? 2) Does the Holy Spirit feel depersonalized to you? Why or why not? 3) In what way has the introduction on the Holy Spirit increased your understanding of not only the Holy Spirit, but of Jesus as well? 4) How has Scripture s explanation of the work of the Spirit pointed to your need for Him as a human being? 5) In what specific ways is God s Spirit working through you and those around you to bring renewed life? Pray (10 minutes) Have a few people close in prayer based on what was read and discussed. This will be a little bit longer time of prayer than when you prayed at the start. Homework before your next meeting Read the Gospel of Luke and watch the corresponding videos as listed in the Scripture reading plan on page 5. The plan will outline for you how many chapters to read each day. All videos can be found at www.thebibleproject.com. 13
Session 2 : Experiencing the Holy Spirit...in Jesus Life Reading the Gospel of Luke Homework before we meet for this session: Read the Gospel of Luke and watch the corresponding videos. See the Scripture reading plan on page 5. Snack & chat as people arrive (15 minutes) Use the first 15 minutes of your group time for informal fellowship. Hang out and enjoy light refreshments together. Gather & catch up (15 minutes) Gather everyone together in the same room and catch up. Ask everyone how their week has been and what God has been teaching them this week. Pray for people on the spot if needed. This allows you to catch up with each other. Pray (1-2 minutes) To start your study, either you or someone else should begin with prayer. Ask God to help you listen closely and hear His Word. Read Deuteronomy 6:4 if this helps everyone get in this frame of mind. Watch (6-7 minutes) Watch Session 2. Read (15-20 minutes) Take turns reading Luke chapters 1 through 6 and notice where the Spirit is mentioned. 14
Respond (30 minutes) Discuss your answers to the following questions: 1) From what you read, what did you observe that was interesting about the Holy Spirit? 2) Read Luke 3:21-22. What role did the Spirit play in Jesus life? How does the Spirit s role in Jesus life point to His role in your life? 3) How does what you just read remind you about who God is in your life? 4) How does what you just read reveal the importance of what Jesus has done in salvation through His life, death and resurrection, and who we are in Jesus? 5) How does what you read in Luke 3:21-22 renew you or challenge cer tain ways of thinking or actions currently in your life? 6) How should you respond to what you read in the upcoming week? Pray (10 minutes) Have a few people close in prayer based on what was read and discussed. This will be a little bit longer time of prayer than when you prayed at the start. Homework before your next meeting Read the Gospel of John and watch the corresponding videos as listed in the Scripture reading plan on page 5. The plan will outline for you how many chapters to read each day. All videos can be found at www.thebibleproject.com. 15
Session 3 : Experiencing the Holy Spirit...in Creating Your New Life Reading the Gospel of John Homework before we meet for this session: Read the Gospel of John and watch the corresponding videos. See the Scripture reading plan on page 5. Snack & chat as people arrive (15 minutes) Use the first 15 minutes of your group time for informal fellowship. Hang out and enjoy light refreshments together. Gather & catch up (15 minutes) Gather everyone together in the same room and catch up. Ask everyone how their week has been and what God has been teaching them this week. Pray for people on the spot if needed. This allows you to catch up with each other. Pray (1-2 minutes) To start your study, either you or someone else should begin with prayer. Ask God to help you listen closely and hear His Word. Read Deuteronomy 6:4 if this helps everyone get in this frame of mind. Watch (6-7 minutes) Watch Session 3. Read (15-20 minutes) Take turns reading John, chapters 13 through 18, and notice where the Spirit is mentioned. 16
Respond (30 minutes) Discuss your answers to the following questions: 1) From what you read, what did you observe that was interesting about the Holy Spirit? 2) Read John 3:1-8. What role does the Spirit play in a person s life when they trust and follow Jesus? What new desires does the Spirit bring at the time of new birth. 3) How does what you just read remind you about who God is in your life? 4) How does what you just read reveal the importance of what Jesus has done in salvation through His life, death and resurrection, and who we are in Jesus? 5) Based on John 14:15-18, how does the presence of the Spirit bring awareness that the presence of Jesus is with you? How does this renew you or challenge certain ways of thinking or actions currently in your life? 6) How should you respond to what you read in your upcoming week? Pray (10 minutes) Have a few people close in prayer based on what was read and discussed. This will be a little bit longer time of prayer than when you prayed at the start. Homework before your next meeting Read the Letter to the Galatians and watch the corresponding videos as listed in the Scripture reading plan on page 5. The plan will outline for you how many chapters to read each day. All videos can be found at www.thebibleproject.com. 17
