Connect This year - how will you be committed to the people Jesus has joined you together with (i.e., the church)?
Warm-Up
- How do you feel about team building exercises? What is the goal of those exercises?
- Instead of making us into a team, how does exercising our God-given gifts reflect who we already are?
Read Ephesians 4:1-6
- Why does Paul ‘urge’ his fellow believers to do? What does this mean?
- What is the calling that we have received? What does this look like in practice?
- In what way are Christians ultimately unified? What are the various ways that Paul emphasises this? (Try working through all of the ‘ones’ and explain what Paul means by each.)
- If we are unified in Christ (forever, no less!), why do we also need to make ‘every effort’?
- What are some practical examples of ‘making every effort’ to keep the unity of the Spirit? How is it more than simply the absence of conflict? What do you find personally challenging about this?
- How is our keeping of unity an expression of the peace that Jesus has won for us?
- Do you find it easier to relate to some people in the church than others? Why is it important for us to build relationships with people who are also different from us? How does this make the church unique?
Read Ephesians 4:7-16
- Who is the giver of gifts? How should this shape our view of the: (a) value of the gift; (b) priority to develop and deploy it; and (c) the importance of other people’s gifts?
- What is the meaning of verses 8 and 9? Is this an exciting explanation? What is the implication?
- Is Paul’s list meant to be exhaustive? What are the various gifts you see poured out in our local church?
- What is the purpose of our gifts? Why has God ultimately given us gifts?
- How have you been built up by others using their gifts? What are some of the consequences?
- What do you think are the gifts that God has given you for ministry? How do you use them? How is God leading you to develop and deploy them in the coming year? (It doesn’t have to be in new ways!)
- Do you think God has given us all that we need to fulfil his calling of us? If so, how does that change your view of what is possible and your part in it?
Apply Write a prayer about how you long to develop and deploy your God-given gifts to build up Christ’s church this year.
