iBelieve

** I will be adding resources to this page throughout the series for you to go back and explore.

Series Resources

  • J

  • Watch the SERIES BUMPER

Introduction

1. Difficulties

  • PERSONAL OR SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

    • What are key takeaways or what stood out to you from this weeks learning experience?

    • Which describes your life as demonstrated by your actions: a CHRISTIAN in name only or an APPRENTICE who is actively seeking to live for and arrange all of your life around Jesus?

    • Who are you becoming? Discuss how you have noticed spiritual growth in the last year.

    • Reflect: Foster writes: “Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem…. The Disciplines [or practices] of the spiritual life call us to move beyond surface living into the depths. They invite us to explore the inner caverns of the spiritual realm…. God intends the Disciplines of the spiritual life to be for ordinary human beings [not just spiritual giants]: people who have jobs, who care for children, who wash dishes and mow lawns. “The Spiritual Disciplines are not hard [but they] are immediately faced with two difficulties” (2-3).

      • Philosophical. Because of the materialistic or “Nature is all there is” base of our culture, many doubt whether it’s possible to even to access the metaphysical world of God.

      • Practical. “We simply do not know how to go about exploring the inner life,” how to practice the Disciplines, how to be transformed by God.

    • Which is hardest for you: The philosophical difficulties or the practical difficulties? Be specific. List out the hurdles.

    • What is your current Rule of Life, or Trellis, that guides the trajectory of your life toward a deeper relationship with God?

    • How does it help you to focus on improving just 1% instead of the expectation to change over night?

  • FOR FURTHER STUDY or NEXT STEPS

    • What has been your experience with the spiritual disciplines?

Practices to Help Us Love God Well

2. Sabbath

  • PERSONAL OR SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

    • What are key takeaways or what stood out to you from this weeks learning experience?

    • How often do you act out of character because of being tired, over-scheduled, busy, or stressed out?

    • How often during the week do you carve out “space in which something can happen that you hadn’t planned or counted on?”

    • To what degree to you agree with what John Mark Comer says, ““The spiritual journey begins with rest….When I offer spiritual direction to people, I often begin by prescribing sleep, margin, time off work–rest. Because chronically exhausted, sleep-deprived, overbusy people are not loving, peaceful, and full of joy… Rest is essential to apprenticeship under Jesus” (182)?

    • How much does what Howard Baker says about a sinkhole kind of spiritual life describe you: “People can be so blindsided by unfilled needs they have ignored a sudden drive released from a reservoir within, practically catapulting them out of the ‘image’ they have struggled to keep for years. When the soul is dying, even good people can do unexpected things” (Soul Keeping, 45)

    • What could (or maybe should) be included in your stop doing list?

    • How can you arrange your life to include a Sabbath rest in your busy schedule, whether that be a full day, a part of a day, regularly scheduled hours in several days?

    • Which of the following ideas might help you better practice the spiritual discipline of Sabbath?

      • Set Aside Regular Time for Rest - a day, a part of a day.

      • Unplug from Work and Technology - Create boundaries. Schedule in a time to focus on God, family, and your inner being.

      • Engage in Worship and Community - Participate in communal worship and fellowship. Make a commitment to find fellowship.

      • Practice Restorative Activities - Engage in activities that refresh your body, mind, and spirit. This might include nature walks, kayaking, reading, prayer, meditation, or creative pursuits.

      • Reflect and Renew - Use your Sabbath to reflect on God’s goodness and renew your spiritual focus.

  • FOR FURTHER STUDY or NEXT STEPS

    • Watch “Sabbath: Learn why the Number 7 is Used so Much in the Bible” by The Bible Project. (Video)

    • Order one of the books above from Amazon and start your own (or with a friend or two) exploration of PRACTICES.

3. Solitude

  • PERSONAL OR SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

    • What are key takeaways or what stood out to you from this weeks learning experience?

    • How comfortable are you with silence in your daily life? Why do you think silence can be challenging or easy for you?

    • Watch Nooma: Noise [10:23 min]

      • What stood out to you?

      • How awkward was that break?

    • Reflect on a time when you experienced deep peace or clarity during a period of solitude. What contributed to that experience?

    • Practice a deep breathing technique that can help with stress, panic, anxiety, and simply putting you in a position to explore your inner world. Here is ONE technique that might help called the Box Breathing Technique from WebMD. Start your mornings with several of these.

    • In what ways does the modern world encourage or discourage us from embracing solitude? How can we resist the negative influences?

    • How might silence impact your ability to listen—both to others and to God? What changes could you make to prioritize listening more effectively?

    • Think about the role of distractions in your life. How do they hinder your ability to connect with yourself and with God in moments of solitude?

    • What fears or anxieties arise when you think about spending extended periods of time alone? How might facing these fears enrich your spiritual journey?

    • How might your understanding of God deepen through regular practices of silence and solitude? In what ways do you encounter God differently in moments of quiet reflection?

    • Which of the following might you try this week?

      • Nature Walks: Take regular walks in nature. Listen to the sounds of creation. Take a hike!!!

      • Journaling: Set aside time each day to journal your thoughts, prayers, and reflections.

      • Digital Detox: Disconnect from technology for a specific period of time.

      • Artistic Expression: Engage in creative activities such as painting, drawing, or playing a musical instrument during your solitary moments.

      • Solitary Meals: Occasionally, dine alone in silence, savoring each bite mindfully.

      • Stargazing: Spend evenings under the stars, contemplating the vastness of the universe and your place within it.

      • A Silent Retreat:

        • Imagine your ideal retreat into solitude. What would it look like?

        • Plan periodic silent retreats where you spend a day or more in complete silence, away from distractions, focusing solely on prayer, meditation, and reflection.

