Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 4

Welcome
“We talkin about practice. Not a game. We talkin about practice.”

In 2002, Allen Iverson, a professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers, sat down at a press conference and said the word practice 22 times (if you’ve never seen the clip, you can watch it here). Iverson did not want to talk about practice, but that’s exactly what we are going to do this week. While it may not be glamorous or flashy, practice, the regular repetition of habits, can lead to lasting change. At The Gathering, we hold a belief that God wants to transform our lives through simple practices. The six we have identified – worship, prayer, growing in groups, giving, serving, and invitation – are foundational to life with Christ.

So, without further ado, let’s talk about practice.  


Opening Prayer
God, we thank you for creating this group as a place where we can practice our faith. We thank you that each person in this group has different experiences that we can learn from. Help us to support and celebrate one another as we journey toward becoming more deeply committed followers of Christ. Amen.


Ice Breaker
If you could pick up a new skill or hobby and immediately be good at it without any practice, what would you choose?


The Head
In 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul is writing a letter to a church that he helped start. While these early Christans have lived on for centuries in the text of the Bible, they were actually a group of regular people just like us. They often grew distracted, distant, and complacent in their faith. In these verses we see Paul reminding them who they are and what they are called to in Christ.
 
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
16 So then, from this point on we won’t recognize people by human standards. Even though we used to know Christ by human standards, that isn’t how we know him now. 17 So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!
18 All of these new things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and who gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 19 In other words, God was reconciling the world to himself through Christ, by not counting people’s sins against them. He has trusted us with this message of reconciliation.
20 So we are ambassadors who represent Christ. God is negotiating with you through us. We beg you as Christ’s representatives, “Be reconciled to God!” 21 God caused the one who didn’t know sin to be sin for our sake so that through him we could become the righteousness of God.

• In this passage Paul doesn’t specifically describe the “new things” that have arrived. Based on your experience of faith, what do you think they could be? 
• What do you think a transformed heart and life look like? 
• What does the role of an ambassador for Christ look like to you? 
• Paul says we have a ministry of reconciliation. Why is reconciliation to God good news worth sharing? 

The Heart
Forgive the extended sports metaphor, but if the game is a public display of skill, practice is the private, intimate place for working on our craft. In our faith, practices can help us connect with God and allow God to transform our hearts. Becoming a new creation in Christ is not something that happens overnight, but when we regularly engage in spiritual practices we create space for growth. It can be a messy, vulnerable process, but God is eager to meet us there.

• What do you like about practice? What do you dislike? 
• What else do you currently do in your life that requires regular practice? 
• What is the relationship between spiritual practices and the state of your heart? How have you seen engagement in a spiritual practice lead to changes elsewhere in your life? 
• What barriers do you experience to participating in the six shared practices noted above?

The Hands
While the idea of Christ making us into a new creation is lovely, sometimes it can be hard to know what this actually means. We aren’t caterpillars who turn into butterflies. We are people who, hopefully, turn into somewhat more Christ-like people. This week Pastor Charity shared her framework for spiritual formation, Start, Grow, Stretch. No matter where you are with an individual practice, we can use this as a way to check-in with ourselves and God.

• As you reflect on the handout from worship this past week, what spiritual practices come easily to you? What spiritual practices do you find more difficult? 
  • What is one practice you want to start?
  • What is one practice where you could grow?
  • What is one practice you could try to stretch yourself in? 
• Have you had a transformational experience with a spiritual practice that is worth sharing with others? If comfortable, share that experience with the group. 

Closing Prayer
God, it is our desire to have lives that look more like Jesus. We are aware of our sins and shortcomings, and we ask for your help as we seek to grow. Help us to engage in the practices you have given us, but remind us that you offer unlimited grace for the times when we don’t. Thank you for being a God of transformation, today and everyday. Amen.


From Pastor Charity
FAITH IN PRACTICE CLASSES: GROW IN GROUPS
Saturday, October 19 from 9:00am - 11:00am
Led by Pastor Matt

If you want to grow in your faith, attend these classes to get started, to grow, or to stretch your faith. This is the Year of The Practices. Here we have six practices: prayer, worship, grow in groups, serve, give, and invite. Pastors and Staff will lead classes offering historical, biblical, and contemporary perspectives on each of our six practices. The classes are for YOU. Whether you're questioning, curious or committed to Jesus or the church, these classes are for you. In addition, you will be able to practice the practices in community with others. These classes will be held on various days throughout the year at the McCausland site in the Sanctuary.

Sign up here.