Yard Work

Yard Work by Rick Shurtz, September 28, 2008
1. Rick’s theme in this message is about how easy it is to do the minimum on some of the more annoying or perplexing aspects of life….or even avoid the things we know we need to do. Mowing the lawn was Rick’s personal example (or rather barely mowing the lawn in his case…). So, how about you? Is there any household/work/life task you tend to avoid… or at least tend to take the “minimalist” approach towards? Talk about that for a few minutes in the group. (10 minutes)

2. In Rick’s example, he talked about how he let the yard work go for so long that it ended up being more work than if he’d just done a full job of it the first time. Is there anything in your recent past like that… you let something go so long it ended up being more work in the end? If so, share your experience. (10 minutes)

3. In the message, Rick mentioned Bill Hybel’s description of a “selective sluggard” : how we can be neglectful of one part of our lives – while very together in others. Try taking a quick inventory: Can you think of three areas you generally have covered most of the time? Are there three that you are likely to neglect? Try to focus on things that are important to you. Try to list up to three in each category, then pair off in the group and share one from each set with each other. (15 minutes)

4. Rick said that it is easy to let some important things be the ones that go to the back burner. As you look at your list – is there something on the “neglect” list that you really want to move to the “covered” side? Which would that be? What would you hope would be different if you were able to do that? Try to imagine what the change would be like, and then with your discussion partner, talk about as many of the plusses you think could happen. (5 – 10 minutes)

5. Have you decided whether to “go for” the Soul Revolution? Could the 60/60 challenge be a format for moving the “neglected” thing to the “covered list? Is this something you could check in with God on regularly? Brainstorm with your partner about how you might talk to God about that area of your life as you go through your day. (Not everything will fit… and certainly not every hour… but be open to how God could use the hourly communication to help you see His hopes for you in that area of your life.) (10 minutes)

6. If yours is one of the many groups going for the Soul Revolution, this could be an opportunity to talk through any concerns about how to fit the “challenge” into your life. In the group as a whole, take some time for anyone who anticipates some “challenges with the challenge” to talk about that. If there are any common concerns, be sure to take a few minutes to brainstorm together about how to handle those. (10 minutes)

Be sure to save some time to pray. Ask God to help each of us know Him better, to resolve the difficulties in making the 60/60 experiment work in peoples lives, and to accomplish His hopes for each one of us and for Gateway as a whole as we become Soul Revolutionaries together.

For more information on Soul Revolution, click here.

Bible verses from the message:
I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. Proverbs 24:30

My son, if accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:1-5

Want to get more/go farther?

• You can listen to this message - and other ones too at Gateway Messages.
• Get an idea of where you are in your spiritual journey and customize your own next steps at Gateway's Discover, Develop, Deepen website.
• Want support in some specific area of your life? There are different ways to get help at Gateway's Support and Recovery ministries. Check it out.
• Need personal help with something big (or little)? Biblically-based professional counseling is available with Merry Fiske.
• Search for other topics you want to know more about Gateway's online Bookstore, or go to the virtual Bookstore (in the Garage and on the second level of the auditorum at Gateway's main campus).

Nobody Stands Alone - No Fear

Series: Nobody Stands Alone
No Fear - Ted Beasley, September 21, 2008

It was great to have Ted back on stage for a “guest appearance”... particularly talking about the power of relationships centered on God.

1. Ted talked about the idea of a “best friend”. While not all of us have had life-long best friends, most of us have had some important friendships at different points in our lives. Start there. Take a moment to think through some of the major friendships you’ve had during your life. Pick one friendship and talk about that. Who was the person? How did you meet? When were you friends and for how long?

2. Next, talk about what kinds of things that “bond” us with someone. Think about the friend you “introduced” to the group in Question 1, and then talk about how you came to be close friends. Why did you become close friends with this person, and not other people you knew then? What things did you share? In the group, note the different things that create friendships.

3. So, did you remain friends with that person? Why or why not? Talk about the kinds of things that make friendships either stay or pass into the “past”. Are there any common factors across your group – either for what makes friendships last or for what makes them pass?

4. Ted made a distinction between a regular social friendship and a “spiritual” friendship based on a shared relationship with God through Jesus (not that you can’t have both in the same person – but the two are not necessarily tied together). Ted defined a spiritual friendship as “an authentic, life-giving confidante who points you to God”. This is not your typical, run-of-the-mill type relationship, and as Ted noted, it’s not that common. Why is that? Talk about the kinds of things that make it difficult to build a friendship bond like that.

