Discussion Guide for the viral week session

 

NOTE: The person who organized this group should lead this session. Read the black print to the group. The red print is instructions for you only. 

 

Catch up with each other and cheer each other on (10-15 min.)

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1. How did it go with your “Just Do It” from last week?

2. What is one thing you are thankful for this week? (Gently interrupt anyone who gets long-winded.)

3. What is one challenge you are facing?

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Listen to the Bible and to God (20-30 min.)

 

Here is the big picture of why we did a Just Do It Group. It's got five bullet points, so stick with me as I read them.

• God is on a campaign to change the world, to save it from itself

• The Spearhead and Director of this campaign to connect, heal, and bless the world is Jesus the Messiah, who is still alive and engaged with the world

• God's campaign strategy is to put the Spirit of Jesus into people like us who agree to work on his campaign team on his terms

• The Spirit, a.k.a. the "Holy Spirit," or the "Campaign Connector," cleans us up, unites us as a team, gives us assignments, and empowers us to get our assignments done

• We do the assignments and cheer on other team members, and the world gets better

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The aim of Just Do It Groups is to get more people listening for their assignments and cheering others on. As long as we stay in our current Just Do It Group, only we benefit. We are quarantining the virus that God wants to infect the world in a good way.

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However, we might be an exception to the rule. God may want us to stay together in our group for another month or two for the next batch (or "season") of Just Do It sessions. Or he might want some of us to listen to him without being in a Just Do It Group at all. 

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Let's pray before we go further into this. (Optional wording: Lord we come to you today as members of your campaign team. Thank you for including us. Thank you for the assignments you have given us in these weeks and the help you provided so we could get them done for the good of others. If it is time for us to start more groups, please put your thoughts into our minds about how to do that. If you want us to stick together for another season of Just Do It, please guide us to that. And if you have some other way you want us to listen to you instead of a Just Do It Group, please show us that. In the name of Jesus and for the sake of his campaign we ask these things, Amen.)

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4. Do you feel you have been hearing from God in these sessions and helped by God to do your Just Do Its? And do you feel the others in the group have been cheering you on in that?

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5. Is it already obvious to you whether God wants you to start a new Just Do It Group now, stay in this group, or not be in a group at all? If so, say which it is and what makes it obvious. I'm not promoting Just Do It Groups as the perfect fit for everybody. I'm just saying that I feel God wants me to introduce people to this method and let them listen to him about whether to continue and how to continue. If God isn't telling you this is for you, then thanks for joining us and trying the method out these last few weeks. God bless you as he leads you in other ways.

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6. If God had prepped one or two people in the last month or so to be in a new Just Do It Group that you lead, how would you know who they are? Those people might already be listening for Jesus's directions in other ways or they might not even know there is any way to hear from him. They might be family members, old or new friends, or people you barely know. 

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7A. Did God put anyone in your mind as we were talking about the last question? Do you think he wants you to ask them soon about starting a Just Do It Group with you?

 

7B. What will he have to do and what will you have to get your group started well? How do you feel about the whole thing? If it's scary, the rest of us will cheer you on. You are welcome to talk to me about it any time.

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7C. If you believe God wants you to stay in our current group, I'll have to listen to him about whether he also wants me to stay or not. My long-term assignment is to find and encourage people who start groups that multiply. I know I can't stay too long with any one group but maybe I should stay a little longer with this one. What do you think? Are you ready to go on without me or is it too soon?

 

8. So do we meet in this group next week or not? If not, let's plan to keep in touch at least until all of us have a clear sense of God's guidance about the three options--start new group, stay in this group, use a different method to listen to God and cheer others on. I'll send a text to remind us of where we each are on our decision so we can pray for each other.

 

9. Let's pray about our plans. (Optional wording: Lord, Mastermind of the campaign to save the world from itself, thank you for showing us just now how you want us to fit into your campaign with or without being in a Just Do It Group. If any of us aren't sure yet about your guidance, please make it clear soon. We will just do whatever you tell us when we hear you clearly. May your kingdom come and your will be done everywhere.) 

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10. Thanks for being my friends and cheering me on. It's been a pleasure cheering for you and listening to God with you.      –  END

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