Dream Centered Life - Study Guide - Sample

F O R E W O R D

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T O M M Y

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Pursuing God ‘s dream for your life

L U K E S E N I O R

B A R N E T T

P A S T O R ,

P H O E N I X

F I R S T

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DREAM LIFE CENTERED

Pursuing God’s Dream for your life

by LUKE BARNETT

PURSUING GOD’S DREAM FOR YOUR LIFE.

Copyright © 2015 by LIFE TOGETHER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Copyright and use of the curriculum template is retained by Brett Eastman.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotes are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 and 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission.

All rights reserved worldwide.

ISBN: 978-1-940077-65-9 Printed in the United States of America

contents INTRO

Acknowledgements 04 Foreword by Tommy Barnett 06 Welcome 08 Using This Workbook (Read This First) 10 Outline for Each Session 11

SESSIONS

Session One: Everything Starts with a Dream 12 Session Two: The Pit Stop 24 Session Three: Fatal Distractions 36 Session Four: Dream Dungeon 48 Session Five: From Dream to Destiny 60 Session Six: Dream Again 72

APPENDICES

Frequently Asked Questions 86 Small Group Agreement 88 Small Group Calendar 90 Spiritual Partners 91

SMALL GROUP LEADERS

Hosting an Open House 94 Leading for the First Time 95 Leadership Training 96 Prayer and Praise Report 98 Small Group Roster 99 Notes 100

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To my wife, Angel, whose Christ-like love and compassion inspires me more and more every day. Thank you for your support and for partnering with me in ministry and life.

To my children, Aubrey and Annalee. I love you both so much and I have enjoyed watching each of you mature into women of God. I can’t wait to see the dreams that God will spark in your hearts, and I am excited to see the lives that will be changed as a result of what you will do for His Kingdom.

To my parents, Tommy and Marja Barnett. Dad, you encourage me daily with your passion for God and your desire to see the impossible made possible through Him. You inspire me to dream big and to never give up on the dreams God places in my heart. Mom, I thank you for all of the ways you have supported me through the years. Your gentle strength has been my rock.

To the staff of Phoenix First. Your commitment and dedication drives this ministry, and your hard work lines the path. Thank you for linking arms with me. I look forward to seeing God bring our dreams for this ministry to fruition, even as He ignites new, bigger dreams for the glory of His name!

To Brett Eastman and the Lifetogether team. It has been an honor to work alongside you. Thank you for your belief in The Dream Centered Life, and for nurturing this vision with your generosity and guidance.

To the Phoenix First congregation, for whom this book is written. I hope it will encourage you to dream bigger than you have ever dreamed before.

Imagine how this church could impact the world if each and every one of us walked within the promise of our God-given dreams! Thank you for allowing me to be your pastor. I enjoy every moment of our journey together and I can’t wait to hear your stories about the dreams that came true because you dared to dream them.

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FOREWORD Everybody has a dream, and every dream is built on something. Is yours built on the shifting sands of an uncertain world or on the solid rock of God’s promises?

When we allow our dreams to be shaped by circumstances we limit them to what we can see and hear, but when we open our eyes to the possibilities of an infinite, unchanging, and omniscient God, we leap into the supernatural. That is where you can begin to dream beyond your wildest imagination, and where the impossible becomes possible.

The Dream-Centered Life, by Pastors Luke and Angel Barnett of Phoenix First, combines key components for discovering and cultivating your God-given dreams. It includes daily devotions to guide your personal prayer times throughout the week, along with an opportunity each week to meet with others and watch a video teaching, discuss God’s Word and share your experiences.

You will be blessed as you grow together and dig deep to mine the dreams that God has already placed inside each of you.

There are songs not yet composed, books not yet written, businesses not yet started, and ministries not yet developed. The potential resides in you, but don’t let it stay there! Only God can make a God-sized dream come to fruition and only God can broaden your vision to help you see what you cannot yet fathom.

