Commitment
Discussion Questions
How do you define commitment? Where have you seen its importance in your life?
Read 2 Timothy 2:13 and Hebrews 13:8. What do these passages teach us about God’s consistency? What does consistency say about commitment?
Read Romans 12:9. How does Paul challenge the Romans to display change in their lives? How is the concept of change connected to the idea of commitment?
Read James 4:8. What does it mean to draw near to God and have Him draw near to you? What does this kind of closeness have to do with commitment?
Read Matthew 22:37-40 and Philippians 2:5-8. What would it look like for you to commit to having the attitude of Christ, loving as He loves?
Becoming Unoffendable
Seems like there’s plenty to be upset about in our world. We can even get personally offended by the actions and comments of others around us. Here’s a radical, relational idea: What if you can become unoffendable? That’s right—unoffendable. It’s rare but possible....
Counterfeit Connection
Our relationships develop and grow through the stories we tell each other. We connect with people when we know the past they've come from, the present they live in, and the future they hope for. We feel connected when those people also know our stories. But when...
Well Invested
Our society puts great emphasis on being well invested financially. There is no end to the programs and podcasts about how to invest wisely in real estate, IRA’s, 401K’s and the like, but how do we become well invested relationally? As in all investments, each of has...
The Rumbling of Grumbling
It’s a word we don’t use much anymore. It even sounds a little old fashioned and out of date. Grumbling. You see the word all over the pages of the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. Grumbling is all about griping or complaining or murmuring or carping or...
Are You Listening?
One of the most significant barriers to relationships is the failure to listen. It is impossible to effectively relate to others if we’re not listening. When we do listen, relationships come to life. Listening makes us feel heard, understood, valued, loved. The power...
Community
We’re all made to live in community. But today we find ourselves living increasingly isolated lives. As we further disconnect from other people, we lose not only the support of community we need, but we also lose the sense of fulfillment in Christ that God intended...
Singing Off Key
There is a mountain of scientific evidence showing us that people do moderately well at evaluating others, but are often terrible at evaluating themselves. As a result, many of us are not self-aware in regard to our relationships. Said another way, we don’t have a...
Next Level Faith
Sometimes we forget the power of a friend. Inside jokes, encouragement, support, and camaraderie all add together to make for a good friendship. However, the mark of true friendship is ultimately based on love. True friends exercise sacrificial love for one another....
The Art of Showing Up
Chances are good you are the person you are because of someone else who showed up in your life: a teacher, a coach, a small group leader. Chances are also good that you are the person you are because of someone you expected to show up but didn’t. Jesus is our model...
Exuberant Encouragement
One of the most powerful choices we can make in our relationships with others is the choice to encourage them. Encouragement builds courage into others. But it’s rare. Maybe we’re reluctant to encourage because we don’t know how. Or maybe we’re afraid. Will...