MC2 02FN Keeping in Step with the Spirit

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''In this session, you will learn what the Bible teaches about who the Holy Spirit is and what His role is in your personal life and ministry. You will learn to relate to the Holy Spirit as a Person, understand the meaning of being filled with the Holy Spirit and commit to live under His gracious direction moment by moment. And, you will give a Christian you know the greatest compliment they could ever receive. [Acts 6:1-7; Galatians 5:16-25]''

Looking Back (20-30 min)
NOTE: Place people in groups of 4-6 for the session. Give out participant notes.

Prayer and Care

 * Appoint a small group leader to facilitate sharing.


 * Have each group discuss what they are thankful for this week.


 * Have each person share how they are doing and share 1-2 prayer requests with their group and then have them pray for one another.

NOTE: If someone needs extra help, set a time after the meeting to help meet those needs.

Celebrate Faithfulness

 * Encourage loving accountability to obey Jesus.


 * Have each group share what happened as they trusted God for their goals and their “I will by when” statements.


 * After the groups are done, ask if anyone is willing to tell the entire group.

Vision Casting
Cast vision for their identity in Christ or what God can do through them as they take steps of faith.

'King David was amazed that the God of all creation would be concerned with mankind. In Psalm 8, he asks the Lord “what is man that you are mindful of him and the son of man that you care for him?” It is amazing that we serve a loving God, who is powerful enough to do all things on his own, but who invites us to join Him in His work and desires to work through us to take His love to the world. In one Asian country where Christians are persecuted, one lady believed in Christ. As she learned to obey Jesus, the Lord used her to lead many others to Christ and it spread to over 1,300 people and 5 generations of new churches. What a privilege we have been given to be used by God. Imagine what the Lord can do through you! '
 * For example:

Activity #1 Acts 6:1-7
Outcome: Qualities of people filled with the Holy Spirit are really obvious.

[NOTE: This is the first introduction to the OBBS process.]


 * Explain Context:

'As the early church grew in numbers, a problem arose. Widows from Greek speaking Jewish backgrounds were being neglected. So, the Apostles decided on a solution to the problem. Let’s read about how the problem was settled.'


 * Choose a small group leader who will facilitate the small group discussion.


 * Explain the instructions for how to do the Read and Discovery Discussion parts of OBBS.


 * Read


 * In small groups, read or watch Acts 6:1-7 two times as others listen.


 * Discovery Discussion


 * Everyone answers: What did you like best? Why?

Activity #2 Galatians 5:16-25
Outcome: Clear understanding of the fruit of the Spirit


 * Transition:

'Did you notice what qualities the leaders told the people to look for? [people full of the Spirit and wisdom] But how did people know who was filled with the Spirit and wisdom? Let’s look at another passage that gives a good description of the qualities that show up in the life of someone who is filled with the Spirit. '


 * Choose a small group leader who will facilitate the small group discussion.


 * Read:


 * In small groups, read Galatians 5:16-25 two times as others listen.


 * Discovery Discussion


 * Everyone answers: What did you like best? Why?

 Summary 

'This passage gives obvious qualities of the fruit that comes from being filled with the Spirit. The people in the story from Acts 6:1-7 would have been able to see the fruit in the lives of the 7 men who were chosen.'


 * Have each group discuss the following:


 * Whom do you know today that best displays this fruit of the Spirit in their lives?


 * Tell the name of the person you would choose to serve in Acts 6 with your group and why you chose them.

Transition 

'We have seen some of the crucial roles of the Holy Spirit in transforming our own lives and empowering us to be witnesses and leaders in His kingdom. The question for us: Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to guide, direct and empower us?

This little blue booklet (hold up booklet) can help summarize and apply what we have been learning about the Holy Spirit. We can also help others understand and apply this critical truth using this simple tool.

Many Christians feel the brief outline and application points in this booklet have been the most important concept they have learned as a Christian. So, let’s begin now to start becoming familiar with the booklet’s content, how to apply it to our own lives and how to communicate it with others.'

Preparing for the Mission
Introduction to the Spirit-filled Life Booklet


 * Give each participant a copy of the Spirit-filled Life Booklet.


 * Choose group facilitators for each group. Have them assign each person in their group a set of booklet pages, including themselves. List these on a PowerPoint slide or a white board.


 * Person 1: pages 1-3


 * Person 2: pages 4-7


 * Person 3: pages 8-11


 * Person 4: page 13


 * Person 5: pages 14-16


 * Point out that page 12 was not assigned and that you will read that page in a few minutes.


 * Have everyone study their assigned pages and write down their answer to these questions:

'What did you like best? Why?'


 * After each person has had time to answer the questions, ask each group participant to verbally explain the content of their pages to their group and tell how they answered the questions. [NOTE: Start with page 1 and continue through the booklet in order]


 * Transition:

'Very good! It was fun watching all of you engaged and reporting. Take a few minutes now to write down in your notes any observations or ideas that came to your attention as you listened to others in your group report on their pages. Later, you will want to review the entire booklet, but this has been a good start.

Now as we finish, I would like for you all to turn to page 12 in the Spirit-filled Life Booklet. This is the most important part of this lesson. Let me read this page, and please note that I will read the prayer twice-- once for your understanding and the second time as a prayer.'


 * Read the page once. Then tell them you will now read the prayer again, and they can express it themselves as a prayer.


 * Ask if anyone prayed that prayer for the first time. Acknowledge those who respond.

 Summary 

'Let me remind you of three things from the booklet:


 * First, the command and promise on page 11 (quickly summarize this).


 * Secondly, not to depend on feelings on page 13 (read the paragraph under the train diagram).


 * And thirdly, the encouragement at the top of page 16, “If this booklet has been helpful to you, please share it with someone else.”'

Demonstration of using the Spirit-filled Life Booklet


 * Explain that you will now show them how to simply read through the booklet with another person.


 * Pick a volunteer to help you demonstrate how to use the Spirit-filled Life booklet.


 * Read through the booklet with the volunteer.


 * As you read page 12, give an opportunity for the volunteer to pray the prayer.


 * Go through the rest of the booklet with the volunteer.

Going on the Mission

 * Identify 5 people who you will read the Spirit filled Life booklet with.


 * Write “I will by when” statements and tell them to your small group.


 * Include the person from Activity #1 that you will tell the Acts 6:1-7 passage to and why his/her life reminds you of the seven.


 * Set a time and meet with your one-another partner.

Praying for the Mission
Commit everyone’s goals to the Lord. Ask the Lord to help us be faithful and use us to start a movement of disciple makers.

For Further Study
Read Transferable Concept #2: How You Can Experience God’s Love and Forgiveness and Transferable Concept #3: How You Can be Filled with the Holy Spirit. It is helpful to discuss with your one-another partner by simply telling your answers to the questions at the end article.