My prayer for you is that this study will ignite a powerful dream that will change you, change the people around you, and ultimately change the world. You will be encouraged to dream bigger than ever before and to believe God for the impossible as you take this journey from dream to destiny. Get ready, because you’ll never be the same!

TOMMY BARNETT

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Without the people, the dream perishes. God uses people to carry out His dreams. There would not be any great dreams if there were not dream-makers here... These are the people that put legs to the dream.

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welcome

God wants you to take hold He wants your life to be centered upon the dreams He has planted in your heart. The amazing thing about our great God us that He is the giver of dreams. The most important part of the dream isn’t when it comes true; it’s having the dream in the first place. When you have a God-sized dream in your heart, God will draw you to a whole new level.

My one wish is that Phoenix First would be a church full of dreamers. I want us to be a church of men and women who are dreaming in their businesses, in their homes, on the athletic field, and in the educational world. The Dream-Centered Life is the biggest campaign we have ever done as a church. The weekend teachings, small group discussions, and personal reflections will get you thinking about your God-given dream. You will be encouraged to reach for the destiny God has already laid out for you, so get ready to get excited for what God is about to do!

I personally challenge you to dream again, and to start dreaming bigger. God has a grander, larger vision for your life than you ever dreamed possible!

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of the dream he has for you.

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USINGthis WORKBOOK Tools to Help You Have a Great Small Group Experience!

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Notice in the Table of Contents there are three sections: (1) Sessions; (2) Appendix; and (3) Small Group Leaders. It will be helpful for you to get to know the Appendix sections. Some of them will be used in the sessions.

If you are leading or co-leading a small group, the section for Small Group Leaders will offer some hard-learned experiences of others that will encourage you and help you avoid many common obstacles to effective small group leadership. Make sure you take some time to read through the material – it will be a great help in your preparation.

Use this workbook as a guide, but put the needs of the group first. If you think of a better question than the next one in the lesson, ask it. If you sense that the members of your group want to spend some extra time in a particular section, do it. Don’t measure success by how much material your group covers; Jesus did not say, “Go therefore and complete the curriculum.” The goal is to have holy moments and to go deeper into community.

The best way to prepare for a great group experience is to pray.

Pray for every group member and watch your heart for the group grow. Bring great expectation for God to show up in your group.

Be specific in your prayers for what you are expecting God to do. If you aim for nothing, you’ll hit it every time.

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of EACH SESSION

OUTLINE

AtypicalgroupsessionforTheDream-CenteredLifestudywillincludethefollowingsections.

Read through this to get a clear idea of how each group meeting will be structured: INTRODUCTION. Each lesson opens with a brief thought that will help you prepare for the session and get you

thinking about the particular subject you will explore with your group. Make it a practice to read these before the session. You may want to have the group read them aloud.

SHARING TOGETHER. The foundation for spiritual growth is an intimate connection with God and His family. You

build that connection by sharing your story with a few people who really know you and who earn your trust. This section includes some simple questions to get you talking—letting you share as much or as little of your story as you feel comfortable with. Each session typically offers you two options. You can get to know your whole group by using the icebreaker question(s), or you can check in with one or two group members, your spiritual partner(s), for a deeper connection and encouragement in your spiritual journey.

GROWING TOGETHER. In this section, you’ll read the Bible and listen to teaching in order to hear God’s story—

and begin to see how His story aligns with yours. When the study directs you to, you’ll pop in the DVD and watch a short teaching segment. You’ll then have an opportunity to read a passage of Scripture, and discuss both the teaching and the text. You won’t focus on accumulating information but on how you should live in light of the Word of God. We want to help you apply the insights from Scripture practically and creatively, from your heart as well as your head. At the end of the day, allowing the timeless truths from God’s Word to transform our lives in Christ should be your greatest aim.

SERVING TOGETHER. Jesus trained his disciples to discover and develop their gifts to serve others. God has

designed you to uniquely serve him in a way no other person can. This section will offer suggestions for using your God-given design and your unique dream to serve others in your group and beyond.

