Reflect

• Get to know each other if needed.

• Talk about how you came to faith in Jesus

Discuss

Each time we get together, we’re going to spend time reflecting on how we’re going, discussing the Bible together, learning to do something new, and praying. 

We’ll learn or revisit a practice each week to help you establish good habits of prayer, Bible reading, and helping others to discover Jesus too. This week we are learning a Bible reading tool called “SOAP” which we will use each week to talk through a few verses together.

Today we’re going to talk about…

Matthew 28:19-20

Have someone read the passage, then use SOAP to discuss it:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t Miss
Learn & Obey: A picture of discipleship that can be really helpful is that of an apprenticeship. The apprentice watches the master and tries to imitate them. The goal is that over time and with help, they can become just like the master. Discipleship is about becoming more like Jesus. This means we want to watch what he does, learn from his life and seek to imitate him. It’s about learning and obeying.

Pray

• Spend time praying about what you’re learning.

• Is there anything going on in your life that we can pray for together?

Next Steps

• From what you've discussed today, what could a daily rhythm of reading the Bible look like for you?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve learned today?

• Readings for the coming week: Mark 1-7. Try reading one chapter per day and you can use SOAP if you want to. 

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
Mark 1-7

Reflect

• What stood out to you from what you’ve read over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 1:9-13

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t Miss
Identity: In today’s passage, we hear the voice of the Father, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” At this point we have no disciples, no teaching and no miracles. Before accomplishing anything, Jesus is a much-loved Son who brings pleasure to the Father. As a follower of Jesus, these words are rightly spoken over us. We are adopted into the family, much loved and we bring God pleasure—not because of what we do but because we belong to him. This is our core identity as children of God. Notice that after this, Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Spirit. It is worth noting that times of testing are not evidence of the absence of God and do not call into question our core identity.

Have you been baptised? Jesus regularly invited people not just to believe, but to be baptised too. It was such an important step he modelled it to us. If you haven’t been baptised, this is a great opportunity to do something about it. To learn more about baptism, you may like to listen to this message.

Learn

• Over the next four sessions, we’re going to learn four different aspects of prayer. To help, we’re going to use the tool ACTS which stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication.

• Today we begin with A: Adoration.

Take a short passage of Scripture that focuses on what God is like. For example, you may like to use Psalm 86:5-7, Psalm 100, or Psalm 103:13-18.

Pray

• What is something that you notice about God in this passage that you can praise him for?

• Take time to turn this into a simple prayer.

• Pray about the other things that have stood out to you today.

Next Steps

• From what we've learned today, how can you pray a simple prayer of adoration each day?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Daily readings for the coming week: Mark 8-14. Try reading one chapter per day.

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
Mark 8-14

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 1:14-15

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t Miss
Repentance: Jesus begins his preaching ministry with a clear and simple message: the kingdom of God has come near, so repent and believe! We will cover what is meant by “the kingdom of God” at a later date, but the focus here is “repentance”. What does it mean to repent? In the most basic terms it means to do a 180 degree turn - to stop walking in one direction and walk in another. In Jesus, something and someone so great has arrived, it’s worth turning to him above everything else in our lives!

Learn

• Today we continue to learn about four different aspects of prayer based on the acronym ACTS.

• The second letter of ACTS is C which stands for Confession.

When we believe in Jesus, all of our sin—past, present and future—is washed away. However, as we live in relationship with Him, it’s important to regularly consider the ways we continue to sin and harm our relationship with God and others. Confession allows us to acknowledge that before God and put that right with Him.

A simple way to do this is to read Psalm 139:23-24. Then take a few moments to sit in silence and ask God to show us where we have sinned against Him. When we notice this we say sorry and we ask for His help to lead us to live in a new way. You can do this by yourself or with others you trust.

Pray

• If appropriate, spend some time confessing to the Lord in prayer together what he has just highlighted to you.

• Pray about the other things that have stood out to you today.

