Large group - mentoring and teaching

Here are the discussion questions!  Please feel free to reply or reply-all if you see anything that you would like to respond to:

1. What is the point of teaching and mentoring? See 2 Timothy 3:10-16. The word ‘instruct’ is a translation of the Greek word παιδεία [paideia], which means:

1) the whole training and education of children (which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose now commands and admonitions, now reproof and punishment) It also includes the training and care of the body

2) whatever in adults also cultivates the soul, esp. by correcting mistakes and curbing passions.

2a) instruction which aims at increasing virtue

2b) chastisement, chastening, (of the evils with which God visits men for their amendment)? [Strong’s/Thayer’s Greek Lexicon]

How can this be accomplished? Read 1 Corinthians 4:14-17. Do we need to instruct with our words, our actions, or both? Proverbs 1:8-9. What are some concrete ways to create situations where learning and instruction can happen? In an everyday sense? Can you also think of helpful challenges, ceremonies, rites of passage, etc.?

2. Whose responsibility is it to teach? See again Proverbs 1:8-9 and 1 Corinthians 4:14-17, and also Luke 17:1-4. Are parents responsible for knowing what their children are learning even if they entrust some of their education to others (e.g. a school)? Should we take being a teacher seriously? Read James 3 andEphesians 4:11-16.

3. What about the role of punishment? See Proverbs 13:24, 19:18, 29:15, etc. What do punishment and rebuke look like? See 2 Timothy 4:1-5. See also Titus 2 and 1 Timothy 5:1-2. What does Titus 2:1-8 tell us about a community in which teaching can take place?

Large group - peace, joy, faith, and purpose

Here are the Discussion Questions for today (below). Also, as requested after our talk about money last week, I have posted a budget sheet that you are free to copy and do with as you wish (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1z7VH6icr3yxmyqKZGdS5ObzjViqjoCgpqGWgyt_GynU/edit#gid=85882684). Finally, my address is 339 S. Catalina Ave and my phone number is 401-439-6786, in case you have any trouble finding us.

Peace, joy, faith, and purpose:

1. We talk about how God disciplines us through hard times (e.g. Hebrews 12:4-13) so that we may be strengthened in righteousness and peace. For example, David is strengthened through his hardships and grows in faith (Psalm 13). But what about when David is comfortable? Read 2 Samuel 11. Now that David was at ease he began to stray from the Lord’s ways (e.g. he stayed at home instead of going off to war and also fell into covetousness, trickery, murder, etc.). There are many other examples of biblical characters and nations falling away from God during times of ease and comfort (e.g. 1 Kings 11:1-6 or 2 Kings 23:36-37).

2. However, others in the bible were able to be righteous during times of plenty. Consider Job (read Job 1:1-11). Job had great faith during times of both plenty and trouble. What sorts of things did Job do that were pleasing to the Lord? Consider Proverbs 10:4-5 and Ecclesiastes 3. What do they talk about? How do we know what season of life we are in? How do we gather up knowledge to interpret the times and know God’s will for us? Read Matthew 7:7-12, Proverbs 16:1 and 9, Numbers 15:32-36,Mark 2:27. Why does God take the Sabbath so seriously? What happens when we are busy with our own plans?

3. What are some ways to grow in peacetime? Start with Psalm 1:1-3. What does it talk about?  How does it relate to our lives? How do we become a person who meditates on the law of the Lord by day and by night? What does it mean to pray unceasingly (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)? How do we learn to do this? How do peace and joy and prayer and praise come together? See also Phillipians 4:4-9. Are the exhortations in the 1 Thessalonians and Philippians passages corporate or personal; how do the personal and the corporate inter-relate? Do we shy away from being joyful or pretend to be less joyful than we are (e.g. to fit in with complaining about work)? How does Romans 12:15-16 fit in?

4. What is the point of joy and peace and faith? Philippians 2:12-13; God works through us and His will for us is good. So these are good things in and of themselves. What about some concrete examples of Jesus’ will for us? Take, for example, the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). We each, as a member of the church have a responsibility toward that goal (e.g. 1 Corinthians 12:28-29). How do Ephesians 4:11-16 and Philippians 4:4-7 relate to what we have been speaking about with joy, peace, faith, and God’s purpose for us?

Feel free to reply-all with comments and discussion!

Faith, hope, and love,

Peter

Large group - Money and power

1. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power (1 Corinthians 4:20). Context for this (as always) is important; read 1 Corinthians 4. Focus on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5. What does ‘Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful’ (1 Corinthians 4:2) mean? Where does power come from (Deuteronomy 8:17 and Romans 13:1-7). What does it mean to subject to authority? How do these passages connect to the real world? Does the bible describe reality (John 19:11)? How do power, responsibility, and respect connect? What is the purpose of power; why does God give out power (Isaiah 58)?

2. One form of power is money. Is money (or anything) inherently evil (1 Corinthians 10:23-33)? However, can money (or other idols) lead you astray (e.g. Matthew 6:24)? Consider that there are righteous (Acts 13:22) and unrighteous (Luke 23:11) rich and righteous (Mark 12:42) and unrighteous (Genesis 18:32) poor.

