Go Bold - Vision Booklet & Devotional Guide by gracealive

vision booklet

Table of Contents A History of Boldness.................. 4 Go Bold Overview....................... 6 Boldness in Scripture................. 12 Generosity and Boldness............ 16 FAQs.......................................... 18 Letter from Discipleship Team . 22 Bible Reading Tips..................... 23 Week 1........................................ 26 Week 2........................................ 30 Week 3........................................ 34 Week 4........................................ 38 Week 5........................................ 42 Week 6........................................ 46 Week 7........................................ 50

Hey Family, I am simply ecstatic about this discipleship journey we are about to embark on as a family. It is absolutely astounding to think of what God will do in this season of our young church. Our leadership team firmly believes God has called us to GO BOLD. You may wonder, “What does GO BOLD mean”? I’m glad you asked and if you are reading this it is a perfect time to really allow this concept to be absorbed into your heart. The New Testament teaches we are to GO as ambassadors of the Kingdom and it commands us to GO BOLDLY under the power of God. In the Gospels, we see captivating encounters with Jesus that are truly aweinspiring. We see a woman boldly beg for God’s grace and she witnesses a miracle. We watch Peter boldly walk on water because he trusted God. We marvel at a Good Samaritan boldly risk his life to save his neighbor. And we see a short man named Zacchaeus climb a tree with boldness to see a clear vision of Jesus. Sadly, we also see how fear and love of money can truncate the God-intended boldness we possess to share the Gospel. Maybe you remember a rich man Jesus called a fool. This rich man clinched for his possessions while they simultaneously strangled his heart. As a result, greed short-circuited his life. God desires for us to marvel at the scandalous grace for which he saved us. When we see this, we graciously give our time, talent, and treasure to boldly advance the Kingdom. When we are enthralled into that story, no obstacle is too high and no barrier is too deep. We GO BOLD because we know God is greater than our fear. Look no further than the book of Acts. Even though the apostles like Peter, John, and Paul faced horrible persecution, they were bold in the face of

opposition because of their confidence in God. Look at Peter and John in Acts 4: 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.- Acts 4:13 (ESV) And again picture Paul in Acts 28: 30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. -Acts 28:30-31 (ESV) Friends, these stories of GOING BOLD to advance the Kingdom are not merely in the Bible. They are generously sprinkled throughout church history. Whether it was leaders of movements or simply ordinary followers passionate about God’s activity in the world, God uses ALL people to reach ALL people. If you believe that, it’s time to GO BOLD. As a movement for all people, God has called us to GO BOLD. When we take courageous steps to GO BOLD we throw ourselves into the power of a mighty God. God desires to see our neighbors, the nations, and the generations eternally impacted by leaders and ordinary members trusting God with little so He can do more than we can ask or even imagine. This discipleship journey will explicitly challenge us about owning the mission and vision of Grace Alive. How can we GO BOLD to reach every man, woman, and child? How can we GO BOLD to reach our neighbors, the nations, and the generations? Family, it will take 100% engagement and extreme generosity. But here is the good news, it’s been done before. And God promises it will be done again. Will you join me? GO BOLD,

Cam Triggs

a history of boldness

February 28, 2017 Grace Alive Launch team meets in Former Edgewater Library May 30, 2016 Cam & Tymara publicly announce their desire to plant in Orlando.Â

July 17, 2017 Vision Night takes place at First Baptist Orlando

August 27, 2017 Preview Service Sunday

September 17, 2017 Grace Alive launches with 200+ in attendanceÂ

September 29, 2019

is launched

October 22, 2017 Yolnie Marc goes public with Jesus as our first Baptism

July 20 & 21, 2018 Strong Sports Camp hosted by FCA and Grace Alive

September 23, 2018 Grace Alive turns 1 and moves to Oak Hill Elementary

March 31, 2019 Grace Alive moves to the Ministry Center

April 21, 2019 Grace Alive celebrates its highest attendance of 251 and 14 baptisms.Â

is a strategic discipleship journey for those committed to the mission and vision of Grace Alive to further our Gospel impact to our neighbors, nations, and generations.

