Empty Spaces Week 1 – Discussion Guide
Getting Started
Main Idea: This week we begin a new series “Empty Spaces,” where we will be encouraged and challenged to turn to God to fill the empty spaces of fear and insecurity with potential and purpose.
Discussion Starter: Would you want the power to read people’s thoughts? Why or why not?
Introduction:
Watch this brief intro together with your group (click picture below):
If we are not deliberate in our thoughts, our mind will be filled, by default, with the world around us. In order to harmonize our minds with God’s will and word, we have to pursue purposeful focus.
Encounter God
Primary Scriptures: Romans 12:2 and Proverbs 4:20-27
Discussion Questions:
1. What thoughts do you dwell on that seem to crowd out God’s purpose for you?
2. This week, have you allowed yourself to quiet the world around you and spend time thinking about God and the people He has placed in your life? If not, be intentional now, put it on your calendar, schedule some time this week to read God’s Word and meditate on what He wants to tell you.
3. How can you avoid letting Jesus become “just another thing” that fills your life?
Discovery Bible Method:
For deeper study, as an alternative to the questions above, read 2 Corinthians 10:5 and use the Discovery Bible Method to explore the passage.
Embrace Others
Suggestion: Consider breaking the group into dyads or triads for this section.
How can your Embrace group, which focuses on a shared interest, put that focus through the lens of exploring God? Discuss how you can avoid allowing that shared interest to take focus away from God but rather enhance your relationship with Him.
Engage the World Around Us
Engaging at Faith Promise: If you are not currently serving anywhere at FP, pray that God will draw your thoughts to an area to begin. If you are currently serving, pray that God will focus your thoughts on how to best serve.
Engaging in Community: When your thoughts focus on areas or groups in your community, how can you and your group carry the light and love of God to those places and people?
Engaging the World: As a group, be deliberate about how you will serve God’s world and how your thoughts will be deliberately focused on serving as well.
Expand God’s Kingdom
This week, spend time thinking about someone God would have you walk along side in their spiritual growth. If you are already doing that, talk with them about something you can both be focusing your thoughts on to grow.
Leader’s Notes
1. Common thoughts will probably be things like finances, job security, kids’ activity schedules, etc. Encourage your people focus on new roads of guidance and new rivers of provision God will provide.
2. If you have people in your group who have managed to carve out at least one time this week to meditate on God, encourage them to make that a daily routine. For those that have not done this at all, recommend getting their phones out and setting a reminder some time during the week. You could also have people pair off and remind each other or follow up during the week to see if they have been able to do set time aside.
3. In his book “Not a Fan”, Kyle Idleman says, “Fans mistake knowledge OF Jesus for intimacy WITH Jesus.” Stress the difference between having a relationship with Jesus as opposed to simply knowing things about Jesus.
ALL groups at Faith Promise should follow Jesus Christ and lead others to do the same. Below are the marks of a growing follower and disciple of Jesus.
– A follower of Jesus desires to encounter God through the deeper study and application of God’s Word.
– A follower of Jesus embraces people and values relationships on a deeper level so everyone can grow together.
– A follower of Jesus engages and serves the world around them and in their community, through local partners or God-directed opportunities.
– A follower of Jesus expands God’s Kingdom through development and multiplication of disciple-makers, possibly to lead more groups at Faith Promise.