3. Money can be used for good (e.g. imagine how much good you could do with infinite amounts of money to feed people with) and is something to be stewarded well. God gives His gifts (including money) based on His own plan (e.g. Job’s life) not as a reward. Beware of both the Prosperity Gospel (e.g. twisting 3 John 1:2) and the Poverty Gospel (e.g. twisting Mark 10:21)! What are pitfalls of both these ‘gospels’?

4. How do these verses work together? 1 Timothy 5:8, Proverbs 13:22, Matthew 6:3, Proverbs 21:20 (compare with Proverbs 10:14), Matthew 25:14-30, Job 1:21. How can we be good stewards of the blessings that God has given us?

Large group - Parents and children

1. We have one Father in heaven (Ephesians 4:6). Clearly our relationship with Him is not the same as with our earthly parents (e.g. Matthew 23:9, Luke 11:11-13, Hebrews 12:3-11). What are some similarities and differences?

2. Exodus 20:12. Honor your mother and your father. This is the first commandment with a promise (Ephesians 6:1-4). What does it mean to honor your mother and father? What do Malachi 1:6-9 and Mark 7:6-13 show us about honor, how we treat God, and how we treat our parents? Do we use words, actions, attitude?

3. Does this mean that we have to always listen to our parents? Read Ezekiel 20:18-19 and Acts 5:29. Can parents be wrong? Read also Colossians 3:12-21. Who do we ultimately have allegiance to?

4. Look at Ephesians 6:4 and Proverbs 1:8. How are fathers and mothers called to be raising their children; to what purpose? Is this a reflection of how God raises us as His children (e.g. Hebrews 12:10)? What is God raising us for? See Ephesians 4:1-16. In this context, how do we honor our parents?

5. Do parents make mistakes? Read Colossians 3:21 and Ephesians 6:4. Why is there a specific warning? What happens when parents exasperate their children? Can parents harm their children (Jeremiah 19:1-5)? What to do then? Have you had conflict with your parents? What happened? Have you sought to restore damage? Is that always possible (Romans 12:18)?

Large group - The Seemly and the Unseemly (1 Corinthians 12)

Note that we are back to meeting at 8:45pm.

Tonight we will be talking about 'seemly' and 'unseemly' members of the Body of Christ. What's the difference between the two, how does it affect our relationships with each other? What are pitfalls to watch out for? How do we cover each other? How do we give greater honor to the 'unseemly' members (e.g. 1 Corinthians 12:23)? What are our strengths and weaknesses?

This will be an introduction to the topic.  For more insight into this important (and often neglected) concept I highly recommend coming to the CCF prayer meeting that happens every other week (next time: Saturday, July 5).

Faith, hope, and love,

Peter

Large group - Reliance on God, the gifts He has given us, and the Body of Christ

1. A few elementary truths to begin our discussion. We rely on God to give us strength and life (Phillipians 4:13, Psalm 46:1). We depend on Him and Christ’s transforming power rests on us (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

2. With this in mind, it is apparent that sometimes God asks us to do things on our own (with His help) and sometimes He asks us to do things as a group (also with His help).

a. An OT example of being on our own is Elijah, e.g. 1 Kings 18:16-39. Elijah is the last prophet left and pitted against all the servants of Baal (1 Kings 18:22). The final purpose of this exhibition is the glory of God (1 Kings 18:39).

b. An OT example of being asked to work as a group is the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem, e.g. Nehemiah 3:12 (most of Nehemiah 3, actually). Here they rebuild in groups, help each other, and defend each other. Again, the ultimate end is the glorification of God (through the restoration of Jerusalem). See also, in more general terms, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.

c. A NT example of being on our ‘own’ is Phillip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch, Acts 8:26-40. Phillip was given direct orders to go out alone into the desert and was equipped by God to share the gospel with the Ethiopian; through God’s mercy the Ethiopian was converted.

d. A NT example of being called to work together (Hebrews 10:24-25, 1 Thessalonians 5:14-22, Luke 10:1, 3 John 1-8). In the Hebrews passage we are asked to consider how we can build each other up. In the 1 Thessalonians passage, the entire community was exhorted to support each other. In the Luke passage the disciples were sent out in pairs. In the 3 John passage we are told to support fellow workers.

3. In what areas of your life are you called to be able to do things ‘on your own’ (with Christ alongside you!) vs. called to rely on others (and Christ!). Some potential topics: caring for others, preparing for events, dealing with money, teaching others, proselytizing (not an exhaustive list). This can be different for everyone! Is this a black and white distinction, or do we sometimes rely more on the gifts God gave us and at other times rely more on our friends, even in the same area of our lives? We are each given different gifts and strengths and weaknesses (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).  What are some of your gifts?  What strengths do you have? What weaknesses? How/in what areas can others help you?

4. Christians should be imitators of Christ. How do we learn to be imitators of Christ? We are given spiritual gifts. How do we learn to use those gifts? See 1 Corinthians 11:1 and Luke 6:40. Who do we directly learn from?  Is it good to learn from more than one person (cf. Proverbs 24:6).

