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| February 28: “How Much for the Holy Spirit?” 1.
What kind of tricks do you think Simon the Sorcerer was doing? 1.
Why do we observe Lent? 1.
How will you show your love for a family member or friend today? February 7: “Just Like Me” 1.
How holy do you consider yourself? January 31: “Amazing Grace” 1.
Define grace. January 24: “On Fire for God…or Not” 1.
Why weren’t Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego burned? January 17: “Who do You Think You Are? 1. How does a person
find out who they are? January 10: “And They Followed Him Anyway” Rev. Kevin Barnes 1.
How do you deal with change? 1.
Job was a man of patience—how does patience strengthens the Christian
life? December 27: “Showing Off” 1. . Is showing off
always bad? December
20: “Changed by a Baby Boy” December
13: "God Humbled Himself" Rev. Kevin Barnes 2. What's the greatest thing you've ever done? 3. Why do you consider those acts great? 4. What's the most humble thing you've ever done? Is it difficult to share? Why? 5. What are the differences/similarities between the great and humble acts? 6. Read Philippians 2:5-11. What is God's greatest act of humility? 7. On a practical, day-to-day level how are you affected by God becoming human? 8. What are some great
acts of humility you can do for others to share God's compassion and understanding? November
29: “ Season of Hope” November 22nd: "Jesus Loves Me... This I Know" 1. What do you know
that is “for sure” in this life? October 18th: “Boldly Go…into the Presence of God” 1.
What is your first impression when you hear the word “witness”? October 11: “Boldly Go….before the Throne of God” 1.
Can you imagine yourself at the throne of God? October 4: "Redefining Normal" 1. What is something you miss about the days of your childhood? 2. So far in your lifetime what is the biggest change you’ve seen? 3. What was “normal” when you were growing up? 4. How do you define “normal” differently from your parents or children? 5. How has worship changed for the good or the bad in your memory? 6. Do you think your grandparents or parents were more spiritual than you are? 7. How has the “new normal” changed your approach
to God since He has not changed? (Mal. 3:6) September 27: “Love One” 1. Do you think technology makes it easier or harder to have true relationships? 2. Do you think we’ve lost the human touch in the past few years? 3. What’s the difference between casual relationship and commitment when we think about helping people become part of the church family? 4. What group or person loved you into the church? 5. When did you truly know that this is where you belong? 6. Will you pray for God to lead you to one person? 7. What can you do
to make sure they feel the love that you felt? September 20, 2009 “More than We Can Be” 1.
Who has encouraged you to be the best you can be? September 13: “Throwing Gas on the Fire!” 1.
What sets you on fire for God? September 6: "The Beach or the Mountains?" 1. What kind of foundations were built in your life as a child? 2. What kind of foundation do you think our culture tells us we should have? 3. Have you ever met someone whose life was built on Christ’s foundation? What did their life impress on you? 4. What are the consequences of building our lives on a foundation other than Christ? 5. What part of the Sermon on the Mount (found in Matthew 5-7) speaks most to you in your life right now? 6. How can we practically build our lives upon the firm
foundation of Christ? August 30: “The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength" 1. Would you say you’re
feeling better, worse or about the same about your life over the past
month? August 23: “Rejected No More!” 1.
When have you felt the most rejection in your life? 1. What is the purest thing you can conceive in your mind? 2.
How do you feel when it is invaded and made impure? 1. What activity do you most hate being interrupted? 2. Who causes the most interruptions in your life? 3. How do you handle interruptions when you are thrown off your plan or schedule? 4. How was Jesus interrupted in his ministry? 5. How do you find time to minister during interruptions? 6. When are interruptions appropriate? 7. Does your family know they have the right to interrupt you any time? August 2nd: “Getting a-holt of God’s Promises, Part 2” 1. Do children believe God’s promises more readily than adults? 2. Why do you think we stop believing them as we get older? 3. Do you believe some promises more than others? 4. How would your life change if you truly had “a-holt” of all 12 of these promises? 5. When we accept these promises is it easier to share our faith with others? 6. If someone is new to Christianity, what promise means the most to them? July 29: “Place of Healing” Rev. Kevin Barnes 1. “No matter where you go, there you are.” What does this mean? How has this been reflected in your life? 2. What mental picture comes into your head when you hear the word “Recovery”? How does the definition of “Hurts, Habits, and Hang ups” alter your definition? 3. How does Mark 2:13 - 17 alter your expectation of Church? 4. Read Psalm 139:23 – 24. Would you allow God to perform an unrestricted searching of your heart? What would it mean in your life for God to cleanse your heart? 5. How will you apply “Recovery,” as defined in the sermon, to your life? July 19: “Getting a-holt of God’s Promises” 1. What is a promise of God you claim? 2. How many promises of God can you name? 3. What is a promise of God that causes you concern? 4. Do you find any of God's promises hard to believe or hard to understand? 5. How do you show you claim a particular promise? 6. What promise do you find most comforting? 7. What can you do to help someone else get “a-holt” of His promises? July 12: “Claiming the Promises” 1. Are you carrying some burden or sorrow that is keeping you from having a deeper relationship with God? 2. Does it cause you physical or emotional pain when you think about it? 3. Why do you think it’s a good or constructive thing to continue carrying it? 4. What will it take for you to lay that burden down at the foot of the cross? 