Dumb Things Christians Say

TO START

Have you ever said the wrong thing at the wrong time? Share one of your more embarrassing foot-in-mouth moments with the group.

 

TO DISCUSS

This week we talked about six things Christians sometimes say that we probably ought to stop saying. Consider the list and talk about them in the order that they affected your group. Take a poll to see which saying was most challenging to reconsider.

  • “Everything happens for a reason.”
  • “God won’t give you us more than we can handle.”
  • ”The Bible says you shouldn’t do that” (spoken to people who aren’t Christians)
  • “Christians should never judge”
  • “OMG”

For each saying ask:

  • Is this something you’ve said before? What did you mean by it?
  • Has anyone ever said this to you? What were the circumstances? How did it affect you?
  • What reasons do we have not to say it? Why does it matter?
  • Are you settled with the conclusion in the sermon, or do you think it’s more complicated than that? Share reasons why you think it might be okay to say.

Why do our words matter so much?

Read together in James 3:1-12.

  • What does James say about our tongues?
  • Have you experienced this to be true? Share a time when your tongue got you in trouble, hurt someone or made a mess.

 

TO READ

Re-read a few of the passages mentioned in the sermon and discuss…

I Corinthians 5:9-13

  • Does anything stick out as interesting or confusing?
  • What dowe learn about judgment from this passage?
  • What would it look like for us to do a better job judging insiders?

I Corinthians 10:13

  • Has this been your experience with temptation?
  • When you’re in the thick of temptation what makes saying no difficult?

Exodus 20:7

  • What does it mean to “misuse” the Lord’s name?
  • Other than saying “OMG” how might we do that?

 

TO PRAY

This week pray a prayer of submission over your words. Here’s an example prayer. Feel free to pray it word for word if you’d like:

Lord, I know my tongue often gets ahead of my mind and heart. I am quick to speak and I repent of the many thoughtless things I have spoken. I am sorry for words I have spoken in anger or in gossip. Please help me to see when I am about to speak without thinking and to check my heart. Help me be slow to speak. Help me, Lord, to be a person full of loving words, full of your Spirit, overflowing with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self control. Amen.  

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