Next Steps

• What will a habit of ongoing repentance/confession look like for you?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Readings for the coming week: Mark 15-Luke 5

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
Mark 15-Luke 5

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 1:16-20

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t Miss
Follow: Jesus’ call to the fishermen was an invitation which would change the course of the rest of their lives. To follow a rabbi meant to walk with, live with, eat with, drink with - BE WITH him all the time so that, in time, you can become like him and do what he did. This is the call to follow Jesus: be with him, become like him and do what he did. Notice that following Jesus for the fishermen meant giving up their lives, they left their former way of life in obedience to follow Jesus.

Learn

• Today we continue to learn about four different aspects of prayer based on the acronym ACTS.

• The third letter of ACTS is T which stands for Thanksgiving

In a world filled with a pull towards owning, earning and accomplishing more, it’s vital to be grateful for what we already have. Thankfulness leads us to acknowledge that every good thing in our lives—the big things and the little things—are a gift from God for which we can be thankful.

Take a few moments to think about three things that you’re grateful for. 

Pray

• Take your three things you’re grateful for and turn them into a simple prayer of thanks. For example, “Lord, thank you for providing somewhere warm and dry to live, thank you for the time I got to spend with a friend yesterday, thank you for…”

• Pray about the other things that have stood out to you today.

Next Steps

• What could a daily habit of thanksgiving look like for you?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Readings for the coming week: Luke 6-13

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
Luke 6-13

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 1:35-39

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t Miss
Solitude: This is a recurring discipline in Jesus’ life. He often withdrew to desolate/lonely places to be with the Father in prayer. It was also a habit that he sought out the lonely places after times of pouring out to others. Jesus knows how to be truly refreshed; where his energy comes from. This is not a matter of introversion or extroversion, but of intentionally seeking to get away from the noise, the to-do list, the demands of the world, and be with the Father. Notice that it’s out of this time of solitude that Jesus knows they must move on to other villages, despite the pleas for him to stay in Capernaum.

Learn

• Today we continue to learn about four different aspects of prayer based on the acronym ACTS.

• The final letter of ACTS is S which stands for Supplication—it simply means asking for things.

It’s important not to always jump to simply asking for things from God. Our goal is to develop a deep relationship with Him through prayer. Nevertheless, the Bible teaches us to pray about all sorts of things all of the time (Ephesians 6:18). One of the ways we show our trust in God is to ask and to keep asking for things that we need from Him. What are the things you want to see God do? It could be something in your life, the lives of those around you, in your church or in the wider world. How can you consistently bring these before God in prayer?

Pray

• Pray about some of the things that have stood out to you today.

Next Steps

• What are some things you want to ask God for, but seem too big, or too small? What would it take to start asking for Him to move in these areas?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Readings for the coming week: Luke 14-20

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
Luke 14-20

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 2:1-12

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t Miss
Authority to Forgive: Jesus performs another healing miracle, but not before he does something else. Consider the man lowered through the roof, Jesus tells him his sins are forgiven. The man might have thought, ‘um, thanks, but can you see I’m paralysed? That’s my greatest need’. Jesus is demonstrating that physical healing isn’t the man’s greatest need: spiritual healing is. But then to prove to the religious leaders that he has authority to forgive sins, he heals the man too. Isn’t Jesus brilliant? Our greatest need isn’t physical relief, it’s forgiveness for sins, and only Jesus has the authority to do it - because he is God!

Learn

This week we want to take some time to explore forgiveness. In order to do that we will go back to the C of the ACTS prayer tool - Confession. 

• How have you been going with the confession aspect of prayer? What’s going well? What questions do you have?

Pray

• Are you having any trouble believing that God has forgiven you completely? If so, consider talking and praying through 1 John 1:9.

• Pray about the other things that have stood out to you today.