5. How do you think your life will change when you let it go? 6. Can you help someone else to “let go and let God?” July 5th: “One Day at a Time” 1. Who wrote Revelation—when, why & where? 2. Do you really believe Jesus will return as he left? 3. What did Jesus say would happen before he returned? 4. How do you feel when you talk about Jesus coming back? 5. How is Jesus’ promise to return a threat to some? 6. Why is it more important to live each day as a Christian than to worry or focus on what might happen in the future? June 28: “Food for the Body and the Spirit” 1. What is your favorite food? How does it make you feel when you have it? 2. Do you think God has changed since the Old Testament? 3. What is a promise you hold close from the Old Testament? 4. How do you feel when people speak badly about you? 5. How do you think God feels when we complain to Him? 6. How did God show He cared for the children of Israel? 7. Does the Bread of Life fill you up? 8. How do you share the Bread with others? June 21st: “Leaving a Godly Legacy” 1. What is the best memory you have of your father? 2. When was your father’s presence most evident to you? 3. How did your father give you wise counsel? 4. As a man in our church, how can you be a protector, provider, leader or hero in our church family? 5. Was your father a Christian? What influence did your father have on your Christian walk? 6. How is God a heavenly Father to you? 7. How did your father or another man in your life help you to trust God? June 14th: “Al Mighty” Rev. Betsy Haas 1. Do you understand this passage from Genesis to be an actual accounting of a real flood, or an allegory for spiritual understanding? What does the phrase "Think Hebrew" mean and how might it apply? 2. Where in our world today do you see the wrath of God being exhibited? How does that jive with our Methodist understanding of grace? Define grace. 3. (for parents) When it comes to raising your family and training them in the scriptures, are you an "Out of the Boat, walkin' with Jesus" parent, or are you simply a Boat Potato, leaving that to the church? Where do your responsibilities begin and end? Where does the church's responsibility begin and end? 4. List ways God has uniquely equipped you for the voyage. If prayer is one, tell your class about a time when you experienced answered prayer. If prayer is a growing edge, ask your class for suggestions. 5. When is the last time you prayed with your spouse/children/loved one? What would praying with your spouse do for your marriage? Your family? What are barriers to praying with your spouse/children/loved one regularly? 6. How might God be calling you to change your ballpark (driving, shopping, gossiping, language choice, etc. ) behavior so that your child will see Jesus in you at ever moment? 7. What are you willing to do today to put the lesson of the Ark to use? Will you commit to an intentional journey into teva (the word of scriptures, the Word whose name is Jesus) in a tangible way today? Are you ready to a. give your life to Christ today b. sign up for a Fall Bible Study today c. stop sleeping in on occasional Sundays d. go to a church even on vacation e. Sign up today to teach Sunday School, Bible Study, or be a youth volunteer? 8. Why did God allow mosquitoes on the Ark??? June 7th: “Temporary Miracles or Eternal Life?” 1. How do we limit God? 2. Does faith play a part in limiting what God can do? 3. What does John 14:12 mean? 4. What part does the Holy Spirit play in miracles? 5. Do you have the name of someone you will share your faith with? 6. What would happen to Providence UMC if 200 of us shared our faith with someone who has none? May 31st: "Temple of the Holy Spirit" 1. How did the Holy Spirit change the disciples? 2. How did John the Baptist change the disciples? 3. How did John say Jesus would baptize 4. What does Bible say about God dwelling in the temple? 5. How do you show the Holy Spirit is in you? 6. How do you see the Holy Spirit in others? 7. How does God use you as his hope for others? May 24th: “Thy Will be Done” 1. Has the Lord’s Prayer become routine for you? 2. What does “Thy will be done” mean to you? 3. Does the idea of surrendering your will scare you? Why or why not? 4. What does it mean to “take up your cross”? 5. How can we be at peace with God’s will even in the face of hardship like that Job suffered? 6. Can you picture a time when your faith would be tested? 7. How would you encourage others not to lose faith when they are facing difficult times? 8. What advice does God give us to deal with hard times? May 17: “What I Believe” 1. What does the church mean to you? 2. Name something you would give up for the church. 3. What does the power of the Holy Spirit mean to you? 4. Do you believe people are basically good? 5. Do you believe true love never dies? 6. Do you really believe God will wipe away your tears? 7. If someone asked you, “What do you believe?” what would your answer be? “Godly Women Change the World” 1. Who is the woman who is most unforgettable in your life? 2. Which woman influenced you the most in your Christian walk? 3. How did she affect you? 4. What characteristic is common to all godly women? 5. How do you support the godly women in your life? 6. Do the women who have affected your life know it? May 3: “Praise the Lord!” 1. Why is it important to praise God? 2. How do you praise God? 3. When during the day/week is it best to praise Him? 4. Can you remember a time you praised God more than you do now? Why? 5. God created all things…can all things praise Him? 6. Is it necessary to raise our hands when praising Him? Why do or don’t you raise yours? April 26th: “Great Expectations” 1. What excuses have you used before when you have sinned? 2. Why do we no longer have an excuse for our sin? 3. How does the Holy Spirit reveal things to you? 4. Tell about a time God spoke to you when reading the Bible. 5. What do you think God’s intentions are for His people? 6. How do you show your understanding of what God’s intentions are for you? 7. What does it mean to you to be a child of God? April 19th: “Close Encounters” 1. Who was first to encounter the risen Lord? 2. What were they told to do? 3. For how long & to how many did Jesus appear? 