PARTICIPANT GUIDE

3Table of ContentsThank You pg. 4Introduction to Discipleship pg. 6Intimacy With God pg. 12Christlike Relationships pg. 22Spiritual Gifts pg. 31Grace Story pg. 45Foundations for Missional Living pg. 59Meaningful Gospel Presence pg. 69Gospel Conversation pg. 82Gospel Proclamation pg. 94In Your Going pg. 108 Conclusion pg. 121Accountability Questions pg. 125

AcknowledgmentsDWIGHT SMITH During the past several years, our church has been greatly challenged and helped by the relationship that we have had with Dr. Dwight Smith and the learnings he has impressed upon us through his work with Saturation Church Planting. The outcomes that we espouse for spiritual formation are a direct result of his curriculum upon the life of our church. We are and continue to remain grateful for his investment in the leadership of our church. For more information on Dwights original content, please consult scpi.org.

JIM MURPHY Over the past handful of years, our church has also been greatly impacted by our relationship with Missio Church in Syracuse, NY. One of the elders, Jim Murphy, has created an evangelization strategy, based off of his working with SCPI as well. The MyCircle Training is the basis for our strategy toward evangelization in this curriculum. We are so thankful for the partnership that we have with Missio Church. For more information regarding an expanded version of the MyCircle Training please contact Missio Church at (315) 299-4101 or contact Jim directly at jim@missiochurch.org.

4A quick word from your church leadership team...

We want to take a moment and express our heart-felt thanks to you for taking time to engage with us through this discipleship initiative. We understand that, in our culture, there are many things that vie for your attention, and committing to something that rises above the other alternatives is no small feat.

As a leadership team, we have been on a journey with the Lord. Along that journey, we have spent a significant amount of time asking the question, How can we help the people with whom God has entrusted us to grow in their depth of understanding of what it looks like to be a disciple of Christ? Through these collaborative efforts we have created the materials you are about to spend time with over the coming weeks. We long for you, and everyone who calls The Chapel home, to be drawn ever closer with God, and to join Him on His mission of giving every man, woman, and child repeated opportunities to hear, see, and respond to the life-changing message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

As a team, wed like to invite you to join us on this journey and offer one crucial suggestion: be willing to stick with it.

What you will notice over the next number of weeks is that this journey will challenge you in ways you have never been challenged. We see that as a good thing!

These materials might prove to be a strong affirmation to what you have already committed yourself. If so, we are grateful for that and ask you to please help others as you continue. Help us to ensure this is not just another program that is put on the shelf after checking the box. Our desire is to see lives changed as a result of the truth presented!

A natural question you might have is, why is this compelling?. Our answer isnt flashy, but it is tethered to Gods Word. We have submitted ourselves to the Scriptures, examining what God has to say about the aspects of discipleship in which He has been growing our church over the past handful of years. Each idea that you see explained and developed is connected to the Scriptures. As a leadership team, we have sensed that if we attach ourselves to the Scriptures as we lead people through discipleship, we put our church in the best position to experience a life-changing shift in the way that we each look at discipleship.

What is that life changing shift? We live in the hope that all of Gods people will awaken to the idea that Jesus is inviting us to follow Him! As we do that, we must live a life that compels others to do the same. It is within that shift that our team sees the opportunity for two things: to grow deep in our walk with God (intimacy); and engage the lostness of our region - living on mission to give every man, woman, and child repeated opportunities to hear, see, and respond to the gospel message of Jesus Christ.

Thank you in advance for your commitment in this journey. Please know that we have prayed repeatedly for Gods leading in developing these ideas for you and all the participants, and the region where we live. May God bless and reward the time you invest in this journey, growing closer to Him, and awakening you to those close by that dont yet know Him.

6Introduction to DiscipleshipWe need to understand that discipleship is a fundamental element of Gods mission to the world. It isnt merely about personal spiritual satisfaction. Disciples, those people who are following Jesus and compelling others to do the same, are necessary because God is acting through His Church in the world. It is only when we begin to understand what God wants for the world that we begin to understand what that could look like. As we understand what it could look like when God is able to do what He wants, we can begin to grab ahold of the picture of what disciples should be and do.

7Video TeachingTo view the video online, visit:discipleship.thechapel.com/intro.

The big question for us would be this: What ?

God is on a .

What God wants is for every , , and to hear, see, and respond to the

gospel of Jesus Christ.

What would it if God did what He wanted?

There would be an to Jesus in every place.

Declare his glory among the na-tions, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. Say among the nations,

The LORD reigns. (Psalm 96:3, 10a)

I eve I am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed- I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses, declares the LORD, that I am God. (Isaiah 43:11-12)

Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.

(Isaiah 44:8)

I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

8Whatever God is going to do in the world, He is going to do through of people.

A disciple is someone who is Jesus and others to do the same.

When we become disciples, we are our in Jesus so that we can be in the

ongoing of the mission of God.

9Taking Actiontalk it out 1. Have you ever taken the time to actually define discipleship? Interact with the

definition that was presented.

2. Have you ever been discipled? What did that look like? Have you ever discipled someone else? What did that look like? What were the end results of those activities, if any?

3. Why is discipleship so foundational to the overall mission of God in the world?

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work it out 1. Read the following passages together: 2 Timothy 2:1-7 and Titus 2:3-5. What is the

big idea about discipleship in each of these passages? How closely does it align to the definition of discipleship that was discussed?

2. Read Matthew 28:18-20 together. What is the command of that instruction from Jesus? How does that command fit into what God wants to do in the world?

live it out Think of someone in your circle of influence that either has not yet come to faith in Jesus, or is not quite as far along as you are. Take the time to pray about what your role is in their lifeeither as someone who brings the message of Jesus to them, or as someone who invests your life in them to help them follow Jesus. How will you act on this? When will you do it?

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ResourcesBreaking the Discipleship Code by David Putman (B&H Books)

The Great Omission by Dallas Willard (Harper One)

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Intimacy With God

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Groundwork Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with

all your strength. (Mark 12:30)

This is what Jesus said was the greatest command. Its the bulls-eye on the target of life. Its what God wants for every single human being, including us! He wants us to have and to experience an on-going, growing love relationship with Him. He wants us to experience intimacy with Him. In this session we are taking a look at intimacy with God, what it means and how to cultivate it.

When we say intimacy with God, we are teaching our soul that its satisfaction is found in God alone. Gods command here in Mark 12:30 is His expressed invitation to us for that very thing. He wants us to come after Him with everything that we are. By choosing to obey this command of all-out surrender, God positions us to fully experience His love and purposes for our livesto experience a genuine intimacy with our Heavenly Father. In fact, our intimate relationship with God is the foundation of everything in our lives. Making God the center and the final say-so over everything about us orders our priorities, gives us proper perspective, and fuels our desires towards the things that truly matter. Gods command to love Him is His invitation for us to experience intimacy with Him.

God wants all of this for us and more because of one simple reasonHe loves us! Its that simple and that profound.

In Exodus 20 when God was giving Moses what we know as The Ten Commandments, He uses a very specific term to describe Himself:

I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. (Exodus 20:5)

Because God is 100% sinless and pure, His jealousy is the same.