Next Steps

• Is there anyone you feel you need to make things right with and either extend forgiveness to, or ask for it from? What’s a step towards reconciliation you could take here?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Readings for the coming week: Luke 21-John 4

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
Luke 21-John 4

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 2:13-17

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t Miss
Hospitality: For the religious people in Jesus’ day it was hugely frowned upon to eat with “sinners” yet Jesus did it repeatedly. Food is a basic human need, and so there is something deeply uniting about eating with others. Jesus knew that there was something about eating with others that breaks down barriers like conversation on its own is unable to do. It was such a regular part of his ministry, we need to make sure it features regularly in our lives.

Learn

God has always desired His people to be a blessing to others in the world. As people who believe in Jesus, we have been given the greatest gift. God’s desire is for us to live our lives in a way that blesses others and helps them to believe in Jesus too. This week we are going to learn a tool that will help with that - it’s called BLESS.

BLESS reminds us of five practices that can help us to bless people in our world who don’t know Jesus. Our hope is to be trusted enough to share the message of Jesus with them one day. Over each of the next five sessions, we’re going to explore one of these BLESS practices. Today we start with B—Begin with Prayer.

• Write a list of people in your life who don’t know about Jesus.

Pray

• Let’s take a few moments to pray and ask God to help us find ways of being a blessing to these people.

• Take some time to be quiet and listen to any ideas that God may be trying to give you.

• Having prayed and listened, does anything immediately come to mind?

• Pray about the other things that have stood out to you today.

Next Steps

• How are you going to make time and remember to pray for the people in your list?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Daily readings for this week: John 5-11

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
John 5-11

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 2:23-28

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t Miss
Sabbath: The Sabbath was the high point of the Jewish week - the day of rest. It was the fourth commandment given after the Exodus, but it had become a burden to the people. Jesus turns it on its head and says the sabbath was a gift for God’s people - a day to say ‘no’ to the demands of the world, to remind ourselves that we aren’t in control, and that just as God rested from His creating work, we can enjoy a day of rest and worship.

Learn

Today, we come to the next part of our BLESS tool, which helps us to live in a way that not only blesses others, but helps them to believe in Jesus too. After beginning in prayer for the people we want to share God’s love with, the next step is to Listen. This is what the L stands for in the acronym BLESS. It’s true that people don’t care what you know until they know you care. So we listen well. We ask questions. What’s going on in their world? What’s their story? What’s important to them? Show genuine interest in who they are and what matters to them. Who is someone you want to go deeper with by learning something about their story?

Pray

• Spend some time praying for opportunities to listen well to people in your life this week. Pray that God will help you.

• Pray about the other things that have stood out to you today.

Next Steps

• Do you think you are a good listener? How could you grow in your ability to listen well?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Daily readings for this week: John 12-18

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
John 12-18

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 3:13-19

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t Miss
Multiplication: Jesus is God in the flesh. He could have accomplished his salvation mission by himself at the click of his fingers. But in his sovereignty, he decided not to. He chose to partner with us. Here Jesus begins his method of multiplication; he chooses 12 men to be with him so he can show them how to do what he had been doing. These men (spoiler: minus Judas) will then continue Jesus’ multiplication model, which continues to this day! This is part of what Jesus meant when he called Peter and Andrew, James and John to “fish for people”.

Learn

In the acronym BLESS which we’ve been learning, the E stands for Eat. Eating with others is one of the best ways to grow relationship. Food is a great connector of people. It’s over a meal that you have time, and a peaceful setting, to allow conversation to deepen and really get to know each other. Sometimes around the table people will open up in ways they otherwise wouldn’t have.

Who could you share a meal or a coffee with? Write down all the meal times you know you’ll have in the coming week. Which ones could be used to spending time with someone far from Jesus? 

Pray

• Pray that the Lord would help you as you invite someone to eat with you this week

• Pray about the other things that have stood out to you today.