PRAYING TOGETHER. This is a time to cement what you’ve learned and ask God for help in applying it as you move forward. If you’ve never prayed aloud in a group before, no one will put pressure on you. Instead, you’ll experience the support of others who are praying for you. This time will knit your hearts in community and help you surrender both your hurts and your dreams to the One who knows you best.

STUDY NOTES. This brief section provides additional commentary, background or insights on this week’s teaching.

DAILY DEVOTIONS. Each week on the Daily Devotions pages, we provide scriptures to read and reflect on between sessions. This provides you with a chance to slow down, read just a small portion of Scripture each day, and reflect and pray through it. You’ll then have a chance to journal your response to what you’ve read. Use this section to seek God on your own throughout the week. This time at home should begin and end with prayer. Don’t get in a hurry; take enough time to hear God’s direction.

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one

SESSION

EVERYTHING STARTS WITH A DREAM. In his famous speech at the March on Washington, Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said, “I have a dream.” Steven Spielberg, one of the best film directors of his generation, said, “I don’t dream at night, I dream all day; I dream for a living.” And of course Walt Disney, who has created magical places for the dreams of children, once said, “ All of our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”

We can learn a lot from what leaders like these have to say about our dreams, but if we really want to live dream-centered lives we need to learn from the Creator of the universe and the Creator of every good dream. Today we’ll learn what it means to have a God-sized dream and how we can imagine the future with Him.

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F O L LO W YO U R DREAMS

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SHARING together

Each of us has a story. The events of our life—good, bad, wonderful or challenging—have shaped who we are. When we share our stories with others, we give them the opportunity to see God at work. We also realize we’re not alone—others share our fears, doubts, and feelings, and can understand what we’re going through. Take a few minutes to answer these questions, either with the entire group as an icebreaker or one-on-one with another person in the group.

What are you dreaming about doing, becoming, or experiencing?

As a child, what did you dream of being when you grew up?

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GROWING together Watch the DVD for this session now. Use the Notes space provided below to record key thoughts, questions, and things you want to remember or follow up on. After you finish watching the video, have someone read the discussion questions below and direct the discussion among the group. As you go through each of the subsequent sections, ask someone else to read the questions and direct the discussion.

Why are dreams so important?

Why do dreams begin on the inside?

Pastor Tommy says the real joy of dreaming is climbing toward the dream, not necessarily achieving it. Do you agree?

What does this mean for your dream?

Is your dream bigger than you? Will it take God to make it happen?

Why is the road to a dream so often full of twists and turns?

Is there a dream “imprisoning� you?

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MORE IMPORTANT THAN REACHING YOUR DREAM IS TO HAVE A DREAM BECAUSE THE REAL JOY OF DREAMING IS THE CLIMBING. T O M M Y

B A R N E T T

READ Genesis 37: 5-11.

Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”

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His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

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Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

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When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

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SERVING together What did you see when Pastor Luke asked you to envision your dream? How did that vision make you feel—anxious, excited, overwhelmed, encouraged? Take a few minutes for each person to share their dream with the group (and if you’re not sure about your dream yet, or not ready to share, that’s okay!). As each person shares, focus on affirming statements. This is not the time to give advice or share reasons their dream might be difficult. Simply listen and encourage!

Once you’ve discovered your dream, you can begin identifying action steps to making it a reality. What’s one thing you can do this week to make progress in your dream? How can you help someone else in the group take a next step?

What are some ways you can enjoy the journey to your dream? How can you have joy on the way to your destination?

FAMILY

(immediate or extended)

Take a look at the Circles of Life diagram and write the names of two or three people you know who need to know Christ.

Commit to praying for God’s guidance and an opportunity to share with each of them.

Perhaps they would be open to joining the group? Share your lists with the group so you can all be praying for the people you’ve identified.

