Coming out of Sunday Feb 14th’s teaching, “The Church Defined: A Community of Witnesses”, spend some time in prayerful reflection and dialogue with your Home Church/Friends/Family around any combination of these questions:
Read Acts 1:8, Matthew 5:15-16 and Matthew 28:18-20 before starting. Pray and ask God to speak.
- Why does the church exist? What would you say the purpose of the church is?
- What do these passages tell us about the purpose of the church? What’s significant about them as it relates to understanding the role and function of the church in our world today?
- Jeff highlighted the word “Witness” from Acts 1:8 as a key word in understanding the church’s purpose. How would you define the word ‘witness’ here? What do you think it means to ‘bear witness to Jesus’ in our world today?
- How has the word “witness” or “witnessing” been ‘hijacked’ by some Christians today? What makes ‘bearing witness to Jesus’ more than just evangelism?
- What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our ability to live as witnesses in the world today? Why is it so important that we remember this? What happens when we don’t remember this?
- Jeff talked about two equally important ways we can ‘bear witness’ to Jesus in our world today: In WORD and DEED. Why is it important that we do both? What’s the danger of only living into one and not the other?
- Read 1 Peter 3:15. What has your experience been in ‘bearing witness to Jesus’ with your WORDS?
- What makes this so challenging? What makes it rewarding? Why does this matter so much? Why are we often so resistant to this?
- As ‘witnesses’ we get to tell our story – we don’t necessarily have to try to convince people. What is freeing about this? What is challenging about this?
- What are some other key ways that we can use our words to tell others about Jesus?
- Read Matthew 5:16 again. What has your experience been in ‘bearing witness to Jesus’ with your DEEDS?
- What makes this such an important aspect of being a witness?
- What are some key was that we – as a church – can be intentional to ‘bear witness to Jesus’ by doing ‘good deeds’ in our communities/neighbourhood?
- The message wrapped up with two reflection questions. How would you respond to each question?
- 1. How is God calling you to ‘bear witness to Jesus’ in the world with your WORDS?
- 2. How is God calling you to ‘bear witness to Jesus’ in the world with your DEEDS?
