Where You Belong

A Generous Heart

October 20, 2024 • Pastor Doug Thuen • 2 Corinthians 9:6–12

A Generous Heart October 20, 2024 Study Questions 2 Corinthians 9:6-12 1. What do you think is the greatest inhibitor of generosity in today’s culture? 2. What principle is taught for the Church in 2 Corinthians 9:6? 3. Give examples of what it means to ‘sow sparingly’ and ‘sow bountifully’. What are the outcomes of each according to this text? What does this teach us about the Lord? 4. According to 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, what must a person have before they can understand generosity? See also Matthew 6:21. 5. According to 2 Corinthians 9:7, describe what a ‘cheerful giver’ looks like. What does it mean to give ‘grudgingly’ or ‘under compulsion’? Have you ever experienced this feeling? Explain. 6. According to 2 Corinthians 9:8-12, what does the Lord promise to those who are generous with their gifts? What are the blessings that come with the giving of your resources generously? 7. Do you find it hard to talk about this topic of giving in church? Why/why not? What holds you back in sharing your resources with the church? With others in need? 8. As you examine your heart, what does it take for you to be generous with your time, treasures, and talents? Bring those thoughts to the Lord in prayer.

Embracing Affirmation

October 13, 2024 • Pastor Doug Thuen • Proverbs 12:15

Where You Belong / Embracing Affirmation October 13, 2024 Study Questions Proverbs 27:6; 19:20-21 1. Read Romans 12:3-8. What does this passage teach you about the body of Christ? What should your attitude be toward those who have different passions and gifts from the Lord? Do you struggle with being jealous of other believers who are gifted in different ways than you? Why / why not? Do you struggle with appreciating other believers who have different passions and gifts than you? Why/why not? 2. Read Proverbs 27:6 & Proverbs 19:20-21. What godly wisdom do you learn from these proverbs? How do these proverbs help you discern the types of relationships you trust / invest in? 3. Job had 3 ‘friends’ that accused him of unrepented sin, saying that caused his calamity. They were the farthest from the truth (See: Job 1:6-12; 42:7-9). According to Job 32, how does Job’s friend Elihu offer godly counsel? What value do you see in the relationship between Job and Elihu? 4. Who are those in your life that you can trust for godly counsel and wisdom, to help you navigate and/or affirm your life choices and decisions? Will they speak truth if they don’t agree or affirm decisions? Will you listen? 5. Are there any unhealthy patterns that would hinder/ disqualify a person from serving in the local church? Discuss. 6. As you seek to exercise your God-given Kingdom Passion, review the various ministry opportunities on the “Serve” page of the church website (http://spartaefc.org/getinvolved) and choose which areas you might be interested in being a part of. Why did those areas capture your attention? Discuss.

Identifying Your Season to Serve

October 6, 2024 • Pastor Doug Thuen • Romans 15:18–25

Where You Belong / Identifying Your Season to Serve October 6, 2024 Romans 15:18-25 Study Questions 1. Looking back, could you have scripted your life the way that it has turned out thus far? Why/why not? 2. Read Galatians 1:15-16. What was the Apostle Paul’s Kingdom Passion? Then read Romans 15:18-25. What do we learn about God’s timing with regard to Paul’s Kingdom Passion? What lesson(s) can we learn here from Paul? 3. Identify Moses’ Kingdom Purpose (Exodus 3:7-10)? Moses was 40 when he fled to Midian. God revealed Himself to Moses at Midian 40 years later. How did God’s timing affect Moses carrying out his Kingdom Purpose? Why do you think God ‘waited’ so long? 4. What does the Bible teach you about waiting on the Lord? (See: Genesis 18:14; Psalm 27:14; Habakkuk 2:1-4; Galatians 6:9) 5. Discuss the difference between ‘waiting on the Lord’ vs. ‘wasting time’ in regard to serving the Lord with your spiritual gifts. 6. If you’re able, identify your Kingdom Purpose by adding up the following: - Your God-given DNA - Your Kingdom Passion - Your Spiritual Gifts If you are unsure, ask other believers who know you well to help guide you. 7. What season of life are you in? Are you serving with a Kingdom Purpose? If so, how? If not, what next step can you take to begin to engage by serving where the Lord Jesus has equipped and called you?

