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Contents Introduction.......................................................................................................2

Segments on: The Least of These Episode 1 The Overlooked.............................................................. 6 Episode 2 The Sick....................................................................... 10 Episode 3 The Prisoner................................................................ 14 Episode 4 The Poor...................................................................... 18 Episode 5 The Homosexual.......................................................... 22 Episode 6 The Silent Sufferer...................................................... 26 Episode 7 The Elderly.................................................................. 30 Episode 8 The Addicted................................................................ 36 Episode 9 The Minority................................................................. 40 Episode 10 The Persecuted........................................................... 44 Episode 11 The Single.................................................................... 48 Episode 12 The Stranger............................................................... 52 Episode 13

Jesus........................................................................... 56

Feature The Misfits................................................................... 62 Daily Bible Readings ..................................................................................... 64 Faith Café Editors: Kristi Cain, Laura Derico Writer: Chris Maxwell DVD Video Producers: Charles Powell, Michelle Wheeler Faith Café is a registered trademark of LifeSprings Resources and is used with permission. Licensed adaptation Copyright © 2008 Standard Publishing. All rights reserved. Published by Standard Publishing, Cincinnati, Ohio. Printed in USA. Scripture, unless otherwise indicated, taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scriptures marked The Message taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

When passages are paraphrased by the editor for the sake of clarity, they are consistent with a commitment to the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible.

Bible reading plan on page 32 Copyright © Standard Publishing. Cover photo © Les Stone/Sygma/Corbis. Interior photos from Dreamstime.com: p. 2 © Zoom-zoom, p. 6 © Ciprian Catusanu, p. 10 © Douglas McLaughlin, p. 14 © Popa Sorin, p. 18 © Luckynick, p. 22 © Tamas, p. 26 © Absolut_photos, 30 © Udo Weber , p. 35 © Jostein Hauge, p. 36 © Ctacik, p. 42 © Anke Van Wyk, p. 46 © Irina Paraskevova, p. 50 © Galyna Andrushko, p. 54 © Elena Elisseeva, p.

58 © Roxana González, p. 61 © Rachelle Burnside, p. 62 © Luba V Nel, p. 63 © Marianne Venegoni, p. 64 © Boguslaw Kupisinski; from BigStockPhoto.com: p. 3 © Dirk Paessler. All Web site addresses were accurate at the time of printing. Any corrections can be sent to Standard Publishing, www.standardpub.com.

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Introduction

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bout a year ago I met a woman who later became a mentor to me.

She called herself a “born-again Christian,” and although this term is often tossed around lightly, I came to know her as one of the most sincere believers I had ever met. Her passion for Christ was overwhelming, convincing me that she was in my life to inspire a deeper faith. By providing both emotional and spiritual support, she helped me through many trials I was experiencing.

Without a doubt, she was sent by God. After a few months, this woman also began opening up to me about regrets from what she called her “other life.” On one occasion she cried as she shared the hardships of her past and the negative paths she had chosen.

Tears came to my eyes when I began listening to the pain in her voice. I felt sadness and compassion for her, but at the same time, I felt honored that she would trust me with such personal information.

Many believers would condemn her for her mistakes; but after listening to her story, I felt no such urge. Like everyone else, I have made bad decisions. Maybe the consequences of

my choices have not been as severe as hers, but they still leave me with no right to reject others.

In our walk with God, we will inevitably encounter people who believe and live differently than we do. Our choice, however, lies in how we react to these individuals and their lifestyles. How can we prevent ourselves from condemning and hating such people?

To help answer that question, these episodes of Faith Café focus on a variety of individuals who may be different from us, and explore how we can lovingly welcome them into our lives.

These segments help us flesh out experiences of individuals who are poor, sick, and imprisoned, people who are often harshly judged or completely forgotten by the church.

Rather than just reading through these episodes, we encourage you to take the time to examine them and reflect on the voices and faces in your lives. Who are you forgetting?

Who are the least of these on your street?

ENTER In our gatherings we do not want you just to sit back and listen. Faith Café invites you to enter into an environment where it is safe to ask for and seek answers. Phrases lure your mind toward deeper paths; quotes dare you to stare into your real self; questions give you a chance to talk to yourself and your friends about what is relevant in your lives.