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So what does He mean by calling Himself jealous? Hes referring to His passionate, pure, relentless love for His peoplefor us! In Exodus 20, God is clearly communicating to His people then and now to stay away from other gods,other enticements and attachments in our lives that we prioritize over Godother things that we try to make the center of our lives. Why? Because God knows that they are empty, phony, and in the end bring only disappointment and destruction. Gods jealousy means that He looks at us and says, Im the One that you want. Im the One that you need. And Im the One who wants you!

That kind of love will change you.

Its one of the many reasons why God alone is able to satisfy our souls.

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Video TeachingTo view the video online, visit: discipleship.thechapel.com/IntimacyWithGod.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. (Jesus to His disciples in John 15:9)

Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (Jesus to His Father in John 17:23)

Gods love for you is: : it never comes up lacking or fails in any way : God will never love you any less and He cant love you any more : no hoops to jump through, no strings attached; you cant earn it : it never stops

Key Point: That kind of love will change you.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27)

1. speaks of a relational framework. God claims you as His own. You belong to Him.

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2. instructs us to pay attention and to value what is being communicated.

3. . God is clearly speaking. He is the one communicating.

4. Gods knowledge of you is far more than surface information. He knows you deeply, personally, and fully.

5. . there is a clear response of obedience. Action is taken based on what God has spoken.

We dont obey in order to get God to love us. We obey because He already does and because we love Him!

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Taking Actiontalk it out When you hear the phrase, intimacy with God, what thoughts come to your mind? Where do you think those thoughts and ideas come from? What thoughts would God want you to have when you hear intimacy with God? Why?

What emotions do you feel when you think about spending time with God in His Word and prayer? Why?

Have you ever participated in other spiritual disciplines such as fasting, solitude, or journaling? If so, what was that like for you?

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work it out Together as a group go through the following Scripture passage using the questions below.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:1-8)

Is there A SIN to turn from?

Is there A PROMISE to claim?

Is there An EXAMPLE to follow?

Is there A COMMAND to obey?

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Is there A TEACHING ABOUT GOD (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)?

Is there A BLESSING or ENCOURAGING WORD to enjoy?

Is there A WARNING to regard?

APPLICATION How does God want me to live out today what Hes spoken to me about?

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live it out Beginning this week, what steps will you take to grow in your intimacy with God? Write them out and be specific! For example, avoid Im going to read the Bible more. Instead, write something like Im going to begin reading the Gospel of John starting tomorrow. Include the place, the time, and anything else youre going to do (e.g. starting a prayer list, keeping a journal).

Story | Sam I had been sporadic in my time with God. So I made a commitment to get up 15 minutes earlier each day to spend some quiet time with God, reading His Word and praying. While it was hard at first, that time has become so important to me. It helps

me start my day off right, giving me Gods truth to encourage me, to challenge me, and to guide me through all of my activities. It even helps me to be more aware of Him throughout my day.

evidence of becomingWhat is INTIMACY WITH GOD? Intimacy with God is simply when we experience a close relationship with Jesus, passionately obedient in following all that He teaches us.

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Resources

Online Resourcesthechapel.com/sermonnotesvintagetruth.com/assets/the10.pdf

Bible Study Methods by Rick Warren (Zondervan)

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney (Navpress)

Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas (Zondervan)

Books

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ChristlikeRelationships

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GroundworkWhen we refer to having Christlike relationships, we are asking: how would Jesus live my life if He were me? This impacts our relationships to people and to our stuff.

Maybe another way we can ask this is, What would it look like for my life to be centered on Jesus? Or, as Dallas Willard once wrote that as a disciple, I am learning from Jesus to live my life as he would live my life if he were I.

When you think about Christlike relationships, youre probably thinking about your relationships to other peopleand rightfully so. Jesus is here to transform the way we interact with others. But this also affects our relationship to our stuff: money, time, gifts, talents, and resources. We want all of our relationships to look like Jesus. Thats what we want, after all, isnt it? When we came to Jesus by faith, we needed salvation for our eternity; thats true. But the eternal life that Jesus offers overflows into our everyday living. As His followers, we dont want to do things the old way anymore. We want more of Him and less of ourselves. We know how we treat the people around us. We know how we handle our money. We see where that gets us when it looks and smells like the old me. According to Gods Word, the old me is dead and gone!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

This is why we cant go any further until weve locked into an understanding of Intimacy with God. When God takes up residence in our lives, it isnt something we can contain. Faith in God absolutely must work its way out into our everyday lives. Its the natural response and eventual outcome of a life that is centered on Jesus. Jesus transforms not just our eternity, but our here and now. He is renovating our lives to rebuild us into His image. Its something of a metamorphosis. We need to participate in

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that work in our relationshipsevery single one of themso that they look Christlike. So lets examine the life of Jesus, since Hes the one we are following. His life could be defined with just one word: sacrifice

The Son of Man came to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)

This is the reason Jesus came: to give His life.

It was all about sacrifice for Him. We see that in His unrelenting commitment to love the outcast and welcome the sinner. We see Him spending more than three years with a group of 12 men who were constantly waffling in their faith, and whose allegiance to Jesus was questioned even up to and including the day of His death. We see His sacrifice, ultimately, on the cross as He absorbed the judgment of God for humanitys sin. It was all about His sacrifice. So if we want the life of Christ to take over our relationships, and the life of Jesus was defined by sacrifice, then heres what we know:

With relationships to people, it looks like sacrificial loving With relationships to our stuff, it looks like sacrificial giving

Well examine this further in the video teaching portion coming up next!

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Video TeachingRelationships to People: Sacrificial Loving

To view the video online, visit: discipleship.thechapel.com/ChristlikeRelationships.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)

is the of every believer.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:34-35)

But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:27-28, 32, 35-36)

Jesus calls for , love.

Relationships to Stuff: Sacrificial Giving

Everything we have is from God.

But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this?

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Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. (1 Chronicles 29:14)

God it all; we are just .

God is looking at our and our to what he puts in our path.

ConclusionIn what relationship do I see more of than

?

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Taking Actiontalk it out Is there a relationship that God has revealed to you where you see more of Self than Sacrifice? What is it? What needs to change?

How could the outcome of Christlike relationships transform marriages? How could it transform someone who is unmarried? How do you see Christlike relationships impacting purity and fidelity? Why does this matter?

work it out Think of a relationship you have with another person who is difficult to love. Have you ever made excuses about why youre not obligated to love them? In light of this lesson, what has God been showing you? What do you need to do in response?

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We might think the idea of Christlike relationships to our stuff is a stretch; after all, how could a relationship exist with an inanimate object? Read 1 Timothy 6:10 and Matthew 6:24. In these verses, what words are used to describe the potential relationship between money and us? Why are we warned so strongly about how we handle our possessionsand money in particular?

Ephesians 5:15-16 tells us, Look carefully, then, how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time How can you demonstrate a Christlike relationship with your time? What does it look like to make the best use of the time in your family? In your daily intimacy with God? In your work?

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live it out Choose one of the relationships you referenced above and make an intentional effort to respond in a Christlike manner this week. Take a moment and write in the space below exactly what you are going to do differently; be specific!

Story | Jillian After following Jesus for a few years, I realized that there was a lot of Me and My in my conversation: MY money; MY time; MY relationships; what about ME? Whats best for ME? Around this time I heard a message about getting the ownership issue settled in your lifethat all we have is from God and its His to use. I confessed to God that I was still living like I owned everything, and surrendered ownership over to Him. For the first time in my life, I committed to giving a specific percentage of my income on a weekly basis. But even more shocking for me, I asked God to help me show the love of Jesus to my supervisor at work. Up until that point, I avoided her like the plague. But if God owns everything, that means my relationships tooand its amazing what God can do when you surrender everything to Him.