Large group - What is true and proper worship?

1.  Romans 12:1-2. In this context, consider Mark 12:29-34. What is the nature of true and proper worship?

2. Where do we offer our sacrifices in worship? In the Old Testament these sacrifices were offered in the tabernacle (a short reminder is in Hebrews 9:1-5, but read through Leviticus for a more exhaustive list of proper Old Testament sacrifices). However, this is not system of worship that we have under the New Covenant (also recall our discussion of mercy and obedience, not sacrifice, e.g. Isaiah 1:11-17). Rather, we haveHebrews 9:11-15 (note especially Hebrews 9:14, “So that we may serve the living God!”). So where is the temple at which we worship now? See 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, “You together are that temple.” See alsoEphesians 2:19-22. (Note that there is also the true tabernacle in heaven—Hebrews 9:11—but can we go there yet? So where is the temple that is relevant to our worship now?). And rest assured that God is consistent! He wants the same worship of us now as He always did (e.g. Isaiah 1:16-17). What then of the Law (see Hebrews 10:1)? How do we worship God?

3. Some errors in worship: Matthew 15:1-11 (Phariseeism, see the opposite in Matthew 6:1-4), Acts 17:22-31 (ignorant worship, see the opposite in John 4:19-26), Colossians 2:20-23 (self-abnegation, see the opposite of this in Romans 14, which we talked about when we discussed freedom in Christ).

4. What are some ways to remain focused on worship and on God?  See Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

5. Christians are priests and we offer sacrifices (1 Peter 2:5 and Hebrews 13:15-16).  What sacrifices do we offer? What are good sacrifices? How are we enabled to make these sacrifices? What incense do we offer up (see Revelation 5:8)? What praise offerings and songs do we make (see Ephesians 5:18-20)? How will others know we are true followers of God (see John13:34-35)?

6. What about what we typically think of as worship (e.g. singing)? See Psalms 33:3, 42:10, 96:1, 100:1-2,Isaiah 42:10, etc. Is this worship also commendable? Of course! See, e.g., 1 Chronicles 16:23-31, Acts 16:25,Ephesians 5:18-20, Colossians 3:16, James 5:13, etc. But, importantly, with what attitude do we sing, worship, and praise? See Hebrews 12:28-29 and recall Romans 12:1-2. What comes first, songs of praise or acts of love? Can the two coincide?

Large group - How should we pray?

1. As you know, Jesus taught us how to pray, Matthew 6:9-13. What are the main parts of how we are to pray? 1. “Hallowed be your name.” 2. “Your kingdom come.” 3. “Your will be done.” 4. “Give us today our daily bread.” 5. “Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors.” 6. “Lead us not into temptation.” 7. “Deliver us from the evil one.” What do each of them mean?

2. There are (at least) five related aspects of prayer.

a. Praise and thanksgiving: (related to “Hallowed be your name”), e.g. Psalm 138 or Psalm 145.

b. Consolation and comfort: e.g. Psalm 88.

c. Healing: e.g. Jeremiah 17:14.

d. Preparation, protection, and the Armor of God: e.g. Ephesians 6:10-17.

e. Praying for others: e.g. Colossians 4:12, Ephesians 6:18-20.

Are there other aspects as well?

3. Luke 11:5-13. “Seek.” Read through the parable; what does it mean? Does seeking imply persistence? What or who are we seeking? Read 2 Corinthians 3:12-18. What is the meaning of Luke 11:11-13?

4. Further instructions on prayer, Matthew 6:5-8.

a. “Do not be like the hypocrites.” Why have they received their reward in full? What is their reward?

b. “Do not babble on like the pagans.” What does this mean? Does it mean that long prayers, formulaic prayers, or repetitive prayers are intrinsically bad? Or does it have more to do with an attitude of the heart? Are there pitfalls for long or formulaic prayers? Are they useful?

5. Matthew 6:8. “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Why do we pray then? Well, Jesus tells us to. But, Techers like to understand things (and we are called to chase after God with all our heart, mind, and strength). Maybe the power of words (e.g. Hebrews 11:3, Proverbs 18:21)?  How else does prayer make sense biblically?

6. Is it okay to be angry or sad or happy or serious or scared or exhausted or _____ when we pray? See the diversity of the psalms. However, with what attitude do we come before God (e.g. 2 Chronicles 20:12)? What can we ask for (see Ephesians6:18)? Might the answer be ‘no’ (see Luke 11:11-13)?

7. Are seeking to be more like Jesus (e.g. 1 John 2:3-6) and striving to have an attitude of prayer (e.g. Colossians 4:2) intimately tied? How does one gain an attitude of prayer (asking, practicing, Daniel 6:10)? How does that look practically?

8. Matthew 5:44. Is that hard? Discuss.

9. Prayer and action. Jesus’ life included both prayer time and action (check out the gospels). Read 1 John 3:17. How does this tie into prayer?

Large group - Apologetics

This week we will be discussing Apologetics in Large Group. Apologetics comes from a Greek word that means defense, and is often used to refer to defense of the faith. This week we will primarily be focusing on some basic principles and apologetics toward non-theists (agnostics and atheists); we will probably have at least one other large group about apologetics toward non-Christian theists later in the term. 