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I n t ro d u c t i o n 3

DRINK

WALK

This segment highlights portions of Scripture to help you gain a better understanding of truth, while friends beside you voice their own reflections about how the biblical story inspires them to believe in new ways. Your soul can be refreshed by drinking in the living water of God’s Word.

As we examine society’s trends and scrutinize Christianity’s core beliefs, we choose not to leave it there. We offer suggestions to walk out with the truth you’ve explored and straightforward strategies for declaring doctrine daily to those around you. Actions such as writing letters, serving meals, or visiting hospitals will allow you to take your faith and share the delight with desperate people.

Every session includes an invitation to experience the truth you’re studying on a regular basis. Spiritual disciplines such as intercession, silence, worship, study, and journaling help move you toward transformation. Your heavenly Father can guide and change you as you evaluate your habits and lifestyle.

SAVOR You will savor the stories of the struggles, musings, and triumphs of imperfect people like us who are journeying into a deeper relationship with Jesus. You will get a taste of ancient reality as it touches our fast-paced culture. And these bites of life will help to guide, challenge, and focus you.

EXPERIENCE Faith Café also offers statistics to investigate, books to read, video clips to watch, Web sites to peruse, and thoughts to ponder. The discussions of our society today will provoke groups to enter and experience lessons together. You’ll create community and in doing so, learn more about yourself.

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You are invited to taste and see, to drink and be refreshed. By reflecting and exploring, by examining and investigating, by meditating and applying, you just might discover a way to know God more and to get closer to the person he created you to be. We have no doubt you’ll be glad you decided to sit, sip, and talk about life at Faith Café.

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A Word for Leaders

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hanks to cell phones and the Internet, communication has never been easier, yet many people suffer from spiritual loneliness. But what if a small group created real community?

What if the group’s members confessed their worries, hurts, and fears in an environment where hope stays alive? What if friends sat beside friends seeking ways to develop deep, real, alive relationships with their maker?

What if people joined together and began a journey of Christian spiritual formation?

Faith Café curriculum was designed for the person seeking this kind of experience. Real growth with real community. Authentic souls seeking to serve others.

Paul encouraged the church at Ephesus saying, “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching. . . .

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:14, 15). Just like the Ephesians, we were never meant to receive Christ’s salvation and then sit back and do nothing. We were meant to know Jesus and, as a result of getting to know him, to be changed.

We believe that Faith Café will help you and your group to grow up in Christ together.

FAITH CAFÉ FEATURES Faith Café has been designed with leaders in mind. Though we’ve called this a Leader’s Guide, we know that you will want to be a part of this group, not just a face on the other side of a podium. To that end, we provide you with tools

to facilitate honest connections and encourage lively, thoughtful discussions. Here’s some of what you’ll find useful in the five parts that make up each Faith Café episode: ENTER, DRINK, SAVOR, EXPERIENCE, and WALK. Quotes to think about Especially in the ENTER section, but also in other parts of each episode, quotes are provided from a variety of writers, performers, and thinkers. In the Consider it box, you’ll find a quotation that was selected in particular to allow the group to reflect on an aspect of that episode’s message or to engage in debate about a meaningful topic.

Scripture support Though each episode in your leader’s guide handily contains all the text that exists in the participant’s guide, we’ve also added some material to be beneficial to you as you walk others through the Bible passages. In GO DEEPER, you’ll find insightful information that could help answer questions about or provide context for that episode’s Scripture. This section may also contain discussion questions to help you and the members of your group flesh out the message in God’s Word.

Facilitating ideas Besides the Scripture supporting information, each episode is packed with illustrations, activities, media elements, and discussion options that will help to engage every sort of learning style. A Look into it box offers Web sites, books, and other suggestions for

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I n t ro d u c t i o n 5

further research. And there are no rigid rules or regulations in Faith Café: you may feel free to pick and choose from among the offerings, use none, or use them all!

Adaptable design We’ve provided you with some fuel and flavor, but the particular experience is yours to create. Faith Café curriculum is written in a way that allows you to adapt the episode to your own group’s unique tastes. Maybe you’ll want to start with a bite of life from the SAVOR section one week, and end with a refreshing DRINK from the living Word the next. Or maybe you’ll want to follow the order on the page. You and your group can decide what best suits your appetite.

Strategies for service We don’t want your Faith Café experience to end inside the walls of your meeting room.

