WESTSIDE ESSENTIALS DISCOVER AND LIVE GOD’S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE
WELCOME TO ESSENTIALS \\ THROUGHOUT HISTORY, HUMANKIND HAS BEEN ON A SEARCH FOR MEANING, FOR TRUTH AND FOR AN EPIC ADVENTURE. WE HERE AT WESTSIDE HAVE COME TO BELIEVE THAT OUR BEST SHOT AT ACHIEVING ALL OF THOSE THINGS IS FOUND WHEN WE CONNECT OUR STORIES TO THE STORY OF GOD. IT IS A STORY THAT STRETCHES BACK TO THE FIRST WHISPERS OF CREATION AND REACHES ACROSS TIME AND SPACE INTO ETERNITY. GOD’S PURPOSE THROUGHOUT HISTORY CAN BE STATED IN THREE WORDS: CREATE, RESTORE, REDEEM, AND THAT PURPOSE NEVER CHANGES. IT IS STEADY AS THE SUNRISE AND CONSTANT AS THE TIDES BEING DRAWN TO THE SHORE. MAN’S INVOLVEMENT IN THAT STORY SHIFTS AND CHANGES; BUT HIS PURPOSE DOES NOT.
OVER THE NEXT THREE SESSIONS, YOU WILL TRAVEL THE DUSTY ROADS OF ANCIENT ISRAEL AND IMAGINE THE SHIMMERING STREETS OF THE NEW JERUSALEM. YOU WILL ALSO VISIT THE PAGES OF YOUR PERSONAL HISTORY, BUILDING A TIMELINE OF YOUR DAYS SO FAR. FINALLY, YOU WILL TAKE A DEEP LOOK AT YOUR DEFINING CORE VALUES, SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND NATURAL ABILITIES. BRINGING ALL OF THESE IMPORTANT PIECES OF YOUR STORY TOGETHER, YOU WILL THEN WRITE A PURPOSE STATEMENT FOR YOUR EXISTENCE. YOUR “WHY”. THIS STATEMENT WILL BECOME BOTH A TARGET AND A COMPASS AS YOU DEVELOP A CRYSTAL CLEAR PICTURE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A FULLY-DEVOTED, FULLY-INTENTIONAL FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST.
WE’RE SO EXCITED YOU’VE CHOSEN TO INVEST YOUR TIME INTO THIS PROCESS AND ARE PRAYING THAT GOD WILL SPEAK TO YOU IN EXCITING AND CHALLENGING WAYS AS YOU DISCOVER WHAT’S TRULY ESSENTIAL IN YOUR ONE WILD AND BEAUTIFUL LIFE.
GET READY. IT’S ABOUT TO GET EPIC.
SESSION ONE
.06 DIVIDED KINGDOM
DAVID
EXODUS / MOSES
ABRAHAM
NOAH
CREATION
THE STORY OF GOD \ WESTSIDE ESSENTIALS \\
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REVELATION / NEW CREATION
JUDE
THE CHURCH
JESUS
BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY
MY STORY \ WESTSIDE ESSENTIALS \\
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SESSION TWO
MY CORE VALUES \ WESTSIDE ESSENTIALS \\
Reliability Service
Worship
Committed
Generosity
Creative
Passionate
Sustainability
Value
Strategic
Responsibility Humility
Excellence Remarkable
Optimistic
Friends
Fun
Positive
Inspiring
Stewardship
Nurturing
Adventurous
Best Respectful
Humorous
Intentional
Open-Minded
Honesty
Evangelical
Loyal
Dependable
Courageous
Learning Transformation
Integrity
Leadership
Resourceful Satisfaction
Efficient
Support
Humble Teamwork
Diversity Caring
Consistent
Missional
Listening
Innovation Community
Delight Family
Relational Spirit-led Transparency
Circle any core values above that resonate with you and write down any that aren’t listed here:
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1. What stirs up righteous anger inside of you?
2. What brings you the most happiness/joy?
3. When you review your story, what core values do you see in it?
Review the words and pick 3-5 that are most meaningful to you. Write them here:
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SPIRITUAL GIFTS \ WESTSIDE ESSENTIALS \\
Administration: 1 Cor 12:28 To steer the body toward the accomplishment of God-given goals and directives by planning, organizing and supervising others. Apostle: Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:28 To be sent forth to new frontiers with the gospel, providing leadership over church bodies and maintain authority over spiritual matters pertaining to the church. Celibacy: 1 Cor 7:7-8 To voluntarily remain single without regret and with the ability to maintain controlled sexual impulses so as to serve the Lord without distraction. Discernment: 1 Cor 12:10 To clearly distinguish truth from error by judging whether the behavior or teaching is from God, Satan, human error or human power. Evangelism: Eph 4:11 To be a messenger of the good news of the Gospel. Exhortation: Rom 12:8 To come alongside of someone with words of encouragement, comfort, consolation and counsel to help them be all God wants them to be. Faith: 1 Cor 12:8-10 To be firmly persuaded of God’s power and promises to accomplish His will and purpose and to display such a confidence in Him and His word that circumstances and obstacles do not shake that conviction. Giving: Rom 12:8 To share material resources you have with liberality and cheerfulness without thought of return. Healing: 1 Cor 12:9, 28, 30 To be used as a means through which God makes people whole either physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually. Help: 1 Cor 12:28 To render support or assistance to others in the body so as to free them up for ministry. Hospitality: 1 Pet 4:9-10 To warmly welcome people, even strangers into one’s home or church as a means of serving those in need of food or lodging. Knowledge: 1 Cor 12:8 To seek to learn as much about the Bible as possible through the gathering of much information and the analyzing of that data. Leadership: Rom 12:8 To stand before the people in such way as to attend to the direction of the body with such care and diligence so as to motivate others to get involved in the accomplishment of these goals. Martyrdom: 1 Cor 13:3 To give over one’s life to suffer or to be put to death for the cause of Christ. Mercy: Rom 21:8 To be sensitive toward those who are suffering, whether physically, mentally or emotionally, so as to feel genuine sympathy with their misery, speaking words of compassion but more so caring for them with deeds of love to help alleviate their distress. Miracles: 1 Cor 12:10, 28 To be enabled by God to perform mighty deeds which witnesses acknowledge to be of supernatural origin and means.