Discussion Questions

1.       Why apologetics? Why are they important? Matt 28:19-20 and 1 Peter 3:15.
2.       In what spirit should we take up apologetics? (1 Peter 3:15 is also useful here).
3.       When defending the faith, especially in a discussion with a non-believer, what is the end goal? On what time scale should we expect apologetic work to be successful (if at all)? To what degree is this success, or lack thereof, dependent on the efforts of the apologist?
4.       How do we carry out the command in 1 Peter 3:15 if we are not trained in apologetics? What are some common tactics we can use? How can asking the non-believer questions be useful in apologetics?

Some Questions to think about:

1.       Is the absence of evidence itself evidence of absence? Under what conditions might this be true and under what conditions might this be false?
2.       Does the atheist have to prove his viewpoint or does the burden of proof only fall on the believer?
3.       A common question is “are things good because God commands them or does God command things that are independently good?” Is either of these viewpoints correct? Is there another option?
Feel free to share questions that you have seen or been asked before and discuss them.

Large group - Not just sacrifice...

1. Read Hosea 6:4-6. Now read Matthew 12:3-8: what do these words mean, “For I desire mercy not sacrifice…?” Who’s mercy? Who’s sacrifice? See also Matthew 9:10-13.

2. 1 Samuel 15:22-23. “To obey is better than sacrifice.” How is this the same as desiring mercy and not sacrifice? Why is obedience better than sacrifice? Do obedience and sacrifice sometimes go hand-in-hand (see, e.g., Jesus’ example in Luke 22:42)? How can we tell whether we are being asked to sacrifice? Is extra sacrifice, for the sake of sacrifice, more commendable (see also Matthew 10:16 and compare with 1 Peter 3:17).

3. Freedom in Christ; Galatians 5:1. What does it mean to be free in Christ (see Galatians 5:2-6, for example, where Paul chastises those who depend on something other than Christ’s resurrection)?

4. A BIG QUESTION. Romans 14:15, how do we decide whether to refrain from an activity (assuming it’s not blatantly a sin…); see also 1 Corinthians 6:12 and 1 Corinthians 10:23 and context.

5. Compare these two types of ‘freedom:’ freedom in Christ and ‘freedom’ from lawlessness (i.e. ‘doing whatever you want’); see 1 John 3:4. Where does freedom in Christ lead to, where does ‘freedom’ in lawlessness lead to; see Romans 6:15-23? Read 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; in Christ there is freedom and that freedom leads to transformation.

6. Romans 14:1-23 (see also Colossians 3:12-17). Think about this in the context of 1 Corinthians 12 (the Body of Christ).  Discuss Romans 14:1; what are disputable matters? Romans 14:4, how can we judge others when we do not know their heart (what are the two ways that we are allowed to judge biblically: Matthew 7:16-20, Galatians 1:8-9)? Romans 14:8, how should we govern our actions and decide whether what we are doing is in accordance with living like Jesus? What is the meaning of Romans 14:19-21?

Large Group - Maturity and the Rag Program

Hi CCFers,

In our final Large Group of term, we will be talking about Christian maturity. To contextualize this conversation, we will examine a “coming-of-age” program (called the YMCA Rag Program) involving different stages that one will encounter as a maturing Christian.  In the early 1990s CCF adopted the Rag Program and modified it slightly to suit the needs of our fellowship (although, like many things we do, it is a purely optional program designed only as a tool and a framework for personal growth as a Christian). Through the lens of the Rag Program, we will examine seven different ‘steps’ of growth to maturity as a Christian and emulating Jesus more and more (although, again, there are clearly other ways of thinking about it!). Jonathan Gardner, a CCF alumnus will be joining us to share his perspective on “The Rag.”

May you know faith, hope, and love,

Peter

P.S. Here are the discussion topics:

1. Do all mature Christians look the same? Recall our discussions of 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 and Ephesians 4:1-6. Are unity and uniformity different?

2. The Rag Program divides up the path to maturity into seven different colors, with each step building on the lessons learned and growth in the early steps. The ‘goal’ of dividing it into different steps is to allow one to focus on particular areas of growth. My personal experience (and of many ‘Raggers’ I have talked to) is that this works. In general, for each step, one chooses a mentor (someone who has already taken the challenge to grow in the ways defined by that particular color), and creates 3ish personal goals related to the general theme of the color, and then asks for God’s help to grow generally in the theme of that color and specifically for those personal struggles. As many of us know, asking God to grow us can be quite scary! The mentor is often a good way to start a discipleship and to help guide us as we grow.

The colors (very briefly):

1. Blue, “Leaving.” The general theme can be summed up as making a commitment to Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  That is, to take a first step into devoting your life to God and to trusting Him. What are some of the things that stand in our way of making this commitment?

2. Silver, “Finding.” The theme of the Silver Rag is to commit to finding out more about who God is—a servant God—and to commit to emulate him, as well as to finding out more about who you yourself are. Philippians 2:5-11 and Luke 10:27 touch on this idea. What are some ways we can understand who God is (scripture, prayer?)? How can we better understand who we are (perhaps in community with others?)?

