REALLIFE STUDY GROUP

"The Truth About The Call!"

Church Goers versus Kingdom Disciples!

ICEBREAKER: If you could be anything or do anything besides what you are already doing just for fun what would you pick?

INTRODUCTION:

America is full of church goers that attend church occasionally or even on a regular basis. However, we are on short demand of present day disciples that are truly following the Words, the work, the ways and the walk of Jesus Christ. Today's lesson attempts to create a list of callings that describe some of the disciplines of Jesus Christ.

CONFESSION: 16 CALLINGS

1. I am called to be an extravagant worshiper

2. I am called to be a generous giver

3. I am called to be a passionate student of the Word

4. I am called to be a productive member of the Body of Christ

5. I am called to be a faithful follower of Christ

6. I am called to be a compassionate servant of the most high God

7. I am called to be a conscientious soul winner and fruit bearer

8. I am called to be a steward who is willing to count the cost

9. I am called to be a pillar in the House of my God

10. I am called to be a mature child of God

11. I am called to be a sweet smelling sacrifice on the altar of my God

12. I am called to be a valiant soldier in the army of The Lord

13. I am called to be an instrument of God's love

14. I am called to be a uniter of Kingdom purposes

15. I am called to father people, purposes and places

16. I am called to be a hearer & a doer of the Word of God

DEFINITION:

Calling: Your divinely commissioned destiny, suggesting either a vocation or a destination; to call upon, to invoke, to summon.

Disciple: A person trained and excelling in the disciplines of another.

OUTLINE: Church Goers (CG) Versus Kingdom Disciples (KD)

1. CG Worship on Sunday as an event

KD Worship everyday as a lifestyle

2. CG Put out a hand only to receive

KD Extend a hand to give and receive

3. CG Carry a Bible in their hand on Sunday like an accessory

KD Hide The Word in their heart everyday like a love letter

4. CG Attend a local church service for what it can offer them

KD Join a local church body for what they can offer the Body

5. CG Look at church attendance as another thing they can check off their to do list

KD Look for God encounters everyday so they can journal God's wisdom

6. CG Wonder how the church can better serve them

KD Wonder how they can better serve one another in the community

7. CG Would like to go to a church where the pastor is winning more people to God

KD Realize every disciple must be winning & discipling someone to Christ in order to transform the region or a nation

8. CG Want God's blessing but act as though it was cheap

KD Understand God's blessing & favor came at a very high price

9. CG Are in this thing as long as things go smooth, people treat me right and nothing is expected of me

KD Are in this thing for the long haul as an act of covenant, planted like a tree, bearing fruit

10. CG Get angry when people sit in their seat that they bought with their good money

KD Are thrilled that another chair in Father's house is filled with a hungry soul

11. CG Are anticipating an opportunity to be offended at someone

or something

KD Are expecting an opportunity to be like Jesus and forgive someone or something

12. CG Want Jesus the lamb, the shepherd and the friend

KD Will take Jesus in every form both lion & lamb, both shepherd & warrior both father and friend

13. CG Are looking for people that are worthy of their love

KD Are passionate about being counted worthy to express God's love to especially those who don't deserve it

14. CG Are exclusive and can only see what God is doing in their group

KD Are Kingdom minded and realize we are just a part of a much bigger master plan

15. CG Want someone else to take responsibility for their life and

their choices

KD Want to be responsible to reproduce the life of God and a generation of God seekers

16. CG Want someone to tell them what God is saying

KD Want someone to confirm what God has already told them

TEXT: Matthew 21:1-11; Matthew 13:1-23; Luke 14:25-35

STUDY GROUP QUESTIONS:

1. What is the hardest thing about becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ?

2. See if you can name all 12 disciples with extra points for the guy that replaced the guy that betrayed Jesus.

3. Which of Jesus disciples or any Bible character do you most relate to and why? (Matthew the tax collector, Andrew & Peter the fishermen, James the brother of Jesus, John the beloved, Thomas the doubter, Judas the betrayer, etc..)

4. In the parable of the sower, there are at least four different categories of soil representing believers. As a group see if you can name them.

5. What stops the seed from producing fruit?

6. Pick one of the differences listed above between church goers versus Kingdom disciples and make a comment.

7. In what area of your life could you use a little more discipline?

PRAISE REPORTS & PRAYER REQUESTS:

ACTION POINT: This week I will determine a new area of my life I would like to excel in. I will talk to, read the writings of and observe the disciplines of someone accomplished in that field that it will take to succeed in that area.