B-Group Curriculum SPRING 2012 May 6 June 9

B-Group Curriculum SPRING 2012 May 6 June 9

Greetings! This series is going to bring a greater awareness of the magnitude of God. It s our prayer that as your B-Group talks, fellowships, and prays through these lessons that a renewing of the mind will occur! We want every person in Bethany to know that God is Greater Than As a result of this series, we see B-Groups increasing in their faith, overcoming obstacles, and walking in complete victory. Thank you for partnering with us in this great harvest field! We speak blessing and favor on your group. Below is a special how-to for B-Groups, we hope you will find this helpful in creating an atmosphere where Bethany can belong. Blessings, Pastors Jonathan and Angie Stockstill How to use these lessons: We ve been reworking and thinking through each of our lessons to a greater degree. Our desire is that each group would not get hung up on just answering the questions. We want genuine conversation, authenticity, and ministry to appropriately flow from these questions. Don t feel pressured to get through the questions, if the conversation is on point and open. Do feel the burden of keeping order in the group by not letting anyone dominate conversation, make it all about them, or lead the conversation offcourse. The goal of this series is to: increase faith, overcome obstacles, and walk in victory. You should have these goals in mind as you lead discussions each week. Also, we have provided suggested dates for each lesson. These dates are not mandatory but they parallel the messages being preached on the weekend and will make the most sense when discussed that week. Most important of all, each b-group member should feel a sense of belonging. Belong Groups are a place to share, pray, and be open about our life in Christ!

Week 1: Greater Than You Were (May 6-12) Let s read some verses to begin this exciting new series! Colossians 2:14 John 4:7, 9, 13-18, 25-26, 28-30 Jesus is greater than...everything! There is nothing under God s sight that has escaped Him or His plan. There are many times in life when we forget that God is greater than whatever we re going through or have gone through. For example Jesus, on the cross, erased all of our sin entirely, forever. Think about that. No matter how great or numerous your sins, if you have repented and asked God for forgiveness, your sins have been entirely erased! It s as if you never sinned. God wants to forgive you. This story is one of forgiveness, against all odds. This woman was unfaithful, ashamed, and living in sin. She was caught red-handed by Jesus, yet it was His forgiveness and love that left her changed. Think about God s forgiveness in your life. 1. What does this story tell you about God s views on sin? On forgiveness? 2. When God forgives, does He forget about your sin? Isaiah 1:18 (ESV) Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. 3. Which of these views best explains your view of God: a begrudging, hard-toplease God or a compassionate and passionate forgiver? Note: He was so eager to forgive and so excited about it, that he didn t even want to eat afterwards! 4. Do you allow your past to affect your view of your future? Many times we believe that we re forgiven, but still disqualify ourselves from future ministry because of our past. 5. Should our past be a platform for future ministry? i.e. Woman goes into town and ministers. 6. Looking back on your life, can you identify a time (or times) when Jesus was seeking you out? How did that make you feel then? How does it make you feel now? Will you choose today to allow God s forgiveness become a reality? Will you allow yourself to be released from your past and move into your future? Action point: Pray for those who need to accept Jesus and His forgiveness. Pray for those who need to repent of something that s holding back their relationship with Jesus. Pray for those who need to be released from their past, but are having a hard time moving forward.

Week 2: Greater Than Your Fears (May 13-19) Let s read: Matthew 6:25-34, 2 Timothy 1:7 This passage of scripture is one of the most famous and important in all the Bible. We call it the Sermon on the Mount. In this sermon, Jesus illustrates and proclaims to the world how He wants life to be done. He teaches about who God blesses, the purpose of the law, how to be salt and light in the world, divorce, and adultery; to name a few. As He is wrapping up His message, He tackles one of life s greatest enemies: fear. If we can overcome fear, we can overcome anything! 1. We all worry about different things. What is something that you worry about? Take a moment to write down a list of things that you are worried about. 2. Why do you think Jesus tells us not to worry? 3. Have you ever lived a day, worry-free? If so, describe it. If not, why? The greek word worry, also means to be anxious. Jesus did not want us to be anxious about our everyday life or our future. Anxiety and worry distract and divide our attention from God. If we are constantly thinking about money, material items, and food; it will distract us from the true task at hand: the Great Commission. Jesus goes so far as to say, these things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers (Mt. 6:32 NLT) 4. Do you believe that Jesus is in control? Are you living that way? Paul tells Timothy that fear is a spirit. Our combatant to the spirit of fear is the power of the Holy Spirit, love, and a sound mind! Action Point: With another person in your B-Group, share some of the things you wrote down on the list of worries. Talk and pray about how you are going to overcome them. Pray for each other. Pray that no spirit of fear or anxiety would overwhelm or distract us.