During this journey we want to ask one major question. “What happens when courageous faith connects with a mighty God?” During this season would you be intentional to join us in prayer, mission, and generosity? We are praying everyone has an encounter with Jesus under our sphere of influence and that our partners would be BOLDLY generous to see God’s mission expand. Here is the truth: Every catalytic moment in the spread of the Kingdom started because someone was BOLD enough to trust a Mighty God to do the impossible. Therefore, we are trusting a mighty God to use us to impact our neighbors, nations, and generations.

GO BOLD is a two-

OUR GOALS:

year discipleship journey that will stretch us

To glorify GOD

(If your vision doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t scare you then it probably belittles God) We want to take a step of faith that takes our credibility out of the equation and repositions all Glory back to God.

as a church to achieve three goals as we aggressively

2 3

100% Participation

We believe asking this question is going to throw us into the way of Jesus and as a result make us BOLD to pursue Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission in Orlando and to the Nations. However, we have to do this together. We want to move everyone from casually consuming to boldly contributing. We want to move every person from the sidelines to the frontlines.

2 Million

aid people to discover, deepen, and display a relationship with Jesus.

over two years

In this discipleship journey God will increase our generosity to advance His mission. We are hoping to glorify God with a BOLD vision and see 100% engagement from our pivotal partners. As a result, we believe God has given us 2 million dollars of ministry over the next two years. 7

going bold for our:

Orlando is considered a highly unchurched and dechurched region. As a result, we want to help more people discover a relationship with Christ by expanding our outreach initiatives, fueling more evangelism, and ultimately establishing a permanent facility that communicates excellence and stability. We will be expanding into the former Edgewater Library with a grand opening in 2020. GOAL: 1M

This beautiful city is also one of the most diverse cities in the nation and, of course, the most visited city in America. God has shown us we must send our people to the nations but the nations are also being sent to Orlando. During GO BOLD, we believe an increase in generosity will help us partner with more international missionaries, establish short-term mission trips, and strategically expand our multi-ethnic vision in Orlando. GOAL: 400k

We believe it is the responsibility of every generation to reach the next generation for Jesus Christ. GO BOLD will position Grace Alive to aggressively multiply our kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ministry, fund a flourishing college ministry, and launch a student ministry. GOAL: 600k 8

This new facility will give us gospel roots to reach our neighbors.

Expanded capacity to fuel multi-ethnic worship amongst the nations.

New possibilities for College & Student Ministry in addition to effectively doubling our kids space to reach the generations. 11

“Boldness is acting, by the power of the Holy Spirit, on an urgent conviction in the face of some threat. That last sentence contains the three ingredients to Christian boldness: Spiritempowered conviction, courage, and urgency.” – Jon Bloom 12

Ephesians 6:19-21 (ESV) 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. Acts 28:30-31 (ESV) 30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. 2 Corinthians 3:12 (ESV) 12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, Acts 4:13 (ESV) 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Philippians 1:14 (ESV) 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 1 Thessalonians 2 (ESV) For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.

spirit-empowered

conviction gospel-centered

courage

people-focused

urgency 15

We firmly believe Generosity isn’t something God wants from you, it is something God wants for you. As we become more generous, God loosens us from the grips of greed and we reflect the generous Father who saved us. During this journey we want to encourage you, that God isn’t interested in your wallets as much as he is interested in your heart. Therefore, please remember, God has not called us to a season of generosity but a lifestyle of generosity. If we were bought with a price then everything belongs to him. We could NEVER pay God back for His love but we can pass it along. John 3:16 reminds us that God sacrificially gave his first and His best. That is why we give at Grace Alive. Not because of greed to get more. Not because of guilt because we feel bad. But because of grace because we have been saved.

“God designed us to be generous. And he designed us to be generous in a way that expands His kingdom. God designed us not to be hoarders but to be conduits through which His generosity flows.” – Art Rainer 16

for our neighbors our nations our generations

We are including every aspect of our ministry at Grace Alive into a single fund. Giving to this “One Fund” allows us to establish a permanent facility, create greater outreach in Orlando and around the world, as well as better reach our younger generations. The Go Bold initiative will last two years. In those two years, every gift given will go to the Go Bold initiative—to help us develop and create engaging environments where people of all ages are inspired to become wholehearted followers of Jesus! Here we’ve included a sample commitment card so you can see how a “one fund” works. Please take the time to fill this in, but don’t worry, you will receive a new card on Commitment Sunday, November 10.

