Study of "And" - Week 3 Discussion Questions

Study of And: The Gathered and Scattered Church

Week 3: Chapter 4

Reading assignments for March 16

In Chapter 4, read pp 93-96; p. 101 – 108; p. 114; bottom of p. 115 – middle of p. 118.   Specifically

“The New Opportunity of Spiritual Formation” - from bottom of pg 93 to the top of pg 96.

The sections Spiritual Formation Framework – middle of pg 101 to p. 108

Creating a Nonconsumer Process of Apprenticeship

Observance

Jesus on Observance

Hearing your Story

Hearing Their Story

Page 114 (starting with “Whereas a time of observance purifies motives…”).

Bottom of Page 115 to middle of pg 118, Section on Participation

Skip Chapter 5.

Chapter 4: Spiritual Formation for Missional Churches

The authors assert that the way to change people from a ‘consumer’ mentality to a ‘disciple’ mentality is through spiritual formation.  The goal of spiritual formation is for people to become like Jesus.

Quote

“By studying how Jesus formed his friends, spiritual formation can become more than an isolated, extractional drudgery that someone is forced to add to an already overburdened life.”  p. 95

The Authors’ process for Spiritual Formation

The authors present a four-part process for spiritual formation, modeled on how Jesus developed his disciples to be committed to his cause.  These steps are

1. Observance (Telling our story, Hearing their story)

2. Preparation (active spiritual formation)

3. Participation (real life practice)

4. Partnership (leadership and ownership)

Quote about ‘observance’

 “Any volunteer-led movement – whether it’s the military, a local initiative, a school board, a missions project, a monastic community, or a church – works best when people are given time to be inspired by what they see and then have the opportunity to participate when asked to be involved…. This is what observance is all about.” p. 103

Quote about telling your story

“[The first key aspect of any observance experience is that] there must be a time for them to hear your story and the story of the church…. Every story, if told honestly, reveals values, dreams, plans, and prejudices and gives people a more realistic idea of what life would be like if they were to jump into our mission.  Hearing your story is critical because it moves a nebulous, general church expectation to a narrative that they can find themselves in…. Be yourself, tell your story, and passionately say what your heart feels; and if people are sniffing the same air, you will find some fellow kingdom sojourners.” p. 106 – 107

Question 1.  What are your church’s values, dreams, plans, and prejudices?

Quote about Hearing their story

“[The second key aspect of any observance experience is] to hear their story.  As mentioned above, every person is a unique context of values, dreams, plans, hang-ups, hurts, and expectations.  Every person has some incredible gifts that must be used and resources that must be shared, but also great brokenness and pain that, if not understood, will eventually hurt others and paralyze missional community.” p. 108

Question 2. What conditions need to exist in order to make a person who is new in a group feel safe in sharing his/her values, dreams, plans, hurts, gifts, and pain?

Quote about Preparation

“Whereas a time of observance purifies motives, surfaces personal issues, clarifies values, and calls people to something bigger, preparation pushes people into an active posture that will connect them with real needs and real people so that their hearts can be reformed after the heart of God.”

“In [the authors’ church] we’ve worked hard to find ways to give people the time to try God’s ways, [combining] spiritual formation practices of Scripture meditation, thoughtful reflection, and prayer with missional habits.  Each day they have to dive in with God, but each week provides some experiences that flesh out what they are processing.  One week we have them simply throw a party.  Another week, they all find things they don’t need in their home, sell them on Craigslist, pool the money, and give to people in need.  Another week, we simply have them cross the road to connect with a neighbor they’ve always seen but not related with, walking around the block to meet someone whose head they’ve only seen while mowing the yard on the other side of the fence.  Yet another week, we have them go to a public place where they can watch people, and we ask them to imagine the struggles people may be living with.  Then we just ask them to pray for the faces they’re looking at.”          P. 114

Question 3.  List some activities that would make you connect with “real needs and real people.”

Study of "And" - Week 2 Discussion Questions

Study of And: The Gathered and Scattered Church

Week 2: Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Consumerless Church

Quote:

The authors define consumerism in the church as

“the self-focused drive to get as much as I can get with the least amount of effort.  It coercively shifts the church away from its true call, from valuing giving to getting.  It compels us to protect what we already have and only to give away what has become useless to us.  It erodes our sense of duty, honor, loyalty and chivalry to live for the right things and the best things.  It gets in the way of leaving a legacy for those behind us because it waters down our present understanding of what it means to follow Christ today.  It pushes responsibility and expectations onto others instead of self and exchanges true spiritual growth for ankle-deep personal devotions and self-help measures.”  (p 73-74)

The authors suggest that the church’s goal, instead, should be “developing people so that they become like Jesus” (top of page 79), that is, to “inspire them toward the life of Christ”  (bottom of page 81 – 82), to lead them “toward real growth.”

Question 1.  Give some concrete examples of what you think the authors mean by “consumerism in the church.”

Question 2.  Give some concrete examples of what you think the authors mean by “developing people so that they become like Jesus.”

Question 3. What aspect of your church inspires you to a life of Christ or leads you toward real growth? 

Question 4. What aspect of your church makes you feel more like a ‘consumer’ than a disciple?

Study of "And" - Week 1 Discussion Questions

Study of And: The Gathered and Scattered Church

Week 1: Chapters 1 and 2

Question 1.  Why are we studying this book?

- a starting point for a discussion.

- part of the SEED process. 

Seeking God’s wisdom and will,

Energizing us with the power of the Holy Spirit,

Engaging us in God’s mission, and

Discovering God’s plan for Hiland’s future.

As we read, acknowledge these aspects of this book:

a) it is directed at pastors and church planters.

b) some of the vocabulary is unfamiliar to us.

c) you do not have to agree with everything it says.

Chapter 1: The Beautifully Sent Church

Quote:

 On page 31, the authors say that many people think church is “outdated, boring, worthless, archaic, self-serving, and out of touch, a waste of time and a poor use of money.”  But on page 33, the authors say, “There’s just something about this thing called church that captures our hearts … it’s giving ourselves away so that others can know God – that keeps us all in the game, playing our hearts out.”

Question 2

What is your opinion of churches in general, and your church in particular?  What is it about your church that keeps you ‘in the game’?   Or, if you are not involved in church, what is it about church that keeps you away?

Vocabulary definition:

The authors make up the word sentness (page33) and define it as “giving ourselves away so that others can know God.”  They liken “sentness” to people releasing their pet lion into the wild, or a father giving away his daughter as a bride.

Question 3

a) How does Jesus exhibit “sentness?”  (see pages 42-43)

b) How does The Church (in general) exhibit “sentness?” (see pages 43-45)

c) Do you feel your church exhibits “sentness”?  Why or why not?

Chapter 2: Starting the AND wherever you are

Vocabulary definition:

Another term the authors use is missional, which they define as follows:

l  “a community that is sent and given away for God’s purposes; a church that sees itself as part of a larger story of God’s mission.” (page 48)

l "thinking and acting like a missionary” (page 52)

l  “modeling the life, activities, and words of Jesus” (page 52)

Question 4: Give some examples of what you might expect to find at a missional church.

Study of "And" - weekly reading assignments

I was not able to find an already-published study guide for the book And: The Gathered and Scattered Church by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay.  I have attempted to devise my own study guide. The questions are divided up by week in the next few posts.

Below are the specific pages we will be focusing on in our discussion.


For Feb 9

In Chapter 1, pp 29-33 and 40-49. 

Specifically:

From p. 29 to bottom of pg 33;

and the sections Jesus the Sent One and The Sent Church on pages 40-49.

In Chapter 2, pp 50-53.

Specifically:

The opening section (pg 50 to middle of pg 53).

For Feb 16

In Chapter 3, read pp 72-82.

Specifically:

The opening section, and the following three sections,

Do I Have to Stay on the Wheel,

The Heart of the Matter is a Matter of the Heart, and

Weaning People Off the Wrong Things

For Feb 23

In Chapter 4, read pp 93-96; p. 101 – 108; p. 114; bottom of p. 115 – middle of p. 118.   Specifically

“The New Opportunity of Spiritual Formation” - from bottom of pg 93 to the top of pg 96.

The sections Spiritual Formation Framework – middle of pg 101 to p. 108

Creating a Nonconsumer Process of Apprenticeship

Observance

Jesus on Observance

Hearing your Story

Hearing Their Story

Page 114 (starting with “Whereas a time of observance purifies motives…”).

Bottom of Page 115 to middle of pg 118, Section on Participation

Skip Chapter 5.

Exodus 14 Notes: Through the Sea on Dry Land

Section 14: Exodus 14:1-15:21

Theme or topic of this section

God Parts the Waters of the Red Sea

God Said to Moses, “I Have a Plan That Will Knock Your Socks Off!”

“Watch This!”

The Staff of Moses

The Israelites Show Great Trust in the Lord

Quit Your Crying and Get Moving!

The Versatility of Pillars: The Multipurpose Cloud and Fire

Moses and The People Burst Into Song

Some interesting points

- It is interesting that 15:11 refers to “gods”.  Weren’t they monotheists?

What does Moses tell the Israelites?

- Moses tells the people “Do not be afraid.”  We hear that a lot in scripture.

He also tells them “stand where you are.  Watch and you will see.  You won’t need to lift a finger.”  (Some translations differ on this last instruction.)

- Moses is saying “Watch this!”

What does God tell them?

- “Go forward.”

- God said, “Tell the Israelites to get moving.”

What is God’s reason for action against the Egyptians?

- Pharaoh was like a god to the Egyptians, so the actions say that God is God, not Pharaoh.

- Yul Brynner – “His God is God.” (after the plague of the death of the first-born)

Note that Egypt and Israel were resting all night, but God was working all night to part the sea.  God had a time frame.  Maybe he worked all night so that the Egyptians would enter the sea (armies move by daylight).

It took a LOT of faith for the Israelites to enter the sea, with walls of water on both sides.

Did Moses part the waters or did God do it?

- Moses raised his rod, but this was a sign (a visual aid) for the people.  God is the one who parted the waters.  Also, holding up the rod signals that something awesome is going to happen.

After they go through the sea on dry land, the Israelites feared the Lord, and then celebrated.  They sing, they dance.

What we learned about the nature of God from this passage

- God is patient with his people.

- God had a plan that started back when he came to Moses as the burning bush.  In spite of the reaction of the Israelites, God continues to executs his plan, all for the purpose of getting his point across that “I AM GOD” and to rescue his people.

- Deliberate, consistent,unwavering, persistent, determine.

- God is powerful and in control of the natural elements.

- God confides in Moses.

What we learned from this passage that we can apply to our lives

- It’s easier to trust when you know the plan (Moses knows the plan but the Israelites don’t.)

- God will make a way where there seems to be no way.

- We have to be willing to take things step by step.

- We should hang in there in the face of difficulty.

- Trust in the Lord; lean not on your own understanding.

- Sometimes God makes miracles through science (by God giving scientists their ability)

- All talents are God-given.