Kickoff Dinner
Week of March 1
Welcome to your kickoff dinner! Some of you are meeting each other for the first time; others of you have been in a group for awhile. Either way, use tonight not just to have fun and enjoy hospitality, but to set a foundation for what you want to see God do in your life as a result of this study.
Suggested Questions:
[for new groups] Have everyone introduce themselves. Share how you found Element and how long you’ve been attending.
[for all groups] Go around again: What makes you most excited about a study like this? What makes you the most nervous? (We’ll ask this again in a different way next week, but I find pushing people to seek God on things like this is worth doing more than one time!) Write these things down, as well as people’s answers next week. That way, you’ll know what to celebrate at the end of our study together!
Introduce the concept of our study–each week, we’ll do some pre-reading about the Bible passage that we’ll engage. You’ll hear a message about that passage on Sunday, and then a “going deeper” video each week to follow. By reading these passages in advance, you’ll be able to get the maximum benefit from each lesson. This week, our passages will be:
- Memorize Luke 4:16-21
- Read Luke 6:46-7:10
- Read 2 Kings 5:1-14
At this dinner, read Luke 4:16-21 aloud as a group. Then, ask people a way they’ve seen Jesus do any of those things in their life (for example, when did you see Jesus set a captive free? When did you see good news for the poor?)
This Luke 4 passage serves as an outline and an introduction to Jesus’ ministry: it’s what He wants to do! We’ll see Him live this out in the coming weeks, and by actually memorizing the passage, God will be able to use that throughout the week to grow deeper roots in Him. I encourage you to take that memorization challenge!
Week 2: Jesus’ Greatness Revealed
Week of March 15
Before the Week:
- Memorize Luke 4:16-21
- Read Luke 7:11-17
- Read 1 Kings 17:17-24
Throughout this Week:
- Pray boldly for your group’s list of requests every day
- Journal about how the character of God can give us confidence that God wants to answer these prayers
- Ask God to show you someone who needs to know that Jesus is Lord and take an opportunity to share it with them
Week 3: God’s Messiah Revealed
Week of March 22
Before the Week:
- Memorize Luke 4:16-21
- Read Luke 9:10-17
- Read Exodus 16:1-14
After the Week:
- Pray boldly for this list of requests every day. Believe that God wants to satisfy your needs and have so much left over!
- Journal about how the heart attitude we bring to the Lord’s provision can restrict or unlock the life with God that He wants to give us
- Pray the Lord’s Prayer–ask God for your daily bread
Week 4: The Kingdom-Bringer Revealed
Week of March 29
Before the Week:
- Memorize Luke 4:16-21
- Read Luke 11:14-23
- Read Joshua 5:13-15
After the Week:
- Pray boldly for your group’s list of requests every day. Journal about what you’ve learned about God as you pray with persistence.
- Journal about how God might be answering the question Joshua asked Him: “How can I serve?”
- Pray the Lord’s Prayer–ask God that His Kingdom would come in your life as it is in Heaven, and cast out all other Kingdoms as it does
- Come to Element’s Good Friday service as a group!
- Invite someone to Easter Sunday
Celebration Dinner
Week of April 5
Look back at the time you spent together and celebrate!
- Read out what everyone wanted to get out of the study. Have them answer how the Lord did that, or if they didn’t get that. Don’t go too fast–celebrate what God did!
- Go around again: what was each person’s highlight of the group? (for example, something they learned? A prayer answered? A connection made?)
- Talk about next steps. We will do baptisms soon–does anyone want to take that step (signup at elementchurch.life/events)? Would someone like to give their life to Jesus for the first time? Help them!
- Pray boldly one last time as a group for all of your requests