4. To whom did Jesus appear after He ascended? 5. How do we encounter Jesus today? 6. When did you first encounter Jesus? 7. When was the last time you encountered Jesus? 8. What should we do to have more close encounters with Jesus? April 12: “The Promise Fulfilled” 1. What promise do you remember most in your life? 2. Has anyone broken a promise they made to you? 3. How did that make you feel? 4. Have you broken a promise to someone? 5. Will you ever be disappointed if you put your faith and hope only in Jesus? 6. When you have difficult times does that mean the promise has been broken? April 5: “If You only Knew” 1. If you had to fill in the sentence, “If I knew then what I know now…” what would it be? 2. Why did the Pharisees tell Jesus to rebuke His disciples? 3. Why did Jesus weep over Jerusalem as He approached the city? 4. Do you know the peace of Christ? 5. What do you tell someone who says they do not feel peace in their lives? 6. How was Jesus hidden from the eyes of the Pharisees? 7. Do you feel peace when you are here at Providence? “Living in Hope” Icebreaker: When was the most important present you ever hoped to get at Christmas? 1. What does hope look like to you? How do you define it? 2. What kind of emotions are tied up in hoping for something? 3. How is hoping (a verb) different than a hope (noun) that you place your trust in? 4. When was a time that you had to fully place your trust and hope in Christ? 5. In such a difficult time for our country, how can we communicate the hope of Jesus Christ to others? “Open Our Eyes that We May See” 1. How are our eyes closed to God’s servants? 2. Can our eyes be opened to God? 3. In Romans 8:38 when Paul says nothing can separate us from God, what does that mean to you? 4. What does it mean in John 14:16: “The Spirit of truth will be with you forever.” 5. What does Jesus mean when he says he will come and make our home with him? John 14:23 6. “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him.” Psalms 34:7 What does that mean to you? “Just like Me” 1. Did you invite friends to the Marketplace? 2. How can your group make people feel welcome? 3. How can we support those who are struggling in this economy? 4. Have you met new people when you’ve been helping with the Marketplace? 5. Do you feel closer to the church family through this event? 6. Which is more important—outreach or fellowship within the church? 7. Can we do one without the other? March 8: “Ministry outside the Box” 1. How did Jesus do ministry different from the Pharisees? 2. How did the Disciples do ministry different from Jesus? 3. Can ministry be different but have the same message? 4. How do we do ministry different from Jesus or the Disciples? 5. How do we do ministry different from our parents? 6. How will our children do ministry different from us? 7. How can we think outside the box to reach others for God? March 1: “Passionate People” 1. What are you passionate about? 2. What does passion do to Christians? 3. How does passion restore power? 4. Has your passion changed as you have aged? 5. How does the church change when its people become passionate about God? 6. How can you share your passion for Jesus? February 22: “Will the real Jesus please stand up?” 1. How is Jesus’ appearance changed? 2. What is the significance of Jesus being bright as lightning? 3. Why were Moses and Elijah seen with Jesus? 4. What did God the Father say—how is it important? 5. Why do you think Jesus took Peter, James and John to see this? 6. Why did Peter want to build shelters? 7. Why did Jesus tell them not to tell anyone what they had seen until He was raised from the grave? February 15: “God knows you, He loves you, you are free!” 1. My wife is the only person who knows me completely—do you have someone like that? 2. Do they still love you even though they know all the “skeletons” in your closet? 3. Do you feel good that someone truly knows and understands you? 4. One day, we will all stand “naked” before God—does that scare you? 5. Is there anything you have not asked for forgiveness for? Do you think God wants to forgive you? 6. God already knows everything about us and yet still loves us—do you feel freedom in knowing that? 7. Is it necessary for us to know someone completely to accept them? February 8: “Young Christians” 1. Do you remember your baptism or confirmation? 2. Who had a part in you knowing Jesus? 3. Why are baptism and confirmation important to the Christian faith? 4. What does the Bible say about baptism? 5. We baptize with water, how does Jesus baptize us? 6. What does it mean to baptize with Spirit and fire? 7. What part does faith have in Spirit baptism? February 1: “Bread of Life and Cup of Salvation” 1. What does Holy Communion mean to you? 2. How is Jesus our sacrificial Lamb? 3. How does Jesus represent our sin offering to God? 4. Jesus said He was the bread that came down from heaven (John 6:3). What did he mean? 5. Hebrews 9:22: “without shedding of blood, no forgiveness of sins.” Why is this so? 6. How is the bread of life, Jesus, spiritual food for our souls? 7. How do you explain communion to a child? January 25th: “Healing Hurts” 1. What kinds of healings did Jesus do in the Bible? 2. How does faith enter into healing? 3. How is healing of the nations healing of the people? 4. Did Jesus ever turn anyone away? 5. Why is a miracle something only God can do? 6. Has God performed healing and miracles in your life before? 7. Do you need healing or a miracle now? January 18: "Holding The Door" 1. How have you been made to feel welcome here? 2. When you have moved, how important is it to find a church home? 3. How did you come to Providence? 4. Who helped you to feel God’s love at Providence? 5. What do you plan to do to help someone else feel that love? 6. Is there something we can do better here to make others feel welcome? 7. Will someone in your class give the staff any ideas you have? January 11: “Real Life, Real Worship” 1. What is worship? 2. What should the staff seek for the congregation in worship? 3. What should individuals seek for themselves in worship? 4. What part does God have in worship? 