my two-year generosity commitment

is a one-fund generosity initiative designed to help us fund all of our ministries for the next two years and provide much-needed resources for our future. Gifts Needed

Gift Level

Annual Gift of

Monthly Gift of

Gift Level Total

$200,000

$100,000

$8,333

$200,000

$150,000

$75,000

$6,250

$150,000

$100,000

$50,000

$4,167

$100,000

$75,000

$37,500

$3,125

$75,000

$65,000

$32,500

$2,708

$195,000

$50,000

$25,000

$2,083

$150,000

$30,000

$15,000

$1,250

$150,000

$25,000

$12,500

$1,042

$200,000

$15,000

$7,500

$625

$150,000

$10,000

$5,000

$417

$140,000

$7,500

$3,750

$313

$180,000

$5,000

$2,500

$208

$190,000

$2,400

$1,250

$100

$120,000

TOTAL:

$2,000,000

Other

MANY

Calculate below. What I normally give in a year

$ + $

General fund, benevolence, special gifts, etc.

My expanded annual generosity for GO BOLD

= $

x 2 years = $ Gift from my stored resources

savings, stocks, real estate, etc.

Total the above two lines and write the amount below.

$__________________________________________ my two-year GO BOLD generosity commitment This represents my total giving to Grace Alive for two years.

Name Email Phone

Frequently asked questions WHAT ARE YOU ASKING ME TO DO? First and foremost, we are asking you to glorify God in every area of life as you GO BOLD. Pray to God and ask Him what GO BOLD looks like during this season. Prepare your heart to hear from God’s word and godly counsel. Pray with your friends and family. Talk with other church members about this exciting journey. And then... have faith and GO BOLD. Take your next step to walk on water and watch God move. We are asking that you make a sacrificial commitment towards gospel-centered generosity. Let the Holy Spirit lead you in obedience towards a generous lifestyle that will impact our neighbors, the nations, and the next generation. Finally, we ask that you enjoy the moment. Be prepare to be amazed by God’s power. When our courageous faith engages God’s mighty strength, we will see unhindered proclamation of the Gospel. We are praying for an unprecedented move of God in Orlando for Commitment Weekend on November 10th, 2019! It will be a life-altering moment in worship that Sunday and will forever be remembered as a defining moment for our church and our own faiths.

HOW IS GO BOLD DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FUNDRAISING EFFORTS OR BUILDING CAMPAIGNS? GO BOLD is a discipleship journey and not merely a fundraising strategy. We are sincerely focused on everyone at Grace Alive living out the value of generosity as a lifestyle fueled by the Gospel. An essential component of this journey is focused on key scriptural principles that will help us take our next step to reach our neighbors, the nations, and the generations. As a result, we are primarily focused on three goals. First, we want to give God glory by engaging in this divine mission and casting a vision only He could achieve. Secondly, we hope for 100% engagement from everyone who would call Grace Alive their place of worship. Last but not least, seeing two million dollars of ministry done in Central Florida and abroad. Honestly, we would do this journey even if a generous donor wrote a check to cover our whole vision. This journey is about all of us going BOLD to reach the world. 18

HOW DOES $2 MILLION OVER TWO YEARS COMPARE TO CURRENT GIVING AT GRACE ALIVE? Our current giving is very unique as an urban multiethnic church plant. We currently rely on additional support from partners, churches, and individuals across the nation. By Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grace, this has allowed us to aggressively pursue mission in a very expensive and unchurched region. However, we are hoping this journey will expand our generosity exponentially as a church plant and bring us closer to self-suffiency as well.

ARE THERE ADDITIONAL WAYS BESIDES CASH THAT I CAN GIVE TOWARD GO BOLD? Yes, during GO BOLD we would love to discuss additional ways you could fuel generosity. We encourage you to be prayerful, watchful, and creative during this journey. You may have stocks, property, or stored resources that could be leveraged to glorify God and expand our reach as a church. Please let us know if you need assistance facilitating these unique gifts and our Executive Pastor, Bradley Norris, would be happy to advise accordingly.

WHAT IF I HAVE NEVER GIVEN TO GRACE ALIVE BEFORE? First, let us say we love you and you are welcomed at Grace Alive because of Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; work at the cross. Whether you give or not does not affect your status as a loved image bearer at Grace Alive. However, GO BOLD would be a perfect time to take that first step. If you have benefited from the scandalous grace preached at Grace Alive and affirmed by the community of believers here, then we believe there is no better way to pass His love on to others than giving.

