He was invited to speak at West Point. Saw that it was a place to train and qualify top people to go anywhere in the world and immediately get the job done, whatever the job is. How do you train people like that? Do we show any interest in developing leaders? Not just the ‘anyone can come’ one. A West Point for church? The number 1 job for a Pastor = training the bext generation of leaders. It’s more important than preaching. Heschel – We don’t need text-books but text-people. Titus 2:1-8 Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s […]
Tag: bible study
TRUE MATURITY Colossians 2 – Ivy Grow Group Notes
Would the people who know you best say you’re becoming more like Jesus in that area now than you were a year ago?
Colossians 1 – Ivy Grow Group notes
I’m going to be kicking off a new evening series based on Paul’s letter to the Colossians tomorrow – and I’m really excited about the chance to dig in to one of my favourite books of the NT. It was written around 63 AD but it’s bang up to date for us Read Col 1:1-8 Discuss: Here Paul lists the characteristics of an authentic, Christ-honouring church. Can you list them? Discuss: Paul writes about fruit that is the evidence of true salvation (compare Mt 13:23). If someone is not bearing this fruit – are they still a Christian? I’ve called our series ‘Inside Out’ because Paul is writing from prison to a church he didn’t found, but was a church plant started by one of his ‘spiritual sons,; Epaphras. Epaphras apparently had heard the Gospel of Christ from Paul at Ephesus and had taken this life-changing message back to Colosse (v. 7) Colosse was in what today would be known as Turkey, in Paul’s day it was known as Asia Minor. Actually these days it doesn’t […]
LOOK BACK WITH WONDER – TO LOOK FORWARD IN FAITH
Notes for Ivy Grow Groups based on my talk to be given Ivy Kingsway 4th November (Actually it’s officially MOVEMBER and I’m going for it. Will you join my team or sponsor me please at http://uk.movember.com/mospace/4760473 ) Start the night with an online memory quiz like this one http://www.allthetests.com/tests/flipmatch/puzzle.php3 (Or do it with a pack of cards?) Or even the Christian version! http://www.biglightgames.com/-bible-games-for-christians/21339/12-apostles-quiz-and-memory-game.html Who’s your GG Memory champion? READ Joshua 1;6-9 DISCUSS What promises has God given you recently or in the past that you need to remember? Read Joshua 3:14-17 Discuss: In what ways do we have to sometimes get our feet wet in faith before we see the miracle? Why does God work like that? Read Joshua 4:1-7 All the ‘Memory techniques’ I’ve ever read about all boil down to three simple steps: and I believe you can see them in what God had Joshua do so the people would remember. 1. Concentrate You have to pay attention. Lots of the time we spend our energy trying to remember what we […]
Matty Hawthorne – What’s the point of church
These notes from Matty’s talk at our new gathering at Ivy Sharston form our discussion notes for this week’s grow groups Church is about people with a purpose It’s not about a building Discuss: Why do people HATE church? One of the worst things Christians have done is make God boring One Internet thread Matty found described Christians as the most judgemental people Read James 2:14-20 Maybe it’s not about being more relevant but more real. We talk as if we have the monopoly on love – but the world wouldn’t agree. We talk as if we have the monopoly on generosity. People love to do good works and give. We should encourage and recognise that. Read Matt 5:14-16 What does ‘shine’ mean to you? The message version says be generous with your lives. It’s not (just) about the money! Discuss What makes a church a church? The Bible word ‘oikos’ we translate in the Bible as household is really a gathering of community, extended family. Is your grow group an oikos? What matters? 3 things Love one another Get […]
GG notes – from CVM & New Wine Men’s Day Bristol. @MarkMelluish
Jesus says don’t define yourself the way others do, but define yourself by who is your true Father.
How To Overcome
God says, ‘I can take this and turn it into that.’ Like flicking a light in a dark room. Take a negative and turn it into something else. For every situation, you have a divine advantage.
Your Inheritance for your Identity
For where he wants to take you, there are scriptures you need to live in. Any promise in there is yours. The Bible says ‘God is no respecter of persons’ That means you can become like that person and have that experience they did.
Your true identity
When you know who you, are you know how you’re supposed to live.
OVER OUR HEADS IN GLORY
Carrying on from my Graham Cooke notes for Ivy Grow Groups again! Sorry these are a little late and thanks for the reminder, I have been at New Wine LSE which was fabulous but very busy and little opportunity for internet access. PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER: Pray for Ivy as people go away for summer, many at festivals like New Wine (some for refreshing, others to work) Pray for the meetings continuing on Sundays at Ivy Didsbury at 10am (short family services) and 1130am (no children’s provision) STUDY: Isaiah 42:8 “I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.” Isaiah 48:11 “For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another.” Discuss: What do you think God meant by not sharing his glory with another? Graham Cooke said, “You say ‘He won’t share his glory with another!’ Well you’re not another. You’re his and you’re in him. If you’re […]