Overview – This month we have been working through the sermon series – THEE. WE. BE. – Worship

God – Connect w/ Others – Live out our purpose.

Last week we started with worship. Worship is about all the practices – singing, prayer, meditation,

dance, Bible study – all the practices is that put us into God’s way rather than our understanding or

what is happening around us. We are made to worship. If we don’t worship God we will worship

something else. That is what we see in this moment – and we can’t turn it around by just worshipping

the opposite. We actually have to worship God and be committed to the way of Jesus! There is a lot of

confusion and I am saying let’s keep it simple – let’s just follow the way of Jesus.

Exegesis –

 This week we focus on WE. Start again from Jesus – what did he do?

 Depending on text - Jesus goes to wilderness (worship), connects w/ John the Baptist (worship)

 Next - disciples. The family that he is going to role w. – establishes his we

 We are made for connection. We are communal creatures. We don’t do well alone for long

1. We need a crew to deepen our worship

2. We need a family because we need support and accountability.

3. We need a posse because a God-sized vision requires more than one person.

New Roots is specifically putting forward a vision of family and community that is a celebration of

God’s diversity. DEI is a human catch phrase from but it is also the word dei, the Latin word for God.

We believe that choosing to be a We that looks like us is a celebration of God’s perfect plan and the

idea that we have been brought together as a reflection of the image of God in all its beauty.

Reflections Questions

1. Do you believe that being in community is part of what God calls you to? Where have you seen

community lift you up? Where do you think it has dragged you down? Are you naturally inclined

to grow spiritually with people or by yourself?

2. We often have the experience of being around people but not really going deep? In this next

season of the world and this congregation, we will be called to build ride or die relationships?

Does that excite you, scare you or both? Where do you feel called to go deeper in relationship

in the world and/or this community?

3. New Roots is specifically called to build a community that reflects God’s diversity in so many

different ways (ability, class, age, gender expression, etc.). This work takes another layer of

effort. Do you feel called to that in this season? What do you bring to this work? Where do you

struggle?