The Pursuit

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WARM UP

Topic #1: The Pursuit

From the Podcast:

Key Points:

  • Everyone is pursuing something that they consider ultimate, and that means everyone is pursuing a “god”.
  • Before you even thought about God, he was pursuing you. Psalm 139:16-17
  • If you make a decision to pursue God, you will find him. Jeremiah 29:11-13 
  • Pursuing God is about going “full circle,” and it involves faith (trusting Jesus), life (honoring God), and purpose (helping others). 

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Talk About It
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic?
  2. Do you have any questions about faith or the Bible right now? Start a list.
  3. Make a list of areas where you would like to make improvements in your daily life.
  4. Read Psalm 139:17. Is this a new concept for you to realize that God uniquely created you? Explain. 
  5. Read Jeremiah 29:11. What do you hope your life looks like in 5 or 10 years? Paint a picture.
  6. Where would you put yourself on the circle above? Explain.
  7. Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
Topic #2: People Matter

Key Points:

  • People matter to God, and how you connect to people is important.
  • Jesus boiled a pursuit of God down to two commandments: love God and love people. Matthew 22:37-40
  • When it comes to relationships, there are four types of people: loners, toxics, fakes, and true friends. 
  • Jesus always interacted with people authentically, sharing the truth in love. Proverbs 18:24
Talk About It
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic?
  2. Name a friend, family member, or teammate in each of the four categories. Which category would your friends put you in?
  3. How has a “loner” impacted your life in a negative way? Share an example.
  4. Answer the question above for the toxic person and the fake friend.
  5. Read Proverbs 18:24. How has a “true” friend made you a better person? Give an example.
  6. What practical thing can you do to seek out more true friends – or become one yourself?
Topic #3: Water and Wine

Key Points:

  • Many people misunderstand who Jesus is and why he came to the earth. His very first miracle sheds some light for us.
  • Jesus performed his first miracle at a wedding, turning water into wine in stone jars used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Wine represents joy. John 2:6-7
  • By contrast, Moses performed his first miracle in front of Pharaoh, turning water into blood in the Nile River. Blood represents judgment. Exodus 7:20-21
  • Jesus defiled the stone water jars when he performed his miracle. He did this to show that he was about joy-based religion, not rule-based religion. John 10:10
Talk About It
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic?
  2. If you had the power to perform a miracle, what would you do and why?
  3. Do you view God more from the perspective of “judgment” or of “joy”? Where did you get this idea?
  4. Why do you think so many people view God as bringing judgment?
  5. Read John 10:10. What do you think Jesus means by “a rich and satisfying life”? What would bring more richness into your life right now?
  6. Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
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TRUST JESUS

Topic #4: What Is Sin?

Key Points:

  • Sin can be defined as going your own way, trusting and acting on your own opinions and feelings instead of on God’s truth. James 4:17
  • The Bible teaches that every human being is infected at the core with a sinful nature. Romans 3:10-12, 23
  • Sin brings brokenness into our personal lives, our culture, and the world. Romans 6:23
Talk About It
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. How does this video define sin? How would you define it?
  3. On a scale of 1 (Mother Teresa) to 10 (Hitler), how bad of a “sinner” are you? How do you think someone else would rate you?
  4. Read James 1:14-15. Give an example of how sin is a selfish impulse. Where do you think that impulse comes from?
  5. Read Galatians 5:19-21. Why do you think there’s such a wide variety of sin listed there? What would you add to the list?
  6. How have you seen sin derail your life or that of someone you know?
  7. For next week, take an honest look at your own life and identify a few areas of brokenness that you need to address.
Topic #5: Who Is Jesus?

Key Points:

  • Jesus is both fully God and fully man. John 1:1
  • Jesus lived a sinless life and yet died a criminal’s death on a cross. Isaiah 53:4-6
  • The fundamental fact of the Christian faith is that Jesus died on a cross and rose from the dead. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Talk About It
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic?
  2. What, if anything, did you learn about Jesus when you were younger?
  3. Read John 1:1. Why is it important to believe that Jesus is fully God? How would it impact Christianity if he were something less?
  4. Read Isaiah 53:5-8. How did Jesus fulfill this prophecy? Why did he have to do it?
  5. Read 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. Why is it important that Jesus rose from the dead? How would it impact the basic Christian message if he didn’t?
  6. Spend some time investigating the claims of Jesus (see below) before next week’s meeting.
Topic #6: Trusting Jesus

Key Points:

  • Every human being has a basic problem that keeps them from a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10
  • Jesus fixed the human problem through his death and resurrection. Romans 5:8
  • Your relationship with God begins when you personally trust Jesus for salvation. Romans 3:22

A Sinner’s Prayer:

“Jesus, I recognize I’m a sinner. I know that you died on the cross and rose from the dead so that I could have life. I’m turning from my sin now, and I’m turning to you in faith. I trust in you alone to forgive my sin and give me new life. Thank you for this free gift. Amen.”

