Getting to Know You: 

• What area of volunteering do you enjoy participating in the most? What is an area of volunteering you would be interested in trying out?

Going Deeper: 

Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 together.

• Why do you think the Holy Spirit gives us spiritual gifts? What is His purpose in doing so?
• It is clear from this passage that there is a great diversity of spiritual gifts! What does this teach us about God?
• Read Ephesians 1:7-10 – This passage is speaking about something that God has began with Jesus and is continuing to do. What is it, and how do we see this happening specifically in the Church?

Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

• Think about your own life – what are some of the excuses that we tend to give for not using the gifts God has given us? What does this passage say in response?
• Look at verses 24-26 – according to this passage, how are we, members of the community of Christ (his Body) to view one another? Treat one another? How do our spiritual gifts come into this?

Taking it Home: 

• Share with your group what you believe your strongest spiritual gift is. What practical step might you take this week to further use your gift within the Church?

Getting to Know You: 

• Talk about one of your favourite activities.

Going Deeper: 

• Read 1 Cor.8 and discuss what scripture teaches about food offered to idols. 
  • What are we free in Christ to do?
  • What are we free not to do? 
  • What are some ways we could be a stumbling block to others?
  • How could we suspend our freedom for their sakes?
• Read Phil.2:1-11. 
  • How should we be treating others in these verses? 
  • How might we put others above ourselves practically speaking? 
  • What did Jesus do to put others above himself? 
• Read 1 Cor.6:18-20. 
  • What is the best defense against sexual temptation? 
  • Why is God so interested in protecting us from sexual immorality. 
  • Discuss the following statement:  God is the author of sex and he alone has the authority to define it, not the culture around us. 
• How might we hold fast to what we have until Jesus comes?

Take it Home: 

• Evaluate to see if you’re making compromise in the marketplace or your sex life.  If so, make a change in thinking and actions.

Going Deeper:
Consider what Jesus says about the “sword of his mouth” (Rev. 2:12, 16) and compare with Hebrews 4:12.
• As followers of Jesus, how are we supposed to use this ‘sword’? What value does it have for us?
• What is the danger of ignoring or resisting this ‘sword’? Share some of the ways you tend to do this in your life.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.
• According to this passage, what is the value of our new identity in Christ?
• On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being ‘terrible’ and 10 being ‘perfect’), how well do you think you are doing at being Jesus’ ambassador?
• Share one area of struggle, where you are tempted to compromise. What fears do you have about living according to God’s truth in this area?

How do we live holy lives and yet also show godly love to one another? Read 1 Peter 2:11-12, Galatians 2:20, and 1 Corinthians 13:1-7, 13.
• Compare these passages – what are some nuggets of wisdom found here that help us as we search for the balance between love and truth?
• What is the difference between making a spiritual compromise that is wrong, versus changing our actions so that we are hitting a better balance of truth and love?

Taking it Home:
• Think of one area you struggle with compromising; share this with a close friend and ask them to pray for you this week.

Getting to Know You:
• If you had to choose a type of pain to endure, would you rather face physical, emotional, mental or spiritual pain and why?
• Discuss a painful experience that caused you to grow.

Going Deeper:
• Discuss this quote from Tertullian. “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Why does the church always grow when it’s persecuted?
• Discuss how Jesus personally experiencing pain and intimately knowing your pain can aid you in getting through troubling situations. Use Matt. 26:38-39, Isaiah 53:3-8, Hebrews 4:14-15
• Discuss the different ways Satan and God test us according to Rev. 2:10. Satan tests to destroy. God tests to strengthen.
• Compare the different crowns given to believers. 1 Cor. 9:25, 2 Tim. 4:8, James 1:12, 1 Peter 5:4, Rev. 3:11. What’s different about each one. How do we gain these crowns?
• Revelation 2:11 mentions the second death. What is meant by this How might we avoid the second death? Use Rev. 2:11, 20:6-14, 21:8
• What does it mean to be an overcomer/victorious according to these verses? What is given to the overcomer after the admonition to each of the 7 churches in Revelation?

Taking it Home:
• Spend time praying for the persecuted church this week. Pray that they might overcome and endure to the end without denying Christ. Pray for their families. Look up idop.org for family ideas to implement this week.

Getting to Know You:
• Are you more of a truth or love person? Explain why.
• What’s the 1st thing you notice when you are loveless?

Going Deeper:
• Read Revelation 2:1-7.
• Discuss what the church at Ephesus was doing right and how we might implement some of those things at FBC.
• What caused them to abandon the love they had at first? How might we avoid being a loveless church?
• After each address to the church Jesus says the same thing. Rev. 2:7, 17, 29, 3:6, 13, 22.
– Why does Jesus say this? What is he calling the church to do? How might we do this in our setting?
• Repentance can be a hard thing to grasp. Look up the following verses and come up with a working definition of repentance. Matt. 3:8, 2 Cor. 7:8-11, Lk. 13:3.
• Discuss how repentance is a one-time thing that leads to a daily thing.

Taking it Home:
• Spend time asking God this week what you need to repent of. Ask him to reveal hidden and unintentional sins.
• Ask God to help you repent to those you’ve sinned against. Then ask forgiveness from them.