Next Steps

• Which meal(s) of your coming week could you repurpose to be intentional about eating with someone far from Jesus?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Daily readings for this week: John 19 - Acts 4

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
John 19 - Acts4

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 3:31-35

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t Miss
Family: In first century Israel, family bonds were incredibly strong. Many would say Jesus was dishonouring his mother and brothers by saying they’re the same as anyone else who follows them, but in reality he’s opening his arms wider in welcome to say that anyone who follows him becomes part of his closest family! To be a follower of Jesus is to join his family, to become his brother and sister, and to enjoy the affections that flow from such a relationship with him, and with every other follower of Jesus Christ. 

• What would prioritising time with your Christian family look like for you?

• Have you considered joining both small and large weekly Christian gatherings? (e.g. At The Street this would look like a Life Group and a Sunday worship service)

• What do you need to do to make that a reality?

Learn

We are continuing to explore the acronym BLESS today. As we pray, listen and eat with others, they will inevitably share a need or a way in which you can help them, a way you can Serve them. That’s what the first S in BLESS stands for - Serve. Jesus modeled service at the Last Supper by washing his disciples’ feet, showing there is nothing too low for one of his followers to do for others in love. Is there an opportunity for you to serve someone that has come up recently?

Pray

• Pray about any opportunities you have this week to serve others. If there isn’t one, pray that God would give you an opportunity.

• Pray about the other things that have stood out to you today.

Next Steps

• How will you keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to serve in the coming week?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Daily readings for this week: Acts 5-11

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
Acts 5-11

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 4:1-20

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t Miss
Evangelism: Jesus’ call to his disciples was pretty clear. We read in the beginning of Mark that he said “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people.” The parable here in chapter four gives us greater clarity on what that looks like. In the parable, the farmer wasn’t responsible for whether the seed grew or not, he just scattered seed everywhere and the seed that landed on good soil grew and produced a crop. We are called to spread the message of Jesus wherever we can and to trust God will cause that seed to grow in the hearts of those who are ready to receive it.

Learn

The final part of the BLESS acronym we have been looking at over the last few weeks is S for Story. An amazing way to share about Jesus with people is to tell stories of what he has done in our own lives. It is hard to deny someone else’s experience and can be a really relatable way of sharing about Jesus with someone. In saying that, someone doesn’t necessarily want to spend half an hour hearing your entire life story. Try writing out a personal testimony of what God has done in your life that is 100 words long. You’ll be surprised how short it is. Identify an area of your life where you have experienced transformation or breakthrough and highlight the part God had to play in what happened. The point of this exercise is to help you learn to be brief as you share with others what God has done for you. When you actually get the opportunity to share with someone, make the story you share relevant to something they’ve shared with you.

Pray

• Pray for each other as you look for opportunities to share your story with others

• Pray about the other things that have stood out to you today.

Next Steps

• What could ‘liberally spreading the gospel’ look like for you in your season of life?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Daily readings for this week: Acts 12-18

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
Acts 12-18

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 4:26-34

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t Miss
Kingdom: A kingdom is a place where a king rules. The Kingdom of God is therefore where God rules. We know that when Jesus died on the cross and rose again, that he defeated sin, death and the enemy, but the Kingdom of God will not fully come until Jesus returns to rule and reign. These parables that Jesus taught are explaining the emerging nature of the Kingdom of God.

Learn

As followers of Jesus, we have the best news! That God so loved people that sent his one and only Son to die in our place and that in his death and resurrection, we are forgiven, washed clean and given a brand new life. It’s news that needs to be shared and God wants to use each of us to share this message. There are many ways that you can do this, one of the ways is based around three circles. Have a watch of the video and then practice sharing it together. It might seem like a lot of information at the start but with a bit of practice, it will become very familiar.

How to Share the Gospel in 4 Minutes or Less

Pray

• Pray for the people in your life that don’t yet believe in Jesus, that you might have an opportunity to share the gospel with them

• Pray about the other things that have stood out to you today.