We provide you with simple actions and strategies for taking what you’ve learned to go—hoping you will make a difference in your community each week and by doing so, stretch and grow in your faith. Spiritual disciplines are also suggested, offering each group member yet another way to care for their souls throughout the week.

SETTING THE SCENE You may be wondering, OK, I’ve got the tools, now where do I start? We believe that creating a certain kind of environment is an important part of this experience. Think about your favorite coffeehouse or café. What descriptive words do you think of? Inviting. Relaxing. Warm. Now imagine how you could recreate that setting for your group.

It may be as simple as bringing in a couple

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of lamps for softer lighting, or arranging the seats in a circle so everyone can see each other. What resources does your group have available? Maybe you can find comfortable chairs and cozy couches at your local thrift store. Will you have a large group? Maybe you can use a tall stool to speak from instead of standing. Make it a multi-sensory experience. Have music playing as group members arrive. Don’t forget the necessary equipment for playing the Faith Café DVD clips! And finally, think about bringing snacks, drinks, and of course, coffee, to complete the scene.

See www.standardpub.com/faithcafe for more ideas on creating a Faith Café space in your church.

It’s important to remember that community will happen only in a trusting and authentic atmosphere. This may take a few weeks to cultivate, but know that people are hungry for a place where they can truly be known and know others. Be willing to share your own struggles, doubts, or dreams with the group to demonstrate the importance of honest dialogue. Be sensitive to the questions or pains that others share by taking time to talk through issues and pray, even if it means leaving out a portion of the lesson. Be patient with those who are quiet or shy by giving them time to get comfortable in this new environment.

Finally, pray. Pray that God will bring about dramatic transformation. Pray that he will build relationships that go deep and stand strong. As you can see, Faith Café is more than a topical curriculum that happens once a week. It’s a place to create a community that can change lives. If you’re interested in designing a space in your church, Faith Café is for you. You’re invited to taste and see, to drink and be refreshed. Come on in—everyone is welcome.

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E P I S O D E 1 THE L EA S T OF THE S E

The Overlooked SUPPLIES NEEDED White board or chalkboard Dry-erase marker or chalk Faith Café DVD

ENTER As your group arrives, mentally select only a few members to whom you will give special attention—ignore the others. (Be cautious about whom you ignore, choosing people who can handle being part of this illustration.)

Speak kindly to your select group and ask specifically for their prayer requests. Demonstrate more concern for them than for the others. Pray. After the prayer, ask “Is anyone feeling left out?” Explain your purpose: to exhibit how some unchurched people may feel when around Christians.

Invite the class to enter this series of episodes by challenging them to become more aware of people the church ignores.

Businesses target audiences. Marketers pursue specific populations with commercials, campaigns, promo clips, and television shows. Sometimes on purpose, but often without knowing it, churches do the same. So do individual Christians.

Church leaders try to attract certain tribes: the elderly, the twenty-somethings, the young families, the traditionalists, the seekers, the urban, the suburban. Think about you, your church, your family, and your group. Look around. What kind of person do you attract? Who would feel welcome? Who wouldn’t?

Read aloud Matthew 11:28; John 3:16; 7:37; Acts 2:21. Begin today’s discussion with the questions that

are listed below. Allow time for students to think about their answers.

Think about the last time you really felt welcome in a group of people: n Who or what made you feel that way? n When have you felt unwelcome? Why? n Think of a person who might not feel welcome with you, your family, or your friends. What can you do to change that?

Are you willing? Why or why not?

Consider it “Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.”

—Mother Teresa Discuss the quote from Mother Teresa: n Do you agree with what she’s saying here? Why or why not? n What do you think is more necessary to give starving people first—love or food? n Is it possible to do acts of service for people without loving them? Describe such a situation.

DRINK Remember to allow group members the opportunity to read aloud the Scripture passages whenever possible.

“Why have we fasted,” they say, “and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have

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, h n

S e a s o n Tw o E p i s o d e 1 7 not noticed?” Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.

Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.

Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

—Isaiah 58:3-7 For centuries fasting has been performed in many religions as an act of purifying the body or of showing sorrow for wrong actions. When we think of fasting, we generally only think about giving up food.

