THINGS OVERHEARD: When You're With Family/Series review

Spend some time not only going through some of the thoughts and texts from this Sunday, but reviewing what has had the most staying power throughout the whole Things Overheard series.



Read
"The tongue has the power of life and death,
    and those who love it will eat its fruit." -Proverbs 18:21

• Thoughts?
• How have you seen this principle in your life?

Discuss the points of Sunday's message

“I hear you’re doing pretty well for yourself.”

• Proverbs 15:17 ESV
• 1 Timothy 6:6-10 NIV

“ ................................................................"

“After all I’ve done for you.”

“I love you.” / “I am so proud of you.”

“Do what I tell you."

“Whatever happened to _______________?"



Discuss previous weeks' themes and share with your group what has most stayed with you, and why.

THINGS OVERHEARD: 

• At a funeral
• At a wedding
• At the office
• At brunch
• Online

THINGS OVERHEARD: Online.

It's not that we become something different online. We're actually quite the same. But somehow we've not learned yet as a society how to navigate the new context with the maturity we've come to use offline.
Use this discussion-time mindfully. The idea isn't to deride online communication or social media. It's to become more aware, to mature and to understand what is driving us to say things that, oftentimes, veer far from wisdom, compassion or humility.


Thaw

• Best snow apocalypse story. You have one minute to tell it.

• What most resonated with you from Sunday morning? 
• What realizations did you have about yourself (versus others)?

Read

• 1 Peter 2:1
• Proverbs 16:28
• Matthew 15:19
• II Corinthians 10:5b
• Thoughts and impressions?

Discuss

• Why do you think the rules seem to change online for people?

Leader note: At risk of self-promotion, consider the content of my blog post from last fall for some other reflections on this phenomenon.

Read

• 2 Timothy 2:23-25
• Thoughts and Impressions?
• Reading through this again slowly, thinking about it as many scholars suggest, to be Paul's last written words to his young disciple (or anyone else), how does this apply to your communicating with others?

Discuss

• As a group, think together about the implications of "making a point" vs "making a difference."
• When we argue for the "truth" online, are we making a difference? Explain your opinion.
• What kinds of statements do we make about love when we effort to get attention from an online audience?

Apply

• In a few weeks, we will begin what has for many generations been called the season of Lent. Would you consider, during this time of prayer, fasting and reflection, eliminating social media, comment sections, etc.? What might you learn by fasting that way? What do you learn about the sense of resistance you have about the idea?

THINGS OVERHEARD: at brunch.

Sometimes they are evaluations or criticisms. Sometimes they are simply descriptions of feeling or wonder. Use your discussion time to talk about the kinds of things people say after church, or perhaps as one perpetually outside of church,  and see if you can't come to understand faith a little better.



Thaw

• Favorite olympic event and why?
• Least favorite, and why?

• What has most stuck with you from Sunday?
• What's a phrase you thought might be covered and wasn't?

Discuss
Here are the "overheard" phrases from Sunday, and for most of them, a passage of scripture that relates. Go through each and discuss:

"I’m trying to figure out God’s will.”

Acts 16:4-10 ESV

• What are the implications of God not having just one way for you to go about this or that? 
• Discuss the phrase "Go till you get a no" as a way of living in God's will, versus "Go only when God reveals a yes."

"Praying hasn’t worked."

John 14:12-14 ESV

• What doe it mean to pray in accordance with the reputation of one as whole and content as the Christ?
• If you have been a person of faith for a while, what have you learned about praying that might be helpful for the rest of the group?

"I really felt the Spirit.”

Genesis 28:16 ESV

• How can experience be important to faith?
• How can experience be deceptive to faith?
• Is there a better evaluation to make about church, or a gathering, or anything relating to where the Spirit of God might be at work, than being able to feel it?

"Faith is a crutch.”

• Try and name something a human being involves herself with not related to some kind of yet to be validated faith. Or, see if her goals and behaviors couldn't be described as something like a crutch. This isn't a chance for people of faith to retaliate with metaphors, but is an opportunity to be fair about humanity's ubiquitous limping, regardless of religious affiliation.

"Christians are Hypocrites.”

Romans 3:32 ESV

James 3:2 ESV

• Discuss hypocrisy and its role in all our lives.
• Discuss the difference between a deluded hypocrisy (denying the hypocrisy and judging others for behaviors/perspectives that likely exist in me) and a humble hypocrisy (removing planks in my own eye (Matthew 7) and remaining gentle and compassionate as a fellow, nonjudgmental sinner).

"When are you going to tell the Truth?”

John 14:6 ESV

• What happens in someone when you motivate them to believe that ultimately, following Christ isn't about the best life imaginable (John 10:10), but avoiding pain and punishment? 
• What happens when we understand the truth is Christ, not our understanding of this Christ, and not Christian doctrine or ethics pertaining to this Christ?
• Is there any part of life that Christ has no interest in, and doesn't want to bring life and light to? Explain?
• How has the Truth made you a better man, woman, husband, wife, friend, son, daughter, mother, father, grandfather, grandmother, neighbor, employer, employee, student, teacher, servant, receiver, traveler, rester, consumer, observer, presenter, eater, speaker, listener, artist, athlete, dresser, romancer, driver, writer, runner, photographer, movie goer, thinker, baker, napper and all around better human being?

THINGS OVERHEARD: at the office.

Use the discussion guide to talk about the message Sunday, and its implications in your life. Spend some time on each Overheard phrase and see how it resonates with the group. It may not only have to do with office life, but family, school or other projects.

Thaw

• What was the big take away for you from Sunday?
• What changes do you feel like God is inviting you to make for yourself?
• How were you tempted to believe this was about someone else?

Overheard phrase:

“That’s not my responsibility”

Read

• Gen 3:8-13
• Thoughts and impressions?

Quote:

"Irresponsibility that leads to blame always leads to conflict”

Thoughts?

Leader note: Consider sharing this Crosspointe Staff Value:

We share responsibility for everyone’s success. We live out a shared mission. We intentionally fight against silos that allow us to excuse ourselves from caring about or helping each other succeed. We give of ourselves—our backs, our time, our creative ideas, and our effort to serve one another and our specific responsibilities to make them as brilliant as possible.

Overheard phrase:

“If I was in charge…”

Read

• 2 Samuel 15:1-6
• Thoughts and impressions?
• How many success stories can you name where it began with someone undercutting leadership, and resulted in them being assigned the job they criticized, and then doing a great job?

Overheard phrase:

“That’s never going to work"

Read

• Prov 1:5
• Thoughts and impressions?
• Discuss the different mentality between someone working on a team,and someone hoping to always stand out as separate and superior to the team.

Overheard phrase:

"I'm  busy. I'm worn out."

Read

• Exodus 34:21
• Thoughts and impressions?
• How is rest and rhythm part of the DNA of your office and family? 
• What changes could be made, and what stands against change?