    • We have been working on our own INDIVIDUALIZED APPRENTICE PLAN (IAP)

      • What did you decide on how you could incorporate Sabbath into you IAP?

      • How can you practice the discipline of silence and solitude as a regular habit for your fruit of the Spirit trellis (Rule of Life)?

  • FOR FURTHER STUDY or NEXT STEPS

    • Schedule a 24-hour spiritual retreat. Plan ahead.

    • Read chapter 7 of Celebration of Discipline by Foster

4. Prayer/meditation

  • SESSION MATERIALS

    • Sermon Video (Watch)

    • Session Slide Deck (Public) [My notes]

  • PERSONAL OR SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

    • What are key takeaways or what stood out to you from this weeks learning experience?

    • We have been working on our own INDIVIDUALIZED APPRENTICE PLAN (IAP)

      • How can you practice the discipline of prayer as a regular habit for your fruit of the Spirit trellis (Rule of Life)?

  • FOR FURTHER STUDY or NEXT STEPS

    • Lectio Divina

5. Fasting

  • SESSION MATERIALS

    • Sermon Video (Watch)

    • Session Slide Deck (Public) [My notes]

  • PERSONAL OR SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

    • What are key takeaways or what stood out to you from this weeks learning experience?

    • We have been working on our own INDIVIDUALIZED APPRENTICE PLAN (IAP)

      • How can you practice the discipline of fasting as a regular habit for your fruit of the Spirit trellis (Rule of Life)?

  • FOR FURTHER STUDY or NEXT STEPS

6. Study Scripture (God’s Word)

  • SESSION MATERIALS

    • Sermon Video (Watch)

    • Session Slide Deck (Public) [My notes]

  • PERSONAL OR SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

    • What are key takeaways or what stood out to you from this weeks learning experience?

    • We have been working on our own INDIVIDUALIZED APPRENTICE PLAN (IAP)

      • How can you practice the discipline of Studying God’s Word as a regular habit for your fruit of the Spirit trellis (Rule of Life)?

  • FOR FURTHER STUDY or NEXT STEPS

7. Study Our World (God’s World)

  • SESSION MATERIALS

    • Sermon Video (Watch)

    • Session Slide Deck (Public) [My notes]

  • PERSONAL OR SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

    • What are key takeaways or what stood out to you from this weeks learning experience?

    • We have been working on our own INDIVIDUALIZED APPRENTICE PLAN (IAP)

      • How can you practice the discipline of Studying God’s World as a regular habit for your fruit of the Spirit trellis (Rule of Life)?

  • FOR FURTHER STUDY or NEXT STEPS

8. Worship

  • SESSION MATERIALS

    • Sermon Video (Watch)

    • Session Slide Deck (Public) [My notes]

  • PERSONAL OR SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

    • What are key takeaways or what stood out to you from this weeks learning experience?

    • We have been working on our own INDIVIDUALIZED APPRENTICE PLAN (IAP)

      • How can you practice the discipline of Worship (individually and corporately) as a regular habit for your fruit of the Spirit trellis (Rule of Life)?

  • FOR FURTHER STUDY or NEXT STEPS

Practices to Help Us Love Others Well

9. Community/hospitality

  • SESSION MATERIALS

    • Sermon Video (Watch)

    • Session Slide Deck (Public) [My notes]

  • PERSONAL OR SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

    • What are key takeaways or what stood out to you from this weeks learning experience?

    • We have been working on our own INDIVIDUALIZED APPRENTICE PLAN (IAP)

      • How can you practice the discipline of community and hospitality as a regular habit for your fruit of the Spirit trellis (Rule of Life)?

  • FOR FURTHER STUDY or NEXT STEPS

10. Service/submission

  • SESSION MATERIALS

    • Sermon Video (Watch)

    • Session Slide Deck (Public) [My notes]

  • PERSONAL OR SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

    • What are key takeaways or what stood out to you from this weeks learning experience?

    • We have been working on our own INDIVIDUALIZED APPRENTICE PLAN (IAP)

      • How can you practice the discipline of Service and Submission as a regular habit for your fruit of the Spirit trellis (Rule of Life)?

  • FOR FURTHER STUDY or NEXT STEPS

11. Generosity

  • SESSION MATERIALS

    • Sermon Video (Watch)

    • Session Slide Deck (Public) [My notes]

  • PERSONAL OR SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

    • What are key takeaways or what stood out to you from this weeks learning experience?

    • We have been working on our own INDIVIDUALIZED APPRENTICE PLAN (IAP)

      • How can you practice the discipline of Generosity as a regular habit for your fruit of the Spirit trellis (Rule of Life)?

  • FOR FURTHER STUDY or NEXT STEPS

12. Witness

  • SESSION MATERIALS

    • Sermon Video (Watch)

    • Session Slide Deck (Public) [My notes]

  • PERSONAL OR SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

    • What are key takeaways or what stood out to you from this weeks learning experience?

    • We have been working on our own INDIVIDUALIZED APPRENTICE PLAN (IAP)

      • How can you practice the discipline of Witness as a regular habit for your fruit of the Spirit trellis (Rule of Life)?

  • FOR FURTHER STUDY or NEXT STEPS

13. Celebration

  • SESSION MATERIALS

    • Sermon Video (Watch)

    • Session Slide Deck (Public) [My notes]

  • PERSONAL OR SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

    • What are key takeaways or what stood out to you from this weeks learning experience?

    • We have been working on our own INDIVIDUALIZED APPRENTICE PLAN (IAP)

      • How can you practice the discipline of Celebration as a regular habit for your fruit of the Spirit trellis (Rule of Life)?

  • FOR FURTHER STUDY or NEXT STEPS