Session 4 : Experiencing the Holy Spirit...in Transforming Your Life Reading the Letter to the Galatians Homework before we meet for this session: Read the letter to the Galatians and watch the corresponding videos. See the Scripture reading plan on page 6. Snack & chat as people arrive (15 minutes) Use the first 15 minutes of your group time for informal fellowship. Hang out and enjoy light refreshments together. Gather & catch up (15 minutes) Gather everyone together in the same room and catch up. Ask everyone how their week has been and what God has been teaching them this week. Pray for people on the spot if needed. This allows you to catch up with each other. Pray (1-2 minutes) To start your study, either you or someone else should begin with prayer. Ask God to help you listen closely and hear His Word. Read Deuteronomy 6:4 if this helps everyone get in this frame of mind. Watch (6-7 minutes) Watch Session 4. Read (15-20 minutes) Take turns reading the whole letter to the Galatians. 18
Respond (30 minutes) Discuss your answers to the following questions: 1) In the letter to the Galatians, what did you observe that was interesting about the Holy Spirit? 2) Read Galatians 5:16-26 again. What role does the Spirit play in the life of a follower of Jesus? What part does God play and what do we need to do to partner with Him in producing fruit? 3) How does Galatians 5:16-26 remind you about who God is in your life? 4) How does what you just read reveal the importance of what Jesus has done in salvation through His life, death and resurrection, and who we are in Jesus? 5) How does what you read in Galatians 5:16-26 renew you or challenge certain ways of thinking or actions currently in your life? 6) How should you respond to what you read in your upcoming week? Pray (10 minutes) Have a few people close in prayer based on what was read and discussed. This will be a little bit longer time of prayer than when you prayed at the start. Homework before your next meeting Read the Letter to the Romans and watch the corresponding videos as listed in the Scripture reading plan on page 6. The plan will outline for you how many chapters to read each day. All videos can be found at www.thebibleproject.com. 19
Session 5 : Experiencing the Holy Spirit...in Everyday Life Reading the Letter to the Romans Homework before we meet for this session: Read the letter to the Romans and watch the corresponding videos. See the Scripture reading plan on page 6. Snack & chat as people arrive (15 minutes) Use the first 15 minutes of your group time for informal fellowship. Hang out and enjoy light refreshments together. Gather & catch up (15 minutes) Gather everyone together in the same room and catch up. Ask everyone how their week has been and what God has been teaching them this week. Pray for people on the spot if needed. This allows you to catch up with each other. Pray (1-2 minutes) To start your study, either you or someone else should begin with prayer. Ask God to help you listen closely and hear His Word. Read Deuteronomy 6:4 if this helps everyone get in this frame of mind. Watch (6-7 minutes) Watch Session 8. Read (15-20 minutes) Take turns reading the whole letter to the Romans. 20
Respond (30 minutes) Discuss your answers to the following questions: 1) From what you read, what did you observe that was interesting about the Holy Spirit? 2) Read Romans 8:1-11 again. What role does the Spirit play in the life of a follower of Jesus? What is the importance of setting the mind on the things of the Spirit? 3) How does what you just read remind you about who God is in your life? 4) How does what you just read reveal the importance of what Jesus has done in salvation through His life, death and resurrection, and who we are in Jesus? 5) How does what you read in Romans 8:1-11 renew you or challenge certain ways of thinking or actions currently in your life? Pray (10 minutes) Have a few people close in prayer based on what was read and discussed. This will be a little bit longer time of prayer than when you prayed at the start. Homework before your next meeting Read the Acts of the Apostles and watch the corresponding videos as listed in the Scripture reading plan on page 6. The plan will outline for you how many chapters to read each day. All videos can be found at www.thebibleproject.com. 21
Session 6 : Experiencing the Holy Spirit...in His Mission Reading the Acts of the Apostles Homework before we meet for this session: Read the Acts of the Apostles and watch the corresponding videos. See the Scripture reading plan on page 6. Snack & chat as people arrive (15 minutes) Use the first 15 minutes of your group time for informal fellowship. Hang out and enjoy light refreshments together. Gather & catch up (15 minutes) Gather everyone together in the same room and catch up. Ask everyone how their week has been and what God has been teaching them this week. Pray for people on the spot if needed. This allows you to catch up with each other. Pray (1-2 minutes) To start your study, either you or someone else should begin with prayer. Ask God to help you listen closely and hear His Word. Read Deuteronomy 6:4 if this helps everyone get in this frame of mind. Watch (6-7 minutes) Watch Session 5. Read (15-20 minutes) Take turns reading Acts chapters 1 through 4. 22
