Hey Group Leaders! I hope you're ready to dive head first into Daniel as we explore what it looks like for God's people to live as outsiders in a foreign land, while remaining faithful to the one true God and King of the universe. Its going to be a fun ride!
This week, please read through Daniel 1 (the whole chapter) with your group. Take a look at the introductory notes and help set the context for the book with some of those details.
Hey people! This week Dean is preaching through some key characteristics of a church person.
Hope, Gospel, Commitment, Mission, Generosity, Compassion.
I'm asking you to share a video during the beginning of your discussion. Try to have a computer or TV available to watch the video, if possible. The video is of Pastor Jimmy Scroggins of First Baptist Church, West Palm share the gospel through the 3 Circles conversation guide. If you are unable to have a computer or TV, no worries, you can do the presentation yourself! Just watch the video below a few times and implant it into your memory. http://www.namb.net/video/3circlesguide/
Hey everyone! Here's the big idea for this week:
The universal church is only as strong as local churches assembled in communities throughout the world. Each Christian is called to be a part of a local church by 1) living out their election and 2) joining God in what he is already doing – namely, reaching cities and towns with the gospel of his son Jesus Christ.
Have an awesome week of City Groups you guys!
Welcome back to City Groups! We are praying for you as you launch your groups during the next week! Your greatest resource for the discussion guides during the Churchy series will be pastor Dean's sermons, so be sure to attend and if you are out of town, be sure to watch the sermons in preparation.
DO THIS WEEK: Reach out to people who sign up for your group, Make connections with group members and from member to member, Be inclusive and welcoming to everyone, Talk about multiplication and apprenticing NOW, and Pray Pray Pray!
Love all of you people!
We've reached the final chapter of Hebrews this week! The way this will work is your group will either do this discussion this week (week of Thanksgiving) or next week (following Thanksgiving and into December). Whichever week you don't do the discussion, plan on either having a fun night or cancelled group due to the holiday.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE submit your Survey + Intent to Lead as soon as possible! I do expect everyone to take a few minutes and fill it out. Thank you!
You can also RSVP to the City Group Christmas Party on December 10, 6:30-8pm here.
Discussion Guide Week 11 - Hebrews 13
Selected Commentary - Hebrews 13
Warren Wiersbe Outline on Hebrews 13
Hey Group Leaders! Here's to chapter 12 of Hebrews! We have only one more chapter left after this one as many of your groups will be doing potlucks, fun nights, or not meeting during the week of Thanksgiving. The following week, November 30-December 3 is the last week of groups. You will have the opportunity to go through a missed chapter from previous weeks or take a fun night, I hope you'll finish the book though ;)
If you haven't gotten a chance to yet, please fill out the Group Leader Survey + Intent to Lead by next Thursday. These are always SO helpful to me! Thanks to you if you've done it, and thanks in advance to you who will soon!
SAVE THE DATE FOR CITY GROUP LEADER CHRISTMAS PARTY THURSDAY DECEMBER 10! I'll send an RSVP request out next week!
Discussion Guide - Week 10 - Hebrews 12
Hey Group Leaders! We are nearing the end of Hebrews! I hope you have enjoyed the study of Hebrews and that it has been beneficial to your personal faith and for building up and growing your group and beyond. Hebrews 11 is all about FAITH. Listen to the above video for Bryan Bair's experience with Hebrews 11 over his life and ministry. Bryan Bair is planting Southpoint Church here in Tallahassee in 2016. The result of faith in his life is pretty incredible!
Discussion Guide - Week 9 - Hebrews 11
Hey all! Thanks so much for being a part of this team of group leaders. Each of you play such a crucial role in connecting people to our church. Because of your commitment, we've seen 370+ people connected every week in a deeper way to their church this fall semester. This is the most consistent number of people we've seen in any semester yet! Thank you so much for continuing to reach out to your friends, connect people to City Church, and help them grow to be more like Jesus. Thank you.
Week eight and Chapter 10 of Hebrews is upon us! Here is the content you need to lead your group well over this first week of November. Enjoy this chapter, it gets very practical and it is one of my favorites!
Have a splendid week discussing blood and death! As Christians, death gives us hope. We have hope for eternal life after death by the sacrificial death of Jesus. Death is a taboo subject, so let's redeem it this week as we give our group members hope through death because of Jesus.
This week we will be encountering Hebrews 8. This chapter is mostly about the new covenant in Christ. Please read the section below on Hebrews 8 from Warren Wiersbe - it will aid your understanding of this chapter greatly!
I'm looking forward to hearing great things about your City Groups again this week! Keep it up! You all are the heart beat of our church. It is because of the collective effort of every single one of you that over 370 people have been involved in City Groups each week this fall semester. I am so grateful for every single one of you. Lives are different because of the investment you have been making. Thank you.