Week 3: Greater Than the Enemy (May 20-26) Let s read: Romans 8:31-39 The devil is our enemy. He has an arsenal of weapons at his disposal that he is constantly trying to use against us. God is greater than the enemy! We must understand that, for any attack the devil assaults us with, God has already provided us with the way of victory. There is nothing the devil can do that God has not already foreseen and defeated. It does not matter what the attack may be, whether it is: sickness, depression, addiction, or oppression. Jesus has overcome them all! We could devote hours to the subject of things Jesus has defeated. Let s look at a few that affect us all on a regular basis and how we can overcome them by the power of God. 1. How does it make you feel when you face trials and tribulations? 2. Have you ever been mad at God because of something going wrong in your life? Ultimately, your ability to overcome the devil comes down to your perspective of the devil and your perspective of God. Evangelist Oral Roberts put it simply, God is a good god, and the devil is a bad devil. Everything bad comes from the devil. Everything good comes from God. (James 1:17) 3. Do you agree that everything good comes from God? Explain. 4. Is Satan, God s adversary or ours? 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) Be sober-minded; be watchful. YOUR adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Genesis 3:15 (ESV) I will put enmity between YOU AND THE WOMAN, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. 5. Is God greater than sickness and do I live like it? Acts 10:38 (ESV) How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and HEALING ALL who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 6. Is God greater than depression and do I act like it? Psalm 42:5 (ESV) Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation. 7. Is God greater than lack and do I live like it? Phil. 4:19 (ESV) - And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 8. Is God greater than death and do I live like it? 1 Cor. 6:14 (ESV) - And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.

1 Corinthians 15:54 55 (ESV) When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? Action Point: Write down and pray in your groups over areas that need overwhelming victory in your life.

Week 4: Greater Than Us (May 27-June 2) Let s read: Isaiah 55:8; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 We are finite. God is infinite. A simple way to understand this is that we are like the alphabet, we have an A and a Z. God is like the numbers. There s no limit or end. God is greater than us. He is, both, the beginning and the end; yet has neither. His glory stretches across the heavens and yet He chooses to dwell in the hearts of those who accept Him. His plans never fail. His word never returns void. His will always comes to pass. Whatever is impossible to us, is possible for God. God has chosen to use man, on earth, to accomplish His will. The problem, then, is that we have to overcome our reasoning, arguments, rebellion, etc. to see God move on earth. Paul explains that we are human, but we aren t waging war like humans. We need God s mighty wisdom and weapons to knock down spiritual blockades in our life. 1. Compare your wisdom to God s. Which is greater? Why? 2. Compare your power to God s. How do they compare? 3. Are you guilty of trying to bring God down to your level and wanting Him to do things your way? 4. Has there ever been a time when you thought God wasn t able to handle a circumstance in your life? What did you do? 5. Name a time when you faced an obstacle that was bigger than you and you had to rely on God. 6. How often do you meditate on the greatness of God? 1. Psalm 8:3 4 (ESV) When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? We are often our greatest enemy. Our mind can be a major blockade to a vibrant, abundant spiritual life. Action Point: Pray in your group for greater discernment in hearing the voice of God. Pray that your wisdom would decrease, so that Jesus wisdom can increase.

Week 5: Greater Than Your Gods (June 3-9) Let s read: Exodus 20:3 (ESV) We don t typically talk about having other gods in our life. Our western methodologies have replaced gods with science, education, and reason. However, any time you have something that replaces the need for Jesus in your life, that is a god! God is all sufficient and supplies every need of ours, forever. 1. What are some modern day idols that we all encounter? 2. Are there things in your life that receive greater attention or affection than God? i.e. kids, sports, work, etc. 3. Can you identify anything in your life that has replaced God? For example: Do you view God or your job as your provider? Are medicine and pills your healer, or do you look to God for healing? 4. Is it possible for idols to come into our lives without us knowing? How can we discover them? 5. Do you think God is all right with sharing His glory with another? Isaiah 42:8 (ESV) I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. 6. How can we make sure that God remains the only God in our lives? i.e. The tithe, daily devotion, church attendance God is, also, jealous and He desires all of our attention and our worship. One aspect of a proper relationship is: time. What you spend your time doing, is evidence of your priorities. Everybody has 168 hours each week. Imagine those 168 hours like boxes that need to be filled. For most of us, work dominates our schedules. If you were to add in time spent with your family, an evening out with friends, yard work, and chores; there s not much room left for God! Our goal is to change that. Rather than try and put God into an ever diminishing box, where we have God time (i.e. Church, B-Group, etc.). We want to allow God into every area of our life, all the time. Action Point: Pray for ways to creatively allow God into your life. Pray that your group would begin to rely completely on God, for everything.