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Missionary: Eph 3:6-8 To be able to minister in another culture. Pastor: Eph 4:11 To be responsible for spiritually caring for, protecting, guiding and feeding a group of believers entrusted to one’s care. Prophecy: Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 12:10; Eph 4:11 To speak forth the message of God to His people. Service: Rom 12:7 To identify undone task in God’s work, however menial, and use available resources to get the job done. Teaching: Rom 12:7; 1 Cor 12:28; Eph 4:11 To instruct others in the Bible in a logical, systematic way so as to communicate pertinent information for true understanding and growth. Tongues: 1 Cor 12:10; 14:27-28 To speak in a language not previously learned so unbelievers can God’s message in their own language or the body edified. Interpretation of Tongues: 1 Cor 12:10; 14:27-28 To translate the message of someone who has spoken in tongues. Voluntary Poverty: 1 Cor 13:3 To purposely live an impoverished lifestyle to serve and aid others with your material resources. Wisdom: 1 Cor 12:8 To apply knowledge to life in such a way as to make spiritual truths quite relevant and practical in proper decision-making and daily life situations.
1. What do you love doing the most?
2. What do you do that you feel has the most impact on others?
3. What do people say you’re good at?
Please take the spiritual gifts test at www.westsidechurch.org/spiritualgifts and record your top three results here:
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MY PURPOSE STATEMENT \ WESTSIDE ESSENTIALS \\
MY STORY
CORE VALUES
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
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My purpose statement for this season:
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SESSION THREE
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD \ WESTSIDE ESSENTIALS \\
1. In reviewing my relationship with God, I would say that it is:
______ Alive and thriving
______ Maintaining
______ Needing improvement or a fresh infusion of passion
______ Other
2. The reasons that come to mind for the current state of my relationship with God are: (List any good habits or things that are negatively impacting your spiritual life)
3. What is the one thing I could do right now to improve the health of my relationship with God? (Make sure it’s specific, measurable & attainable)
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4. What is most likely to keep me from doing that one thing?
5. How will I deal with the obstacles to doing the one thing that’s necessary in my spiritual life?
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RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS \ WESTSIDE ESSENTIALS \\
1. Are there any relationship issues that are slowing down or preventing me from living out the purpose of God for my life?
2. What is the one relationship I would most like to focus on over the next six months?
3. What is the one thing I could do immediately to improve that relationship?
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4. What is most likely to stop me from doing that one thing?
5. How will I deal with the obstacle(s) to doing that one thing?
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FINANCES \ WESTSIDE ESSENTIALS \\
1. Overall, the level of peace I feel when I think about my finances is:
______ High (I am controlling my money; it isn’t controlling me)
______ Medium (I could make improvements)
______ Low (I often worry about money or feel panicky about my future)
2. What is the one thing I could focus on over the next three months that would help to improve my financial outlook and level of peace? (Could include: Take a class, set up a budget, track expenses, tithe more regularly, establish new ways to be generous, pay off debt, save more, etc.)
3. What is the biggest obstacle to doing that one thing?
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4. How will I deal with that obstacle?
5. In what ways would a greater level of financial peace enable me to fulfill the purpose of God for my life?
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PHYSICAL LIFE \ WESTSIDE ESSENTIALS \\
NOTE: We recognize that many people face physical challenges that are outside their control.
1. Overall, I feel the state of my physical health is:
______ Excellent
______ Good
______ Poor
______ Needs Improvement
2. What is the one thing I could focus on in the next month to improve my overall level of vitality and health? (Could be: Get better sleep, better nutrition, move a little more, schedule a doctor visit, drink more water, etc.)
3. What is most likely to keep me from doing that one thing?
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4. How will I deal with that obstacle?
5. In what ways would a greater level of physical vitality enable me to fulfill the purpose of God for my life?
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VOCATION \ WESTSIDE ESSENTIALS \\
1. Overall, I can clearly see the connection from my vocation to my life purpose:
______ Strongly Agree
______ Agree
______ Neutral
______ Somewhat Disagree
______ Strongly Disagree
2. What is most frustrating about my current vocational reality?
3. What is the one thing I could do in the next month to see an improved connection between my vocation and my purpose?
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4. What is most likely to keep me from doing that one thing?
5. How will I deal with that obstacle?
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NOTES \ WESTSIDE ESSENTIALS \\
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Copyright Š 2016 by Westside Church All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by and means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work should be mailed to: Westside Church 2051 NW Shevlin Park Rd Bend, OR 97703