FAMILIAR

FRIENDS

(neighbors, kids, sports teams, school, and so forth)

FUN

(gym, hobbies, hangouts)

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FIRM (work)

PRAYING together You’ve now heard the dreams of your group and possibly shared your own dream. This will be a key prayer focus for the next six weeks. As a large group or in smaller teams of two or three, spend some time praying for each person: that they would hear from God what they need to hear during this study and that they would be open to what God has for them on this journey. Close with a prayer of thanks for each person and the dream God has put in their heart.

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STUDY notes Several years ago, Stephen Covey published his groundbreaking book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Each one of these habits or life skills could be helpful as you pursue your dream, but habit #2— “Begin with the end in mind”—is especially important.

This habit “is based on the principle that all things are created twice,” Covey writes. “There is a mental (first) creation, and a physical (second) creation. The physical creation follows the mental, just as a building follows a blueprint. If you don’t make a conscious effort to visualize who you are and what you want in life, then you empower other people and circumstances to shape you and your life by default. It’s about connecting again with your own uniqueness and then defining the personal, moral, and ethical guidelines within which you can most happily express and fulfill yourself. Begin with the End in Mind means to begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles to make things happen.”

Just like Pastor Luke says, our dreams begin in our mind and heart before they can find outward expression. Take some time this week to not only consider your dream, but to think about what it will ultimately look like. Be as specific as possible—and then make choices toward your dream that align with that destination you have imagined.

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devotionals

DAILY

DAYone DAYtwo DAYthree Read Matthew 6:33

Read Proverbs 16:3

Read Psalm 37:4

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Respond:

Respond:

Respond:

In all this talk of dreams, it’s important to remember that our first goal in life is to seek God. If we do this, He will be faithful to work in all the other areas of our lives.

Whether you are considering a brand-new dream or pursuing a dream you’ve had for decades, take some time today to commit it or re-commit it to the Lord.

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What does it mean to delight yourself in God? How does that relationship with Him influence what your heart wants?

DAYfour DAYfive DAYsix Read Matthew 19:26

Read Numbers 23:19

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind.

Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

Respond:

Respond:

This week we talked about having a dream so big that only God can do it. Is your dream God-sized?

If God has spoken a word to you or given you a dream, you can trust Him. Thank him for His faithfulness!

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Use the following space to write any thoughts God has put in your heart and mind about the things we have looked at in this session and during your Daily Devotions time this week.

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DREAM LIFE CENTERED

Pursuing God ‘s dream for your life Whether you’re a student, a “senior saint,” a stay-at-home mom or a successful leader climbing the corporate ladder....

Whether you’re a brand-new believer or a lifelong Christian....

Whatever your background, whatever your past, God wants to give you a dream for your future! In this exciting six-week study led by Pastors Luke and Angel Barnett, you’ll explore the life of Joseph and learn how you can discover your dream and grow into all that God has for you. The DVD features solid biblical teaching straight from the Prayer Pavilion at Phoenix First and the workbook will help you dig deeper with your small group.

No matter what you’re dreaming, God can do it. Get started with The Dream-Centered Life!

FIRST

LUKE BARNETT As a leader, Pastor Luke Barnett is highly regarded as the Senior Pastor and greatest dreamer of Phoenix First Assembly. Phoenix First is a thriving multi-site church known for its community outreach and innovative approach to presenting the Gospel.

Since joining the staff as an Executive Pastor in 2006, Luke’s visionary leadership has brought about dynamic change in the areas of assimilation, new program development, and community engagement. In 2013, Luke was named the Senior Pastor of Phoenix First, succeeding his father, Pastor Tommy Barnett. Widely known as a creative communicator, Luke possesses an innovative style that is culturally relevant and biblically sound.

Luke and his wife, Angel, have two daughters, Aubrey and Annalee.

Together, their unique approach to ministry demonstrates Phoenix First’s commitment to reaching people who are far from God and inspiring them to dream again.