Talking Points:

• The pathway to success in life is to meditate on and observe God’s word. The Bible is God’s recipe for life. God has revealed in the Bible how he created the world to work. Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:1-3
• While in training, an athlete will eat the right things in the right proportions, not to lose weight, but to achieve peak fitness. In the same way, the Bible nourishes and empowers us so that we can live life to the fullest. Psalm 119:105
• As the Bible comes to inform our perspective on every matter and becomes a constant part of our decision-making process, our sinful nature and lower desires are not allowed to lead our life.

Talking Points:

• We need time and energy to build into any relationship, and it’s no different in our relationship with God. We must discipline ourselves to engage in spiritual practices like prayer, fasting, worship, and Bible study. There are no shortcuts to this. Only heartfelt commitment, time, and energy will do. Revelation 3:20
• The Lord’s Prayer gives us a template for how to pray: Matthew 6:9-13
  • Praise – Tell God “Thank you” for his blessings
  • Yield – Tell God you want his will not yours
  • Asking – Present requests and trust the answers
  • Seek Forgiveness – Confess your sins to God
  • Forgive others – Have a heart to make peace in your relationships
  • Ask for Protection – Ask God to protect you, your family, and others

Talking Points:

• Many Christians minimize the importance of the church. But as you read the New Testament, it is impossible to separate our vertical commitment to God from a horizontal commitment to body of Christ. Acts 2:42
• Love is essential in any kind of community, but especially so in the church. The church is a diverse body encompassing people with many different gifts and personalities. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
• Ultimately the unity of the church is toward a common goal. The harmony of God’s people is motivated by our calling to advance the good news of salvation. Jesus called us to make disciples, and this requires us to work together. Matthew 28:18-20

Talking Points:

• An ordinance is “an outward rite instituted by Christ to be administered in the church as a visible sign of the saving truth of the Christian faith.” Two ordinances – baptism and communion – were initiated by Jesus as physical ways to remind us of spiritual realities.
• Every Christian should consider baptism, not to conform outwardly to some religious regulation, but out of a heart’s desire to obey Jesus. It is a natural outflow of a new relationship with Christ. Matthew 28:18-19
• Baptism is a public declaration that a person has identified with Jesus and his people. It is like putting up a sign that says “Under New Management”. Jesus commonly called people to a new life, but this involves laying down our old life. Mark 8:35, Colossians 2:12
• Baptism is not a means of salvation. It is for those who have already obtained salvation – by faith. It is an outward sign of an inner reality, a way of telling the world about the salvation we have received. Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 John 1:9

Talking Points:

• People use different titles for this ordinance. It may be called the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist, or Communion. The title “communion” speaks of close fellowship and intimacy.
• Jesus instituted communion on the occasion of the Jewish Passover festival. The significance of Passover to the Jews is now reflected in the ordinance of communion. Communion reminds us how much Jesus loves us, what he did to show that love, and how much he desires ongoing intimacy with us. Matthew 26:26-28
• Communion is a time of introspection. We examine ourselves to remove anything that might hinder the intimacy we can have with Jesus. Thus the communion table is an opportunity to experience God’s grace and to get back into fellowship with him whenever we have strayed. 1 Corinthians 11:28

Talking Points:

• Fasting is a biblical practice that involves voluntarily depriving ourselves of food or water (or some other good gift from God) in order to focus solely on God. Matthew 9:14-15
• Biblical characters often fasting during times of crisis, to express dependence on God and to ask God to intervene to meet their need. But fasting is not just for times of crisis and need. It can be done in times of blessing to stay humble and regain an eternal perspective. 2 Samuel 7:6, Acts 14:23
• When fasting, temper your expectations of what God will do. It’s easy to think that because you are praying and fasting, God has to do whatever you want or need – because you are so focused and serious. But it’s really about focusing on God, not on what you expect him to do.

Talking Points:

• Money has such a large pull on our hearts, what we do with our money reflects whom or what we love. So giving is about a relationship – with either God or money. Matthew 6:24
• In human relationships, we’re willing to sacrifice to show others how much they mean to us. The same is true of giving to God. If it hurts a bit to give financially, that causes us to evaluate our priorities.
• We don’t give God our leftovers. When we give to God first, before taking care of ourselves, we are trusting in him to fulfill the promise that he will give us plenty to meet our needs. Proverbs 3:9-10
• Each of us has the privilege of deciding for ourselves how much to give. God doesn’t want us to give begrudgingly or under pressure. But a bad attitude is not a reason to stop giving. God can change your attitude if you are willing. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Talking Points:

• You don’t have to be a theologian to share what Jesus has done in your life. Sharing your faith is just being excited about your relationship with God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 3:15-16
• The Holy Spirit gives us words we would not have come up with ourselves. The Spirit takes our words and brings them home to the hearer. He can even use foolish things we say to convict people of the truth. Acts 1:8
• Jesus commanded us to be his witnesses. But hopefully we are all motivated not just by obedience, but by love. Our whole goal in life is to love God and to love others. Matthew 22:37-40, Matthew 28:19-20

Talking Points:

• We don’t always know or admit that we’re going in the wrong direction. God’s path doesn’t always feel straight, but God knows where he is leading us. So if we’re smart we will trust God’s word instead of our own feelings. Proverbs 3:5-6
• A farmer uses a yoke to steer animals. As such, a yoke speaks of submission. We have to be willing to be steered by God. Matthew 11:28-30
• The Bible is from God. It contains the wisdom God has given to guide our lives, and it covers a majority of the big issues that will arise in daily life. If a decision goes against God’s word, it cannot be God’s will. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
• The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit moves us to follow God’s will for our lives. Our job is to listen to those promptings. Ezekiel 36:27