Life is Better Together Week 2

                           Acts 2:42-47

Important Announcements!

Heart and Soul starts up this Sunday at the 11:00 service. If there is anyone in your group who has never been through Heart and Soul we would love to help get them plugged into the class this Sunday. Reach out to Anna or Blake!

Mark your calendar for October 16th! This is the day we will be having our Fall Festival. Connect Groups have a huge part to play in this. More details coming soon.

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Theme: When it comes to doing Church, we all have had different experiences! Some good, some bad. Experiences can shape how we think and how we think can shape how we live. When it comes to the Christian life it is important to be shaped by the BIBLE! At the end of the day, that’s what matters most. What does the Bible say about the Church? What is Church supposed to look like?

What should make up the DNA of the Church? 

In Acts chapter 2 we see the Church in its purest form. This is the very beginning of the New Testament Church as we know it. What do we learn about the Church from this passage?

Major Points:

1.. The Church is a family to belong to, not an event to attend. 

We live in a culture that has a consumeristic mindset. A mindset that says that everything is about you! (Get what you want, when you want, how you want it)

The Church of our day has let a consumeristic mindset slip into it.

Sin in us can make Church about us instead of about God! We can make it about what we want instead of being the people of God! We can make it about coming and attending a service and then leaving until the following week!

The problem with this is the Church is not a consumer relationship. The Church is a family. A body of believers that do life together, serve together and live on mission together. God has saved us out of sin and into a family. (His family)

Families do life with one another! This is why we say that Life is Better Together!

You can’t be a Christian and do life in isolation! 

How have you seen a consumeristic mindset creep into the Church?

Have you ever fell into the religious routine of just going to Church on Sundays, but not doing life together during the week?

2.. The Characteristics of a Healthy Church Family.

1.. They were Saved vs 41

2..They were Devoted to God vs 42

3..God’s Power was at work among them vs 43

4..They were united vs 44

5.. They had Sacrificial Generosity vs 45

6.. They Loved Gathering in Large and small Groups vs 46

7.. Their living was attractive to outsiders vs 47

8.. They Multiplied rapidly vs 47

Do these Characteristics describe your experience of Church?

What is different about this group of people and your experience of Church growing up?

What is the most attractive thing about this group of people?

What is one thing that you want to get out of Connect group this year?

3.. Don’t miss out on the blessing!

The Family of God is God’s grace to us!

   Paul David Tripp

“One of God’s sweetest gifts to us between the “already” of our conversion and the “not yet” of our homegoing is the gift of the body of Christ. God makes his invisible grace visible by sending people of grace to give grace to people who need grace. His people are meant to be the look on his face, the touch of his hand, the sound of his voice, the evidence of his love, the picture of his presence, and the visible demonstration of his faithfulness.”

How has the Church been this for you?

Tim Keller

To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.

How has Community and doing life with God’s people changed your life

personally?

What is your next step when it comes to doing life with God’s people?