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Resources

Sermonsthechapel.com/ElementalSeriesthechapel.com/OutcomesSeries

evidence of becomingWhat are Christlike RELATIONSHIPS? Living in a way that is selfless, others-focused, sacrificial, and loving so that those around us experience the presence of Jesus by what we do and say.

The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn (Multnomah Books)

His Needs, Her Needs by W. Harley Jr. (Revell)

Crazy Love by Francis Chan (David C. Cook)

Books

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Spiritual Gifts

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GroundworkEach Jesus-follower is gifted by God for the good of others and the advancement of the gospel. Everyone is necessary.

Using our spiritual gifts to put Christ on display is an essential component of living out a Christ-centered existence as His disciples. The identification of our spiritual gifts and the use of them flow out of an intimate relationship with God. As we draw close to Him, we receive His direction and equipping to do what He has called us to do to advance His kingdom.

There are four primary texts in the New Testament that speak of spiritual gifts: Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4. As you read and study these texts on your own, your observations will probably fall under these lines:

1. In Romans 12:3-8, Pauls teaching seems to be on what are called ministry giftsnamely, those gifts whose primary purpose is to minister to the needs of the Body of Christ. Utilizing these gifts requires a surrendered heart to the will of God, a humble attitude, and a right perspective that sees how we properly fit into the Body. These ministry gifts will be the primary focus of our instruction.

2. In 1 Corinthians 12, Pauls instruction lasers in on why and how God gives spiritual gifts. Written to a congregation that gravitated toward selfishness and immaturity, Paul calls them toward other-centeredness and spiritual growth. He reminds them that the trinitarian nature of God is involved in the distribution of spiritual gifts so that the Church can function interdependently to accomplish Gods purposes.

The Spirit gives the gifts, Jesus gives the assignment where the gifts are used, and The Father determines the domain or scope of influence.

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3. The Body of Christ is to operate interdependentlyefficiently using all the spiritual gifts contained within so that everyone is needed (even those who spiritual gifts might seem insignificant when compared to what is often seen as the more demonstrative gifts), and no one can say he or anyone else is not needed.

4. In Ephesians 4:11-13, Pauls focus seems to be on certain persons who, because of their particular gift set, are indeed gifts to the Body of Christ for the purpose of equipping toward the mobilization of the Church to accomplish the mission and produce spiritual maturity.

Five identities are given: 1. The apostle: the one who mobilizes the Body toward unchartered territory where the

gospel has not yet been declared to territory where it needs to be declared anew. 2. The prophet: the one who mobilizes the Body toward repentance and a life of

holiness that makes the gospel attractive. 3. The evangelist: the one who mobilizes the Body to be stewards of the gospel and

take responsibility to declare it within the lostness of their geography. 4. The pastor: the one who mobilizes the Body toward meeting the tangible and spiritual

needs of its own. 5. The teacher: the one who mobilizes the Body to receive and internalize the truth of

Gods Word.

In 1 Peter 4:10-12, the Apostle calls each believer to be a faithful steward of the gifts given, with the intent that Christ is praised.

All four texts, use common language to remind us what a spiritual gift is. For the purpose of this instruction, we will define spiritual gifts this way: a spiritual gift is the unique way the Spirit works through His children to put Christ on display.

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Our goal in giving this teaching is that you would know the spiritual gift you have been given and that you would begin or continue to put Christ on display through its use.This is a good place to land with an understanding that in using our spiritual gifts, we are individually putting a part of Christs nature on display. In addition, when we collectively and interdependently work together, with each person using his or her gift, we give the world a composite sketch of Christ.

We say that because all the gifts, including the ministry gifts of Romans 12 that we are focusing on here, are found perfectly in Christ. He could have placed all the gifts in one person, but He would rather glorify Himself through His entire Church by distributing the gifts among us, and asking us to work together as oneeven though its often messy and always imperfect.

A good place to start, then, is to look at how Christ displayed the ministry gifts. As you see Him operate perfectly, the Holy Spirit may begin to alert you to your gift as you take notice of what example excites you or causes your heart to come alive with a desire to be like Jesus.

The gift of prophecy is the divine enablement to confront someone with the truth of God. It is often seen as an in your face kind of directive. That doesnt mean its expressed without love, because all the gifts are to be expressed in love. In fact, Paul says that the use of a spiritual gift without being saturated in Gods love is useless and meaningless (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

You can see Christ exercise this gift in Matthew 23 as He confronts the Pharisees (the religious leaders of His day) for their hypocrisy and spiritual irresponsibility in the way they led the people of Israel. These are some of the harshest words in the entire Bible. Yet, Christs words are full of love. First, there is a love for the people who had been oppressed by the spiritually-deadening influence of the Pharisees brand of religion. Second, there is a love for the Pharisee himself, who might long for a release from the spiritual bondage his teaching had demanded.

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So if you get excited or intrigued by Jesus confronting falsehoods and hypocrisy, you have learned something about your spiritual gift.

The gift of serving is the divine enablement to see the tangible and deeper needs of people, and to be motivated to meet those needs.

See Jesus serve the multitudes by feeding them. See Jesus serve the paralytic, the leper, the blind man, and even the poor by relieving their physical oppression. See Jesus serve by washing His disciples feet on the night He was betrayed. And see Jesus demonstrate the ultimate act of service by dying in our place.

So, if your passion is to serve the Body so that its tangible and spiritual needs are met, this might be the place where you land.

The gift of teaching is the divine enablement to communicate Gods Word and see life-change as a result. See this in Jesus as He opens spiritual eyes to see God through the parables He told. See this in Jesus as He challenges the multitudes to live out a righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of their contemporary religious leaders.

See this in Jesus as He communicates to His disciples how to live after Hes gone back to His Father. See this in Jesus as He teaches His enemies, knowing they would not understand and that they would not want to understand. See this in Jesus as every action, every word, and every step He took was a means to communicate how to live.So, if you love to present truth and you love seeing lives changed by it, youve learned something about yourself.

The gift of encouragement is the divine enablement to help others be restored to God or to walk in obedience with Him. See this in Jesus as He restored the woman caught in adultery, as He gave Mary permission to sit at His feet and be one of His disciples, as He gave hope to Peter on the night he denied Himassuring this soon-to-fall disciple that he would be restored and would help restore others.

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If you value and enjoy saying the right words, writing the right kind of note, or making the right phone call so that some other believer will use your expression of love as a marker from which to move forward, then encouragement could be your gift.

The gift of giving is the divine enablement to live with an open hand and expect nothing in return. The whole ministry of Jesus was lived that way. He freely gave of Himself. He never saw peoples desire for His attention, their longing to be set free, and their demand on His time, as an interruption. He kept nothing for Himself (not even a place to put His head at night). He freely gave away everything He had. He also took great joy when others were blessed by His generosity.

So if you love to bless others with what God has blessed you, and you can do it without expecting something in return, without resentment, and without evaluating whether someone is worthy of your generosity, perhaps you will want to examine if this is your gift.

The gift of leading is the divine enablement to invest in the lives of others and take them along on their spiritual journey. This was Jesus whole mission for pouring into the lives of 12 men called disciples. He took them from the moment He called them to be His apprentices until they were fully ready, with the equipping of the Spirit, to be on His mission.

