The Outpost
What is the church, and why do some insist on it? Is the church a social event, an affinity group, a cult? Is the church responsible for self-help techniques or ever-increasing cultural relevance? In this year’s vision series, we slow down to have a very old conversation about the rhythms of family
Community Practices
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting. Have one person read Hebrews 10:23-25 over the group and then pray to ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide your time together.
Recap
The story of the church is beautiful and complex, and has been unfolding across the globe for some 2,000 years. What started on the other side of the world with a ragtag group of imperfect disciples dedicated to the ways of Jesus, has grown into a vast family that we get to participate in today. We are invited into the same rhythms of community, worship, accountability, and learning that followers of Jesus have been practicing for millennia.
But the church now is no less imperfect than it was 2,000 years ago. If you’ve been around the church for more than a minute, you know that it’s made up of people, and that people are broken. People can be hurtful, judgmental, and wildly inconsistent in their convictions and actions - no one is excluded from this. But because of Jesus, there is also grace, hope, and life, all flowing through the disparate members of the church.
Each follower of Jesus, imperfect though they are, has something unique and important to bring to the community of believers. The Apostle Paul made the claim that each of us is like a part of the body, all with different functions but equal value. None of us can say to another, “I don’t need you.” Instead, we are called to be unified, and to care for each member of the body as we would want to be cared for. The community that is the church is a space where we can learn to care for one another, spurring each other on as we seek to follow Jesus together.
Discuss
What stood out to you from this past Sunday’s teaching?
What role has the church body played in your discipleship to Jesus?
How does it make you feel to think of yourself as an important member of the body of Christ with something of value to offer to your community?
What do you hope for this next season of church, both for the whole body and for yourself?
Practice
This week, take 2-3 times in your normal rhythm of meeting with Jesus to practice Lectio Divina. This is a form of contemplative prayer that uses the slow, meditative reading of Scripture to hear from God. For this practice, read Romans 12:3-21, where Paul talks about humbly serving and loving the body of Christ.
Follow these steps of Lectio Divina as you read:
Read: Slowly and carefully read the text to yourself. Take your time. As you move through the text, pay close attention to what words and ideas draw your attention in unique ways. When your focus is drawn to a particular word or thought, pause momentarily to reflect on it.
Reflect: Upon completing the passage, return to the beginning and read again. On your second time through the text, allow it to connect with you personally. Which words or phrases assume a particular significance in your heart, your season of life, or your relationships? Write these down.
Respond: Talk to God about your experience. If you’re confused, say that. Moved? Express gratitude to God. Upset? Tell him about it. If the text has brought something else to mind, talk to God about that.
Rest: Finish your time by sitting quietly in God’s presence. You might express wonder, awe, gratitude, or praise through words, or you might allow yourself to feel and experience these things in silence before God.
Come ready to share about your experience the next time your community meets.
Pray
End by having someone read Colossians 3:12-15 as a prayer over the group.
