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

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