5. How do we worship in spirit and truth? 6. What should we do to prepare for worship? 7. Can we make a joyful noise in our spirit? How? January 4: “Do What?” 1. What can only God do for you? 2. What keeps God from doing the impossible in your life? 3. Has God one the impossible for you before? 4. What is ridiculous to you? 5. Do you need a miracle? 6. Do you believe in miracles? 7. Can you follow God in the ridiculous? “Fear, Promise, Obedience, Praise: Part 3” 1. Why was Mary so troubled at Gabriel’s greeting? 2. Why do you think she agreed with him so quickly? 3. Did Mary’s young age make her more open than Zechariah? 4. What does “you are highly favored,” mean? 5. Was Mary familiar with the prophecy about the Messiah? 6. Why is Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man? Explain. 7. What does “nothing is impossible with God” mean to you? December 14: “Believing God” 1. How would you feel if someone told you they were miraculously pregnant? 2. Why did Joseph believe his dream? 3. Would Joseph have known the prophecy? 4. Why was Joseph afraid? 5. What was the custom for women when they had children out of wedlock? 6. Why did Joseph believe Gabriel but Zechariah did not? 7. Is this hard for you to believe? Why? December 7th: “Zechariah’s Song” 1. Who was Zechariah and why was his role important? 2. What role would John play for Jesus? 3. How does Zechariah’s song show what he knew? 4. What did he say about the prophecy of John? 5. What do you think where Zechariah’s feelings about John? 6. Do you think Zechariah had any doubt about John or Jesus? 7. What does it take to dispel your doubt about John or Jesus? November 30th : “Overcoming Fears and Singing Praise!” 1. When have you been afraid? Were you alone? 2. What is your greatest fear? 3. What have you been promised that did not happen? 4. What’s the greatest promise you ever received? 5. What is the greatest promise you have not yet received? 6. When was the last time you really praised God? 7. What would it take for you to praise God like that again? November 23rd: "God's Providence" 1. What are you most thankful for? 2. How does God play into your thankfulness? 3. What are you most thankful for at Providence? 4. How do you show your thankfulness to others for what they mean to you? 5. How do others show their thankfulness to you? 6. To what extent do you believe every good & perfect gift comes from God? 7. How do you show your thankfulness to God? November 16th: “Trust in the Midst” 1. How familiar are you with the call of Moses at the burning bush? Exodus 3: 1-17. 2. When Moses answered God’s call what was his reason for not wanting to accept and what did God do? 3. What problems did Moses face when he went to Egypt? 4. Name some of the miracles God performed to bring them out and after to protect the children of Isreal. 5. When Isrealites began to grumble against Moses because there was no water, how would you have felt in his shoes? 6. God gives them water from the rock, the second time it happens Moses hits the rock instead of speaking to it…leaders get discouraged too, when have you been discouraged? 7. Discouragement takes our eyes off of God, when you are discouraged how do you get your mind set back on God? Proverbs 3:5-8 November 9th: Thank you, Jesus! 1. How do you show praise and thanks to God? 2. How do we as a church show praise and thanks to God? 3. What did Jesus tell the Lepers to do to be healed? 4. Why was only one Leper returning to give Jesus thanks? 5. How do you feel when people do not thank you for even the slightest things? 6. How would Jesus feel when the one leper returned? 7. How does showing our praise and thanks to God show our love for him? November 2nd: “Five Things God Cannot Do” 1. What does it mean to be consecrated to God? 2. What does it mean to you that you are consecrated to God? 3. How is it different when we pledge ourselves to God compared to when we do not? 4. Do you feel God has pledged himself to you? 5. Other than Jesus, how has God pledged himself to you? 6. Do you feel it is important to the church that you give? Why? 7. What is the difference between a tithe and an offering? 8. Do you believe God’s love is not dependent on us? October 26th: “The Heart of the Matter- Presence” 1. How important is your presence to your family in developing relationship with them? 2. What does your presence say about you? 3. Have you ever left a place because you knew if people found out you were there it would hurt you? 4. Our presence in a place can be good or bad, name some bad places. 5. What does your presence in church say to your family and others? 6. How important is the presence of God in your life? 7. What do you do to seek out and find the presence of God? October 19th: “The Heart of the Matter-Service” 1. How have people in the church used their God given talent to serve you? 2. Is there such a thing as a talent that is not God given? 3. How have you used your talent to serve others? 4. How do you bring glory to God when you serve others? 5. What was Jesus trying to teach when he washed the Disciples’ feet? 6. Have you ever cared with service for someone when you did not want to? 7. Who is the hardest person for you to do service for and why? October 12: “The Heart of the Matter-Witness” 1. If you were to go to court, is there enough evidence to convict you of being a Christian? 2. If someone is called as a witness, can they give enough evidence? 3. What is a witness? 4. How does your witness change your actions & thoughts? 5. Give an example of when you have witnessed for Christ. 6. Who is the hardest person you ever witnessed to? October 5: “The Heart of the Matter-Prayer” 1. What’s the first prayer you ever learned? 2. Who taught you your first prayer? 3. What does it take for you to pray with someone? 4. Who are you praying for now? 5. Name one prayer you know God answered. 6. How often do you pray? September 28th: “God’s Character within Us” 1.Who is the most unforgettable character you know? 2. How have they influenced your life to be more like God? 3. Do you know someone of good moral character who is not a Christian? 