Click here for PRINTER-FRIENDLY copy of the curriculum

GO FISH
(Relational Evangelism)

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith, & Worship (optional)

Big Idea:
If you are a disciple of Christ, you are called to be a fisher of men; an evangelist. So, what’s in your tackle box? What tools of the trade have you acquired in order to be successful at the task of fishing for men?

Summary:
Fishermen use different techniques and bait based on the conditions, environment, and what they are trying to catch. Sometimes they use a fly, they cast, they troll, or they bobber fish. Lures are often used, but so is live bait. And at times, they even pull out the nets. The good ones come prepared for any condition and are able to adapt as those conditions change. Relational evangelism is an effective and biblical technique of fishing for men. It is about building healthy relationships with people far from God and then allowing the Holy Spirit to work through that relationship to draw them to Jesus. But, the relational fisherman also knows when to set the line and share the gospel. Remember, you are not just the lure, but you are the fisherman. A relational fisherman will purposely (1) find those God has assigned to them, (2) involve themselves in their lives, (3) share the good news and invite them to church, and (4) help them grow in Christ. Every one of us has been commanded to go fish! If we are going to follow Christ and fish for men, we must fill our evangelism tackle box. We must know when to be patient and when to get aggressive; when to use the bobber and when to use the nets. Have you spent the time acquiring the tools of the trade? Do you know how to adapt your techniques? Fishing is not a game of luck. Serious fishermen do not leave it up to chance. They are prepared, studied, and practiced. The result is consistent success. So, what’s in your tackle box?

Discussion Questions: (read the Scripture & discuss)

1 Corinthians 9:19-22
Paul made sure he had a full and diverse tackle box. Did Paul’s technique encourage compromise? Why or why not? What would this look like and not look like today?

Romans 10:13-17
Our actions are important, but they are dead without words. If ever words should be used it should be for the purpose of sharing the Good News of Christ. Why are words important? Are you using words and telling people about Christ? If yes, give examples.

Matthew 28:18-20
Is Jesus simply looking for conversions? What responsibility do we have after someone becomes a follow of Christ? Jesus tells us how to make disciples. How do we accomplish this? Why can we accomplish this?

Taking Action: Begin filling up your tackle box and start actively fishing. Pray for healthy relationships with non-believers.  Make a list and begin engaging in new relationships. Study God’s Word and have answers to the questions of “how can I be saved”, “what must I do”, and “what is this good news.” Finally, just go fish.

Ministry Time

Click here for PRINTER-FRIENDLY copy of the curriculum

THE TABLE
(Part 5: The Protocol at the Table)

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith, & Worship (optional)

Big Idea:
The church is a table of sorts; where people from different backgrounds, experiences, and levels of spiritual maturity gather together for the glory of God. Maintaining unity in the midst of this diversity is a critical component of our Christian life.

Summary:
There is absolute truth – the essentials. For example, there is only one God, and Jesus Christ is the only way unto salvation.  However, there are many non-essential things that relate to life that are not specifically defined and outlined in scripture – what we should eat and when we should gather. In fact, in his letters to the Romans and the Corinthians, Paul directly acknowledges the fact that there are “disputable matters,” and that differences of opinion is permissible. But, we must appropriately manage the way we handle these differences. We must accommodate our differences in the non-essentials while “speaking the truth in love” as it relates to the essentials. St. Augustine put it this way, “In the essentials we have unity, in the non-essentials we have diversity, and in all things we have charity.” Here’s the big question, are we willing to divest ourselves of our petty inclinations of self-interest for the ultimate goal of expanding the table and increasing the population in heaven? In accomplishing this mission, our motto as Christ followers should be “compassion without compromise.” Therefore, we should not say, “lighten up” or “don’t sweat the small stuff.” Rather, we must, “stand in awe of the risen Christ who will get his glory from the living and from the dead and from the eaters and the abstainers and from the day-keepers and the non-day-keepers. Stand in awe of Jesus Christ. And whatever we do, whether we eat or whether we drink, do all to the glory of Christ.”

Discussion Questions: (read the Scripture & discuss)

Romans 14:1-12
Why is the one who limits what he eats weak in faith rather than the other person? A holy life is one which does what pleases God. How does this apply if there is no particular right or wrong way?

Romans 14:13 - 15:13
Do you have a problem with judging other Christians and making sure they meet up to your standards? What are some principles from this section of scripture that would help you to have a proper attitude toward them?

1 Corinthians 10:23 – 11:1
Instead of being critical of others and being divisive, how are we to conduct ourselves? Because of our love for others, what are some things that we can do, but shouldn’t do?

Taking Action: Identify some non-essentials where you can accommodate others instead of criticizing them. Are there some essentials that you are compromising instead of speaking the truth in love? List at least two changes you desire to take place in your life because of this study.