Some people want to do thisbut they dont do it well. So, if you get excited about the possibility of leading a particular ministry so that you can invest in the spiritual formation of others, this may well be your gift.

The gift of mercy is the divine enablement to express Gods compassionate heart toward the marginalized, meet them where they are, and convince them of their tangible action of the love of God.

See Jesus show mercy by touching the leper (when no one else would). See Jesus show mercy by ministering to the woman at the well. See Jesus show mercy to the tax collectors and sinners. See Jesus show mercy to the multitudes because He saw them

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as religiously oppressed and weary. See Jesus show mercy by going to places where the destitute were and the religious would no go.

So, if you are a person who has a great heart that has been enlarged by the activity of the Spirit toward the ones that few others care about, mercy might be your gift.

We hope these examples of the ministry gifts help you identify your gift and will motivate you to seek to be found using it.

A word of caution in closing: once you identify your gift, dont let it lead you to close off the activity of the Spirit in your life. There may be times when the Spiritbecause it is Christ, through Him, who indwells youmay enable you to operate outside of your gift. You may be asked, at times, to: speak truth into someones life and call them to obedience; to serve another by meeting his or her spiritual or tangible needs; to communicate Gods Word and see life-change in another; to encourage someone who is temporarily weak in faith or stumbling in an area where obedience is called for; to live with an open hand and give part of your resources, time, or self to another; to devote time to leading someone in the next phase of his or her spiritual journey; or to demonstrate compassion to a hurting person.

However, your spiritual gift will usually be the primary way the Spirit will put Christ on display through your life. Be sure to be surrendered to His direction and obedient to His call on your life.

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Video TeachingTo view the video online, visit: discipleship.thechapel.com/SpiritualGifts.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

We are empowered by the Holy Spirit because He indwells us and He equips us by giving us a spiritual gift.

Key Point: A spiritual gift is the unique way the Spirit works through His people to put Christ on display.

A spiritual gift is the unique way the Spirit through His to put on display.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of Gods grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

(1 Peter 4:10-11)

There are several things Peter says about spiritual gifts in this passage. Each believer has received a . This gift is to be to serve . We are to be by using this gift. This gift is given to us by . The result of using this gift is that is put on display.

Peter puts spiritual gifts into two categories: tasks (serve) and talk (speak).

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Paul helps us further refine through a better understanding of those two arenas of spiritual gifts.

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:4-8)

So these two categories might look something like this:

TASKS TALKServing Prophesying

Leading Encouraging

If each believer has a gift, and that gift is to be used to serve others, and we are to be faithful stewards in using that gift, and the result of using that gift is that Christ is put on display, then

Each believer must his or her spiritual gift and begin it.

The dilemma: most people do not know their spiritual gift!

So, how do we figure it out?Tether your spiritual gift to your relationship with God by asking some specific questions:

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1. WHAT NEEDS DO I SEE? I hope people are convicted to live right = Prophecy I hope peoples greatest needs are met = Serving I hope people learn something about God = Teaching I hope people are encouraged = Encouragement I hope people are blessed = Giving I hope people are brought closer to Jesus = LeadI hope people are comforted = Mercy

2. WHAT PASSION DO I HAVE? When you have a spiritual gift, God gives you a burden. When that burden is fueled by intimacy with God, that burden becomes a passion.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

When God gives you a burden , the Holy Spirit will ignite your heart with a passion, the closer you are to Gods heart.

What makes you come alive?

3. WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DOES GOD SEEM TO BE PLACING IN MY PATH?Find out what God is doing and you join Him.

4. WHERE HAVE I SEEN FRUIT?When have you seen Christ display Himself through you?

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Taking Actiontalk it out

What stood out to you in the video? Was there anything that surprised you?

Think back to the analogy of worship music. You are going to pick out the music for the next coming Sunday based on what needs you think the church should address first. To begin to identify your spiritual gift, would you choose music that you hoped would meet peoples greatest needs, that you hoped would teach people something about God, that you hoped would encourage people, that you hoped would bless people, that you hoped would bring people closer to Jesus, or that you hoped would bring comfort to Jesus?

Which category best fits you? Share that with your group and explain why the category best fits you.

Do you ever feel like you wish you had a certain gift? Discuss the topic of gift envy with your group.

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work it out

Take the time now to personally work through the questions you just heard in the video.What needs do you see?

1. What passions do you have? What makes you come alive?

2. What opportunities does God seem to be placing in your path?

3. Where have you seen Christ display Himself through you?

4. Using the questions above and the teaching content, where do you think the Holy Spirit has specifically gifted you?

Who is someone you trust with whom you can discuss this topic? Have them answer the same questions you just answered for yourself. Compare the responses and seek feedback to help refine your answers.

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live it out

Where can you begin to use this giftedness that you have identified? Write down up to three options for inside the church and within the community, and take steps this week to get involved. Share your responses with the group so you can encourage each other!

Story | Charles I found myself with lots of free time now that Im retired. I love Jesus and believe I have been gifted with a desire to help wherever I am needed to bless others and advance the kingdom. I noticed that the church Im a part of serves countless meals for various ministry activities, numerous groups, funeral lunches, etc. I also noticed that the volunteer staff for serving these meals is sometimes lacking. I talked to one of the ministry leaders to find out how I could help out and they plugged me in quickly! I absolutely love to help with the food service team in serving meals. I feel like I am able to tell people that I love Jesus by serving in this way.

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Resources

evidence of becomingWhat are SPIRITUAL GIFTS? These are gifts uniquely given by God to use for His purposes in the world in which we live. With these gifts, we selflessly serve with our time, talents, and treasures for the mission of Godinside and outside the church.

Online ResourcesTake the Spiritual Gift Test on The Chapels website: thechapel.com/assets/pdf/SpiritualGiftTest.pdf

Whats So Spiritual About Your Giftsby Henry and Mel Blackaby (Multnomah Books)

What You Do Best in the Body of Christby Bruce Bugbee (Zondervan)

Books

Strengths Finder 2.0by Tom Rath

45Grace Story

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GroundworkWhenever people encounter Jesus, He leaves them with a story to tell. Gods grace has invaded our lives; we exist to share it.

In this section, we desire to express that, as God is on His mission to let the world know about salvation through His Son Jesus, He has given us an incredible opportunity to join Him on that mission. If we have surrendered our lives to Jesus, we have a story to tell. That story puts Gods glory on display and gives people repeated opportunities to accept or reject Jesus as Lord and Savior.

As we launch into this segment, wed like to remind you that we cannot move forward in our spiritual formation without intimacy with God. As you have seen in this material, we believe that intimacy with God is teaching our soul that its satisfaction is found in God alone. Based on our prior discoveries from those who have helped us in this framework, we can pursue intimacy with God by spending time with Him in His Word, in silence, in solitude, and in relational submission to Him.

In terms of spending time in Gods Word, we see in Hebrews 4:12-13 that:

the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from Gods sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

In the pursuit of silence with God, we are reminded in Psalm 37:7 to:

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him

When pursuing solitude with God, we are reminded that Gods Son demonstrated this very discipline in Matthew 14:23:

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After he [Jesus] had dismissed them [the crowds], he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone.

Lastly, when thinking about living in full relational submission to God, we are again encouraged by the commentary to us about Jesus in Hebrews 5:7-8:

During the days of Jesus life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered.

