Kettlebrook West Bend

Questions for Reflection/Discussion: 1. Describe a time when you have felt betrayed. What was that like for you? How did you respond? 2. Share a time when you were publicly disgraced or exposed. What was that like for you? 3. Read Matthew 1:18-25. What sticks out to you? What do you think it would have been like to be in Joseph’s shoes? Mary’s? 4. In what circumstances at work, school, and home could you better demonstrate graciousness? What is keeping you from doing so? 5. In what circumstances might you not have the full story, which is preventing you from responding in graciousness? 6. Who do you need to show graciousness towards today? This week? What is one way that you can specifically demonstrate graciousness in the context of your family/extended family this Christmas? 7. Like Mary, we all have things that would expose and publicly disgrace us. How is the Jesus good news to us with respect to these things?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion: 1. In what ways has your childhood or other life experiences shaped your understanding of people of different ethnicity (either positively or negatively)? How has your ethnic identity shaped the way you see the world? The way you see others not of your ethnicity? 2. Describe a time when you have been in a context where you were one of the only people of your ethnicity (if that has happened to you). What was that like for you and why? 3. Read Ephesians 2:11-20. Try to list the ways that Jesus, according to Paul, brings both reconciliation between us and God (vertically) and between us and others(horizontally). 4. Where might there be a dividing wall in my heart towards people of a different race/ethnicity? What lies might this wall be based upon? How does the good news of the gospel speak into this? 5. What steps might you take personally to grow in the gospel with respect to this issue in your own heart? To help others grow?

In this 90 minute workshop, Tom Atwater teaches on "How to hear the voice of God" as well as "How to heal the wounded heart". Tom is a missionary in Colombia with the ministry 911 Life, an organization that seeks to both bring about the restoration and transformation of at-risk children and families through the powerful love of Jesus, and also to train and equip Christian believers worldwide.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion: 1. In what ways do you find yourself consuming culture? Why is this the case? 2. In what ways do you find yourself condemning culture? Why is this the case? 3. Read Acts 16:16-34. What sticks out to you? In what ways are Paul and Silas’ responses challenging/convicting? 4. Have you ever experienced a glimpse of the Kingdom culture that you believe Jesus came to bring? What was that like for you? What made it attractive? 5. If someone asked you the same question that the jailer asks in verse 30, how would you respond and why? 6. In what ways has Jesus specifically rescued you like He has rescued the jailer? (assuming He has… if He hasn’t what might be keeping you from this?) 7. How specifically can you create (rather than consume or condemn) Kingdom culture at home? At work? In your community? 8. Note that Kingdom culture seems to be reflected best in groups. Who can join you so that together you can reflect Kingdom culture?

Questions for Reflection and Discussion: 1. In this series so far, we have talked about consuming culture and condemning culture as two approaches to culture. Which one do you tend towards and why? 2. What elements of our culture would you most like to condemn? Why? 3. What elements of your life does culture seem to condemn in return and why? 4. Read Luke 9:51-56. When do you find yourself responding like James and John? If Jesus were to rebuke you in this, what do you think He would say and why? 5. When you respond to culture with condemnation, what assumptions are you making? Whose stories might you not be understanding? 6. In what ways are you trying to play the role of the Holy Spirit in others’ lives? 7. Read Mark 7:18-23. In regards to this text, Matt Chandler writes, “Culture is the source of evil. That’s the human heart.” In what ways do you contribute to some of the issues in our culture? How might you confess them to one another and to God? 8. In what way might you/we be able to o

Questions for Reflection / Discussion: 1. Have you ever thought about a follower of Jesus’ interaction with culture? In what way? If you were to have a tendency towards condemning culture (isolation) or consuming culture (integration) which do you tend towards? Why? 2. Read Exodus 32:1-14. Have someone retell the story in their own words. What do you think happened to the Israelites? What were they thinking? What does this tell us about ourselves? 3. Have someone read 1 Corinthians 10:1-14. Paul says that the narrative in Exodus 32 is an example and warning for us who believe in Jesus Christ. In what way is it a warning? What do you think we are to be careful of (v.14)? 4. If idolatry is putting something (or aspects of the culture) above Jesus Christ in your passions and priorities, how do you think the American Church (or elements of the American Church) is in danger of idolatry? 5. Mike said we are in danger of being discipled by television rather than the word of God. Do you think thi

Questions for Reflection/Discussion: 1. If you have not done so already, please scan the above QR code and take the survey. 2. What are some things that you are passionate about? Gifted in? 3. Of the above 5 people gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11, which do you most identify with and why? 4. “Diversity within our unity leads to maturity.” In what ways have you seen this to be true in your home, work, small group, church family, etc.? 5. What skills have you been gifted/equipped with? 6. What experiences (sufferings, successes, failures, etc.) has God used to grow you? In what ways might these experiences be used to help build up others in the body? 7. What barriers might you be facing with respect to using your giftedness to build up the body? 8. What next steps might you take to bless the body of Christ and the world?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion: 1. What would you say is your most precious earthly possession? Who would you entrust this with and why? Who wouldn’t you entrust this with and why? 2. Do you have a “heritage” of faith (i.e. who shared the gospel with you, and with them, etc.)? If so, who are they and how many generations of people can you trace it back through? 3. Read 2 Timothy 2:1-2. What do you think are “these things” that Paul speaks of? Is it possible that “these things” have also been entrusted to you? If so, what are the implications? 4. Read Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24:45-49; John 20:21-23 and Acts 1:8. What theme(s) do you find in these texts? How do these texts speak into the idea of our gospel purpose? 5. What barriers get in the way of you seeking to live out these texts? What steps might you take to engage in our gospel purpose? 6. Below list at least one person that you might be able to help follow Jesus. Be in prayer for them. What other steps might you take

Questions for Reflection/Discussion: 1. Growing up, what was your definition of a “Christian?” Why do you think most people talk in terms of being “Christian” rather than being a “disciple?” What do you think distinguishes the two? 2. Why do you think people tend to equate spirituality with intellectual knowledge of the Bible rather than having a life that resembles Jesus? What would you say the difference is? Does the first one necessarily lead to the other? What has been your experience? 3. Have various people look up the following verses: Matthew 7:21, 24-27; Matthew 12:49-50; John 14:15,21, 23. What did real spirituality look like to Jesus (or at least one aspect of it)? 4. Read Philippians 2:1-11. What aspect of Jesus’ life does Paul specifically encourage us to imitate in our own? What exactly does that look like? Why is that harder than just behavior modification? 5. How would your family be different if people actually started living out Philippians 2:1-11 towards one another? How would your

Questions for Reflection/Discussion: 1. When you hear the word “family” what comes to mind? How would you define family? 2. How has your family of origin shaped the person you have become? 3. Read Matthew 12:46-50 and 1 John 3:1- 3. How might these Scriptures impact our understanding of family? 4. In what ways have you been guilty of acting more like Cain (see Genesis 4:1-16) than Christ (see 1 John 3:16) with respect to family? What steps might you take to act more like Jesus? 5. How might you personally engage more as “family” with brothers and sisters in Christ? What might be barriers to this for you? 6. What we do flows out of who we believe we are. If this is the case, what are your behaviors reflecting about what you believe? 7. Share one way that, if you believe you are part of God’s family, that you will live like it this week.