Ministry Time

Click here for PRINTER-FRIENDLY copy of the curriculum 

THE TABLE
(Part 4: The Bread and the Wine)

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith, & Worship (optional)

Big Idea:
The church is a table of sorts; a place to gather where we connect with the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord. The Table of the Lord is about remembering relationships – first our relationship with Christ, and second our relationship with others who are part of the body of Christ.  

Summary:
Come to the table and remember that Christ redeemed you by his own blood. If we truly understand what the bread and the wine represent at the Table of the Lord; if we actually remember what Christ has done for us, the sacrifice he made, and the love he demonstrated then we will come to the table in love – love for Christ and love for others. This will bring unity with God and unity among each other. Is there a lack of unity at the table? Is there a lack of grace exhibited by those seated at the table? Then it is because people are coming to the table and forgetting the ultimate reason why. Through Communion, The Table of the Lord, we are refreshing our memories and reconnecting with the Lord Jesus Christ and his body. The “union” in communion doesn’t only refer to our joining together with Christ in his death and burial and resurrection, it also means joining together with his body (the church) in life! If we bring to the Lord’s Supper a divisive spirit, selfishness, or insincerity, then we diminish the true meaning of the table. And if we allow any kind of prejudice, whether social, racial, generational, or cultural, to control our attitudes toward anyone in the body of Christ, then we undermine the integrity of this meal. This is the meal in which we celebrate the death of Christ for the whole world. We’ve got to be certain that we come to the Lord’s Table fully committed to the New Testament definition of agape, or sacrificial love, and Christian fellowship toward everyone. If we don’t, then we could hurt the cause of Christ rather than helping it and we insult the sacrifice made for us in love.

Discussion Questions: (read the Scripture & discuss)

1 Corinthians 11:17-29
Why is Paul rebuking the Corinthians? Based on this passage, how does the way we treat each other affect our ability to commune with God at the Lord’s Table?

Romans 12:9-18
Contrast this passage with Paul’s message to the Corinthians. What are the differences? Is this how we are treating and relating to each other? If not, why?

1 John 4:7-12 & 19-21
When we come to the table, we must come in love. Why does John say we should love one another? Why should we be concerned if we don’t exhibit love to each other? Give examples of how we can live out this love in the church. 

Taking Action: What would church look like if we came with the love God commands? Brainstorm as a group what this would look like from the parking lot, to the lobby, in the children’s ministry, before, during, & after service, and even in your LifeGroup. Challenge each other to personally begin implementing the changes this week.

Ministry Time

Click here for PRINTER-FRIENDLY copy of the curriculum 

THE TABLE
(Part 3: Expanding the Table)

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith, & Worship (optional)

Big Idea:
The church is a table of sorts; a place to gather where we nourish believers and nurture seekers.  But a problem arises when the table becomes all about feeding the immediate family at the exclusion of others.

Summary:
It is a good thing for churches to focus on maturing. In fact, Jesus demands that we feed his sheep. Equipping the saints and growing in our faith is mandatory. However, we cannot allow our focus to inwardly degenerate to the point of it being all about “me, Me, ME.” We must be about expanding the table by making room for new family members, while at the same time never allowing anyone to pull up the “i” chair. You know, the chair where it is all about what I want and what will fill my spiritual love tank. How do we stay out of the “i” chair and instead bring new people to the table? We must have the mind of Christ. Christ came to seek and save the lost. Christ sought out the marginalized, the oppressed, the unlovable, and the sinner. He ministered life to them in love and invited them to the table where they would be fed nutritious spiritual food. And Christ demands that we do the same thing. We are called to love people. We are called to minister to others, and we are called to bring others into the family of God. Jesus has commissioned us to go into all the world and make disciples, and he has called us to be fishers of men. You and I must stay out of the “i” chair and actively spend our time and resources nourishing believers and nurturing seekers.

Discussion Questions: (read the Scripture & discuss)

Philippians 2:3-4
How can we apply this passage to our lives? What would this look like in a church setting? What character quality does Paul say we need in order to stay out of the “i” chair? 

Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17 & Luke 5:10
What is a disciple of Christ supposed to be and supposed to do? Are you actively fishing? Are you teaching others to fish? Give examples of both.

Matthew 28:18-20
What are we called by Christ to do? Are we called to simply invite people to church?  Describe how this demand of Christ encompasses both nurturing and nourishing.

Taking Action: Give examples of how your LifeGroup is intentionally nourishing believers and also nurturing seekers.  What are some other ways to accomplish these kingdom tasks? Examine your group’s make-up. Are all three chairs represented: mature believers, new believers, and the lost?

Ministry Time