It was a great delight to have Stephen McAlpine join us for our FOCUS Weekend Away! Three talks focused on the theme "Together".
When God saves people, he gathers them together. Together to himself. And together with each other. It’s both a vertical and a horizontal togetherness. The story of the Bible is about God redeeming his creation by gathering together a people who have been scattered, but gathering them now for a purpose – to become those who show the world what it looks like to gather together around God in worship, and to gather together with each other in genuine community. Together is God’s eternal plan.
SESSION 1 (Saturday): Gathered Together - Exodus 19:1-25 (no recording available)
SESSION 2 (Saturday): Gospelled Together - 1 Peter 2:1-12
SESSION 3 (Sunday): Going Together - Ephesians 2:11-21
Questions for Reflection:
Read Exodus 19:1-25
When you think of the Christian life, is your tendency to lean into the solitude as your place of rest and recovery, or is being together what energises you?
In Exodus 19 God forms a community by his grace, and then calls them to live in the light of that grace (with his commandments). The church of Jesus Christ is the culmination of that community in this age. How does understanding God’s grace shape how we live God’s laws in community, understanding that we live under God’s new covenant?
What are the risks to our “togetherness” in our modern world? How do we mitigate against these risks?
How does the togetherness of the church witness to the watching world? What is compelling about being together? What is challenging?
Read 1 Peter 2:1-12
How would you explain the church community to a non-Christian friend? What would you tell them its purpose is?
The church can get bad press. The church can even do bad things. What keeps us going each week, even if things are difficult?
Most of our week is lived outside the context of church gathered together. How does this gathering affect our “scattered” lives? More to the point, how does it affect YOUR scattered life?
What are you most thankful for in your gathered church community? What do you praise God for the most?
Other Resources
Here are the recommended books by Stephen andthe St Bart’s Team related to the church. Many of these are available to borrow from the library (📚) or purchase at the FOCUS Bookstall:
St Bart's Kids have also designed a set of 30 Challenge Cards, as a creative way for families to spend time together, intentionally thinking about some of the ways we are gathered and gospelled together.