4. How does knowing the character of God help us be more like his character? 5. In what ways have you experienced the character of God in your life when it comes to love, when it comes to truth and the Holy Spirit? 6. Do you know people of good reputation whose character may be in question? 7. How does good Christian character bring joy and peace? September 21st: “Believe it or Not” Brent Ritter 1. What is belief? 2. Why do you think we struggle to believe today more than we may have struggled in the past to believe? 3. How can studying God’s word help increase your faith and belief in who He is? 4. Can you relate a time in your life to the father in Mark 9 where you were struggling with unbelief? 5. Is there one thing in your life that needs a supernatural touch? If you feel comfortable sharing with the group, what is it? September 14: “By Our Love” 1. How does faith play a part in love? 2. How does study play a part in faith? 3. How do faith, study, deeds & love prove Christian faith? 4. What does evangelism prove about the Christian faith? 5. Why are deeds proof of faith? 6. What is the biggest challenge in Christianity? 7. How does prayer help us face our challenges? September 7th: “Spread the Word” 1. How does study increase our faith? 2. What is your favorite scripture passage? 3. In what way does the Holy Spirit touch us? 4. What evidence can you give that the Bible is God’s word? 5. How have you experienced God through study? 6. What does scripture say about Jesus coming in the flesh? 7. Why is it important that Jesus return in the flesh? August 31: “The One You Love” 1. How did Mary & Martha know Jesus? 2. What did the messenger say to Jesus? 3. Did Jesus need to be reminded that he loved Lazarus? 4. Does Jesus need to be reminded that he loves us? 5. Do we need to be reminded that Jesus loves us? 6.Do you ever doubt God’s love for you? August 24: "Recess in Your Heart" 1. What is your best childhood memory? 2. How is a child’s love like God’s love? 3. How is God’s love like a child’s? 4. What did Jesus say we must become to enter heaven? 5. Why is “everything without love” nothing? (1Cor 13) 6. How does remembering the joy you felt as a child make you feel God’s love? 7. If love is not blind, what is it? August 17: "His Love Endures Forever" 1. What does "His love endures forever" mean to you? 2. How can you explain to someone that God's love is endless? 3. Why should we give thanks to God because His love endures forever? 4. How does our relationship with him show His enduring love? 5. How does our faith show His love endures forever? 6. How do our lives show His enduring love? 7. How does His love give us strength for each day? August 10: “God is Especially Fond of You” 1. How could you prove to someone that God loves you? 2. Is there someone you are especially fond of? 3. How do you show your feelings to those you are fond of? 4. Does being fond of someone mean the same as being in love with that person? 5. What does it mean to you that “God is especially fond of you?” 6. Do you think God is more fond of you than others? 7. What does scripture say about God being fond of you? 8. How does faith play a part in God’s love for you? July 27: “The Strength of our Anchor” 1. How is Jesus our Anchor in life? 2. What storms have you been through? 3. How do storms prove the strength of our Anchor? 4. How have you known God was with you in the storm? 5. How have you seen others show that Jesus is their Anchor? 6. How have others helped you through a storm? 7. How have the storms made you stronger? July 20: “Tell Me Your Story”-Brent Ritter 1. When did your life converge with Christ? 2. How did your plot change? 3. How is your life different now? 4. Who plays a lead role in your story? 5. Who were you then? 6. Who are you now? July 13: “Names & Faces” 1. If God had a refridgerator what picture of you would he have on it? 2. How close are you to that picture now? 3. Will your picture be in Jesus’ book of life? 4. How does Jesus touch up our picture? 5. Can people look at a picture of you as a child and know it is you? 6. When Jesus touches your heart will it “lift” your face? July 6: “Distributors of Hope” 1. What makes spark plugs work in an engine? 2. What do we need to work for God? 3. How do we distribute the light and hope of God? 4. Of 7 ways to distribute light and hope, what is the easiest one? 5. What is the hardest one? 6. How could you be better tuned for God? 7. What is keeping you from it? June 29th: “Fly Like an Eagle” 1. What would it take for you to fly like an eagle for God? 2. How would you consider yourself soaring for God? 3. Do you think God wants you to soar? 4. If you are soaring how can you help others to do the same? 5. In helping others, is that soaring? 6. When we fly what do we miss on the ground? 7. How do others keep you from soaring? June 22: “Extraordinary People” 1. How have church people helped you become a Christian? 2. Who is your most unforgettable person? 3. How have they influenced your life? 4. What would it mean to be someone else’s most unforgettable person? 5. How are we our sister’s or brother’s keeper? 6. How seriously do you think others take that charge? 7. How does being kind make a difference? June 15: “Be a Dad…You Won’t Lose Your Man Card!” 1. Do you have any idea what a man card is? 2. How has the definition of being a man changed in your lifetime? 3. What is the difference between being a father and being a dad? 4. How did your father influence you—good or bad? 5. Do you think it’s hard to be a man, a father and a dad? 6. What is the best memory you have of your dad? 7. How does God the Father affect your life? June 8: “The Power of God” 1. Do you think Moses really knew what he was talking about in Genesis when talking about creation? 2. How strongly do you believe God is the only Creator and He created everything? 3. Do you believe God gave Jesus all power on Heaven and earth and Jesus is the Creator God? 4. How do you feel God’s power is manifested in you? 5. What makes you feel powerless or hopeless? 6. How does praising God bring power back into your life? 7. How many times a day would you say you call on God? June 1: “Church Helps!” 