3. Brown, “Service.” The commitment to the brown rag is the commitment to grow in service and the building of a servant’s heart. Matthew 25:34-36 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 introduce these concepts nicely. In what ways can we serve individually, as a group? How can we develop and grow a servant’s heart (maybe asking God, or choosing to act in a particular way even when we don’t feel like it)?

4. Gold, “Understanding.” The gold rag is the commitment to take service to an even deeper level, more than just providing for the general needs that we all have. This commitment is to grow to a level of understanding of those around you that you can serve them personally and know how to build them up, even when they are different than you. Ephesians 4:29 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 generally describe the commitment of the gold rag. How can we put ourselves in someone else’s shoes; how can we love one another personally?

5. Red, “Sacrifice.” Taking the red rag means that you are committing to sacrifice of your time, talents, and personal will and to submit fully to God. This is a hefty commitment. The challenge of the red rag is well summed up in Isaiah 6:8 and Matthew 26:39.

6. Purple, “Deepening.” For n raggers, there exist > n+1descriptions of the purple rag. To me, the mood of Psalm 139 comes closest to capturing the feeling of the purple rag, that of deepening in understanding of the five commitments that have come before the commitment to the purple rag.

7. White, “Standing (A Lifetime Commitment to Christian Service).” Ephesians 6:13, “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” The white rag is the commitment to be a disciple of Jesus, through-and-through, that to be a Christian is the defining characteristic of who you are.

Large group - Leadership

Hi CCFers,

This week we will be talking about leadership, looking at both biblical examples and thinking about leadership in CCF (including a brief introduction about how leaders are chosen next term).  First and foremost, we must remember that we serve a servant God who, though He is master of the universe, humbles himself to die for us.

May you know faith, hope, and love,

Peter

P.S. I have attached this week’s discussion questions below:

1. Our God is a servant God. How does Jesus call us to lead (Matthew 20:25-28)? See also Philippians 2:5-11. What happens when we don’t lead as servants?

2. 1 Samuel 8:1-22. Start with 1 Samuel 8:3-5; is there an extra special responsibility to walk in God’s ways as a leader? Compare how Samuel’s sons acted with the way Daniel (who also has much power) acts in Daniel 2:27-28 and Daniel 2:46-47. Now continue on in 1 Samuel: what does God say to Samuel in 1 Samuel 8:6-8? What is the importance of this? Samuel warns the people in 1 Samuel 8:10-18 (if you’re familiar with 1 and 2 Kings, did this happen?); now consider the state of the world, or simply the USA. How does it compare with Samuel’s warning?  In 1 Samuel 8:19 the people ask to be like all the other nations. How does this compare with Matthew 20:25-28?

3. What happens when we don’t listen to God (as leaders)? See 1 Samuel 15:26; see also Ezekiel 34:1-16. How can we be good stewards of leadership and listen to God and walk in His ways (hint: think back to previous Large Groups)? Perhaps Proverbs 11:14 is helpful?

4. Nehemiah 5:1-18. How does Nehemiah help the poor?  Is he firm? Do you think that the nobles liked hearing what he was saying? Now, zoom in on Nehemiah 5:17-18. Nehemiah gives up many things that are his right as governor. But he still has some ‘perks’ (i.e. he still has food made for him every day and wine prepared for him frequently and lots of people come dine at his table). Are there some benefits due to a leader? How much? How little? How does Nehemiah choose what is enough and what is too much?

5. Exodus 18:13-26. Is it okay to delegate? Is it okay not to delegate? In which circumstances? What does this story about Moses tell us? How should one delegate tasks (see Nehemiah 13:13, for example)?

6. Take a look at Hebrews 13:17. Leaders have special responsibility and special obligation to serve; being a leader is not easy (see, e.g., Numbers 11:1-23). What are ways that we can support those who have chosen to take on the burden of service and leadership?

7. Discuss how Family Business Meetings (FBMs) work to pick leaders for CCF.

Large Group - Service

1.  Love. Perhaps one of the best known passages on love is 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. How does love relate to service? Is love a feeling, or an attitude, or a decision, or all of these, or something else? Connect this with Philippians 2:1-4; how does humility fit into the picture (Romans 12:3-21 and 1 Peter 5:6)?

2. Acts 20:32-35, Matthew 25:34-46. Here are some passages about service. How do they relate to love? See an example of Pharisee-ism (Matthew 23:4; especially, “will not lift a finger”). How is service at odds with Pharisee-ism; how are the hearts and attitudes different?

3. Let’s look at faith and works in James 2:14-26. What is the difference between faith and works?  How are they complementary? How does this passage relate to our discussion of the previous questions? What is the attitude behind service?  Does that attitude come naturally?  Can that attitude be built up? How?

4. Here is a poem/prayer about service, from the YMCA Rag Program:

O, Lord, I pray, that from this day
No love of ease
Nor pride prevent my good intent
Not to be pleased, but to please.
This, too, I pray, that from this day
I may not swerve
By foot or hand from Thy command
Not to be served, but to serve.

