Desire: You Are What You Love

Connect

Take time as a group getting to know one another.  Some of your groups have people who know one another well, but every group has new people.  Some have been in a group before, and others have not.  Explore a few things together as a group:

-Structure of each Connect Group time:

Connect: Opportunity at the beginning to touch base and intentionally socialize.  This time is usually wrapped up with a question or a prompt that draws everyone together.

Pray: This is the heart of a solid Connect Group, and what sets it apart from other types of study groups.  Time is spent reflecting upon the Measures of Passionate, Accepting, Trusting, Invitational, and Active, and then the group prays for one another during this time.

Reflect: This is the time where the group reflects upon Sunday’s sermon and worship.  Time may be spent studying one of the Scripture passages, reading a related article, or following up on an aspect that could not be studied in depth.

-Creating a Covenant together.  As a group, it is good to covenant together to what your expectations are of yourself and one another.  Discuss together these aspects:

*Attendance.  Ensuring that the group will always share with the facilitators if they aren’t able to come.

*Time.  When will we start and end to respect everyone’s time?

*Openness and Respect.  How will your group be open to hearing one another?

*Share the Air.  Making sure one or two people don’t dominate the entire conversation.

*Confidentiality.  A commitment to what is said in the group stays in the group.

*Any other aspects you want to include as a group. 

Pray

As a church, we have 5 measures that we’ve said would make vibrant disciples of Jesus.  In this time together, we ask each person to reflect on either all 5 measures, or for the group to select a measure to consider together each week and share how they might be able to pray for one another and hold each other accountable.  Those measures are:

Passionate: Where did I see God today?

Accepting: How am I building diverse relationships?

Invitational: Who am I connecting with God’s family?

Trusting: Where does God rank?

Active: How am I engaged with God’s work?

Reflect

On Sunday, Pastor Kevin began this new series on money—but really began around this idea about desire. 

Read together Matthew 6:33 “Instead, desire first and foremost God’s Kingdom and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

-What strikes you about that Bible verse?

-How do you find it difficult to desire God’s Kingdom first?

Kevin quoted the author James K.A. Smith a lot on Sunday.  Here is a video of Smith talking about what it means that “you are what you love.”

Key Video takeaways:

-Your deepest cravings for something ultimate really define you.

-You might not love what you think.

+Your cravings are formed not by what you know, but through the practices you’re immersed in.

+You might know what the right answer is, but your habits and practices do something else.

How do our desires relate to how we think about and relate to money?

How do you think we can begin to desire the right things?  What does that look like in your life?