Group/Pair Resources – Section 2

We use a discipleship tool developed by Mike Breen as a way to understand how we can live out Jesus instructions as we discern how to follow him in our every day lives.

This section also focuses on the Contemplative Pathway – connecting with God through Contemplation.

Your group/pair can move through the section at your own pace.

These two sermons focus on the dicipleship concept of this section: Kairos Moments and Following the Holy Spirit. If you missed them live, then watching these sermons would be a good foundation for this section:

SECTION 2 – WEEK 1 – Introduction to Section 2

• Community Time Opening Question – On a scale from 1-7 how challenging is it for you to experience silence and solitude? (1 VERY challenging 7 You long for it in your life)
• Dwelling In The Word – Mark 1:14-20

 Dwelling in the Word is an ancient way of reading the Scripture. Dwelling in the Word is a way of spiritually submitting to the text as one way God speaks to us, with a willingness to be shaped by what God might want to say through the Scripture. In this way, we are being interpreted by the text together as we listen to it. 

Have two different people read the text out loud. Three questions guide our listening. Discuss them together:

• What grabs your attention in this passage?
• What question would you want to ask?
• What are we hearing in this text that may apply to our lives (where might the Spirit be nudging us)?

• Head to MillCityChurch.com/discipleship 

• The focus pathway for this section is the contemplative pathway. Look together at the resources on the “contemplative pathway page”.  Have someone read the short description. There are multiple options for resources to discover more about the pathway as well as “experiments” you can choose from. Each person can share what they are going to read or listen to, as well as what experiment they are going to try. Depending on each person’s time capacity, they can choose what is best for them.

• After sharing your exploration plans, be sure to check that everyone can make it to the next gathering before you head out.

SECTION 2 – WEEK 2 – Storytelling Week

• Community Time Opening Questions – What were your favorite and least favorite subjects in school?
• Each participant tells about a past kairos moment using the steps of the learning circle as a guide:
  • Observe (What was happening? How did you react?)
  • Reflect (Why did you react as you did? What did this mean?)
  • Discuss (Who did you talk to?)
  • Plan (What was your response? How did you plan to learn and grow?)
  • Account (Who kept you accountable?)
  • Act (What was the outcome of putting your plan into action?)

Before heading out – connect with each other about your exploration plans for the contemplative pathway. Have you taken steps to start your experiment? Have you chosen a resource to go deeper?

SECTION 2 – WEEK 3 – Reflection and Discussion

• Community Time Opening Questions: When it comes to holidays, which are a more promament celebration in your family and what is it like?
• Dwelling in the word – Psalm 25 (consider kairos moments as you read)

Dwelling in the Word is an ancient way of reading the Scripture. Dwelling in the Word is a way of spiritually submitting to the text as one way God speaks to us, with a willingness to be shaped by what God might want to say through the Scripture. In this way, we are being interpreted by the text together as we listen to it. 

Have two different people read the text out loud. Three questions guide our listening. Discuss them together:

• What grabs your attention in this passage?
• What question would you want to ask?
• What are we hearing in this text that may apply to our lives (where might the Spirit be nudging us)?
• Give each participant the opportunity to talk about a current kairos moments using the following questions:
  What is God saying to me?What am I going to do about it?
• After sharing, have each person share one or two take-aways, experiments or actions you want to take as you go into the rest of your week.
• Before you head out – check in on your experiments and plans for the pathway you choose for this section.

SECTION 2 – WEEK 4 – Spiritual Pathway Discussion & Prayer

• Community Time Opening Questions: What is one of the most peaceful places you have spent time in your life?
• Dwelling in the word – Choose from Lamentations 3:19-26, Psalm 23 or Psalm 62

Dwelling in the Word is an ancient way of reading the Scripture. Dwelling in the Word is a way of spiritually submitting to the text as one way God speaks to us, with a willingness to be shaped by what God might want to say through the Scripture. In this way, we are being interpreted by the text together as we listen to it. 

Have two different people read the text out loud. Three questions guide our listening. Discuss them together:

What grabs your attention in this passage?

• What question would you want to ask?
• What are we hearing in this text that may apply to our lives (where might the Spirit be nudging us)?

• Pathway of the month discussion – choose 2-3 questions to share your process.
• How would you say you experienced God through the contemplative pathway?
• What stuck out to you about the resources you choose (scripture reading plan, books, podcasts, videos)? 
• What was the experiment you choose and what did you did you learn about yourself and how you connect with God?
• Would you say your preference for this pathway grew because of this exploration or not?
• Take time to share how you can pray for each other. What or who has been on your heart? What do you need prayer for in your own life?
• Did the contemplative pathway lead to a kairos moment? If so, how?Either choose one person to pray, or have each person pray for the person on their left.