HOW LONG IS MY COMMITMENT? We are asking that everyone make a two-year (24-month) commitment. The fulfillment period for your commitment will begin with our First Big Give on the weekend of December 8th, 2019 and it will culminate in December of 2021.

WHAT IF I AM NEW AROUND HERE? Please know we are so glad you are with us! We have prayed and prepared for more people like you. GO BOLD is an inside look at what we want to accomplish as a church. If this mission and vision excites you, we lovingly invite you to join us. The best way to hear more about us, our leaders, and our story is to attend Dinner with the Pastors.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A JOB RIGHT NOW? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR MY GO BOLD COMMITMENT? GO BOLD is about your total, radical, sacrificial generosity to God’s mission at Grace Alive. We believe that God calls us to action in times of hardship just as much as He does in times of abundance and that looks different for every person. GO BOLD is about a heart change – one that is only accomplished by surrendering our lives completely to God in this area of giving and declaring that we are a people who are mighty in HIS hands. That may mean that you are being challenged to sell things, to pick up odd jobs, or even to trust God in faith by making a commitment that you don’t quite know how to fulfill right now, but that you believe God will provide for, as you seek ways to work toward that commitment. We would like for 100% of us to be a part of GO BOLD so that we can all be supporting, loving, encouraging, and praying for one another through this spirituallystretching season at Grace Alive.

WHAT IF I AM SEVERELY IN DEBT RIGHT NOW? AM I STILL SUPPOSED TO GIVE? If you are someone currently making payments to pay off debt right now, we commend you for making progress on that. And you should continue to do so. We would be happy to help you in this journey and/or to recommend a budgeting class that might minister to you. Being in debt does not, however, make someone “excused” from giving. Giving isn’t about what God wants from you; rather, it’s about what God wants for you. It should be our joy and privilege to give at all times. Please visit with one of our pastors if you need assistance with this or if you would like to speak with a budgeting counselor. We would be honored to help you!

Grace Alive Family, We are excited to partner with you as we seek to GO BOLD together. This guide was put together to help us all be more intentional in discipleship. As you read through it you will find weekly content that corresponds with our GO BOLD sermon series. Each section contains the text, a place for notes, questions for reflection and discussion, and a weekly reading plan. It is our prayer that you would have a truly transformative experience as you seek God through word and prayer and that this guide will help facilitate growth and discipleship in our congregation. It is easy to see a tool like this as an objective to complete or a regiment to follow and completely miss the point. Scripture is more than words on pages. We cannot simply come ready to read or learn but to have an encounter with God. It is only through an encounter with God that Scripture will be made alive to us (Lk. 24:45). Just knowing the information or having knowledge will not yield transformation or any spiritual fruit ( 1 Cor. 1:18-25; James 2:19). As we prepare to read the word it must be our prayer that God opens our eyes to see wondrous things in Scripture (Ps. 119:18). As we seek to encounter God through the word and prayer, we must join ourselves together with other believers. GO BOLD is not only for you, it is for the entire body of Grace Alive. As a member of the body, you are called to be discipled and disciple others. This guide is made for both personal reflection and corporate engagement. Much of this will happen in our community groups. If you are not a part of a group, please reach out to the next steps team so that you can fully engage with the material. We hope this tool is edifying to the body and leads to much transformation and growth. Below are some additional tools and tips for your use of this resource. GO BOLD!

Bible reading tips Make a schedule

Set aside a time each day to devote to Scripture reading and prayer. Times and places where you are less likely to be disturbed are preferred.

get an accountability partner

Identify someone that can check in on your reading progress. A spouse or community group member would work well.

take notes while reading

We have allowed space for notes in this booklet. Jot down notes as you read the text. Things to consider are items that stand out to you, questions you have of the text, and applications that you see.

be consistent

Try to read at the same time every day and get into a routine.