But in this passage from the prophet Isaiah we see God calling for his people to give up more than just food—he calls for a sacrifice of time, of comfort, of convenience, and of self. When was the last time you fasted from any of these?

a

GO deEpER Living at the same time as Amos, Hosea, and Micah, the prophet Isaiah began his work in 740 b.c. His message matched the meaning of his name: “the Lord saves.” Throughout the text, Isaiah reveals words from that Lord who saves, but much of the book expresses God’s anger and disappointment toward his chosen people, showing the wrath and judgment from which the Lord saves those who respond in repentance and obedience.

The pages include poetic rebukes of ancient Israel that also translate effectively for today’s followers of Christ. Futuristic predictions, historical wars, and common failures flavor the

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sixty-six chapters of Isaiah’s book. The rhythmic declarations, pages of prose, confessional hymns, and taunting vocabulary reveal Isaiah’s intelligence and God’s plan.

In this week’s passage, God’s rebuke, spoken through his prophet, is strong, direct, and clear.

God longed to bring deliverance rather than judgment. His people, like us, needed those painful words of rebuke to redirect their paths and renew their spiritual lives.

The Israelites of Isaiah’s time believed in fasting and praying. Ritualistic customs were common, yet God was not pleased. Their religious acts were not done with sincere motives or pure hearts.

Performing and pretending had taken the place of heartfelt dedication. Chapter 58 highlights the sadness and anger in God’s heart.

Visits to the temple, legalistically participating in spiritual disciplines, listening to holy readings, and going through the motions of Jewish customs were not enough; just as today, attending church, daily Bible readings, and singing the right songs are not enough. Becoming friends with well-known Christians and quoting from popular speakers aren’t enough. Pious acts do not rank high on God’s scoreboard, either.

Withholding forgiveness while playing the part of the good Christian makes God sick.

What did God want his nation to do? What does God want us to do?

God’s people must be people who show compassion to the poor, the needy, the lonely, and the oppressed. Unless those we encounter are shown Christ’s love, we have missed the point.

The nation’s question, quoted in verse 3, asked why God did not respond to their fasting.

God does not hold back his answer. Because their fasting was an action done for the wrong reasons, it was an empty religious custom. Their fast was performed with selfish motives. In an attempt to justify their greed and the things they weren’t doing, they practiced spiritual acts with which they were comfortable: the religious acts that didn’t demand too much. Theirs was a vain

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attempt to gain “points” with God. It didn’t work.

He wasn’t fooled.

The text clearly states their sins. They sought their own desires. They mistreated employees.

They argued. God condemned their false efforts and told them what he preferred (write this list on the board): to loose the chains of injustice to untie the cords of the yoke n to set the oppressed free n to break every yoke n to share food with the hungry n to provide the poor wanderer with shelter n to clothe the naked n to care for their own flesh and blood n n

God allowed his people to choose. Did they want deliverance or judgment? Would they live to glorify themselves or their Maker?

Worship is more than following a religious ritual. While good works do not earn God’s favor, disobedient actions can keep God’s work from being done and will corrupt our hearts. The nation needed to change. God wanted them to recognize their mistakes and readjust. His desire? Change how they treated the people they ignored.

Fasting should have been about more than giving up food. It should have been about recommitting lives to change. It should have been about dying to self and caring for others.

Because to the Israelites the act of fasting had become a strategic maneuver, God would have no part in the game. But his anger was flavored by his love. God not only convicted his people; he offered instructions on how to change. He does the same for us.

Ask: n In what areas do we fail to respond properly to those who need God? n How do we become people who respond to God out of love, rather than obligation, acceptance, or desire for attention?

n

How does loving others demonstrate our love for God?

Close this time by reading the final verses in Isaiah 58. God’s correction concludes with a promise.

SAVOR I sat in the back, in the pew’s last seat next to the wall. Slowly men and women filled seats open to the public. The deceased lady’s family would soon walk in to find their places; we would stand as they sat in seats reserved for them, set aside with a dark cloth.

Formal suits. Casual outfits. Human beings from various backgrounds and in various sizes displayed various moods. There was diversity in ages, beliefs, and careers; mixtures of hopes, hurts, and histories.

People came for many different reasons to remember the life of one lady. I glanced at her phone number, which I had saved in my pocket PC. I wasn’t ready to hit delete.

Soon, friends sat beside me. We smiled, spoke a few words, and stood to welcome the son, the two daughters, and the rest of the family of a lady who no longer lived. While we listened to songs and a sermon, I thought it sad that many of us rarely see such a mix of people unless it is at a ball game, a wedding, a restaurant, or—as in this case—a funeral.