Next Steps

• What is a key takeaway from today?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Read Acts 19-25 before you come back next time

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
Acts 19-25

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

John 14:15-17

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t miss
The Holy Spirit

Jesus promised that after his ascent into heaven, he would send the Holy Spirit. The word translated as “another” in verse 16 means another just like Jesus but also distinct from Jesus. This means that the Holy Spirit—here referred to as another Advocate–is God, just like Jesus but also another person in himself. Verses like this help us to build a belief that God is one God but revealed in three distinct and separate persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is known as the Trinity.

Learn

Over the coming sessions, we’re going to learn about the Holy Spirit. Who he is, what he does and how we relate to him. Today, we’ve learned that he is a distinct person within the Trinity. This means he is God, equal in value and position to the Father and the Son, yet he does a different role from the Father and the Son.

Have a look at the following verses and discuss what it tells us about the Holy Spirit.

• Romans 8:9-11 (He gives life, he confirms we belong to Christ).

• Romans 8:14-17 (He confirms our adoption into God’s family).

• Acts 1:8 (He empowers us to share the message of Jesus).

In Ephesians 5:18, Paul instructs the church to be filled with the Spirit. There are three aspects to this. Firstly, we are to be filled with the Spirit, secondly, we are to live in relationship with the Spirit; and thirdly, we are to keep on being filled with the Spirit.

Pray

• Spend time praying about what you’re learning.

• This is a good time to pray for one another to be filled afresh today with the Holy Spirit.

Next Steps

• Spiritual gifts are a unique mix of tools that God gives to each follower of Jesus to enable them to do God’s work. Before we get together next time, complete this survey and bring your results with you. The results aren’t definitive but can be a helpful start to a conversation.
  Spiritual Gifts Assessment

• What is a key takeaway from today?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Read Acts 26 - Matthew 4  before you come back next time

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
Acts 26 - Matthew 4

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 5:1-20

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t Miss
Authority over the demonic

The world that we know is steeped in brokenness because of sin. Satan has dominion, and this is sometimes shown by his influence in the lives of people, even followers of Jesus. The arrival of Jesus reveals the inbreaking of a superior kingdom–the kingdom of God—and one of the signs of this kingdom is that Jesus has authority to deliver people from demonic oppression. As we see in the life of Legion, this can bring dramatic life-change and freedom. If needed, the following verses can help to fill this out: Mark 1:14-15; Matthew 4:23-25; Ephesians 2:1-2; Colossians 1:13-14.

Learn

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul uses the example of a body to explain the church and spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). We have one body but it is made up of many parts. Each part has a unique role to play which it does for the sake of the whole body. Spiritual gifts help us understand the part that God wants us to play in building up the rest of the body—the church.

Did you do your spiritual gifts survey at giftstest.com? If not, either quickly do it now or have it done for next time. Using the results, discuss the following:

• How do the verses listed with the gifts help you to understand each gift (you may not have time to look at them all)?

• Does that fit with things you already observe in other areas of your life?

• What is a way you could put that into practice?

Pray

• Spend time praying about what you’re learning.

Next Steps

• What is a key takeaway from today?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Read Matthew 5 - 11  before you come back next time

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
Matthew 5 - 11

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 5:21-34

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t miss
Healing

Here Jesus shows that he has both the authority and the power to heal people, even from long-term sickness and raise them from death. What stands out is the response Jesus asks for from people—faith! Notice that Jesus commends the woman for her faith (Mark 5:34) and challenges cynicism with the words, “Don’t be afraid; just believe” (Mark 5:36). While there isn’t a formula for healing, Jesus shows that he expects us to trust that he is able to heal.

Learn

How to pray for healing: The God we serve is powerful, and one of the wonderful things as a follower of Jesus is that God desires to accomplish his work through ordinary followers of Jesus. One of the ways that God is able to use us is in praying for people to be healed from sickness and disease.