be gracious

Although a routine helps, it may not always be possible. You may even miss a day. Always remember that the love of God is not based on performance and your spiritual growth is not based on following a regiment. Be gracious with yourself and those with whom you are checking in. 23

questions to consider As believers our goal should be to apply Scripture. Those that hear the Word and do not apply it deceive themselves into thinking they have become spiritual simply by exposure (James 1:22-25). In truth we know that the true fruit of spiritual transformation is our actions (James 1:26-27). To move from reading Scripture to understanding and applying it, it is often helpful to dive deeper. One easy way to do this is to seek to answer questions as you read through a passage. Some helpful questions to consider while reading are: ● What is the main point of the passage? ● What does this passage teach about God? ● What does this passage teach about humanity? ● How should this passage shape the way I relate to God? My neighbors? ● How does God desire to shape me through this passage? ○ How should my thinking change? ○ How should my beliefs change? ○ How should my desires change? ○ How should my actions change? ● What would the world think about God if I applied this passage?

Week one

Are We Bold Enough to Ask?

Matthew 15:21- 28

Notes

When Jesus left there, he withdrew to the area of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came and kept crying out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely tormented by a demon.”

___________________________________________

Jesus did not say a word to her. His disciples approached him and urged him, “Send her away because she’s crying out after us.”

He replied, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

But she came, knelt before him, and said, “Lord, help me!”

___________________________________________

He answered, “It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

___________________________________________

“Yes, Lord,” she said, “yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

___________________________________________

25 26

Then Jesus replied to her, “Woman, your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want.” And from that moment her daughter was healed.

___________________________________________

___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 1. Where was Jesus before this text? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What identifiers are given about this woman? Why are they significant? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What acts of persistence does the text attribute to the woman? (Look for keywords about her actions.) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. How is Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; disposition toward the woman different than the disciples? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. What makes the womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faith great? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 27

6. Why did the woman come to Jesus? Was this a situation she could personally handle? What is the relationship between helplessness/dependence and asking boldly? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. How does your view of God hinder you from asking boldly? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. How does your view of your situation/desires/requests hinder you from asking boldly? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. How does fear of man stop you from asking boldly? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. How do obstacles stop you from asking boldly? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. What tends to stop you from asking boldly and how will you fight against it? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 28

12. Consider that many Jews considered the Gentiles unclean or “dogs”. What does Jesus’ engagement with the woman say of this view? His mission? How does this relate to the previous portion of Ch. 15? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Weekly Prayer Focus ● Pray that we would have the boldness to ask for both the big and small things. ● That we would understand God hears us and desires to hear from us. ● That we would ask boldly based on the character and capabilities of God. ● That we would see God as bigger than our situation. ● That we would not allow the opinions and comments of others to impact our boldness. ● That we would see ourselves as truly helpless and in need of God. ● That our boldness would display God’s character and work to others.

Weekly reading Monday.............. Matthew 7:7-12 Tuesday.............. Luke 11:5-13 Wednesday......... Mark 10:46-52 Thursday............ Luke 18:1-8 Friday................. Ephesians. 3:8-13 Saturday............. Matthew 14:13-27

Week TWO

Faith Over Fear

Matthew 14:22-33

Notes

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 After dismissing the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Well into the night, he was there alone.24 Meanwhile, the boat was already some distance from land, battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. 25 Jesus came toward them walking on the sea very early in the morning. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and they cried out in fear.

___________________________________________

Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

___________________________________________

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter answered him, “command me to come to you on the water.” 28

He said, “Come.”

And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 31

When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those in 32 the boat worshiped him and said, “Truly you are the Son of God.” 30

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 1. Where were the disciples as Jesus was praying? What were they experiencing? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What was the initial response of the disciples to Jesus’ presence? Why? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. How would you classify Peter’s response to Jesus’ words and presence? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. How would you classify Peter’s actions based on Jesus’ invitation to come? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. How was Peter able to walk on water? What was the source? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What was Peter’s focus when he walked on water? What was his focus when he began to sink? What does this tell us about faith and fear? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 31

7. What does Jesus say Peter’s issue is? Why is this the case? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Why do the disciples worship? Consider passages like Psalm 89:9 and 107:23-32. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. Read Mt. 8:23-27. Compare and contrast the situations. What have the disciples learned that they previously didn’t know? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. Review the text and point out all the times Peter displays faith and all the times he displays fear. What is responsible for his fluctuation from fear to faith? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. How does Peter walk on water? Why does he fall? Is his own faith or the strength of it more important or the object of his faith? Why? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12. Notice that although Peter doubted, he seemed sure that Jesus could save him. Is it rational that Jesus can’t sustain Peter through wind but can save him? Why do we often have irrational and false beliefs about God? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 32

13. How does your view of God hinder you from displaying bold faith? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 14. How do obstacles stop you from displaying bold faith? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 15. How can God’s word, commands, and presence keep you from being fearful? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Weekly Prayer Focus ● We would have a larger and more accurate view of God. ● We would exercise complete faith and total trust in God. ● We would have comfort and assurance of God’s presence. ● We would exercise faith instead of fear.

