Hey guys, thanks to everyone who came out to our training sessions last night.  I was so encouraged by the questions that people came up with last night in my class, Going Beyond the Supper Club, that i wanted to post them so all could benefit.  The talk was about driving for depth in your community and going after aspects in our life that are below the surface not just the symptoms.  Scripture uses the word “Heart” to define the inmost part of a person: his will, desire, emotions, feelings, the core of who you are.  So, if these questions seem different than ones you may be asking people in your community group, know that the context of these questions is going after biblical “heart”.  Hope one or two of the questions will help your community group go below the surface.  Rob

Here are great questions to ask around people in your community group processing issues with scripture:

1)What scripture this week is tearing out your heart?

2) How are you applying what you read this week?

3) How have you been meditating on scripture this week? (Ps. 1)

4)How have your feelings or emotions lined up with scripture this week?

5) How are you taking every thought captive?  (2 Cor. 10)

6) What is an area of your life that the Lord wants to free you of?

Here are accountability questions to ask:

1) Who did you hurt this week or who has been hurt by your actions?

2)Who have you asked for forgiveness this week?

3) What were some the feelings, thoughts, emotions that you had before you sinned?

4)What have you struggled with this week?

5)What is something in you that is unloving?

6) What has consumed you this week?

7) What scripture speaks into you situation this week?

Here’s a few examples:  “My mom is sick, pray that the Lord would heal her”, “pray for my job, my boss is driving me crazy”, “pray that a buyer buys our house”, “pray that my brother would be saved”, or “pray for my relationship with my girlfriend around purity”.    Sound familiar?

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.-Romans 8:29

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

So how do we begin to ask for prayer around conformation and as we lead people and teach them about prayer?

So, take the double fake “prayer requests” I listed above.  Think though how you would move peoples requests towards conformity prayer.

“My mom is sick, pray that the Lord would heal her”–> “Pray that I would believe that the Lord is Good (Ps. 100) even in the midst of mom’s sickness, and that the Lord would heal my mom.”

“pray for my job, my boss is driving me crazy” –> “pray that I would demonstrate patience (Gal. 5) and Contentness (Phil 3) and a love for my boss who feels like an enemy (matt. 5)”

“pray that a buyer buys our house” –> “Pray that the Lord would make me content even if no one buys our house and gives me peace (Gal 5)”

“pray that my brother would be saved” –> “Pray that my brother would be saved, that I would trust that only God can open his eyes (Luke 24:45), and for boldness on my part (2 Cor. 3:12). “

“pray for my relationship with my girlfriend around purity”. –> “Pray that I would find contentment in the Lord, that he would be enough to satisfy (phil 3-4) and that i would find life in being obedient to the king around purity (1 Cor. 6)”

I think you get the point.  Not that we shouldn’t pray for external circumstances, but our focus should be internal conformation.  The overwhelming model Paul gives us in his letters is not to get out of prison, which had to be miserable if you have ever seen a dungeon or ancient prison, but that the he would look like Christ in prison to those the Lord put in his path.

So, how are you doing modeling this?  How well is your group doing here?  Try asking this question next time you are taking prayer requests, “hey what do you think the Lord would like to change in you around the issue you just mentioned”.    Also, it will let you know people very well and where they need to grow.  It will drive for incredible depth.  Let me know what you think.  Rob

I was visiting with a group this past Saturday night that I’m so fired up about.  One of the men asked me a question around some of the verses I used to communicate about function of community.  I mentioned to him that many of the verses that I run to when I want to define community were just verses that I memorized over the past year and even as recently as the past month.

I wanted to make those verses available to ya’ll, the people, but only if you have an iPhone.  You will need the iflipr app. Download it on your iPhone if you don’t have it.  Go to the “search option” at the bottom of the screen.  There will be two different decks:  One Anothers of Scripture and Community Verses. So, type in each deck in the search menu, download, and enjoy. Hope 2010 is a year where your heart is more and more aligned with God’s Word.  Rob

I’ve been meaning to blog since the completion of the Community Leader Conference, which was Saturday at 1pm.  My fired up (!!!) meter has been through the roof and here’s the main reason:  YOU.  Community is all about the celebration of reconciled relationship in light of the ultimate celebrated reconciled relationship between believers and Yahweh.  The face to face conversations were the most exciting part of the entire 19 hours together, yes even more than all of the laughs, stare downs, water gun skits, and “fake gifts” Friday night.

Here’s the reason, life together while pursuing Christ.

Two weeks ago, 3 couples from my community group were eating together after our “group time”.  We began talking about Christ and Scripture memory, and I was totally encouraged by who we will refer to as “the Gertz”.  This year she has memorized the entire book of Colossians and is currently working on 1^st John.  We asked her why she would memorize Colossians 4, which is where Paul mentions all of the people in the body of Christ who he has done life together.  “The Gertz” mentioned that chapter 4 gave her life, because apart from the individuals there is no Church of Colossae, and no letter to the church.  The chapter reminds her that the body of Christ is everything (forgive me Gertz if I butchered your explanation).

So, in light of Colossians 4, we are the body of Christ. What’s more fun that hanging with 700 people who are all pursuing Christ and committed to the local body of Christ that you serve with?  I though through all of the one-on-one conversations, and realized that these are the people that I love and who love me, not just in word or tongue, but in action and deed.  Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule with yourself, family, and friends and risking your time to come and hang with us.  The conference was a taste of the great ingathering when We will all love each other perfectly and worship together Yahweh, who eternally exists as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Be excited today that we are one day closer today to our hope…

What’s the purpose of community?  What bulls-eye are we all shooting for?  The Proverb says, “Without vision the nation parishes.”  Do you and your group have a clear vision of what you’re aiming for?  It’s been my passion over the last couple of years to remind others of the target, aim, and bull’s-eye.  Paint it really big, so no one forgets and so everyone in the group aims at the same target.  Some will hit the bull’s-eye, some will land in the red or white ring others will miss the target completely, and yes some won’t even shoot.  In the dynamics of doing life with others, some are more excited about following Jesus trading in their old life for “life to the full” (John 10:10).  So, the target I’ve always painted is TRANSFORMATION (see Galatians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 12:2) into the image of His Son, Jesus, or the image of God.

I’ve realized that this target might be inadequate; it is only the means and not the end.  Thanks John Piper for your gift of teaching and the wonderful world of podcasts to remind me of something so simple.  The end, goal, target, aim, bull’s-eye, etc. is worship and praise of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  See Ephesians 1:3,6,14.  Transformation is the process that brings Our Lord more glory, honor, and praise.  Transformation and praise go hand in hand, so how do we move towards framing community questions more around worship?  For example, what areas in your life are not worshipful to Christ?  What areas have you grown in worship?  What areas in your marriage/relationships, purity, finances, speech, discipline, humility, mercy, etc. look more like Christ than a year ago?  How is your capacity and desire to worship the living God growing?  What is an area that your heart desires to worship yourself?

By: Rob Barry