Discerning Your Spiritual Gifts

September 29, 2024 • Pastor Doug Thuen • 1 Peter 4:10–11

Where You Belong / Discerning Your Spiritual Gifts September 29, 2024 1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 Study Questions Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-12. How does a believer in Jesus receive a spiritual gift (v.4)? What does this passage teach us about the Body of Christ? Why does the Holy Spirit give various gifts to believers in the body of Christ? Is any one gift more important than another? (See also 1 Corinthians 12:18.) What is the purpose of spiritual gifts? (Read Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 12:7; 14:12.) Can a follower of Jesus develop their spiritual gift? How? What are the differences between natural talents and spiritual gifts? How do they each glorify God through your life? Take the spiritual gift assessment: https://spiritualgiftstest.com/. It’s just a tool, but it is helpful in clarifying where the Lord has gifted you in the body of Christ. Share your results with other believers. Do you find them to be accurate? Why/why not? Read 1 Peter 4:10-11. What is the action call in this passage? Now, gather your ‘Kingdom Profile’ assessments and notes thus far: God-given DNA Kingdom Passion Spiritual Gifts How do these better help you understand your unique Kingdom purpose? What does that look like in the local church? Do they affirm where you are serving? Are they helpful in clarifying where the Lord has called you to serve within the body of Christ?

Unpacking your Kingdom Passion

September 22, 2024 • Pastor Doug Thuen • Nehemiah 1:8, Psalm 37:3–5, Nehemiah 1:1–2

Where You Belong / “Unpacking Your Kingdom Passion” September 22, 2024 Psalm 37:3-5; Nehemiah 1:1-2:8; Galatians 1:15-16 Study Questions What are the things that you are passionate about? Why? How do others see evidence of that passion in your life? Read Psalm 37:4-5. What is promised in this passage? What does this passage not promise? What if the desires of your heart do not align with God’s desires? Read Nehemiah 1:1-2:8. Describe Nehemiah’s Kingdom passion. How do you know it’s a Kingdom passion from God, and not just Nehemiah’s own worldly passion? What emotion does Nehemiah have that gives evidence of the God-given desire in his heart? Read Galatians 1:13-16. How was Paul (Saul) misguided in his passion (verses 13-14)? How does he describe his God-given Kingdom passion (verses 15-16a)? How do you see this passion lived out in his life/ministry? Can you identify other individuals in the Bible who lived out their God-given Kingdom passion? Can you relate to them? Why? Why not? Can you have a Kingdom passion and not be a true follower of Jesus Christ? Why/why not? What do you think is your Kingdom passion? Review Bruce Bugbee’s questions: If you could snap your fingers and know that you wouldn’t fail, what would you do for others? What do you repeatedly see that annoys or angers you, which if changed, would be more glorifying to God and edifying to others? I care about some things more than other things. I care most about… At the end of my life, I’d love to look back and know I’d done something about… [Network, Bugbee, pg.125.] What moves your heart to want to make an eternal difference? How does it fit with your unique God-given DNA (your spiritual fingerprint) to better understand your ‘ministry fit’ (where you serve)?

Discovering Your God-Given DNA

September 15, 2024 • Pastor Doug Thuen • Psalm 139:13–15, Jeremiah 1:5, Ephesians 2:10

Where You Belong / Discovering Your God-given DNA September 15, 2024 Ephesians 2:10; Psalm 139:13-15; Jeremiah 1:5 Study Questions Read Genesis 1:26-27, Psalm 8; Psalm 139:13-15. How are we created in the image of God? What does this tell you about God? About how God created you? Read Ephesians 2:10. What does this verse mean? What do we learn about God’s purpose for your life? Read Romans 7:4. What do we learn about our condition as sinners? What has Christ done for us? How does this scripture affirm that you do indeed have Kingdom purpose as His child? Compare the uniqueness of ‘physical’ fingerprints with that of ‘spiritual’ fingerprints. How are they similar? Give examples of individuals in the Bible. Read Jeremiah 1:5. Compare this verse with Ephesians 2:10 (Q.2). How has God created you uniquely? Identify your unique characteristics and qualities (beyond the physical). Take the Personality Style Assessment below (by Bruce Bugbee). Where did you land on the chart? Do you agree with the assessment? Why? Why not? Discuss what you think your Kingdom DNA might be.

Sparta Evangelical Free Church

Living Out Your God-Given Purpose