Respond (30 minutes) Discuss your answers to the following questions: 1) In chapters 1 through 4 of Acts, what did you observe that was interesting about the Holy Spirit? 2) Read Acts 1:6-8 again. What role does the Spirit play in the life of a follower of Jesus? How does the Holy Spirit help us be a witness to others? 3) How does what you just read remind you about who God is in your life? 4) How does what you just read reveal the importance of what Jesus has done in salvation through His life, death and resurrection, and who we are in Jesus? 5) How does your understanding of Acts 1:8 renew you or challenge certain ways of thinking or actions currently in your life, especially when you consider your witness? 6) How should you respond to what you read in your upcoming week? Pray (10 minutes) Have a few people close in prayer based on what was read and discussed. This will be a little bit longer time of prayer than when you prayed at the start. Homework before your next meeting Read the Letter to the Ephesians and watch the corresponding videos as listed in the Scripture reading plan on page 6. The plan will outline for you how many chapters to read each day. All videos can be found at www.thebibleproject.com. 23
Session 7 : Experiencing the Holy Spirit...in His Community Reading the Letter to the Ephesians Homework before we meet for this session: Read the letter to the Ephesians and watch the corresponding videos. See the Scripture reading plan on page 6. Snack & chat as people arrive (15 minutes) Use the first 15 minutes of your group time for informal fellowship. Hang out and enjoy light refreshments together. Gather & catch up (15 minutes) Gather everyone together in the same room and catch up. Ask everyone how their week has been and what God has been teaching them this week. Pray for people on the spot if needed. This allows you to catch up with each other. Pray (1-2 minutes) To start your study, either you or someone else should begin with prayer. Ask God to help you listen closely and hear His Word. Read Deuteronomy 6:4 if this helps everyone get in this frame of mind. Watch (6-7 minutes) Watch Session 7. Read (15-20 minutes) Take turns reading the whole first letter to the Ephesians. 24
Respond (30 minutes) Discuss your answers to the following questions: 1) From what you read, what did you observe that was interesting about the Holy Spirit? 2) Read Ephesians 2:11-22. What role does the Spirit play in the life of a follower of Jesus and the life of the church? How does the church body become God s dwelling place? 3) How does what you just read remind you about who God is in your life? 4) How does what you just read reveal the importance of what Jesus has done in salvation through His life, death and resurrection, and who we are in Jesus? 5) How does what you read in Ephesians 2:11-22 renew you or challenge certain ways of thinking or actions currently in your life or in the life of your church community? 6) How should you respond to what you read in your upcoming week? Pray (10 minutes) Have a few people close in prayer based on what was read and discussed. This will be a little bit longer time of prayer than when you prayed at the start. Homework before your next meeting Read the First Letter to the Corinthians and watch the corresponding videos as listed in the Scripture reading plan on page 6. The plan will outline for you how many chapters to read each day. All videos can be found at www.thebibleproject.com. 25
Session 8 : Experiencing the Holy Spirit...in Giftings Reading the First Letter to the Corinthians Homework before we meet for this session: Read the letter to the Corinthians and watch the corresponding videos. See the Scripture reading plan on page 6. Snack & chat as people arrive (15 minutes) Use the first 15 minutes of your group time for informal fellowship. Hang out and enjoy light refreshments together. Gather & catch up (15 minutes) Gather everyone together in the same room and catch up. Ask everyone how their week has been and what God has been teaching them this week. Pray for people on the spot if needed. This allows you to catch up with each other. Pray (1-2 minutes) To start your study, either you or someone else should begin with prayer. Ask God to help you listen closely and hear His Word. Read Deuteronomy 6:4 if this helps everyone get in this frame of mind. Watch (6-7 minutes) Watch Session 8. Read (15-20 minutes) Take turns reading the whole first letter to the Corinthians. 26
