Joe Springer
In Essentials... Unity
June 28, 2015 • Joe Springer
What shapes your sense of what is essential? How have your essentials changed over the years? How do you live with others whose essentials are different than yours? What role does charity play in your living out what is essential to you? When have you seen knowledge make arrogant? When have you been built up by others in the context of love? When have you seen the building power of love in your relationships? Are there things that you are willing to give up for the building up of others? When have you been willing to be 'all things to all people' so that you may win some?
Under Pressure
June 14, 2015 • Joe Springer
What experience or observations have you had around church discipline? How does accountability create space for formation of the individual and the church community? How do you respond to the call to be accountable? When have you experienced pressure that resulted in your own transformation? When have you experienced sin and/or failure of one result in pervading damage to the community? Are there areas of your life where you need to be held accountable? Who can you ask to come alongside you? Can you think of a friend who may be in need of being confronted regarding an area of their life that is sinful or destructive? What is at stake for you to talk to them? How do you live by a different set of standards than those with whom you work or live? As you look at the week ahead, how can you make mutual accountability a part of your relationships with other believers?
The Nature Of Things
May 17, 2015 • Joe Springer
Who in your life do you consider wise? What criteria do you use to define someone who is wise? How does your understanding of God shape your identity as a human? How does the Spirit of God breathe life into your soul, heart, and body? If your life is a house, what room(s) do you invite the Spirit of Christ to live in? How do you cultivate your relationship with God? How is it transformative? How is God's power in you uniquely expressed through your gifts and talents? How do you see God in your "sweet spot?" How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of God's spirit throughout the activities of your day?
God at the Water Cooler
October 26, 2014 • Joe Springer
When have you altered your routine to avoid someone or to avoid embarrassment ? Can you think of a time when you felt unnoticed? When have you done something, simply to be noticed? Can you think of someone that needs to be noticed? What can you do to help them feel noticed? When have you had your weaknesses exposed in a way that brought embarrassment? When have you experienced compassion in the midst of your embarrassment? When have you encountered someone in the midst of their weaknesses? How did you respond? When have you encountered Christ outside of Sunday? When have you had an important conversation interrupted? When has your relationship with Christ been interrupted? How does image management keep you from encountering Christ and others? In what ways do your encounters with Christ influence what you do and say to others? Who needs to hear a word of encouragement or guidance from you? What causes you to hesitate to offer it ? Who can you share your life with this week in a way that will help them to encounter Christ in a new way ? Where are you in the conversation about the Cascading Initiative?
Milk and Honey in Life’s Wilderness
July 7, 2013 • Joe Springer
1. How easy is it for you to say Jesus is enough? 2. When have you unintentionally drifted away from the Lord? What made you realize that you had drifted? 3. How do you keep Jesus before you? 4. How do you see him in the trenches with you? 5. How easy is it for you to stand before Jesus, in spite of being aware of your sin? 6. How do you turn to Christ in your restlessness? What else do you look to for relief from restlessness? 7. How do you experience the presence of God throughout your day? 8. What can you do to remember God's presence throughout the day? 9. What experiences has God used in your life to turn you toward Himself? How easy was it to give him your heart? 10. Are there superficial things that you rely on that cloud your view of Jesus? 11. How does Jesus' presence motivate your actions and attitudes? 12. How do you find rest in your spiritual journey? 13. What makes it difficult to rest? 14. What do you see as barriers to your rest? 15. How can rest help you be more aware of how your work is done for Christ and not yourself? 16. How have you seen Christ's strength fill up your weaknesses? 17. What can you do to build rest into your schedule this week? 18. How can you receive rest as a gift?
God Spoke, We Heard
June 23, 2013 • Joe Springer
What does it mean to you that Christ is enough? What distracts you from seeing Christ as enough? When have you been invited to "sit in the sand" and wait for Jesus to reveal himself to you in a new way? How has God made Himself known to you? In what ways do you see only a facet of God and accept it as the whole story of God? How do you reconcile the nature of God in the Old Testament with the nature of Christ in the New Testament? When have you experienced someone drifting away? How did it impact you? What causes you to drift away from Christ? In what ways are you complacent about your salvation in Christ? How do you experience scarcity in your life? What are you fearful of and how does that impact your choices and life? How can Christ enter your sense of scarcity and insecurity and become enough? What would it look like for you to live more fully into the fullness of God in Christ? How do your priorities need to change in order for you to live into a fuller understanding of God? How do your relationships need to change? How can you invite Christ into your daily life, rather than looking to Sunday as your day for Christ? What area of your life is Christ calling you to surrender to that He can be enough? Who can you confess to, and ask them to pray and hold them accountable?
God With Those Who Get Called
December 16, 2012 • Joe Springer
What emotions have you felt this weekend as you process the events of Friday, December 14th? What leads you into fear in your life? How does it reflect or impact the way you view the world? What makes the coming of Jesus good news? What gets in the way of you seeing Jesus' coming as good news? Why would God choose to announce the coming of Jesus to unconnected shepherds? What have you hoped for in life with Christ that has made it difficult to see him as he truly is? How have you tried to fit God's kingdom into the world's view of kingdom? How is God's kingdom and power reflected in the birth and life of Christ? What do you long for as you wait for Jesus' second coming? How can your hope in Christ be reflected in how you live today in a world of uncertainty?
God With Those Who Waiver
December 9, 2012 • Joe Springer
In what ways do you feel the living between the now and the not yet? How does that affect you? How are you reminded of the frailty of the world on a daily basis? How do you respond? How does this impact how you live into your faith? What difference does it make to know that Jesus is beside you? When has wavering led you toward greater doubt? When has it led you toward greater faith? When have you experienced right knowledge not being enough to overcome fear? Can you think of a situation that has challenged your belief in something you have always said you believed? In what ways has your fear caused you to forget the promises of God? In what ways does fear hold the place of a god in your life? What do you need to remember about God as his child? What steps can you take to be reminded? In what ways has God been gracious to you over this last year?
Hoping For Heartburn
December 2, 2012 • Joe Springer
What does it look like for Jesus to come alongside and walk with you? What are you waiting for? What does waiting look for? When have you settled for less because you were unwilling to wait? How would you describe the power found in being able and willing to wait in your circumstances? How can advent be a time of waiting and preparing your heart? In what way may what you want be different from what is wanted for you by Christ? How does this inform or challenge your faith in Him? When have you experienced your heart burning within you? What do you do with these experiences? What habit do you need to practice to strengthen your spiritual muscle? How do you experience Jesus sustaining you in the journey? What step can you take to turn your attention toward Christ this season?