Is it easy to serve?  How does this poem/prayer make you feel?  Mark 10:43-45 might be encouraging. Whose example do we follow; why do we serve?  Recall what Jesus has done for us (stop and think about it!). As always, where does our strength come from (see Isaiah 40:29-31, Psalm 119:28)? How are ways we can be strengthened to serve (see prayer & scripture: Psalm 1, speech: Proverbs 10:11 & Ephesians 4:29, works: Hebrews 10:24-25). Will being in a community of people living out their faith strengthen us and encourage us (see 1 Thessalonians 3:6)?

5. Discussion about how we (as CCF) want to put this discussion into action.

Large group - The Power of History and Legacy

This week we will split our discussion into two parts, starting with some of the history of CCF and then moving into discussion of the power of history and legacy. As we will discuss this week, the idea of history and roots runs deep in the bible. History brings glory to Jesus, encouragement to us, and helps us to understand each other better.

I am very pleased and encouraged about the community we are developing and the love I see demonstrated in our community. I encourage us to continue more and more! “Brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more,” 1 Thessalonians 4:1. I pray that we will continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ daily (2 Peter 3:18).

To Him be the glory and power now and forever.

--Peter

P.S. Here are the discussion points for this week; please take a look at them and feel free to reply-all and start a conversation

1. The bible is predominantly made up of stories; the interactions of human beings with God and each other. A fairly concise example: Nehemiah 9. What is the significance of the fact that God chooses to reveal himself mainly through stories (e.g. the stories of the Old Testament, Acts, Jesus’ parables, etc.)? Consider Psalm 78:4.

2. Is there intrinsic value in understanding our roots and knowing about them?  Why does God bother to tell us about genealogies (e.g. most of Numbers, Matthew 1:1-17)? What does that reveal about the nature of God? (Consider this briefly and then flesh out your thoughts in the next questions).

3. History is instructive, and glorifying to God. Consider Job 8:8-10 and the context of the Book of Job. See also Nehemiah 8:12; why were the people encouraged and joyful?

4. Understanding of history and traditions is encouraging, e.g. Romans 15:4.  See alsoNehemiah 8:12. In what ways have you been encouraged by deeds of the past. Corporate history is also encouraging and glorifying to God, as we see in many of the epistles, and also in 1 Samuel 7:12 and Joshua 4:20-22. What are some of the ebenezers in your life, or in your church community (feel free to ask what ‘ebenezer’ means).

5. Understanding out history and our forefathers helps us to understand ourselves, e.g. Luke6:40. See also 1 Corinthians 11:1-2 and Matthew 16:18.

6. How does our history relate to our present and our future? The idea of continuity and growth: for example, 1 Timothy 4:11-16. This passage also relates to us, as members of CCF, in a very personal way, since for almost 50 years now the rising leaders of CCF have been blessed each year with the laying on of hands by their elders and contemporaries (who are older than us!). And how ought we to grow, persevere, and progress (see 2 Peter3:18)? And what are practical ways we are called to grow (Philippians 1:9 and Hebrews 5:11-6:3, e.g. discernment of good and evil and becoming trained teachers)? How does that growth relate to those who will come after us? Are we called to grow (and will that always be comfortable)? Share about a way in which you have grown.

Large group - Corruption

We are now deep into term, and it is midterms time. We are definitely tired! Not many were able to come to Large Group this past week, and the ones who came were very sleepy. I (and I am sure many others in CCF) have been praying for our perseverance in the face of work, for rest, and for extra energy and good sleep. I want to encourage us in two specific ways:

(1) To remember that Jesus has already won us and that, as long as we hold to our faith in Him, no failure or success on our part has the power to change that.

(2) To seek out the replenishment of prayer, scripture, and the community of other believers so that we can support each other. Stress can lead to isolation, which hurts :/

I hope that Large Group can be a replenishment, also.  So, this week we will again have just a short discussion and then have an activity together that will hopefully refresh us.

I hope to see you at Large Group, and I exhort those of us who are feeling stronger to go and seek out those who are more distressed and tired in order to build them up. (This obviously includes seeking out both Christians and non-Christians to encourage :D).

Love in Christ,

Peter

P.S. This week we will be talking about corruption

corrupt  [kuh-ruhpt] adj.—

1. guilty of dishonest practices, as bribery; lacking integrity; crooked: a corrupt judge.

2. debased in character; depraved; perverted; wicked; evil: a corrupt society.

3. made inferior by errors or alterations, as a text.

4. infected; tainted.

5. decayed; putrid.

2 Peter 2:17-22. Obviously, corruption is bad. Galatians 6. What leads to corruption? What sorts of things can be corrupted? Matthew 6:24 (money), Matthew 23:1-12(respect, power, popularity), Hosea (sex), Luke 18:9-12 (religion, prayer, tithes), etc. (everything except God Himself…). How do we avoid corruption? Maybe prayer, accountability, not walking into temptation, anything else? Matthew 6:13, James 5:16. How do we know our limits and what temptation we can stand against?

Large group: Stewardship pt. 2!