Weekly reading Monday.............. 2 Timothy 1:3-7 Tuesday.............. Joshua 1:1-9 Wednesday......... Psalm 23 Thursday............ 1 Samuel 17:1-37 Friday................. Psalm 27 Saturday............. Luke 10:25-29

Week Three

People Over Projects

Luke 10:25-37

Notes

Then an expert in the law stood up to test him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

____________________________________

“What is written in the law?” he asked him. “How do you read it?”

He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,” and “your neighbor as yourself.” 27

“You’ve answered correctly,” he told him. “Do this and you will live.”

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus took up the question and said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. 34 He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.’ 30

“Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 36

“The one who showed mercy to him,” he said.

Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.” 34

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 1. What was the function of the priest in ancient Israel? What may have motivated him to pass by on the other side? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What was the function of a Levite in ancient Israel? What may have motivated him to pass by on the other side? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What is the significance of the man being a Samaritan? How may the listeners have responded to this detail? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What was different about the Samaritanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assessment of the situation compared to the priest and Levite? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. What motivated the Samaritan to do what he did? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 35

6. How does Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; command to â&#x20AC;&#x153;go and do likewiseâ&#x20AC;? challenge us? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. In what way are you like the priest and Levite at times? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Why is it challenging to truly love neighbor as self ? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. Who are you not considering a neighbor? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 36

10. If we are to live boldly for Christ we must engage people and not projects. What does this mean? What are some practical ways we can apply this in our lives? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. Why do we often under apply the command to love neighbor as self ? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Weekly Prayer Focus ● Pray for a love for God that leads to authentic concern and love for neighbors. ● Pray that we would see those as our neighbors that we tend to overlook.

Weekly reading Monday.............. Deuteronomy 6:1-9 Tuesday.............. Leviticus 19:9-18 Wednesday......... Matthew 9:35-38

● Pray that we would go above and beyond in showing mercy since God has done so for us.

Thursday............ Leviticus 19:33-34

● Pray that we would understand that people are the mission.

Friday................. Romans 12:9-21

● Pray that we would prioritize people over all other things.

Saturday............. Luke 12:1-15

Week four

Generosity Over Greed

Luke 12:13-21

Notes

Someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

___________________________________________

“Friend,” he said to him, “who appointed me a judge or arbitrator over you?”15 He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed, because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.” 14

___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________

Then he told them a parable: “A rich man’s land was very productive. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? 18 I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there. 19 Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’

___________________________________________

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’

___________________________________________

“That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

___________________________________________

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 1. Notice that Jesus doesn’t rebuke the man’s question but questions his role in the matter and adds a word of caution. What does this say about Jesus’ view on money and possessions? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What does Jesus warn against? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. How do you struggle with defining your life based on possessions? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What was the primary error of the rich man? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. What made the man’s actions foolish? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What type of person is compared to the rich fool? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 39

7. What does it mean to be rich toward God? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. What would godly stewardship of riches or abundance look like in the case of the rich man? In our case? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. Why do we gravitate towards greed instead of generosity? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. What does greed say about our view of stewardship? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. What does greed say about our faith in Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s provision? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12. What does greed say about our concern for others? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

13. How does generosity help us combat greed? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 14. What treasure are you storing up now? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Weekly Prayer Focus

Weekly reading

● Pray that we would see ourselves as stewards and not owners.

Monday.............. Luke 12:22-34

● Pray that we would combat greed and live generously.

Wednesday......... Proverbs 11:4, 24-25; Ecclesiastes 5:10; Hebrews 13:5-6

● Pray that we would find our identity in Christ and not our possessions. ● Pray that we would use our abundance to bless others and not to elevate ourselves.

