Five Shared Practices: Week of Sept 25

Commit/Five Shared Practices
Week of September 25

Welcome! We are so happy to be together in fellowship and growing in faith this week! Core Groups are structured a little differently this year. Each week our groups will use the same scripture as the sermon to unpack and discuss. The guide is based on the scripture not the sermon.; We will use that scripture as our basis for discussion in learning (the head) , personal growth (the heart) and real world application (the hands) creating our new outline: Head, Heart, and Hands (you can also consider it this way, think, feel, act)..

We will also encourage each group to enjoy an ice breaker each week, especially early on as your group comes together. This will give all group members the chance to think in a new way, possibly be silly, laugh, and get to know one another on a new level; we think even the longest standing Core Groups deserve the chance to grow in this way.

Opening Prayer: Lord, we know that you created The Gathering from something small and through you it has grown into something vast. We pray that you guide us in exploring ways we can use the 5 practices of the Gathering to connect, learn, and serve our church and community. It is because of you that this is all possible, Amen.

Ice Breaker: CoreGroup Connect card -- if you were going to give your group a snapshot of YOU, what would it say?

Name: Age range: Spiritual gift you can use within your core group/church as a whole:

Why we exist (Vision): 
The Gathering exists to create a Christian community that is compelling for new  generations of people in St. Louis.  

What we do (Mission): 
Our primary task is to invite new people to become deeply committed followers of  Christ.
 
How we do it (Practices): 
We deepen our faith by following Christ through five shared practices --

• Worship
• Learning in CoreGroups 
• Prayer  
• Giving 
• Service  

The Head:
John 21:5-21
⁵He called out to them, 'Friends, haven't you any fish?' 'No,' they answered.
⁶He said, 'Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.' When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
⁷Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord!' As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, 'It is the Lord,' he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. ⁸The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. ⁹When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
¹⁰Jesus said to them, 'Bring some of the fish you have just caught.' ¹¹So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. ¹²Jesus said to them, 'Come and have breakfast.' None of the disciples dared ask him, 'Who are you?' They knew it was the Lord. ¹³Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. ¹⁴This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
¹⁵When they finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” ¹⁶Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you."
Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.” ¹⁷He asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was sad that Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” He replied, “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
¹⁹He said this to show the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. After saying this, Jesus said to Peter, "Follow me."

• Talk about the benefits of the disciples commitment to following and believing in Jesus in the passage.

• Consider the timeline of events; brainstorm the events of the day described including the blessings, challenges, commitments, worship, etc.

The Heart: 

• Pastor Matt often talks about the impacts of The Gathering on different people. Within the five practices individuals and communities are being impacted in small ways and giant ways all the time. Talk about your “mountain top” experience, identify one of the 5 practices and a way you have been impacted, big or small. 
• Which of the 5 practices comes easiest for you? Which is the hardest?     
• In the passage we see challenges, successes, commitment, worshiping, and praise. Think back on your life and discuss times where your experiences may have been in a similar order as Peter’s, or a different order, but led to a similar celebration & commitment as an end result.
• Take a moment to participate in this collective group activity:

The Hands:

• Participate in the five shared practices --
  • Worship 
  • Learning in CoreGroups 
  • Prayer  
  • Giving 
  • Service

• Brainstorm ways you can bring each of the 5 shared practices into your life. Think especially about how you can practice these as a group and within the community.