Praying for healing isn’t about using a special formula or combination of words. It begins with belief and that God is moved by our faith (Mark 9:23-24) and that, through being filled with the Spirit, we are able to do the same miracles that Jesus did (John 14:12)! 

Beyond that it’s pretty straightforward.

• It’s good to start by asking the person about the condition, how long they’ve had it, and how long it has affected them. Ask how they would know if God healed them.

• Then pray simply using everyday language that God would move in power, heal every part of the affliction in Jesus’ name.

• Consider pausing as you begin to see if God wants to give you a sense of something specific to pray.

• Pray directly and in faith that the condition would be healed (Don’t give yourself an ‘out’ by saying ‘...if it’s your will, Lord’).

• Check with the person what they’re feeling and if anything has changed. If nothing has changed you’re encouraged to pray again and/or commit to keep praying for them. Sometimes change comes more slowly.

• If nothing changes over time, don’t be discouraged. It’s God’s role to heal, our role is simply to believe, pray, and trust him.

Is there anyone right now that you could ask about praying for their healing?

Pray

• Spend time praying about what you’re learning.

Next Steps

• What is a key takeaway from today?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Read Matthew 12-18 before you come back next time

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
Matthew 12-18

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 7:14-22

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t miss
The Heart

The word for heart can mean a physical heart but also refers to our spiritual life - the deepest source of what animates our lives. For Jesus, the thoughts in our minds, the words that come out of our mouths, our actions and reactions are all things that reveal what is going on in the deepest part of who we are. It means that following Jesus cannot be about rules or religion. It’s not about whether you do the ‘right thing’ so much as the motivation behind it. What does your life currently reveal about the condition of your heart?

Learn

A New Heart: Have a look at Ezekiel 36:25-27. Ezekiel was a prophet who spoke of a time when God would send the Spirit (this is the age of the church that we are in).

• What do you notice about what the Spirit does?

• What is the impact on someone’s heart?

This leads to a way of life that is radically different. Now have a look at Galatians 5:16-26.

• What do you notice about the contrast between verses 19-21 and 22-25?

• What is encouraging and challenging about what you notice in your own life?

• Where do you notice a change that God may want to bring?

Pray

• Why not pray together about that right now?

Next Steps

• What is a key takeaway from today?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Read Matthew 19-25 before you come back next time

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
Matthew 19-25

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 8:27-30

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

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Declaration of Christ

Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah, which means “anointed one” (the Greek word ‘Christ’ has the same meaning as ‘Messiah’). Being anointed is being set apart by God for a special purpose. Peter’s declaration reveals that Peter believed Jesus was the anointed one that God had promised to send in order to restore the kingdom of Israel. Many Jews expected this Messiah to be a conquering hero who would overthrow the power of Rome, but they would have to reconcile that with Jesus bringing about his kingdom through the suffering of the cross.

Learn

Three circles gospel presentation - again!

The message about Jesus is the best news ever. Just as Jesus asked Peter to come to a decision about who he was, so must every other person. This is one of the reasons it’s so important that every follower of Jesus can share the message of Jesus with others. A simple way of doing this is using the Three Circles. We have covered this before but it’s important to not just know about this but to be ready to share it when the opportunity comes. Watch the video and practice sharing the gospel with each other.

How to Share the Gospel in 4 Minutes or Less

Pray

• Spend time praying about what you’re learning.

• Who is somebody that you would like to share the Three Circles with? You can pray about this too.

Next Steps

• What is a key takeaway from today?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Read Matthew 26-28 and John 1-4 before you come back next time

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
Matthew 26-28 and John 1-4 

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 8:31-9:1

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t miss
The call to deny self

There is no escaping Jesus’ words here. There is no wriggling out from underneath this call. It is unequivocal and inescapable for anyone who wants to follow him - you must deny yourself. That is, put your own preferences, agenda, ambition aside and submit yourself to the way of Jesus. It means that the way we live should show our submission to Jesus - and means we should expect sorrow and suffering as well as much joy and celebration! What does ‘denying yourself’ and ‘taking up your cross’ look like for you?