1. How do you deal with issues that cause you mental or spiritual pain? 2. How have family and friends been able to help in the past? 3. How is help from your church different from help provided by family and friends? 4. How have you experienced God’s presence in your life? 5. How has God helped you overcome life’s problems? 6. How has the church helped you to be stronger? 7. How can you help someone through the church? May 25: “No Place Like Home” 1. What is your definition of home? 2. Can you think of other foundation stones for a strong Christian home? 3. Is there a crisis in the homes of America today? 4. Can you think of a specific time when someone gave you a hug or spoke an encouraging word that gave you the lift you needed? 5. Can you add to the list of family stories mentioned in the Bible? May 18: “You Complete Me, Lord Jesus” 1. How does the Lord complete us? 2. Have you ever known a complete Christian? 3. What is the most prevalent attribute of a complete Christian? 4. What is the difference between a complete Christian and a mature Christian? 5. How do reason & experience play a part in completeness? 6. Do we have to wait to get to heaven to be complete? 7. What keeps you from being complete? May 4th: “You Go, Girl!” 1. What woman has most influenced you life? Why? 2. Where would your life be without her? 3. How have you experienced God’s love through women in your life? 4. What does fear of the Lord have to do with a woman of God? 5. How are the qualities of strength and honor apparent in a woman of God? 6. What is a virtuous woman? 7. How do we repay love shown to us by women of God? April 27th: “On a Mission from God” 1. What does it mean to be on a mission from God? 2. How does knowing the Holy Spirit put you on a mission from God? 3. Who are people in the scriptures who were on a mission from God? 4. Are only ordained people supposedly on a mission from God? 5. What’s the difference between those who are ordained and those who are Christian? 6. What would it take for you to accept a deeper mission from God? 7. How would you explain that we are all on a mission from God? April 20th: “Life of Addiction” 1. What has God delivered you from? 2. How can you tell you have been delivered? 3. Why is addiction so destructive? 4. Does God deliver us without our help? 5. How does addiction destroy a family? 6. What does it mean when we are addicted to God? April 13th: “Breathing Life into the Body” 1. When do you give oxygen to a person? 2. How can you give spiritual oxygen? 3. Once a person is on oxygen can they ever come off it? 4. How is confirmation strengthening the body? 5. How are we the body of Christ? 6. How does a body function alone? 7. Why is life important to a body? April 6th: “Nothing But Net” 1. What did Jesus mean when He said “I will make you fishers of men”? 2. What is the net we are to use? 3. If we work to catch people for God, how will He clean our fish? 4. How does God help us in our work? 5. How important is timing in fishing for fish or people? 6. What kind of bait can we use? 7. Has God ever caught someone through you? March 30th: “Have You Seen Him?” 1. Where do scriptures say He appeared after resurrection? 2. Why is it easy for you to believe He appeared to the Disciples after being put in the grave? 3. How long did Jesus appear before He ascended? 4. Did Jesus appear on earth after He ascended? 5. Does Jesus appear now to His followers? 6. How did Jesus look when He appeared to the Disciples? 7. Will Jesus appear again according to the Bible? March 23rd -Easter Sunday: “What Did it Take for You to Believe?” 1. What did it take for you to believe? 2. Why is it hard to believe Christ rose from the dead? 3. How can you help others believe? 4. What proof if any do you have that He is alive? 5. Why is it important that we believe? 6. What difference does it make in your life that you believe? 7. How does the Holy Spirit help strengthen your belief? March 16th: “Hosanna in the Highest” 1. How does waving palms show royalty? 2. What difference would it have made if they had made Jesus the earthly king? 3. Why do you think Jesus wept as he entered Jerusalem? 4. Do you think it pleased Jesus to hear people shouting, “Hosanna!”? Why? 5. How is it different when we stand to wave palms & shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” 6. What must be right when we wave and shout? 7. Do you think we will be waving and shouting when He comes again? March 9th-“Get in the Way!” 1. Why is it so hard to remove obstacles that are between us and God? 2. All obstacles are not sin—name some of them. 3. Name some obstacles that are sin. 4. Give a short definition of “sin.” 5. Can you be out of the way and then get back in the way? 6. How do obstacles get in between Christians? Name some of them. 7. What does it take to remove pride? March 2: “Spring is in the Air” 1. How do flowers and everything budding give feelings of new life around us? 2. Why is it so important to have new beginnings? 3. How is the seed of the Word of God to be planted in the hearts of Christians? 4. What is the significance of the mustard seed & faith? 5. How does the Holy Spirit sow in our spirits? 6. What does it mean that fields are white to harvest? 7. Does faith ever become so strong that it doesn’t need care? February 24: “Home is Where the Heart Is” 1. Home is where we most want acceptance. Have you not known acceptance at home or church before? 2. What does home mean to you? 3. Doe a new home change the definition? 4. What happened when you left home? 5. What is your dream home? 6. How do you think the Prodigal Son felt going home? 7. How are the older son’s feelings like some people in church? 8. What is the father’s role in this story? February 17th: “Armed & Dangerous” 1. II Cor. 5:20, What does it mean to be Christ's ambassador? 2. Why is it so important to have the armor of God before battle? 3. After being armed, what does it mean to have a kink in your armor? 4. How does humility play in the armor? 5. How did Jesus battle Satan in Matthew 4:1? 6. What are flaming arrows of the evil one? 7. What does prayer have to do with armor? February 10th: “More Than a Valentine” 1. What does true love have to do with a special day for the love of your life? 2. Why do we need Valentine’s Day? 3. Why is love more than a Valentine? 