So, as we launch into the section on understanding and sharing your grace story, we want to emphasize the importance that we see in ones pursuit of intimacy with Godnot only for their own spiritual formation, but also for understanding our opportunity to join God on His mission.

Your Grace Story

Every person that has repented of their sin, surrendered their life to Jesus, and asked to begin a personal relationship with Him, has a story to tell. In our context, we like to refer to this as our grace story. Just like we have done with the other outcomes focused on with this curriculum, we state the following with regard to grace story: Whenever people encounter Jesus, He leaves them with a story to tell. Gods grace has invaded our lives; we exist to share it.

Over the past few years, we have taken part in working with other churches in the United States to examine the ways in which people go about sharing their grace story with the relationships that they have. The findings have been troubling and discouraging. In a survey of more than 25,000 people in the United States, we have found that the average

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person, at best, shares their grace story (testimony) about two times in a year (median score reported). When we look at the most common recurring response in this data set, we find that the most frequent response that people give when it comes to the question of how often they share their grace story in a year is zero times.

Not once.

How could that be?

The British anthropologist Robin Dunbar says that the average human can comfortably maintain about 150 relationships in their social network. Others have hypothesized that number to be higher, but we will use that number for our point in this section. Each one of these 150 people has a compelling story, and a different level of understanding when it comes to the gospel and their need for Christ.

To many, the reality of this data poses more questions than it does answers. We desire to communicate that because we gave our lives to the Lord, God gave us incredible stories to tell. The incredible part of the story is how God has become the center of our lives! Our story exists in order that we might be able to give testimony to the Father, and to demonstrate His glory throughout the earth.

The Scriptures give us great insight about what we are to be aware of with regard to our story and joining God on His mission. In 2 Corinthians 5:20, the Apostle Paul tells us:

We are therefore Christs ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christs behalf: Be reconciled to God.

There are times when we can read this and feel that this portion of Gods Word applies to others, not us.

Not true.

We have the opportunity to be an ambassador for Christ, encouraging the people we

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know to be reconciled to God. One of the most profound ways that we can do that is to know the Scriptures, as well as be able to articulate how God has changed our lives. Both of these components are at the heart of knowing and utilizing our grace stories for Gods glory.

Gods Word also shows us in 1 Peter 3:15 that:

in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

Unfortunately, in many instances followers of Christ arent prepared to give a reason for the hope they have. Or, tragically, Jesus is not the first mention of the hope they have. We need to be prepared to share this. It does not mean that we should seek out strangers and scream the message from the top of an apartment complex to those who pass by. On the contrary; God has given us an incredible web of relationships, and we should begin there. This passage of Scripture assumes that people will ask whats distinguishably different about us. The more we are tuned into the Lord in this, sharing with gentleness and respect, the better demonstration we can be to the world. It requires a belief that God does want to use His influence in our lives in order to put His glory on display.

In Acts 8:26-40, Philip was willing to follow Gods leading and to proclaim truth to the Ethiopian. At the center of this story is Philips willingness to follow the Holy Spirit and communicate the truth of Gods Word. When Gods people are willing to trust the Holy Spirit in their everyday going, the idea of reaching every man, woman, and child in a geography can happen. We hold strongly to this belief. Not for our glory or fame; but rather, to put the name of the Lord on display for a community that desperately needs evidence of the gospel.

The life of Jesus offers many examples, but lets look at two. Both examples give great testimony to the presence of the gospel and the willingness to give proclamation of the truth. Obviously, Jesus was not sinful; therefore He did not need a savior. But these examples give testimony of why we need Him in our own life and they also show

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the love with which He engages people. We need these examples when we ponder ways to introduce our grace story into the relationships that God gives us with those unconvinced of the gospel.

In John 4, Jesus is present with the woman at the well, regardless of her sin and regardless of her status. He is not fazed by the sin entrenched in her life. He demonstrates the sort of relational presence that is compelling to the woman. When we live with such love and such compassion in our web of relationships, not shaken by anyones sin or brokenness, and if we are prepared to share our own, we have an amazing opportunity to talk about how that same Jesus changed our lives. By sharing our grace story, people will inquire about what makes us different. Whats so amazing about that story is that its almost 2,000 years old, and its still compelling to us. People are drawn to this sort of love and compassion for those who are found broken in their sin. As we ponder Gods Word in this area, here are two questions that we ask you to ponder:

1. Would you show such love and compassion for someone that you know, found broken in their sin?

2. Are you prepared in that moment to talk about and relate to your own brokenness, and the story that God has given you to tell, because of His grace?

Lastly, In John 9, we are exposed to a man who was born blind and healed by Jesus. In the last portion of this section, wed like to take some time to listen to the conviction and the testimony of the blind man in this story, after receiving his sight. It is clear that there is conviction and belief on his part. We live in the hope that God will use a generation of believers in this day and age to speak with the same measure of conviction that this man did in the Scriptures. Lets look at John 9:13-41:

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the mans eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore, the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He put mud on my eyes, the man replied, and I washed, and now I see.

Some of the Pharisees said, This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.

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But others asked, How can a sinner perform such signs? So they were divided.Then they turned again to the blind man, What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.

The man replied, He is a prophet.

They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the mans parents. Is this your son? they asked. Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?

We know he is our son, the parents answered, and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we dont know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself. His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, He is of age; ask him.

A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. Give glory to God by telling the truth, they said. We know this man is a sinner.

He replied, Whether he is a sinner or not, I dont know. One thing I do know. I was blind, but now I see!

Then they asked him, What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?He answered, I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?

Then they hurled insults at him and said, You are this fellows disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we dont even know where he comes from.

The man answered, Now that is remarkable! You dont know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.

To this they replied, you were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us! And they threw him out.

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Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, Do you believe in the Son of Man?

Who is he, sir? the man asked. Tell me so that I may believe in him.

Jesus said, You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.

Then the man said, Lord, I believe, and he worshiped him.

Jesus said, For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.

Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, What? Are we blind too?

Jesus said, If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

As the blind man gives testimony, remember that the story that God gave him in this moment was one that he used to put Gods glory on display and to let many join God on His mission. He desires the same for usthat our grace story would be used to put His glory on display and for us to take part in joining Him on His mission to reach the rest of the world with His truth.

In conclusion, we implore you to remember what we have communicated about your story of grace: Whenever people encounter Jesus, He leaves them with a story to tell. Gods grace has invaded our lives; we exist to share it.

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Video TeachingTo view the video online, visit: discipleship.thechapel.com/GraceStory.

The average believer shares their faith a year.

is an on ramp to , and Jesus story is the one that .

Jesus answered, I am the and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except . (John 14:6)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings to everyone who (Romans 1:16)

Two things that come from sharing the gospel: fulfilling part of your . holding out .

Always be to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the for the that you have (1 Peter 3:15)

Three questions to answer: What was your life like you surrendered to Christ? What was your life like when you made the to follow Christ? What dos your life look like as you daily seek to follow Christ?

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You are your own; you were with a price(1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Any you put towards sharing your grace story will be used by God.

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Taking Actiontalk it out1. What are some of the reasons why you do not communicate your grace story as often

as you would like? Take some time to document these things. Pray about them. Ask God to help you with them.

2. If you have had the chance to share your grace story before with others, what was memorable about that? Take some time to document these things. Pray about them. Ask God to remind you about the joy of being able to tell your story of grace.

