SERIES: What Is The Church                             WEEK:#2  

MESSAGE: Not A Game

COMMUNICATOR: Pastor Kevin Geer

CENTRAL TEXT/S: Acts 2:46-47; James 1:22

CHECKING IN: How was your week? What was one of the highlights? Share wins (things God did that moved his mission forward and you closer to Jesus). What did you put into practice from last week’s discussion? 

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER AND DISCUSS: Choose questions that will work best for your group. Feel free to add to or ask a question in a different way than is written. 

1. Name two things you really enjoy about Canvas Church and tell us why you enjoy them. 
2. What ‘why do we do church that way?’ question was addressed or answered for you this week?
3. Read Acts 2:42-47. What are some characteristics of this early church? What are some of the things you are devoted to? How do those things compare with this Acts account? Should we follow the principles of the Acts church today? Why or why not? 
4. What are some important components of being a gathering-driven church? What components are most meaningful for you? What church components do you feel we are missing? 
5. Read James 1:22. What is James’ challenge to us? Why is it easier to listen to God’s word then it is to do what it says? What would be one outcome if Christians started “doing what God’s word says”?
6. What does ‘depth comes in the doing’ mean to you? How does discipleship happen in a gathering-driven church?
7. “We gear to the young, and lean into the wisdom of the wise.” How do we tend to hear this? How are we supposed to hear this? What has been the most challenging part for you?  How do you see yourself living this out this week?
8. What are some of the ways you help ‘create opportunities to experience God?’ How did others ‘create opportunities’ for you to experience God in a life changing way?
9. How do you listen to a message? Do you take notes? Do you sit and listen and hope you remember a key point? Kevin made the point, when you listen to a message, you ask God two questions: What are you saying to me? Who are you setting me up to share this message with? 
10. What were some of your takeaways from the survey itself?  What were some of the encouraging questions?  What were some of the more challenging questions for you?

TRUTH DEMANDS A RESPONSE! What is one action step you will take this week in response to our discussion? Be specific. Try attaching a name and date to your action step.

1. ___________________________________________________________________.

WANT TO GROW DEEPER? We have created some resources to help you grow. Check out and explore the Experience God page. Go to  canvas.church/experience-god or Experience God on the App. 

GROUP PRAYER OPTIONS: 

• • Prayer Question: “What’s going on in our lives that we can involve Jesus?”
  • Ask:  What was one praise and one challenge you experienced this week? Celebrate the praises and pray for the challenges. 
  • Ask if anyone has a need or knows of a need, you can also offer “unspoken” prayer requests. 

• Pray for the person on your right, it can be out loud or in silence, if in silence nudge the person next to you letting them know you are done. 

• Prayer Clusters: Groups of two or three (by gender) and share your week together. Pray together and for each other. Send them a text, or leave a message letting them know you have prayed for them this week. 
• Have someone in your group keep an active list of the requests and the answers for both the updates and to celebrate the answers. 

Are you interested in the Bible and in helping Life Groups benefit from the weekend message? We have a team for you! Canvas members like you create these discussion guides each week. If you are interested in joining the team, please email rickz@canvas.church