Last week we talked about stewardship of the gifts God gives us. God also gives us material blessing, how do we steward that blessing?

Genesis 1:1, Romans 11:33-36. Everything belongs to God, including us—recall that we belong personally to Jesus (Romans 1:6), who died for us and to whom we owe our lives! Malachi 3:6-12. How do we think about tithing? Are we graciously allowed to keep 90% of the things God gives us to steward, or is God taking 10% of our money? Leviticus 27:30-33, Nehemiah 10:37-39, Leviticus 23, Zechariah 7. Where did the money go in the Old Testament? (Hint: was it to (a) the priests, (b) the house of the Lord, (c) to festivals, or (d) to compassionate gifts to the poor and alien?).  What modern day analogs do our tithes go to; why are these important to fund? Where do taxes figure in (Mark 12:13-17)? Do we give from our net income or our gross income (see, e.g., 2 Chronicles 31:5, what are firstfruits)?

Large group - Stewardship!

Let’s think about stewardship. God gives us gifts to use in service to others. Most importantly, He gave us the ultimate gift: Jesus, to die for our sins, who loves us and is the purpose behind all that we do!  

How do we steward the gifts that God has given us?  This week we will look at stewardship of our own gifts and also a bit about service and leadership (because we will be picking new leadership for CCF at the beginning of next term, and now is a good time to start thinking about whether you will serve through leadership next year).

Additionally, I encourage you to come to the CCF Prayer Meeting this coming Saturday (Feb. 4). It is a place where I learned a lot about my gifts as a Christian through the mentorship of the older folks who watch over CCF.

Finally—our Large Group homework—have we been putting our gifts to good use and stewarding them well? Have we been living out what talk about in Large Group? Have we been inviting friends to join in Christian community? Are we spending time together and growing in love with each other as a community? Are we reaching out to those who are struggling? I encourage us to consider these matters and pray in the Spirit that we might die to ourselves and become more like Jesus every day!

Love in Christ,
Peter

P.S. Potential leadership positions! Email Robb, me, or CCF Council (ccf-council@caltech.edu) with any inquiries!  Also, CCF Council meetings are open to everyone—they are Thursdays at 12:10 just outside the Red Door Café—please stop by if you want :)

President—makes sure things happen in CCF, usually leads council meetings, is spiritual cover for CCF, and takes care of miscellaneous things
Secretary—takes notes at council, is in charge of treasury things, does reimbursements, mostly behind the scenes things
LG Coordinator—leads Large Group (doesn’t have to do it the way I do!)
SG leader—leads a small group (about bible study/worship/service/Veggietales/etc.)
Event Coordinator—Might take on some or all of the following roles:
Retreat Coordinator—plans and does logistics for retreats each term
SG Coordinator—makes sure small groups are happening
Dig-In Dude—organizes a major (day or 2-day (even better!)) bible-study once per term
Turtle prayer coordinator—makes sure someone is there (themselves or a delegate) is at Turtle Pond for prayer every day

Let me know if anyone notices that I forgot a role!

P.P.S. I have attached this week’s discussion prompts; please reply (or reply-all!) to start a discussion if any of these catches your eye.

1.      Let’s start with arguably the best-known parable in the bible about stewardship: the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30 or Luke 19:12-28).

a.       What is the main point of this parable? Who is the master? Who are the servants? What do the bags of money/minas represent?

b.      Things do not go well for the lazy, wicked servant (Matthew 25:26-30); what does this tell us about the kingdom of God?  Notice also that the servant makes excuses (Matthew 25:24-25).  How does the master respond?

c.       Is the reward that the master gives to the diligent servants here on Earth, or something to look forward to in heaven? How does this story fit into the rest of scripture? Perhaps think about the Luke version and the conjunction of Luke 19:26 and 19:27. Consider also Luke 8:16-18 and any other biblical evidence you can think of.

2.      Next let’s think about Ecclesiastes: a book about the meaning of life and toil and labor under the sun (and, of course, about Jesus!) written by King Solomon.

a.       Ecclesiastes has a lot to tell us about the purpose of life, our talents, and our labor, and gives context for how to steward our gifts. (I highly suggest reading it because it’s a good book for young people—our age—who are pondering the purpose of their life.) Let’s start with Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 and Ecclesiastes 3:1-14). Does it make sense to use our talents on ourselves? Will our use of our talents always look the same throughout our lives (the Ecclesiastes 3 passage)?

b.      Now let’s think about “the conclusion of the matter” (Ecclesiastes 12, especially 12:13-14). Compare this with Ecclesiastes 9:9-10. Now, compare this with the parable of the talents! What do Ecclesiastes and this parable have to tell us about stewardship, our talents, and the reward for talents put to good use (e.g. Matthew 25:19-23 and question 1c). Is everything meaningless? (Or only meaningless without God?). How then should we use our talents?

3.      What are our talents? How should we use them? As you read through these callings, consider your personal talents and how you fit in the body of Christ (recall 1 Corinthians 12), and how they might apply to you—I encourage sharing your thoughts with the group you’re in!  God did give you talents and has a plan for you (see Psalm 139:13-16 and Jeremiah 1:5 for encouragement).

a.       Tell others in your group about one of your talents.

b.      Each person (person A) pick one other person (person B) in their group and A tell the group what they see is B’s talent.

c.       Now let’s think about some universal callings.