Discussion Guide Week 6 - Hebrews 8
Have a great week 5 everyone! Let me know if you have any questions on chapter 7 of Hebrews. Melchizedek is a fun name to try to pronounce. I'm sure you all had fun listening to people try to say it last week. Now we get to talk about who they guy actually is. Hebrews 7 gives us the most info about him in the whole bible. Ultimately, the point is that Jesus is better and to revert to any of our old ways will only be a let down. That was the message to these Christian Jews that were tempted to go back to Judaism. Keep believing in Jesus and He will be faithful.
Enjoy!
Discussion Guide Week 5 - Hebrews 7
Hey Group Leaders! We are getting our way in to the semester at this point. I hope you are enjoying Hebrews and having some cool conversations about Jesus our great high priest, giver of rest, and sustainer of our faith! He is so incredibly good to us.
This week we will be talking through the eternal security of the Christian and whether or not a believer can lose salvation. I want you to know that at City Church, we absolutely believe that the Christian CANNOT lose salvation once they are truly saved. Hebrews 6 here talks a good bit about this topic. I've added a sound clip here from John Piper directly answering this question. He references Hebrews 6 in his answer and recognizes that it can sometimes be a stumbling block to people in thinking that Christians can lose salvation. We want to be very clear in our conversations this week that we can have full assurance that as believers, we cannot lose the salvation that Jesus accomplished for us. Scripture is clear and Hebrews is clear that this is true. This reality should be greatly comforting and is very much related to the promise of "rest" we discussed last week. We rest in full assurance of what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf. We are called to trust, believe, and repent. See Piper's very helpful answer to this question below:
As you read this, I am in Hawaii with my family. We are enjoying some "rest" but we certainly look forward to our eternal rest when we are with God forever in heaven. Hawaii is pretty cool, but that's going to be a lot cooler!
I'll be back in town Monday, September 28, so you can easily get in touch with me then if you need something. Until then, you can contact Gaelin Craighead at Gaelin@citychurchtallahassee.com if you need anything. She is brilliant and kind and helpful!
Here is the resource list for this week:
Discussion Guide Week 3 - Hebrews 3 & 4.
Selected Commentary on Hebrews chapters 3-4.
Hey Group Leaders!
I hope you've all had a great first week of groups and college leaders, I'm excited for you all to start groups in just a few days!
We jump into Hebrews chapters 1 & 2 this week. Its going to be awesome!
Quick note: I'm going to be in Hawaii all next week on vacation! If you have any questions Groups-related, I'm going to check my email once or twice during next week but I won't be readily accessible. Gaelin Craighead is taking care of much of the admin responsibilities of groups during next week, so it may be in your favor to reach out to her. Her email is Gaelin@citychurchtallahassee.com.
ADULT Groups Discussion Guide - Week 2.
COLLEGE Groups Discussion Guide - Hybrid of Overview + Week 2.
This week in City Groups, we'll be looking at an big picture overview of the book of Hebrews. We will check out a some of the major passages that summarize some of the most important themes of the book. Ultimately, Hebrews is about Jesus, so we will be looking at some of the main passages that talk about who Jesus is and what he has done for us.
There is a lot of content to cram in this week. I'm very aware that you may not get through all of these passages, but I say give it a shot. Also, remember that we'll be hitting all of these in greater depth and extent later on in the semester. Basically, the outline for the discussion guide is this:
Purpose of City Groups [Community, Growth, Mission]
Background and Context of Hebrews [Jesus fulfills the Old Testament]
Overview Passages [Hebrews 1:1-4; 7:26-28; 10:11-14; 12:1-2; 13:20-21]
What does all of this mean for our lives? [Heart & Hands]
Below are all the resources for the week! Enjoy!
DOWNLOAD WEEK 1 DISCUSSION GUIDE HERE
This is the ESV Study Bible - Introduction to Hebrews.
This is the ESV Study Bible - Overview Passages Selected Commentary.
John Piper on How Jesus fulfills the Old Testament
Again, for your reference, the Fall 2015 City Group Leader Handbook. Please know how to talk about Community, Growth, and Mission!
I hope you're getting pumped for this Fall semester!
Just to reiterate:
1) Watch Above Video.
2) Read Hebrews.
3) Review the attached Updated Handbook.
4) Wear City Groups T-Shirt this Sunday and Next!
Pray for your groups and invite people to join! People are signing up for groups as we speak, so be sure to reach out to them as you receive notifications that they've joined!
Fall 2015 City Group Leader Handbook
Here is a blog post by Justin Taylor that answers several important questions about Hebrews.
Here is a quick article on an overview of the book of Hebrews