Respond (30 minutes) Discuss your answers to the following questions: 1) From what you read, what did you observe that was interesting about the Holy Spirit? 2) Read 1 Corinthians 12 again. What role does the Spirit play in the life of a follower of Jesus? Why is it important to remember verse 4? 3) How does what you just read remind you about who God is in your life? 4) How does what you just read reveal the importance of what Jesus has done in salvation through His life, death and resurrection, and who we are in Jesus? 5) How does what you read in 1 Corinthians 12 renew you or challenge certain ways of thinking or actions currently in your life? 6) How should you respond to what you read in your upcoming week? Now that the series is over, here are a few action steps to take: As a small group: Read the section titled Now What? Read Scripture with The Bible Project in Your Group! and discuss with your group what book of the Bible you want to read next! As an individual: Read Scripture every day and use The Bible Project to help you understand what you re reading. Ask, How does God want me to respond based on what I read? Actively pursue the discipline of setting the mind on the Spirit by memorizing passages that you have read from this series and praying to God. Ask the Spirit to change you to look more like Jesus each day by loving God, others, and the least and the lost. Who has God sent your way to whom you can show the love of Christ? Pray (10 minutes) Have a few people close in prayer based on what was read and discussed. This will be a little bit longer time of prayer than when you prayed at the start. 27
Now What? Read Scripture with The Bible Project in Your Group! Reading the Bible as a Group What should we study as a group? I want to have my group go through a book of the Bible, but I don t know where to start? You might have said these things to yourself before. How can you take your group into Scripture but in a simple way that isn t draining your time? How can you take people into Scripture so that it s not a dry lecture from you, the small group leader? Well, try introducing a simple, no-prep, biblical method that keeps the goal of transformation (in particular, your identity in Christ) in mind. What is it? Reading the Bible as a group. Yep, that s the main part of it watching a Bible Project video, taking turns reading a large portion of Scripture (maybe even a whole book) in one sitting, and then asking a few simple questions afterward (more on that later). The benefits of this practice are: It keeps you in the Bible It lets you explore many books of the Bible It lets the Bible read you as well as letting you read the Bible It forms your identity in Christ, individually and collectively It is a practice rooted in Scripture...all the way from the Old Testament Scripture reading in the Old Testament A large part of tradition in ancient times was to have things memorized rather than written down. The first mention in Scripture of something being written down is in Exodus 17:14, Then the Lord said to Moses, write this on a scroll as something to be remembered 28
We can see that the purpose behind these writings was for Israel to remember God s saving hand and how He was faithful to them again and again. The first time we see Israel gathering as a group to hear God s word is in Exodus 19-24 at the foot of Mt. Sinai. Here God establishes the terms of the covenant relationship He would have with them. They then respond saying that they will do what God has said. It s in the hearing of this covenant that their identity as a people, individually and collectively, is made. So, in these first instances we get an understanding of the purpose of Scripture itself. It certainly retells the story of God s saving hand and His character. And it also invites Israel into an intimate covenant relationship and whole new way of life that is different from those around them. They are remembering and correcting their life in light of who they are as God s covenant people. Their identity is being formed. You will see this practice of reading Scripture throughout Israel s history in Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 2 Kings, and all the way to Nehemiah when they return from exile. During Jesus ministry before His resurrection, He and His disciples participate in traditional weekly readings from Scripture in the synagogue. It was even in this context that Jesus launched His mission after publicly reading from Isaiah. Scripture reading in the New Testament Even in the beginnings of the early church, the practice of reading Scripture was encouraged. (See 1 Thessalonians 5:27, Colossians 4:16, 1 Timothy 4:1-16) So, in conclusion, Jesus has included all of us in His grand story. Reading Scripture as a group allows us to understand our place in it as a community. It s like the smelling salts for our mind and heart so that we remember who we are in Christ. It challenges pre-existing stories we have about God, ourselves, and the world, and allows us to course-correct in order to live out our identity in Christ. So.how do we do this in a group? 29
