04-14-24 Liturgy

Main Theme:  How does God want to lead us?

Opening
Goal: Focus our attention on Jesus and be open to what He wants to do & say in our gathering.

• Read 1 Peter 2:9-12

Worship
Goal: Make Jesus central in our gathering. This could be done through songs, prayerful scripture reading, communion, etc.

Suggested Practice:
Choose 2 songs to sing together (or listen to) that will help you focus on our identity in
Christ.
Possible Options:

• Build Your Kingdom Here (YouTube)
• Hosanna (YouTube)

Sharing
Goal: Provide accountability and an opportunity to hear of the missional activity in your Small Church.

• Ask your Small Church if anyone would like to share about their experience of practicing a “letter” from the BLESS rhythm.
   
  • If a low number of people or no-one practiced a “letter” from the BLESS rhythm, use this opportunity to clarify what it is, encourage greater participation and pray for your Small Church.
  • Our desire is not to make people feel guilty or ashamed, we want God’s love and grace be our motivation.

____[Dismiss the Kids/Youth]____

Small Group Exercise
Goal: Better understand how & where the Holy Spirit led the 1st century church.

• Break into 3 small groups. Give one of the following scriptures to each group:  
  • Acts 8:4-8
  • Acts 8:26-38
  • Acts 5:38-42
• Give each group 10 minutes to read their assigned scripture and answer the following question:  
  • What can we learn from how the Holy Spirit led the 1st century church?  
• Ask each small group to briefly share their answers with the rest of the Small Church.

Large Group Exercise
Goal: Discern how & where the Holy Spirit is leading us.

• Ask your Small Church the following question: What are your unique spheres of influence? Responses will most likely fall under a few categories such as, “home”, “work” and “play”. Ask follow-up questions to get more specific details. We want to know the names of organizations, geographical locations, people’s names etc.
  • Allow everyone the opportunity to share. Write the responses on a large piece of paper that everyone can see.  

Prayer
Goal: Respond appropriately to what Jesus is doing & saying in our gathering.

• Ask your Small Church the following question: who is one person that you long to know Jesus?  
  • Give people a few minutes to reflect and then ask God to bring a name or face to people’s mind.
• Ask your Small Church a follow-up question: what do you sense is God’s heart for that person?
  • Give people a few minutes to reflect and then ask God to reveal His heart for the person identified.
• Ask your Small Church to pick up their cell phones and send a message of encouragement to the person that God brought to their mind.  

___[Kids/Youth Rejoin Adults]___

Communion
Goal: Remember Jesus’ death and resurrection. Receive strength & joy that He is with us. Renew our hope for Jesus’ return and the restoration of creation.

Suggested Practice:

• Distribute bread and juice.
• Read the following statement…“the body of Christ has been given, broken for us and the entire world. This bread reminds us that He paid a debt that He did not owe so that we wouldn’t have to pay a debt that we did owe”.
• Eat the bread.
• Read the following statement…“The blood of Christ has been poured out, shed for us and the entire world. This juice reminds us that we have a permanent and unbreakable relationship with Him and that death has no power over us and no power over creation”.
• Drink the juice.

Homework
Goal: Activate the missional activity of your Small Church.

Below is a practice designed to activate our missional calling as followers of Jesus. It is a rhythm of life with the acronym BLESS.

• Bless others, including nonbelievers, those different from us, and the poor, at least three times a week.
• Listen to God in his Word and Spirit and to others to understand their stories and our culture’s story.
• Eat with others, including unbelievers, believers, and the poor.
• Speak to God (prayer) and speak to unbelievers the story and message of Jesus (witness).
• Sabbath in rest, play, praise and celebration.  

Select at least one “letter” to practice between today and the next Small Church gathering. Come prepared to share about your experience at the next Small Church gathering.