Tuesday.............. Matthew 6:19-24

Thursday............ 1 Timothy 6:3-10, 17-19 Friday................. 2 Corinthians 9 Saturday............. Luke 18:35-43

Week five

Christ Over Comfort Notes

Luke 19:1-10 He entered Jericho and was passing through. There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man. 4 So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.” 1

So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully. 7 All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to stay with a sinful man.”

But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.”

___________________________________________

“Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

___________________________________________

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 1. What details are given about Zacchaeus? Why are they important? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What do Zacchaeusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; actions say about his desire to see Jesus? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Why was Zacchaeus labeled as a sinner? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What prompts Zacchaeus to give to the poor and restore anything defrauded? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. What is Zacchaeusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; priority now? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What caused the shift in thoughts, priorities, and actions? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 43

7. How does the salvation of Zacchaeus impact his life? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Why might Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; statement about salvation be surprising to those listening? To us? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. In what ways do you value comfort more than godliness? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. In what ways do you value comfort more than Christ? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. What fears do you have about pursuing Christ over comfort? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12. Do you believe the lie that you cannot be content with Christ alone? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

13. How does the desire to seek comfort over Christ reveal a lack of trust in God’s promises, character, and power? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 14. What currently provides you with the most comfort? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Weekly Prayer Focus ● Pray that we would desire Christ above all comfortabilities. ● Pray that we would trust Christ to provide us with true joy and fulfillment. ● Pray that our hearts would be transformed by the gospel. ● Pray that our transformed hearts would lead to new actions. ● Pray that we would allow Christ to rule over all areas of our life. ● Pray that we would seek contentment with godliness. ● Pray that we would seek Christ diligently.

Weekly reading Monday.............. Matthew 8:18-22 Tuesday.............. Luke 9:23-27 Wednesday......... Philippians 2:1-11 Thursday............ Matthew 4:1-11 Friday................. Acts 5:12-32 Saturday............. Matthew 22:15-33

Week six

The Great Commandment

Matthew 22:36-40

Notes

“Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?”

_____________________________________________________________

He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” 37

_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 1. How have I been loving God according to His command? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. How have I been loving my neighbors? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. In what ways do I love myself ? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Why are these two commands so vital for our lives? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 47

5. What does it mean to love the Lord your God with all your heart? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What does it mean to love the Lord your God with all your soul? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. What does it mean to love the Lord your God with all your mind? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. What does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself ? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. Are there things about you which you despise that you would despise in another? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 48

10. What type of impact does the first command have on the second? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. What kind of impact does living out these commands have on our community? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Weekly Prayer Focus

Weekly reading

● Pray that we would love God will all of our being.

Monday.............. John 13:1-35

● Pray that God would give us more knowledge of Him.

Tuesday.............. Galatians 5:1-26

● Ask God to increase your affections for His character.

Wednesday......... James 1:1-25

● Pray for our neighbors in our community and the city. ● Ask God to reveal opportunities to impact our neighbors as a church.

Thursday............ Exodus 20:1-17 Friday................. Romans 13:1-14 Saturday............. 2 Timothy 2:1-19

Week seven

The Great Commission (Commitment)

Matthew 28:16-20 The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. 18 Jesus came near and said to them, â&#x20AC;&#x153;All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.â&#x20AC;? 16

Notes ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 1. Jesus gives the Great Commission to His disciples after resurrecting from the dead. How does His words, promises, and commission encourage you to proclaim the Gospel? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Christ commands us to make disciples of all nations. How can we see that take place in Orlando and though Grace Alive? Are there nations or people groups you feel God has placed on your heart? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. We are called to make disciples and not merely converts. Who is discipling you? Who are you discipling? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. In what ways am I leveraging my treasure to reach more people with the Gospel? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. How can you steward your time to make more Gospel impact? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What talents could you utilize to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Weekly Prayer Focus

•

Pray for one person you know who is far from God but close to you.

•

Pray for thousands of people to hear the Gospel through Grace Alive.

•

Pray we would see hundreds of Baptisms from faithful witnessing.

•

Pray we would see the next generation effectively discipled in our homes and church.

Weekly reading Monday.............. Acts 1 Tuesday.............. Acts 2 Wednesday......... Acts 3 Thursday............ Acts 4 Friday................. Acts 5 Saturday............. Acts 6

notes ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

for o ur neighbors our nations our generations

gracealive.church 5019 Edgewater Dr, Orlando, FL 32810