                                                              i.      The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). Does this look the same for everyone? Consider the juxtaposition of Paul (Acts 9:15-16) and the demon-possessed man (Luke 8:38-39).

                                                            ii.      The Greatest Commandments (Luke 22:34-40).

                                                          iii.      The call to persevere (Jude 17-23).

                                                          iv.      Love enemies and be merciful (Luke 6:27-36). Why? See 1 John 4:19.

                                                            v.      There are many others… Are there any on your mind in particular?

d.      Personal callings and prayer. Psalm 1:1-3. How do we know whether we’re doing the right thing? Share about times when God has directed you specifically.

e.       How do we support each other to steward our gifts well? I’m hinting at thinking about topics from previous large groups! :)

Large group 1/20/14 - A well-rounded, Christ-centered life

What does it mean to have a well-rounded life?

1.      Christ-centered. Especial care must be taken this week to remember that we are speaking in the context of having a Christ-centered life (Matthew 6:33) and that this conversation is to give us an idea of what areas we might struggle with as we seek to best steward the gifts God has given us, support each other as a community of believers, and go out into the world and spread the gospel.

2.      One worldy definition of balance is moderation. Consider the church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22, see especially Revelation 3:16). They were neither hot nor cold, but was God pleased with them? Now consider Philippians 4:7 and Philippians 4:12-13; where does a Christian ultimately find balance and peace? What role does moderation have?

The YMCA rag program defines the four cornerstones of a well-rounded life: spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental (of course, centered on Christ). 

Let’s start by thinking about the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). As we consider balance in Christ, one of the fruits of the Spirit that pops out is self-control. But what manner of self-control is this?  Is it total control of emotions (but remember the other fruits of the spirit, like love!). Is it complete self-abnegation and abstention (Romans 14:1-8)? Will the manifestation of the fruits of the Spirit look the same in everyone (see Romans 14:1-8, 1 Corinthians 12:12-20)?

Spiritual
Prayer. James 5:15. Daniel 6:10. Psalms for many occasions: Psalm 42, Psalm 88, Psalm 121, Psalm 146. Are we often in the attitude of prayer? How does prayer change us and affect us?
In the word. Ephesians 6:15. Psalm 1 (especially Psalm 1:2). What do we spend our time thinking about?  How does that affect our actions?

Emotional
Social. Ephesians 5:17-21. Proverbs 11:13. Proverbs 17:9. Proverbs 26:17. James 5:16. Matthew 5:23-24. What things commonly come up socially that put us ill at heart? How can we encourage each other?
Personal. Psalm 4:4. Proverbs 14:30. Do we seek distraction or replenishment and healing with our free time?

Physical

Healthcare. 3 John 1:2. Good health is a joy and allows us to be free to use our gifts.
 
Mental
Humility. Romans 12:3. How does it affect us when we think of ourselves in ways that are not reflective of whom God made us to be?  When we judge ourselves against others?
Sabbath. Mark 2:27. This is particularly pertinent for us as Techers! How does Sabbath pertain to balance in the Christian life? How do we have a Sabbath given the expectations of Caltech?

Large group 1/13/14 - Running after God

What does it mean to run after God? How do we love the Lord with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind? These are the questions we will be tackling this week in Large Group.

1.      Luke 10:27: He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ This is Jesus’ answer to an expert in the law who asked, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” This command is also found in Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37, and Mark 12:30. What does it mean? (More specific discussion in the following bullet points).

2.      Last night, at the CCF biweekly prayer meeting, we discussed the question, ‘What is CCF; what do we want to be?’ So: what do you want CCF to be? Think about this in the context of Luke 10:27. Our discussion at prayer meeting concluded that we want to be like an inclusive family—a community we go forth from with God at the center, instead of a collection of activities and meetings we squeeze into the rest of our busy lives. Where do you think CCF or other Christian communities you belong to are on this spectrum? Do you like where they are? If not, you can start by praying (right now!).

3.      How do we treat our Christian lives? Proverbs 16:9 and Proverbs 20:24. As we devise our plans for our days and our lives, is spending time with God something we try to fit into our schedule or do we let God do the planning and the direction?

4.      How do we replenish? Do we have a Sabbath and seek the Lord for regeneration, or do we look for distraction? What does it mean that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27)?

5.      How do we use our resources? Where do we spend our time? What do we do or think about most often? Joshua 1:8 “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Do we meditate on the Law of God?  Is it close to our hearts and on our lips always? How often do we pray? What are we most focused on?

6.      Physical strength and well-being.  Are we careful with our bodies? 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. How do we use our bodies; is this area of our life used to glorify God?

7.      Our heart. 1 John 4:20: what are ways we can love our brothers and sisters (think about some of the things we discussed last term).

8.      Our mind. 1 Peter 3:15-16. We are not called to be mindless worshipers! Always be prepared with an answer for why you believe.  What is your reason for believing?