Steps to Reading the Bible as a Group Gather & catch up (15 minutes) Gather everyone together in the same room and ask everyone how their week has been and what God has been teaching them this week. Pray for people on the spot if needed. This allows you to catch up with each other. Pray (1-2 minutes) To start your study, either you or someone else should with prayer. Ask God to help you listen closely and hear His Word. Read Deuteronomy 6:4 if this helps everyone get in this frame of mind. Watch (6-7 minutes) For whatever book of the Bible you will be reading, watch the accompanying video on The Bible Project site (www.thebibleproject.com). They have an overview video of each book of the Bible, and this video will help your group understand what you are reading and where it fits into the whole storyline of the Bible. The videos are 6-9 minutes each. Each book of the Bible is covered in a one- or two-part video. You can customize how fast or how slowly you want to go through a book in the Bible. Read (15-20 minutes) Take turns reading through the book of the Bible that you just watched. Don t be afraid to read long passages of Scripture. For example, read the whole book of Philippians or Colossians. If it s a long book like Genesis, read the chapters in chunks. To know which chunks to read, look at The Bible Project posters online at: www.thebibleproject.com/other-resources/posters/ to see how to break down each book. Most of the time the reading should only take 15-20 minutes. 30
Respond (30 minutes) Ask how you are to respond to what you all just read. Ask these questions: From what you read, what s the story so far? From what you read, what did you observe that was interesting about a certain character, event, or situation? What does this passage remind us about who God is in our life? How does this remind us of what Jesus has done and who we are in Jesus? How does this renew you or challenge certain ways of thinking or actions currently in your life? How should we respond to what we read in our upcoming week? You will notice that these questions can be asked with any passage or book in the Bible that you read. Pray (10 minutes) Have a few people close in prayer based on what was read and discussed. This will be a little bit longer time of prayer than when you prayed at the start. The next page is a reproducible Study Guide you can print out for your group to help them prepare for your meeting. 31
Reading Scripture with The Bible Project Study Guide Before the next time we meet 1. Watch at www.thebibleproject.com the following video: 2. Read the following Scripture*: * break up the passages to read a little each day. During our meeting 1. Gather & Catch Up 2. Pray 3. Watch For whatever book of the Bible you will be reading, watch the corresponding video of the book on The Bible Project site www.thebibleproject.com ** 4. Read Take turns reading through the book of the Bible or sections of it that you just watched. 32
5. Respond From what you read, what s the story so far? From what you read, what did you observe that was interesting about a certain character, event, or situation? What does this passage remind us about who God is in our life? How does this remind us of what Jesus has done and who we are in Jesus? How does this renew you or challenge certain ways of thinking or actions currently in your life? How should we respond to what we read in our upcoming week? 6. Pray Have a few people close in prayer based on what was read and discussed or split off into guys and girls for prayer requests. ** The Bible Project is a nonprofit animation studio that produces short-form, fully animated videos to make the biblical story accessible to everyone, everywhere. They focus on the Bible's overarching themes and each book s literary design and are committed to understanding the Bible in its historical context. They create videos, podcasts, and study guides that explore the Bible s unified story that leads to Jesus. 33
Video Viewing Options Option 1: DVD Each group leader will be provided with a standard definition DVD to watch the videos on a TV or laptop. OPTION 2: VIMEO All of the videos have been uploaded to the FAC Vimeo web page in 1080p high definition. To watch via Vimeo on the FAC website through a computer or mobile device, please follow these steps: 1. Go to: www.myfac.org/holyspiritstudy 2. All 8 video sessions are placed for viewing on this page. 34
OPTION 3: download mp4 source files This option provides the highest quality viewing experience. It's available through any computer, mobile device, or smart TVs capable of playing downloaded MP4 files, either through a USB flash drive, network drive, or media player. To download the original source MP4 files, follow the steps listed below. 1. Go to: www.myfac.org/holyspiritstudy 2. Navigate to the video of choice. Click on the "Vimeo" logo in the bottom right hand corner of the video. This will take you to the actual page on the Vimeo website where the video can be viewed. 3. Once you are on the Vimeo web page for the desired session's video, click on the grey button below the video titled "Download." 5. In the drop down box click on the link that appears titled "Original MP4 file." The MP4 file will automatically download to your hard-drive. 6. After it has finished downloading you may then transfer that file to the device of your choice to watch on your TV in high quality 1080p resolution. Enjoy! 35
Experiencing the HOLY SPIRIT fellowship alliance C H A P E L