Talk About It
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic?
  2. Review the definition of sin from the first topic in this track. Why is it important to understand what sin is? Do you agree everyone has a sin problem? Explain.
  3. Read Romans 6:23. Make a list of the ways sin can bring “death” into our lives.
  4. In your own words, explain how the death and resurrection of Jesus fixes our sin problem. 
  5. Read Romans 3:22. Do you believe that anyone can be made right with God by trusting in Jesus? Are there any exceptions?
  6. Have you put your faith in Jesus for salvation? If so, when? If not, are you ready to do it today? See the “Sinner’s Prayer” above.
More on Trusting Jesus

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HONOR GOD

Topic #7: Honoring God

Key Points:

  • The Spirit leads from the inside out, empowering us to honor God every day. Ezekiel 36:26-27
  • The Bible guides us and shows us the attitudes and actions that honor God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
  • Other believers help us stay on the right track, both one-on-one and in the local church. Galatians 6:1-2
Talk About It
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic? 
  2. Read Ezekiel 36:26. Describe the difference between a “stony” heart and a “tender” heart.
  3. Read 2 Timothy 3:16. What does this verse say that scripture does for us? Share a scripture verse that has been “useful” for you.
  4. Share a teaching from the Bible that surprised you when you first heard it. Did you obey it? Why or why not?
  5. Read Galatians 6:1-2. Share a time when another believer helped you on to the right path.
  6. Make a commitment to start reading the Bible every day. Need help? Try a reading plan.
Topic #8: The Battle

Key Points:

  • There’s a daily battle between our old nature and our new nature. Galatians 5:16-17
  • The freedom we have in Christ is intended to help us love people more, not just live for ourselves. Galatians 5:13-14
  • The Holy Spirit produces relationship-building fruit in our lives. Galatians 5:22-23
  • We participate with God by actively walking “by the Spirit” on a daily basis. Galatians 5:24-25
Talk About It
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic?
  2. Give an example of how some people misunderstand the freedom we have in Christ.
  3. Read Galatians 5:16-17. Share about a time when you were not “free to carry out your good intentions”. 
  4. Read Galatians 5:22-23. Which of these is your strongest fruit right now? Which is your weakest?
  5. Name one or two things that haven’t changed in your life, even though you know they should have. Why has it been difficult to change those things?
  6. Make a list of some practical disciplines you can develop to help you walk “by the Spirit”. 
Topic #9: How to Pray

Key Points:

  • Pray to grow close to your father, like you’re in an actual relationship with him. Matthew 6:9
  • Pray to get in step with your king – for his will to be done and not yours. Matthew 6:10
  • Pray to lean on your provider because you need what only he can offer. Matthew 6:11-13
Talk About It
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic?
  2. Do you ever feel like prayer is complicated? Explain.
  3. Share a time when God answered one of your prayers. What did that answer tell you about God?
  4. Read Matthew 6:7-8. What would you say is the essence of “Gentile” or pagan prayer? How is Christian prayer different?
  5. When you pray “Your will be done,” what are you actually saying to God?
  6. Read Matthew 6:11-12. If God already knows our needs, why pray for daily food?
  7. Read Matthew 6:13. What inner battles – spiritual, mental, or emotional – do you face on a regular basis? How can prayer prepare you for those battles?
  8. Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
More on Honoring God

MAKE DISCIPLES

Topic #10: Make Disciples

Key Points:

  • Jesus wants his followers to go “full circle” and help others pursue God. Matthew 28:19-20
  • Christian maturity comes after we start discipling someone, not before. Ephesians 4:12-13
  • The greatest thing you can do in your life is to help someone pursue God. 2 Timothy 2:2
Talk About It
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic?
  2. Who is helping you pursue God? How are they doing it?
  3. Define “full circle” faith in your own words. Where are you on the circle?
  4. How do most churches define “spiritual maturity”? How does this video define it?
  5. Do you think you can help someone else pursue God? Why or why not?
  6. Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
Topic #11: The Strategy

Key Points:

  • Disciple-making is simply a series of conversations, and our content at pursueGOD.org empowers you to actually do it (see the FLEX Method).
  • The process of disciple-making involves three phases in the big picture: invite, invest, and empower.
  • When you start investing in a discipleship relationship using our tools, remember three core principles: discovery, ownership, and humility.
  • The pathway for discipleship gives you clarity on how to help someone go full circle. Start with topics (at the top of any Start Page) and work toward The Pursuit, a 12-week discipleship track that graduates your mentee.

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Talk About It
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic?
  2. Who first shared their faith with you? How did they go about it, and why was it helpful to you?
  3. Do you find sharing your faith difficult? Why or why not?
  4. Invite, Invest, Empower – which one seems the most difficult to you? Explain.
  5. Read 1 Corinthians 3:7. How do you see this principle at work in your own story of faith?
  6. Do you feel qualified to make disciples? If not, what would qualify you?
  7. Make a list of a few people who might be interested in going through this track with you. Begin praying for those people.
Topic #12: Next Steps

Next Steps:

  1. Cover more training topics (below). 
  2. Practice with the topics in this discipleship track.
  3. Pray for God to open a door for disciple-making.
  4. Follow up with your trainer after you’ve started discipling.
Talk About It
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic?
  2. Who in your life can you invite into a discipling relationship? Which discipleship track would be best for them?
  3. Read John 15:16. Do you think the disciples would have ever mobilized if Jesus hadn’t been so direct about it? Explain.
  4. Imagine that you’re discipling someone a year from now. What does your follow up relationship look like with your trainer? How often are you still connecting?
  5. What are some roadblocks that might keep you from helping someone pursue God? How can you eliminate those roadblocks?
  6. What are some training topics (see toggle below) that you’d like to cover with your mentor?
More on Making Disciples

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The Podcast

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