3. How capable are you currently to use the Scriptures and incorporate your story of grace into a conversation with people that you long to come to know Christ? What responsibility do you sense God asking you to consider based on your answer to the prior question? Pray about it. Write down your response. Ask God to help you with what youve written.

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work it out1. Take some time now to write out your grace story. Use the space provided in the back

of this workbook.

2. What people do you have relationships with in your life, that you long to see come to know Christ? Take some time to list these names. Pray about them. Ask God to help you remember them regularly in your prayers.

3. Are there other believers in your life (family, friends, co-workers, etc.) that you think about, who you sense would value being exposed to what youve just read? If the answer is yes, what can you do to envision them to what youve just read? Pray about it. Write out your response. Act upon what you sense God asking you to consider.

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live it outWhat would it look like, if we all began to believe and understand that Gods story in our lives is a great opportunity to join Him on His mission of giving every man, woman, and child the repeated opportunity to hear, see, and respond to the gospel message of Jesus Christ? Take some time to document your thoughts. Pray about them. Ask God to help you with them as you move forward in discipleship.

Story | DaveIve never been one to believe that I have an amazing story to tell. Ive followed Christ for 17 years, and Ive been faithful to my wife. I continue to try to be a good father, a man of integrity at work, and a good neighbor. Even though its not the craziest story, there are times when neighbors, co-workers, and others have asked me, Why?

When given those opportunities, I share Christs transforming work in my life and some Scriptures that have helped me to clearly understand why we need Jesus in our lives. I recognize that I have a story to tell because I know how I was before accepting Christ and I know what my life looks now! Again, its not overly dramatic, but this is what I want for them to knowmy faithfulness to my wife, my desire to love my kids and be present with them, my desire to be a man of integrity, and my desire to love my neighborthose things are a result of a surrendered life to Jesus Christ. I want others to experience that life change as well!

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Resources

evidence of becomingWhat is a grace story? This is our telling others the good news of what Christ has done for us and how He continues to change usit is sharing THE story of grace.

Teaching: Story of Grace (Part 1, 2 and 3)thechapel.com/about/spiritualformation/relatedvideos.php

Video and Book: Renovation Teaching Series and Manual thechapel.com/renovationteaching

The Master Plan of Evangelism by Dr. Robert E. Coleman

Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer

Books

Online Resources

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MyCircle Part 1Foundations for Missional Living

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GroundworkWhat would it look like if

What would it look like if every follower of Christ in a local congregation realized God had placed them into a specific sphere of influence for a purpose?

Every follower of Christ needs to realize that their purpose is to give people in that sphere an opportunity to hear and see the gospel in action, and give them a chance to respond.It is important to understand that where we live, work, hang out, go to school, and grocery shop is no accident. God has strategically kept His people in the world, right in the middle of those who still live in darkness, for His glory and their salvation. The heart behind this training is to equip the people of God to participate in His redemptive mission, within the context of their daily lives and relationships. As we walk through this training, we will give practical ways to think about personal evangelism and tools to help all of us play our part in reaching the people God has placed in our midst for His glory.

When you hear the word evangelism, what thoughts and emotions go through your mind?

The word evangelism sparks a wide range of thoughts and emotions. Many view it negatively and/or are intimidated by it. Because of this, many simply dismiss it, ignore it, and/or weaken the task by hoping that being kind to others will somehow birth salvation. However, rather than looking at it as something to be intimidated by and/or something most Christians feel unqualified for, we need to see it as God has revealed it to be: a great gift and joy!

Evangelism is not a man-made idea, it is Gods idea. Reaching the lost world originated in His heart and is most clearly seen in Christs coming. Jesus said in Luke 19:10: For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. The Father sent The Son into the

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world so that those who would believe in Him would be saved.

Likewise, Jesus sends His followers in the world.

Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you, (John 20:21 ESV)

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 says:

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (ESV)

The Church has been entrusted with two great gifts: The ministry of reconciliation The message of reconciliation

He has made us His authorized representatives to the world so that every man, woman, and child can see, hear, and respond to the gospel message.In this session we will ask:

1. Why should we engage in sharing the gospel with people who do not know Christ?2. Who are the people God desires to use in His redemptive mission?3. What is my first step?

We will find our answers to these three important questions in the Scriptures. The hope is to see followers of Christ engage in Gods redemptive activity motivated by who He is and the gospel. Anything short of this relegates reaching others to merely a guilt-ridden religious task, when we have extra time, or when we feel like it. However, as we begin to grow in our understanding of Gods heart for the mission, we are shaped by His Spirit to reach the world God loves.

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Video TeachingTo view the video online, visit: discipleship.thechapel.com/MyCircle1.

Why should we engage in sharing the gospel with people who do not know Christ? For the of God.

Isaiah 12:3-6 Ephesians 3:20-21

We are by . Matthew 28:16-20 Mark 16:15-16 Luke 24:44-49 John 20:21 Acts 1:8

We are commanded because . Romans 3:9-20

Ephesians 2:1-3 Colossians 1:21 Romans 5:10 Mark 9:47-48

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Who are the people God desires to use in His redemptive mission? Every person who belongs to Jesus. 1 Peter 2:9-10

Every follower of Jesus has been by the Spirit of God to be His .

Acts 1:8

Every follower of Jesus is Gods entrusted with the of reconciliation and of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

What is my first step?

It is important for us to our personal .

Who have you been to ? Who are the and the in your life? Mark 5:1-20

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talk it out1. What thoughts and emotions do you have when you hear the word evangelism?

2. God has kept His Church in the world to be on mission with Him. Do you see yourself as a missionary where you live? Why or why not?

3. Do you recognize the great love with which God loves you? Do you feel as though you should extend that same love to others? Why or why not?

4. What obstacles hinder you from reaching out to the world around you?

Taking Action

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work it outActivity: Spheres of Influence

This activity will help you identify your Circle of Accountability. Think about each of your spheres of influence. Take note of the non-believers with whom you can build intentional relationships. Get to know them, pray for them, serve them, and find opportunities to share your grace story and the gospel. Are there any other believers in your spheres? If so, ask them to live missionally with you in your shared sphere.

SPHERES OF INFLUENCE Family

Close Friends

Co-Workers/Neighbors

Acquaintances, old friends, etc.

Others

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Spheres of Missional Influence

There are four strategies we desire to live out as a result of the MyCircle training. The first one is what our first activity is all about: Identify. If we are going to live a life on mission, it is important to define our mission field. It is true that we are all called, as The Church, to reach the world. However, each one of us has a part to play.

Who has Jesus sent you back to reach? This activity will help you answer that question.Take some time and think through your different relational spheres. Who knows Jesus and who does not? Write their names in the correct box. Once you have completed writing out your spheres of influence, you have now identified your MyCircle. Your primary mission field is defined. You know the answer to the question, who has Jesus sent you to reach?

Once you have it filled out, find a place to keep it where you will be able to interact with it on a regular basis. You could keep it in your Bible, tape it to your bathroom mirror, or transfer the list to your smartphone. The goal is to remember about your MyCircle, and to keep it handy so you can interact with it on a regular basis.

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Activity: Spheres of Influence

FAMILY

CO-WORKERS/NEIGHBORS

OTHERS

CLOSE FRIENDS

ACQUAINTANCES/OLD FRIENDS

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live it out1. Who do you have the biggest burden for in your circle?