Learn

Submitting ourselves to Jesus’ rule and reign means holding our whole lives open before him and saying: “Jesus, would you lead me and guide me. I’ll do anything and go anywhere as long as you go with me”. For many people this has meant leaving their homes, work and comforts and moving to a new location - often overseas - to be a missionary. In the coming week, take some time to research a nation or people group and what is being done to reach them with the gospel, then come back next week and share with each other what you’ve learned, and spend time praying about how you might be involved in some way.

Alternatively, you could check out the missionary page on our website and take some time each day to pray for one of the projects that stands out to you.

Pray

• Spend time praying about what you’re learning.

Next Steps

• What is a key takeaway from today?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Read John 5-11 before you come back next time

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
John 5-11 

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 9:30-37

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t miss
Service

Off the back of last week’s discussion of ‘denying ourselves and taking up our cross’, Jesus’ words here are timely. The way of the cross, the way of Jesus, isn’t about self-promotion or living a comfortable life. It’s known as the ‘upside down Kingdom’: the way to greatness is to be the least, to be strong is to acknowledge how weak we are; if you want honour, you must be the willing servant of all. Jesus himself demonstrates this in how he lived and what he said: ‘The Son of Man didn’t come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.’ - Mark 10:45. 

Learn

One of the things that flows out of our devotion to God is a concern and care for the poor and marginalised. In fact it’s a theme throughout Scripture (see Leviticus 23:22; Proverbs 31:8-9; Galatians 2:10).

Read and discuss Isaiah 58:6-8 together. What are some ways you or we could serve the poor and marginalised together? Are there opportunities within my Location? Are there opportunities in our city? How could we find out about those things?

Pray

• Spend time praying about what you’re learning.

Next Steps

• What is a key takeaway from today?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Read John 12-18 before you come back next time

Bible Reading

Daily readings from the last week:
John 12-18

Reflect

• What stood out to you from your daily readings over the last week? Any questions?

• How did you go with what you said you’d do last week?

Discuss

Mark 9:42-50

Have someone read the passage and use the SOAP method to explore the text:

• S - Scripture (read scripture together)

• O - Observe (what do we see? What does it make us think?)

• A - Apply (what does this mean for my life?)

• P - Pray (pray together)

Don’t miss
Sanctification

Jesus is getting at the seriousness of sin here. He’s using exaggerated language to show how much we should abhor sin and pursue holiness. He’s calling for a costly sacrifice; that if there are parts of our lives that continually cause us to stumble, then we may have to make radical changes to our lives (e.g. if you are struggling with pornography, you might consider getting a ‘dumb’ phone with no browser or apps). The goal here isn’t outward conformity to rules, or to simply have good behaviour. The issue at stake is our hearts (remember what we looked at in Week 16 in Mark 7:14-23) and our desire to be holy (set apart, consecrated) because God is holy.

Learn

Perhaps the most famous prayer in scripture is the Lord’s Prayer. It has been recited by Christians for millennia and serves as both liturgy and prayer guide - you can pray the words and also use the words as themes to pray through. Read aloud the Lord’s Prayer from Matthew 6:9-13, and then home in on one or two themes that you would like to pray into today:

• Our Father in heaven - recognising God as your supreme authority and reminding ourselves that we pray as children of the Father, not beggars who need to plead with him.

• Hallowed be your name - worship, adoration, desire to make His name known and praised

• Your kingdom come - desire for God’s rule and reign in your life and the world

• Daily bread - request for what you need

• Forgive our debts - confession and a willingness to be forgiving toward others

• Temptation - freedom from besetting sins, desire for a pure heart before the Lord

Pray

• Spend time praying about what you’re learning.

Next Steps

• What is a key takeaway from today?

• Who are you going to tell about what you’ve been learning?

• Read John 19-Acts 4 before you come back next time