BEGIN IN PRAYER

OPENING DISCUSSION
As you reflect on the last year of Fellowship Group, what has impacted you the most?

BIG IDEA FOR THE EVENING
Spend time reflecting on the year in light of a biblical vision for the Christian community. Consider evidence of God’s grace at work among you and areas where your group has opportunities to grow.

The First Christian Community (Read Acts 2:42-47). In this passage, Luke describes the characteristics of the earliest Christian community, and his description can be summed up by the word “devotion.” They were devoted to Christ, Scripture, prayer, fellowship, breaking bread, radical generosity, hospitality, and evangelism.

• Would you describe your Fellowship Group by the word “devoted?” Why or why not?
• What aspect of the earliest Christian community is most compelling to you? Why?

The Habits of Christian Community. Based upon Acts 2 and the rest of the New Testament, we have articulated 7 habits that we want Fellowship Groups to “devote” themselves to. These are habits that we believe will promote growth and flourishing in Christ. As a group, read each of the following 7 habits and answer these questions: (1) Which of these habits comes most naturally for your group? Why? (2) Which habits would you like your group to grow in? How might you do this?

• Habit 1: We break bread to celebrate our common life together in Christ
• Habit 2: We engage scripture to know God and be transformed as disciples of Jesus
• Habit 3: We pray fervently to worship Jesus and seek his help
• Habit 4: We get small to know and be known in meaningful ways
• Habit 5: We love sacrificially, caring for one another as Christ has cared for us
• Habit 6: We make room for new people to discover and follow the original Jesus
• Habit 7: We cultivate leaders who can eventually start and lead new groups

The God of Christian Community. As you reflect on the past year, what are some significant ways you have seen God at work in your Fellowship Group? Name them and give God glory! To help, consider some of the following questions:

• How has God used a specific member of your group to encourage or build you up?
• Where have you seen spiritual growth occurring in your midst?
• How have you seen the fruit of the Spirit manifesting among you?
• Where have you witnessed or received acts of sacrificial love?
• How has God personally changed you over this past year as a result of this community?
• What prayers have you seen God answer as a group?
• Etc.

The Faith of Christian Community. Life with Jesus is a life of faith, and often, he calls us to take steps of faith that seem scary, uncertain, or difficult. As a group, take a moment of silence and have each member prayerfully ask God what steps of faith he might be calling your group to take as you look to the future. Share those together with open hearts.