Why can’t we meet more often? Why do interests, jobs, schedules, and lifestyles keep us apart? Why can’t churches and spiritual gatherings be as inclusive as funeral homes and stadiums?

EXPERIENCE “Everyone in my church gave me advice about how to raise my son, but a lot of the time they seemed to be reminding me that I have no husband—and besides, most of them were not following their own advice. It made it hard to care what they said. They were not practicing what they preached.”

—Victoria, 24, from unChristian

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S e a s o n Tw o E p i s o d e 1 9 Play the Episode 1 clip from the Faith Café DVD. At the conclusion of the segment, lead group members in a discussion of the interview. Ask: n How do you feel about the criticisms of Christianity that author David Kinnaman mentioned? Did any of them surprise you? Why or why not? n Where do you draw the line between being judgmental and sticking to your convictions? n Did anything in today’s interview change the way you view people who are unchurched? Why or why not?

Look into it D. A. Carson, Telling the Truth n Dan Kimball, They Like Jesus but Not the Church n David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, n

unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity and Why It Matters n www.agts.edu/resources/subject_index/ churches.html n w w w . d a n k i m b a l l . c o m / v i n t a g e _ faith/2005/09/misperceptions_.html

WALK Many Christians realize that after years of being in church, they know few people outside of church, and if they do, it’s only due to circumstances such as work or school. Although people need strong relationships with others who share their faith, no one needs to create more “us” and “them” camps.

How can we share the story of Jesus if we don’t know anyone who hasn’t heard it? Lots of people may reject church, but they will talk about spiritual matters with a friend.

Widen your sphere of relationships by trying one of the following suggestions: n Become an active member of the PTA at your child’s school or the Homeowners’ Association Board in your neighborhood. n Join a community sports league or coach for a youth team. n Volunteer with a non-Christian service organization. n Take a part-time job at a local coffeehouse. n Tutor people studying English as a second language or teach adult students in a literacy program.

This week’s spiritual discipline is study: As it is with any education, the goal of studying should not be about acceptance, good grades, and nods of approval. If we invest personal time to read, research, study, memorize, and keep notes of key points, the lessons can be embedded deeply in our lives and improve our relationship with Christ.

See study as a spiritual discipline. Study daily for growth, rather than out of obligation or desire to gain knowledge for showing off to others. Through the discipline of study, give God the opportunity to influence your worldview and your behavior.

NOTES

“We will win the world when we realize that fellowship, not evangelism, must be our primary emphasis. When we demonstrate the Big Miracle of Love, it won’t be necessary for us to go out—they will come in.”

—Jess Moody

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E P I S O D E 2 THE L EA S T OF THE S E

The Sick SUPPLIES NEEDED White board or chalkboard Dry-erase marker or chalk Faith Café DVD

ENTER The smells, the pain, the sadness, the medications, the tests—in the hospital rooms of seriously ill or dying patients, our senses become alert to the unpleasantness.

This week follow Christ into the rooms of the sick ones we overlook, forget, fear, or blame. Rather than questioning the cause of an illness, look to see the effects God is working in the lonely rooms of those who are suffering. Allow God’s Comforter to reach through you into the hearts and minds of people trapped in failing bodies.

Does being around sick or dying people make you uncomfortable? If so, why? n Why do you think sick people are sometimes overlooked by the church? n How can individual Christians show love to those who are sick, especially to those who are chronically ill? n

Make two columns on your board. At the top of the first column, write Prison. At the top of the second column write Freedom. Ask your group to brainstorm

and talk about ways in which sickness can be like being imprisoned. List these in the first column. Then for each item in the Prison list, have your group discuss a way in which someone could be freed from that aspect of their imprisonment or suggest an action that would help a sick person feel more free.

Consider it “A healthy body is a guest chamber for the soul: a sick body is a prison.”

—Francis Bacon

DRINK He went down with them and stood on a level place.

A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

—Luke 6:17-19 Also read John 9:1-7, the story of the man born blind. Think about the way each of the characters in that story react to the man’s disability and healing.

GO deEpER Have someone read aloud the verses from Luke 6, and then let them continue through verse 26. What was Jesus doing in these verses? It is apparent from the number of mentions of such events in the Gospels that

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