4. What is “the thought that counts”? 5. What does it mean to have a love in your life? 6. Why is love patient and kind? 7. What is the difference in being in love with God and being in love with others? February 3rd: “Why Go to Church?” 1. Why do we go to church? 2. How does going to church improve your life? 3. What is Lent? 4. Why have Ash Wednesday Services? 5. Why is it important to be a member of a church? 6. How do we get those back who have quit going to church? “Who Sets Your Agenda?” January 27 1. What was Jesus’ agenda & how did it affect everything? 2. From the beginning, what was Jesus’ purpose? 3. Did He share His purpose with others? 4. What determines your daily, weekly, yearly agenda? 5. How does your agenda affect your daily life? 6. What does it take to change your agenda? 7. How does changing your agenda affect you and others? “Three Simple Rules” January 20 1. How in depth can you perceive these three rules? 2. Are they too simple to be appreciated? 3. How is “do no harm” different from “do good?” 4. Can people disagree & still not do people harm? 5. What is the difference between a Christian doing good and a non-Christian doing good? 6. “Stay in love with God” assumes you love God already. On a scale of 1-10 how much do you love God? 7. How could you be more in love with God? January 13: “A Hug from God” 1. When does the Holy Spirit start working on a person? 2. What is the “job” of the Holy Spirit? 3. Does the Holy Spirit ever leave a person? 4. What is the unpardonable sin? 5. What names did Jesus give the Holy Spirit? 6. How many Spirits of God are there? Name some of them. 7. How must we worship God, why? January 6th: “A New Year for a Changing World” 1. How are you different now than you were a year ago? 2. What are you hoping for this year? 3. How will you be different in another year? 4. Is your life changing right now? How? 5. How do others affect your world? 6. What would it take for you to be more of a witness for God? 7. D you expect much from God this year? December 30th: “My Eyes Have Seen Your Salvation” 1. Why was it important for Mary & Joseph to offer a sacrifice? 2. By keeping the law they showed they were good Jews—what are ways we show we are good Christians? 3. Why do you think God promised Simeon he would not die until he saw the Messiah? 4. How was Simeon’s testimony another sign? 5. What advantage did Anna’s testimony give? 6. How has others’ testimony about Jesus affected you? 7. How does your testimony affect others? December 23rd: “Mary Did You Know?” 1. What do you think Mary knew about the coming Messiah before Gabriel came to her? 2. Why do you think she readily accepted what Gabriel said to her? 3. Why did this young girl accept Gabriel’s message while the old priest Zechariah doubted Gabriel? 4. Why do you think Mary went to Elizabeth? 5. What is the difference between Mary’s question & Zechariah’s? 6. Gabriel said “Blessed art thou among women,”—at what age did she become a woman? 7. Does a young person have more hope than an older, more experienced person? 8. Do you think God has something for you to do? December 16: “Praise Ye the Lord” 1. Why is praise important for Christians? 2. Why does the Bible say we were created? 3. How can you better praise God? 4. Can we praise God in our spirit? 5. When should we praise God? December 9: “From Doubt to Praise” 1. How does doubt destroy your faith? 2. How is sadness connected to doubt? 3. How has Christ overcome doubt in your life? 4. What is your answer to people when they say your faith is so strong? 5. Do you have any doubt(any) that when you die you will go to be with Jesus? December 2 (9a.m.) : “A Little Child Shall Lead Them” 1. Why is it important to become as a child to enter the kingdom of God? 2. In what ways are children like the kingdom of God? 3. When are children most like Jesus? 4. What can you learn from watching children play? 5. What was Jesus' attitude toward children and why? November 25: Judgment 1. When are you most tempted to judge others? 2. When are you most tempted to judge yourself? 3. Have you ever felt the demonic power of judgment on yourself or your family? 4. Why and how does God save us from the condemning judgment of Satan? 5. Have you asked God to forgive you for judging yourself and others? November 18: “The Thankful Heart” 1. What are you most thankful for? 2. What is a “good” Thanksgiving for you? 3. How do you show thanksgiving to God? 4. Have you ever been away from home at Thanksgiving? 5. How does God help us to be thankful no matter where we are? November 11th: “All to Him I Owe” 1. Why do some people feel we are in debt to God? 2. If we are in debt to God, how do we pay our debt? 3. What is the difference between a spiritual debt and a material one? 4. What is a scapegoat? 5. How has Jesus become our scapegoat? 6. How does Jesus pay our debt? 7. What would it take for you to feel completely debt free? 8. Can our debts be paid with money? November 4th: “Temples of the Living God” 1. Why is it important we realize we are God's temple? 2. How does it change our lives knowing we are God's dwelling place? 3. Why do you think Paul had to tell the church at Colossians 3 times they were the temple of God? 4. What is the difference between having the Holy Spirit dwell in you and being the temple of God? 5. At what point in our lives does the Holy Spirit come in? 6. At what point do we become the temple of God? 7. Who has become our high priest that we might be the temple? (Hebrews 11) 8. How does claiming we are the temple show we accept Jesus as our high priest? (Hebrews 4) October 28th: “The Giving Christian” 1. Have you ever known a giving person? 2. How did they affect your life? 3. Do you know people who are takers…never satisfied? 4. Have you ever known a fellow Christian who directly affected your life with a gift? 5. What would it take for you to give more of yourself to God? 6. Jesus calls us to walk with him in faith. How is walking with the supreme God different than walking alone? 