5. While a God-centered relationship may be hard to develop, it can really make a difference in the quality of our spiritual lives. Have you ever had someone you interact with personally point you toward God … whether as part of what Gateway calls a “Spiritual running partner” relationship or otherwise? Try to identify a situation (one you are comfortable in sharing about in the group) when some one really changed your thinking about something related to your spiritual life... helped you see something in your life in a different, more God-centered way. Then describe what was the impact of that new perspective in your life? (It’s fine to briefly describe the situation if you need to, but the focus here is how it made a difference in your spiritual life.) If relevant, note whether the “encouragement” was easy to accept at first.

6. Personal reflection: Do you have a God-centered friendship in your life now? If so, try a brief status check: Is there anything that you can do to make it stronger? If not you don't have a friendship like that, is God prompting you to develop one? Is there someone you think you could build that sort of God-centered, encouraging relationship with? If so, ask God to prompt you how to begin to move in that direction: What can YOU do? If you don't have an idea about who, ask God to show you a person He knows would be a good "soul" friend for you? I f there is some action you can take this week to either strengthen or develop a spiritual friendship, write that down. Remember that it often will take time to build a relationship so think about steps to get there.

If you want some guidelines and suggestions on how to build and structure the kind of spritual friendship that Ted described, visit Gateway’s Spiritual Running Partner Guide on-line. Right now the format is set up for the Soul Revolution program, but the Running Partner basics are in there.

Bible Verses from the passage

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18: 24

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 2:14

"Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few." "Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul." 1 Samuel 14:8-10

Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt. I Samuel 18:1-4

Saul's anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, "You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! 1 Samuel 20:30

David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together—but David wept the most. Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the LORD, saying, 'The LORD is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.' I Samuel 20:41-42

And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. "Don't be afraid," he said. "My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this." The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. I Samuel 23: 16-18.

The mighty warriors—fallen, fallen/ in the middle of the fight! / Jonathan—struck down on your hills! / O my dear brother Jonathan, / I'm crushed by your death. / Your friendship was a miracle-wonder, / love far exceeding anything I've known— or ever hope to know. / The mighty warriors—fallen, fallen. / And the arms of war broken to bits. II Samuel 1:25-27

Want to get more/go farther?

• You can listen to this message - and other ones too at Gateway Messages.
• Get an idea of where you are in your spiritual journey and customize your own next steps at Gateway's Discover, Develop, Deepen website.
• Want support in some specific area of your life? There are different ways to get help at Gateway's Support and Recovery ministries. Check it out.
• Need personal help with something big (or little)? Biblically-based professional counseling is available with Merry Fiske.
• Search for other topics you want to know more about Gateway's online Bookstore, or go to the virtual Bookstore (in the Garage and on the second level of the auditorum at Gateway's main campus).

Nobody Stands Alone - A New Kind of Family

Series: Nobody Stands Alone
A New Kind of Family by John Burke, September 14, 2008

Family. Who is/was our family and what does that mean for our relationship with God? This is not a casual question and it can touch on some things that may be pretty sensitive and/or personal. Before you start the questions, if family is a tough issue for you, try to be willing to be open, but also remember that you don’t have to go deeper than you want to. It also might be good to start with some prayer for new perspectives on God and how we think about Him… and an open, genuine place for that to happen.

1. If you were at Gateway for this message, there was a video at the start.. with a guy talking about his chin scar that was invisible to him. If you’ve lived on the earth any time at all , you probably have some scars too. There may even be some good stories associated with one or two of them. Do you have any scars that come with an interesting tale? If you do, pick one and share your story. (10 minutes)

2. In the message, John made the point that all of us have emotional and spiritual scars that we pick up along the way… just like the real ones you’ve talked about – but often not so visible. Often we think of these scars as weaknesses, but in fact they could be a strength. John told the story of the judo champion who had lost an arm – and who was so good at judo because he learned to make a move that could only be defended against by grabbing the missing arm. The weakness became his strength. Let’s explore that idea more. Can you think of other examples in your personal or general knowledge (i.e. Lance Armstrong was able to “reshape” his body after recovering from cancer). Talk about any other examples you can think of where a weakness becomes a strength. Did the weakness become a strength naturally, or did it take some training? (10 minutes)

3. Now let’s try to apply this idea to ourselves. If you are in a larger group, pair off for this part. First, take a moment or two and try to think of some aspect of your past that caused you to do things differently… and in a way that you’d now think of as a “weakness” of some sort. Take 3-4 minutes to share what that is with your discussion partner. Now, after you have both shared your “weakness”, take a few more minutes to take turns brainstorming with each other: Can you think of ways that the weakness could be turn into a strength with the right “training”? Finally, in the group as a whole, take some time to discuss any insights that came out of your pair discussions. (20 - 25 minutes)

