OCTOBER 2011
celloutlines | overview
Focused Lives Like most things, it begins with a Google search – ‘Focus’. Hmm, DIY stores were not exactly what I had in mind, so let’s try again – ‘Focused lives’. This time I venture into a world of corporate management slogans and new age self-help publications. Reflecting on my initial thoughts about living a Christian focused life I cannot reconcile what I am seeing on my screen with any of the teaching of Jesus I know. When I look at what the world has defined ‘focus’ as, things like: ambition, manipulation, self-seeking and self-promotion, I wonder how exactly to write a cell outline with anything to do with living focused lives. But then I remember a story from Numbers that I often use to start a message if I am not feeling too confident. God chooses Balaam’s donkey to speak through! If he could make his will heard through an ass then, he can do it today too! This four-part series will hopefully help you and your group to explore Scripture, and what it has to say about real focus, and what it means to have a life motivated and directed by Jesus’ teachings. Hopefully it will challenge you and motivate you. Each week there is: a welcome activity to settle your group and get them together; a worship activity (some videos, songs and creative activities); a passage of Scripture to be discussed and learned from; and a suggestion for how to live out this lesson practically during the following week. Where there is a ‘Discuss:’ point, follow up with some questions that are suitable for your group, and get each member to contribute to the discussion. There is rarely one right answer so they need not worry about being wrong. Encourage and affirm as they answer to build their confidence.
Week 1 – Let’s Be Clear Week 2 – Go on, I dare you… Week 3 – Central Point
celloutlines
Week 4 – A Focused Life
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove