The Power of Words

Mother's Day
The Power of Words by John and Kathy Burke, May 11, 2008
In this message, John and Kathy Burke both spoke about what words can do, for better and for worse. These questions will ask you about both sides of the power of words in your life, look how words have effected you, and how, perhaps, your words have effected others. You’ll have to do some shuffling through your memory to think of the words or types of messages you remember. So be ready to just sit and think some about of your own experiences. (And it would be useful for everyone to have a piece of scrap paper and pen/pencil to write down some thoughts).

1. One type of word that is often easy to remember is a nickname. Do you have (or have you ever had) a nickname? If not you, maybe someone else close to you? What was the background of the name? Did you or the other person like it or hate it? Did it “stick” until today? Why or why not? Take a few minutes to talk about nicknames – both the good and bad of them. (10 minutes)
2. In their message, John and Kathy said the tongue has power in at least four different ways: the power to Guide, the power to Motivate, the power to Encourage, and the power to Heal. Take some time to think about each one of these in your own life. Try to remember when you have either heard or used words that had each effect. As you think through each one of the four in turn, jot down the words and the impact they had. (5 minutes)

3. Next, pair off and take the time to talk about at least two of the experiences you noted from question #2 (and more if you feel comfortable and time permits). Go back and forth with each other and share your experiences with the impact of words. Then, in the group as a whole, let each person describe one of their discussion partner’s experiences and the words they remember. (15 - 20 minutes)

4. Next, think about your own interaction style: Which of these “types” of words comes most natural to you (Guiding, Motivating, Encouraging, Healing)? Which comes hardest? Are you like John, someone who is more naturally analytical and critical, or like Kathy, a natural encourager? Briefly share what you think are your most natural types of words? (10 minutes)

5. Now, think for a minute about Jesus, what type of communicator was He? Can you identify different styles of words He used – either in the time He was here on earth, or in His communication with you? (10 minutes)

6. Wind up by thinking about how you might put some of this to the test. Can you think of a person you can speak “powerful” words to in the next week – either to guide, to motivate, to encourage, or to heal? Is there someone you can “catch in the act” of something to encourage? Is there someone with whom you need words of healing? Someone you can motivate to better things? Center on one person and ask God to let you know what sort of words you can/need to say – and then ask Him to open up a door for you speak those words to them this week. (And please take any “guidance” to the Lord before you talk… remember the power of our words!) (3 – 5 minutes)

Bible verses from the message:
The tongue has the power of life and death…. Proverbs 18:21

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. James 3:3-6

Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone. Proverbs 25:15

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18

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• Read about the ideas and values behind Gateway Community Church in John Burke's book No Perfect People Allowed (available on-line or in the Garage bookstore)>
• Get an idea of where you are in your spiritual journey and customize your own next steps at Gateway's Discover, Develop, Deepen website.
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Heart Check: Parable of the Soil

Series: Heart Check
Parable of the Soil by John Burke, May 4, 2008
1. In this message John talked about Jesus’ “parable of the soils” (see Bible passages below). He called it a “Heart check”. We’ll come back to that idea, but let’s start where John started. At the beginning of the message, John showed a video of someone trying to give away money at a street corner. Almost no one would take it. But we all like free stuff, right? So what’s up with that? You probably have some ideas about why people might not have taken the money. What do you think? (10 minutes)

2. There are different types of “check ups” we can get: Health, Heart, Car, Financial, etc.… and this one, Spiritual. Are you a “check-up” type of person… someone who makes a point of taking a look at “How things are going” in their life…. or not? What kinds of regular check-ups do you do? Most people are more likely to do the non-Spiritual sort. Why is that? Talk about that for a few minutes and then see whether anyone in the group has done some sort of “spiritual check-up”. What did that person (you?) do? If relevant, spend some time to describe different ways to check your spiritual location/progress. (10 minutes)

3. Jesus described four types of spiritual heart-soil: hard, shallow, weedy, and good. John gave some examples what each one of these “look like” in terms of real life. Use the group to extend each one: What sorts of life conditions make for each type of soil? What types spiritual lives do people with each type of soil have? Have you know anyone (no names) that seem to have that type of “soil”? Why do you think so? Take a few minutes to discuss each spiritual soil condition. (10 – 15 minutes)

4. At the end of the parable, Jesus said that people who plant His message in “good” soil, bear a LOT of fruit: thirty, sixty, a hundred times what was planted. As John said in the message, good soil produces a rich life with great ROI. So how to get good soil? Try to get an idea by looking a real soil. Any real gardeners (or ex-gardeners) in the group? What does it take to get a really good garden? Next, discuss any parallels between this and to gardening spiritual “fruit”? (10 minutes)

5. So what are some practical ways to get good spiritual soil? Let each person talk about things that have been most useful for them in building up their spiritual soil and garden. (10 minutes)

6. End up the discussion with time for a personal soil-check. What type of soil do you have? Are you building soil the way you want? Was there any point in the discussion that you heard God’s “voice”? Jesus said He is “Living Water”… that should help build a garden. Take some time to reflect on what you are “hearing”. Then point to some time in the next few days when you will continue the soil check, by starting something that will give you the soil you want – and ask Jesus’ help. (As He said in the passage below, if someone “turns” to Him, He will heal them. Are you willing to take that free gift from a really good gardener?) (5 minutes)

Bible passages from the Message:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22

[Jesus] told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear." Matthew 13:3-9

Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When people hear the message about the kingdom and do not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their hearts. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to people who hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to people who hear the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to people who hear the word and understand it. They produce a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Matthew 13:18-23

This is why I speak to them in parables…In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: " 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' Matthew 13:13-15

Get more background and information:
You can download or listen to this message at Gateway Message (and other messages too)

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