2. As you begin to step out with God in His mission, how can you join with the greater Body of Christ in praying for our circles of influence?

Story | Sue I have been a Christian for many years, but have definitely missed it when it comes to

being intentional with those I now realize God has put in my life for a reason! It really affected me when I read the story of the woman at the well with this perspective in mind. I wouldnt hesitate to give water to someone who is thirsty. They are in great need and I have plenty. I would give it to them without apology or fear; no concern for what they would think because I know they need it. The gospel is the same, right? It is life-giving and I believe those who dont have it desperately need it. Why wouldnt I share it without apology or fear?

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MyCircle Part 2Meaningful

Gospel Presence

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GroundworkAs we prepare for our next session, we will take time to look at John 4:1-26. In this passage, Jesus interacts with a Samaritan woman. She is an outcast to the Jews and an outcast to her own people. We are going to highlight the posture Jesus takes as He evangelistically engages her. We see Jesus demonstrate five principles that are important for us to grow in as we reach out. They rest on the why and who, and provide a framework through which we must build our lives as we seek to follow Christ.

Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacobs well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, Give me a drink. (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria? (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, Give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.

The woman said to him, Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock. Jesus said to her, Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. The woman said to him, Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.

Jesus said to her, Go, call your husband, and come here. The woman answered him, I have no husband. Jesus said to her, You are right in saying, I have no husband; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true. The woman said to him, Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you

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say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship. Jesus said to her, Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

The woman said to him, I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things. Jesus said to her, I who speak to you am he. (John 4:1-26 ESV)

The first principle we see in this passage is:

Jesus did not allow any obstacle to hinder Him from engaging people.

There was a deep racial hatred between Jews and Samaritans. Verse nine tells us that Jews had no dealings with Samaritans. Yet, we read in verse four that Jesus had to go through Samaria. Jesus did not allow any racial or relational barrier to stop Him.

The woman He engages was also a woman of ill-repute. In his commentary on John, Andreas Kostenberger writes: Samaritan women, like Gentiles, were considered to be in a continual state of ritual uncleanness. However, Jesus did not succumb to religious or gender barriers.

Verse six illuminates for us that Jesus was tired from traveling. Even though He was exhausted, He still initiates the conversation! How many things do we try to get out of when we are tired?

Jesus never allowed anything to stop Him from His mission. He pursued His mission for people who didnt deserve it, including His enemies, deserving of wrath. He came

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knowing that the very people who were His own, those whom He created would not recognize Him and, in fact, reject Him. But still, Hebrews 12 says: who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (ESV)

What obstacles do you allow to hinder you from engaging the world?

We can all rationalize away why we cant talk to our fathers, neighbors, co-workers, or friends. We say to you, and to ourselves, we must stop these excuses. The mission is too important. The love of God displayed in Christ Jesus is too marvelous to allow anything to get in the way of proclaiming it. Like Jesus, we must not allow any obstacle to hinder us from engaging others.

Jesus lived with complete confidence.

If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, Give me a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water. (John 4:10 ESV)

This is a very confident statement. Jesus knows who He is and what He can do.

The Church today suffers from a confidence problem. We have a culture that is continually growing more hostile to Jesus and His gospel message. But, that does not change who God is.

Are you someone that has complete confidence that God is exactly who He has revealed Himself to be? Are you convinced that no matter who is in front of you (no matter how strong, intelligent, sinful, hardhearted, or far gone) that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe?

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We might become intimidated when our eyes become fixed on the person we are sharing with instead of Jesus. (We are not suggesting that anyone should look past people or trivialize them. We are referring to the biblical concept of fixing our eyes on Jesus, never losing sight of who He is and what He has done and can do.) We might become overwhelmed by their problems, their questions, their intellectual capacity, and how bad their life is. Remember that you believe in the God of the Bible, and His message of reconciliation which is the hope for every man, woman, and child.

Jesus did not allow any obstacles to get in the way of engaging people and He walked on earth in complete confidence.

He was also compelled by love.

What motivated Jesus to engage the woman at the well if not love? It was Gods love that sent His Son. It was love for His Father and for us that allowed Jesus to be unhindered by obstacles set against Him. Love was what motivated Jesus to walk in obedience to His Father by dying on the cross for our sins.

As Christs people, we are commanded to live a life of love patterned after Christ. A life of love is a life of sacrifice in worship to God (Ephesians 5:1-2). We love the people and the things for which we are willing to sacrifice. Real love is wedded to sacrifice. If someone were to silently watch your life what would they see? What would they learn from the decisions you make, the way you spend your time and money, the way you treat others, and how much time you spend in prayer and in Gods Word? What would we learn about your love for those separated from Christ?

Do you live a life compelled by love for the God who first loved you?

In John 4, we see that Jesus lived with intentionality.

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Jesus intentionally went through Samaria. He intentionally initiated a conversation. He also asked questions and made statements that were meant to point the woman somewhere. Living a life on mission with God means that we too must be intentional. Pointing others to Christ by our words and our deeds does not just happen, we must make decisions to keep Gods heart for men and women, boys and girls so they hear the gospel message.

Finally, Jesus proclaimed the gospel.

Jesus began His conversation with the woman at the well with the end in mind. His ultimate goal was not just to give a great moral lesson or simply to make her feel loved for a few minutes; it was to lead her to Himself. He knew that, more than anything, she needed Him. He was leading her to verse 26, I who speak to you am He.

As we begin to reach out in the world around us, we too must begin with the end in mind. Our goal is to point people to Jesus Christ. We are to have the same motivation as John had when He was inspired to pen his Gospel:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in the book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:30-31 ESV)

We were created to be in relationship with God and to represent God in the world.

Through Christ we have been redeemed back to this created purpose. We have been given access to God and we represent Him in the world by:

Having meaningful gospel presence in the lives of people Sharing the gospel story with people Giving them an opportunity to respond to its life saving message

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It is important to understand we will never completely arrive at all of this. We will never be perfect in overcoming obstacles, being confident, loving others, being intentional, and proclaiming Christ. However, we can grow in these things. The Spirit of God is constantly shaping us.

We have looked at the biblical reasons for why we are to engage others with the gospel and who God has sent. We have highlighted five principles from Christs life that are meant to be the framework in which we live our lives.

We have also walked through our first activity, which helps us answer the question, who has Jesus sent us to reach? By completing this activity you have accomplished (or you will accomplish) the first of the four strategies MyCircle rests onto see followers of Christ identify their personal mission fields.

In this session, we will build on where we have been so far by answering the question:How do I impact MyCircle through meaningful gospel presence?

The intent for our second session is to answer this question by teaching two more strategies. They are not based on a certain personality, gifting, or style. Introverts and extroverts alike can apply them. They will be applied differently from person to person, but the important thing to keep in mind is that we strive to apply them daily and weekly.

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Video TeachingTo view the video online, visit: discipleship.thechapel.com/MyCircle2.

How do I impact MyCircle through meaningful gospel presence?

Apart from we can do nothing. (John 15:1-7)We need God to in the of the people we have identified.

How should we pray for those we have identified? God would open their to see Jesus.

(2 Corinthians 4:1-6; Psalm 67) God would open a for you to share Christ.

(Colossians 4:2-3) God would give you in sharing the gospel. (Colossians 4:4) God to give you . (Acts 4:23-31) God would bring into their life to help you bear witness. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

Prayer Challenge: Pray daily for at least one person in your circle that does not know Jesus.