4. Next, let’s switch gears as bit…. John said that we often tend to see God through the lens of our relationship with our own fathers or parental figures. Some fathers are good, some are bad… but nearly NO father is perfect… or at least they likely did something that annoyed us. Think about yours for a minute and see whether you can identify any one “negative”. And then ask yourself whether you see God being like your Father that way… or maybe you did at some point. Then, go around the group and take a quick inventory of how many people tended to think God is/was like some “negative” aspect of their own father. The idea is to test the idea of whether that “transfer” is common. Details are not required, but allow time for anyone who has a question about what they think God is like to toss it out for others to comment on their experience/knowledge of God. (10 minutes)

5. As you wrap-up this particular message and discussion, you may want to use some extra time for personal reflection and prayer. Take a few minutes for people to think back on their weaknesses – and also to think about their images of God from there own father: Is there any relationship there for you? Whether there is or not, God may be trying let you know Him better - possibly as someone who turns weaknesses into strengths. If you think there is something you need to pray about, do that now…. and if you are in a group, feel free to ask the group to pray for you in any area you’d like to ask God for some “re-training”. (5 – 10 minutes)

Bible verses from the message

He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. John 1:12-13

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. 1 John 4:9-12

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. If we say we love God yet hate a brother or sister, we are liars. For if we do not love a fellow believer, whom we have seen, we cannot love God, whom we have not seen. And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love one another. 1 John 4:18-21

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged …How can you say, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from the other person's eye…” “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:1-5, 12

Haven't signed up for Soul Revolution yet? (click here) Do it before you forget....


Want to get more/go farther?

• You can listen to this message - and other ones too at Gateway Messages.
• Get an idea of where you are in your spiritual journey and customize your own next steps at Gateway's Discover, Develop, Deepen website.
• Want support in some specific area of your life? There are different ways to get help at Gateway's Support and Recovery ministries. Check it out.
• Need personal help with something big (or little)? Biblically-based professional counseling is available with Merry Fiske.
• Search for other topics you want to know more about Gateway's online Bookstore, or go to the virtual Bookstore (in the Garage and on the second level of the auditorum at Gateway's main campus).

Nobody Stands Alone - Alone in a Crowd

Series: Nobody Stands Alone
Alone in a Crowd by John Burke - September 7, 2008

What do we want Gateway to be? More importantly, what does God want Gateway to be? This week John focused on at least one aspect of the answer: a community. We weren’t created to be alone (As John pointed out, Adam alone was the first and only thing that God said was “not good” in the Genesis story of creation). Given how most of us have some deep need or desire for some sort of connection, doesn’t that sort of make sense?

1. John started the message with an example of a time when he was at another church and was just standing by himself in the coffee area with no one to talk to and feeling pretty alone. Have you ever experienced anything like that – even if completely different circumstances? Think back about one of your own experiences… maybe in the last week or month... or maybe something really horrible/memorable from earlier years. What were the circumstances? Can you describe your feelings at the time? Take some time to share about your “all alone” experience. (10 minutes)

2. Next, in the experience you described above… what happened? Did you bolt? Did someone “rescue” you? Maybe you took the initiative and made a connection? Describe some of the solutions to those “all alone” experiences. So, how did that work for you? Talk about whether there are some solutions that seem to be more “successful” than others. (10 minutes)

3. We know from Genesis that God thinks it’s not good for humans to be alone, so there must be some reasons we need “community”. Discuss that. What are some of the reasons it is good to be connected in genuine, open relationships? (10 minutes)

4. So, if community is so good, why is it that it can be so rare? Talk about different reasons it is hard for us to stay in community/relationships. (While you’re discussing this one, take a look at Genesis 3 – some key passages are below – and see if that gives you any other ideas about why we have trouble being in relationships.) (10 minutes)

5. At the end of the message, John talked about the Soul Revolution that Gateway will be starting in October. The Soul Revolution commitment is to “check in” with God every hour for two months. The series is based on the previous 60/60 challenge from about three years ago. See whether there is anyone in the group who took the challenge then - or at least tried to. If so, take some time for those who are willing to talk about their own experience. Did it make any difference in your spiritual life/relationship with God? If so, how? If not, describe that too. What were challenges to staying with it and how did you handle those? If no one tried 60/60 before – or if time allows, talk about some of the LIKELY issues/challenges people might face in committing to the Soul Revolution challenge. (10 minutes)

6. Leave some time for the group to discuss whether to “sign on” to the Soul Revolution. If you have already decided to do the program, discuss any mechanics and possible challenges. If the verdict is out, end with some time for individuals to think about whether they are personally willing to commit to Soul Revolution. Be sure to pray that God will give you direction and conviction if this is the right time for you to do this. If the group is doing Soul Revolution, pray that God will encourage you and the group to support each other and also pray that God will do great things at Gateway from this experience.