7. Would others consider you a giving person? October 21st: “Forgive, Forgiven, Forget” 1. How have you known God’s forgiveness? 2. How is forgetting part of forgiveness? 3. Have you ever had a hard time forgiving someone? 4. Is forgiving yourself tied to accepting God’s forgiveness & forgiving others? 5. Is there someone you cannot forgive? 6. Is there someone you want to forgive but they won’t let you? 7. Is repentance part of forgiveness? 8. How has knowing you are forgiven affected you? October 14th: “I Will Always Love You” 1. How have you experienced God’s love through a person? 2. How have you shown God’s love to someone? 3. How does our church show God’s love? 4. How can we improve on showing God’s love? 5. Is there anyone you cannot love? 6. What do you do when your love is rejected? 7. What does God do when he is not loved? 8. How has experiencing God’s love affected you? September 30th: “The Beast of Burdens” 1. What are the burdens people you know are dealing with? 2. How do people rationalize why they do not change? 3. What is your most recent burden? You do not have to share it, but at least identify what it is, write it down and pray over it. 4. What is the greatest burden from which God has delivered you? 5. Did you think God could deliver you two months before He did? 6. What is keeping you from laying down every burden you have? 7. What does it mean to you to look to Jesus? September 23rd: “The Miracle of Multiplication” 1. Have you ever seen God multiply anything? 2. Do you give more of your time, talent, or tithe? 3. How important is your time? 4. Have you ever out-given God? 5. What would it take for you to be a cheerful giver? September 16th : “This Light of Mine” 1. Tell about a time someone was a blessing to you. 2. When you have body pain, how does it affect your ability to function? 3. How can you be a better part of the body of Christ? 4. Do you know your spiritual gifts? 5. Explain why your gift is necessary to the body at Providence. September 9th: “Thank you, Jesus!” 1. When you hear “thank you Jesus” what comes to mind? 2. In your life have you been overcome with God’s presence so that you began to praise Him? 3. Do you praise Him in the sanctuary of your spirit daily…weekly…spontaneously? 4. Does Jesus really want our adoration, praise, celebration and thanksgiving to Him? 5. When you praise Jesus, how does it affect you? 6. How does life, hurry, busy-ness affect your time of praise? 7. Ephesians 1:12 “in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory.” What do you need to do to be able to praise Him more? September 2nd: “A Labor of Love” 1. What do you consider God’s field? 2. What’s the difference between chores & work? 3. Have you worked in God’s field? 4. Have you seen fruit rotting on the vine? 5. Did you do anything about it? August 26th: “The Home Rules! Part 2” 1. Does your family know the importance that God has in your life? 2. Did you learn anything about yourself from this week’s message? 3. How important is it to raise your family in the church? 4. Will your checkbook attest to your love for your family? 5. If you kept a time calendar what percent do you think you would give to your family? 6. What is unconditional love? August 19th: “The Home Rules!” 1. If God is first in your life, can your family attest to that? 2. Which one of the first five rules hit you between the eyes? Why? 3. What will you have to change to be able to say you follow the first five rules? 4. How important is it that you receive a hug each day from those you love? 5. How good a listener are you? August 12th: “Hey, God!” 1. What do you believe happens when you pray? 2. Are prayers from Christians who are right with God stronger than prayers from those who are right with Him? 3. Does the purity of our thoughts influence our prayers? 4. Why is prayer so important to you? To God? 5. Does worry play a part in prayer? 6. How does prayer set Christians apart from other religions? 7. Name one thing you know happened to you because of prayer. August 5th: “What’ll Ya Have?” 1. Why is it called “The Lord’s Supper”? 2. What is the symbolism between Passover and the Lord’s Supper? 3. How were Jesus’ dealings with Judas different from those with the other disciples? 4. How is the bread a fair representation of the body of Christ? 5. How does wine represent Jesus’ blood? 6. Will there be wine in heaven? 7. What does Holy Communion mean to you? July 29: “Open Hearts & Doors at Providence UMC” 1. Why must we be open to others? 2. How do trust & forgiveness play a part in openness? 3. How do we show our openness? 4. Have you ever felt closed out from people in a church? 5. How does God teach us to be open? July 22: “Teens on Fire” 1. Why is it important for teens to be on fire for God? 2. How does passion play a part in the fire? 3. Who causes teens to be on fire? 4. Does music play a part of the fire for teens? 5. How do others put their fire out? July 15: “The Touch of the Master’s Hand” 1. What does it mean to have the Master’s touch? 2. Do we get fresh touches? 3. What does the Holy Spirit have to do with the Master’s touch? 4. Can Christians not feel God’s touch? 5. When does God want to touch us? July 8: “It is Well with my Soul” 1. What does it mean to be well with your soul? 2. What is the difference between well with your soul and everything to be alright in life? 3. Do you know Christians who can not say “It is well with my soul”? 4. How does God make it well with our souls? 5. What do faith, hope, trust and love have to do with all being well with your soul? July 1: “God’s Covenant with us is Forever” 1. Name some covenants in scripture. 2. What is the difference between a covenant and a promise? 3. How did God seal His covenant with Jesus? 4. How does God seal His covenant with us today? 5. What does it mean to have a covenant with God? June 24: “Thank you, Providence!” 1. How does God keep his fire burning in you? 2. How did the fire of the Holy Spirit start in you at Providence? 3. What can you do to help keep the fire burning? 4. What gifts has the Holy Spirit given you? 5. How do you share Christ through those gifts? |
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