Here's How (Part 6): Here's How To Be Changed & Changing

TO START

This week, our Lead Preaching Minister, Zane, invited us into the sixth part of a series called Here’s How, a series that invites us to live out our mission to Live Love together through our 7 core behaviors. This week, we leaned into one of the seven ways we practice living love: be changed & changing

  • How have you seen the practice of being changed & changing in your life? What did it look like? How did it make you feel? (Encourage your group to share how they’ve seen it in this group if they have an example) . 

TO DISCUSS

To begin Zane’s sermon, he pointed us to the reality we live in a world of information gluttony in which we rate our experiences based on how much our minds are blown by information or news we come across BUT we rarely experience transformation through those mediums and we’d really rather not be changed in general.  

  • In what ways, do you tend to seek out information gluttony over and against seeking out ways to be transformed in your mind? And what impact does this information overload have on you? Does it help you? Does it give you drive or hope? Or does it more often make you apathetic & depressed?

In order to get to the heart of God's desire for our minds to be transformed. Read Ephesians 4:17-29

  • What things in your life are grounded more in your identity as an American, a Texan, A democrat or republican, a COC member, etc. rather than simply a follower of Jesus? Which of those things are you willing to uproot and root in a different story?

Zane mentions that Paul warns us of the type of apathy we can fall into when we lose all sensitivity. In particular, this fling/mindset is often called the “What-the-Hell Effect”. This is one of those things where a negative decision can slowly make your life hell without you even noticing that everything around you is crashing down 

  • How have you experienced the “What-the-Hell effect in your life? Have there been moments in your life when you’ve given into this mindset to where sin has become your mode of operation?

Thankfully, while we can fall into the trap of apathy, God has another way and that is following the One who longs to transform us. If we grow in our relationship with Jesus, it transforms our minds in a way that gives power and possibility to love, trust and hope in ways that are outside of us.  

  • When in the past have you allowed the truth of Jesus to change your life?

  • Do you need a mentor in your life? Who is someone in your life that you would like to be mentored by? 

TO CLOSE

As a group, pray for the Holy Spirit to enliven y’all to how God is calling you to be changed and changing on an individual and collective level. Invite your group to share one thing in their life that is their biggest barrier to transformation. And then close with this prayer: 

Jesus, transform our identity, 

Help us to bravely share life with you and to find our identity in you.

Jesus, transform our interior life, 

Reorient our emotions in a way that channels them into energy to follow you,

Jesus, transform our mindset, 

Bring about changes in how we see ourselves and others in the world. 

Jesus, transform our filters, 

Enable us to filter our decisions, practices and values through what you valued on earth,

Jesus, transform our societal perspective, 

Orient us to communal convictions around your ideals for what’s good for everyone in society.

Amen.

Matt DeLano