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Posture our lives to be . Spend with the people in your circle By making ourselves available we:

Show our genuine . Display the gospel through our .

Be a in the name of Jesus. Meet a . Be unexpectedly .

with them in the name of Jesus. Ask their permission. Pray over them.

them to connect to the broader Christian community. Sunday services, small groups, service projects, outreach events, etc.

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Engage Challenge: Engage at least one person in your circle per week who does not know Christ in at least one of the four ways mentioned.

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Taking Actiontalk it out

1. What is the difference between being present in someones life versus having gospel presence? Why is having gospel presence so important?

2. What obstacles hinder you from evangelistically praying daily for someone that is in your sphere of influence? How can you move beyond these obstacles?

3. What are some of the biggest obstacles you face that prevent you from spending time with the lost people God has placed in your life? How can you move beyond them?

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Monday

Thursday

Sunday

Tuesday

Friday

Wednesday

Saturday

Other Monthly Activities

work it out Living with Intentionality

Take some time throughout this week and write down the activities you are a part of each day. This will help you identify specific activities you are a part of to begin living with intentionality as a gospel presence.

This exercise has been designed for you to think critically about how you spend your time on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Once you have listed out your regular activities, consider the three questions on the next page.

The intention is to help you create space in your calendar so you can begin to take steps toward praying daily and engaging weekly those you have identified.

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live it out

1. Based on the names you put down in your Spheres of Influence in our last session, what are some tangible ways you can be a blessing to them in the name of Jesus?

2. Jesus did not send His disciples into the mission alone. Not only do they have His Spirit (which is more than sufficient), but He also gave them the Church. Based on who is in your circle, what other believers can you partner with in reaching out to your circle?

3. There is no better time to begin than now! Who will you pray for tomorrow? Who will you engage in the next seven days in one of the ways we talked about?

Story | Steve Im definitely an introvert, so I have a hard time starting conversations that could lead

toward sharing my faith. I have felt a burden to talk to my co-worker about my faith for a long time, but never seemed to have the right opportunity or an easy transition into a conversation like that. Based on some of the things I heard in this training, I made it a point to let him know that I have been praying for him and his family regularly, and offered to get lunch sometime in the next few weeks. I usually dont go out to lunch, but if he is willing to get together, I am willing to make the time for the sake of the relationship. He responded well to the invite and I am praying for the courage to enter into a spiritual conversation with him when we get together.

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MyCircle Part 3Gospel Conversation

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GroundworkSo far three of four MyCircle strategies have been discussed. Each one has a quantifiable goal to go along with it. Our desire is to see Christ followers:

Identify their personal mission field by filling out their Spheres of Influence Pray daily for at least one person they have identified that does not know Christ Engage at least one person per week in their circle that does not know Christ

Our next two sessions will focus on the fourth and final strategy: Share.

How do we go from being present in someones life to articulating the gospel without being awkward? Imagine this conversation: Thank you for coming to dinner this evening. Quick question: You dont want to go to hell do you?! Before you answer, would you please pass the potatoes?

We do not want people to feel as if they have been given the old bait and switch. This happens when people get the impression the only reason we have been nice or spent time with them is because we want something.

In this session, we will look at how to have conversations that center around the gospel with those we are trying to impact, so that we can ultimately share that message with them in a loving way. The hope is that we will be able to place gospel proclamation in the middle of conversation set in the context of a meaningful relationship.

So, how do we do this?

Before we dive in, it is important to consider four areas of our lives that must be present if we are going to faithfully point others to Christ. These set the tone for us before we ever say a word to another person. If we are going to begin having gospel conversations we must:

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1. Pursue God Daily

Our evangelism is meant to flow out of our relationship with God. Let us not share about the God we only know about, but let us tell about the God we know. We have been restored back into relationship with God Himself. This is the greatest gift of the gospel that we have been given. Pursuing intimacy with the God who first pursued us should be our highest priority.

Take a moment and reflect on these three passages of Scripture:

How lovely is Your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. (Psalm 84:1-2 ESV)

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you. (Psalm 16:1-2 ESV)

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

(John 15:4-5 ESV)

2. Trust the Holy Spirit

It is imperative that we know for certain that God:

Is convicting the world of sin, righteousness and judgmentpointing people to Christ (John 16:7-15) Has empowered you to be His witness (Acts 1:8) Will guide you in knowing and proclaiming Christ (Matthew 10:19-20; John 16:12-15)

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Be careful not to prejudge people as to whether or not they are interested in the things of God. The Holy Spirit has been sent into the world to convict us and point us to Jesus Christ. We have no idea what He might be doing in the heart of a person, no matter what they display on the outside.

We also need to trust Him in our lives. Trust that He has empowered us and is guiding us. This is true for everyone who belongs to Jesus, no matter who you are.

3. Be Yourself

Doing the work of evangelism is not meant to be done with a certain personality or style. The people in your circle know you. As you begin to step out, have confidence in the Spirit of God. He dwells in your heart, empowers you, and shapes you into a faithful witness. Use your spiritual gifts, your personality, and your talents for Gods glory and the good of others.

4. Understand the Power and Sufficiency of Scripture

The Law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. (Psalm 19:7-9 ESV)

These verses tell us that Gods Word is perfect, sure, right, pure, true, and righteous. We also learn that it is His Word that revives our soul, enlightens our eyes, makes us wise, and brings joy.

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For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10-11 ESV)

Gods Word does not return empty and will always accomplish its purpose. It is very important that we understand the power, authority, and sufficiency of Gods Word. If we are going to have a meaningful gospel conversation, it must be centered on the Scriptures. They alone are God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). Our words will come back void and they may or may not accomplish their purpose.

If you want to see how powerless your words are, try getting a cat to do what you want using just your words. Try to get a group of preschoolers to settle down after they have been given candy and soda using only your words.

The words of Christ raised Lazarus from the dead and calmed the wind and the waves.If we are going to faithfully point people to Him, we must root what we say in what God has said.

This means we must have a growing and working knowledge of the Scriptures. It means that we know what the Scriptures say and that we are hiding it in our hearts through meditation and memorization, which takes an investment of time. It means that we allow it to shape our lives and decisions as we walk in obedience to what God has said.

God has given us the ability to hold massive amounts of information. If we were to break down all of the details we juggle every day, the list would be astonishing. Why can we do this, and yet have difficulty knowing Gods Word? For most of us, the biggest obstacle to a growing and working knowledge of Gods Word is simply that it is not our number one priority.

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Because of this, when the time comes to converse with people about the things of God and/or life, we are left to pull from pop psychology, clever bits of wisdom, how we feel, and what we think the Bible says somewhere. Not knowing Gods Word can also leave us feeling intimidated because we get the sense that we are in way over our head, so we find ourselves keeping silent when in fact we could have so much offer. Or worse, we actually use that pop psychology, clever bits of wisdom, and what we think the Bible says.

Even if someone denies the Bible as Gods Word, let us have a high view of its inspiration. Keep in mind its power, authority, and sufficiency. The Word of God revives the soul, enlightens the heart, and does not come back void.

Before we ever open our mouth to converse with someone about life, faith, and the gospel, let us mature more and more each day in these four important areas of our lives.

Now comes the moment where we begin to turn the conversation. We have been praying for this person faithfully. We have been engaging them. Through the time we have spent we have been able to get to know them on a deeper level and put grace on di