Note: If your group will not participate in Soul Revolution, be thinking of what you will do during that time. Because the Sunday messages will be based on Soul revolution, Second Helpings will use the Soul Revolution group discussion questions, so there will not be independent lessons or discussion questions.

If you WILL participate, be sure everyone in the group signs up (link below) so you can get materials and copies of the Soul Revolution book starting next week.

Bible verses from the message:

Then God said, "Let us make people in our image, in our likeness… And the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone.” Genesis 1:26, 2:18

Then God said, "Let us make people in our image, in our likeness…” Genesis 1:26

"How is it that they say the Christ is the Son of David? David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: " `The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand…”’ David calls him `Lord.' How then can he be his son?" Luke 20:41-44 quoting Psalm 110:1

“They sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God….” Genesis 3:7-8

“[God] said, "Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" The man said, "The woman you put here with me….” Genesis 3:11-12

[Jesus] said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life… "If you knew me, you would know my Father also." John 8:12, 19

I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17:20-21

There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number. Acts 2:44-47

Want to get more/go farther?

• Learn more about Soul Revolution - and register on-line.
• You can listen to this message - and other ones too at Gateway Messages.
• Get an idea of where you are in your spiritual journey and customize your own next steps at Gateway's Discover, Develop, Deepen website.
• Search for other topics you want to know more about Gateway's online Bookstore, or go to the virtual Bookstore (in the Garage and on the second level of the auditorum at Gateway's main campus).

Is that You God?...What do I do now?

Is that You God?
What do I do now? by John Burke - August 31, 2008
So, now we’ve gone through two weeks of this series about God trying to get our attention - through both the good and bad things in life, and in this message John addressed what we do once God has our attention. And the answer is (so simple yet hard): have faith in Him. He wants to build a relationship with us.

1. John began by talking about how faith in someone is based on knowing that person and he described some of the wrong impressions he had about Kathy his wife, before he got to know her. Have you ever had any experiences like that with someone. Think about your circle of friends or other associates right now. Is the anyone in that group who you had a very different impression about before you got to know that person better? Who was it and how did your impression change? Take some time to share peoples experiences with initial misperceptions experiences for a few minutes.

2. John made the point that it is impossible to go through life without exhibiting faith in things we can’t be sure of. His example was flying in an airplane: you trust the airline to make sure the pilot, the plane, and the flight control were in order – you don’t actually KNOW those things. So think about all the things you “trust” as you go through your daily life. Go around the group and try to come up with several examples of the kind of faith (another word for trust) we use to get through each day.

3. So, having faith is nothing new to us, whether it is God we are trusting in or not. Think for a minutes about what makes you trust someone or something. What do you need before you “trust” someone? John said that knowledge is an important part of it. But so often, we have an impression of God that is not based on real knowledge, but on our impression of what God wants from us. Take some time to talk about that: What are some of the common impressions people have of what God wants… either ones YOU had or have or ones you hear about from other people?

4. If we need to know more about God to trust him, there are different ways we can get that information. From the Bible, from prophesy, and from Jesus’ life, we can learn something about how God works. In the message, John used the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus to make a point about how God approaches us. Read the story below and then discuss what things you can learn about God from that story.

5. The first step in building a relationship with God is to accept his invitation - like the one he made to Zacchaeus: He wants to “come home with us”. Then like any relationship, our relationship with God grows as we as we trust Him more and more. That’s really all He wants from us – to build a relationship based on trust. So, where are you in that relationship building? First step of trust? A new area of trust in your relationship with Him? Do you feel like there is something He’s wanting you to trust about Him now? Reflect on that for a minute, and then plan to follow John’s “trust” prescription: 1) Tell God you want to trust Him and follow His direction; 2) Do your own “heart-check” and make sure you really do want to trust… or at least you’re willing to be willing; 3) Ask God to show you, through circumstances or your own heart, what He wants you to trust Him for; 4) Step on out in faith. During the week (or more), revisit this faith step with God and note whether and how the “trust” relationship is growing.

Bible verses from the message:

“Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Hebrews 11:6

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only [Son], who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. John 1:18

Then they asked [Jesus], "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." John 6:28-29

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation… So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:8-11

"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. James 2:23

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

Zacchaeus story: Luke 19: 1 – 10
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' " But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Want to get more/go farther?

• You can listen to this message - and other ones too at Gateway Messages.
• Get an idea of where you are in your spiritual journey and customize your own next steps at Gateway's Discover, Develop, Deepen website.
• Want support in some specific area of your life? There are different ways to get help at Gateway's Support and Recovery ministries. Check it out.
• Need personal help with something big (or little)? Biblically-based professional counseling is available with Merry Fiske.
• Search for other topics you want to know more about Gateway's online Bookstore, or go to the virtual Bookstore (in the Garage and on the second level of the auditorum at Gateway's main campus).