Leave My Mark: Part 2 - City of Circles
MICRO CHURCH GUIDE
July 31 , 2022
_____________________
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Serve The City, July 23 - August 6
Our church is going out into the community to lead 17 different service projects in an annual initiative we call Serve The City. Our Micro Churches and other OneLifers will be heading up projects at our local schools, senior and community homes, homeless ministries, and much more. To find a project to get involved with, visit onelifeknox.com/servethecity or scan the QR code that’s on the Serve The City card in your seat in the auditorium.
OneLife Students Back To School Bash, August 3
Wednesday night, August 3 at 6:30pm we’ll be having our Back-To-School Bash at the North Campus. It’s going to be a lot of fun as we wrap up our “Survivor Summer” competition and get ready to kick off the new school year. So mark your calendars and make plans to be there! If you’d like more information about OneLife Students, mark the OneLife Students box on your Connection Card.
Next Gen Sunday, August 7
Get ready, because Sunday, August 7 is OneLife’s Next Gen Sunday! During the service we will feature our next generation of disciples and leaders, hear stories from our family ministry, experience an awesome time of worship featuring our preschoolers and elementary students leading us in one of their worship songs, and much more. Don’t miss this incredible Sunday!
Kid City "Pop Up" Sunday, August 14
Sunday August 14th, Kid City is having "Pop Up" Sunday for Kindergarten through 5th grade. This means that August 7 will be the last Sunday in their current grade level, and on August 14th they will "Pop Up" to their new grade for the new school year. Plus, it'll be a popcorn themed day which will be a lot of fun for our kiddos. So we can't wait to see you then!
____________________
GIVE BACK
Give Jesus your best! Make a one-time tithe or offering or to set up a recurring tithe or offering: Click Here To Give Online.
_____________________
BOTTOM LINE: We leave a mark in our city when I leave a mark in my circles.
John 4:13-18 NLT
13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” 15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” 16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. 17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”
John 4:25-26 NLT
25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”
1. Seeing physical needs around me opens the door to spiritual needs around me.
John 4:27 NLT
27 Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?”
2. Religion will try to keep me from the most obvious needs around me.
John 4:28-29 NLT
28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?”
3. Leaving my mark is the top priority.
4. My biggest mark will be left where I have the greatest influence.
John 4:30 NLT
30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
John 4:39-42 NLT
39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” 40 When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, 41 long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.”
5. My mark is left when I am not the hero of the story.
_______________________________________
START TALKING
When have you been part of a project or experience of some kind that required you and other people to divide and conquer? Maybe it's in your family, at school or work, or on a team of some kind. Were you more of the "do most of the work" person or the "show up and participate" person?
Thinking about what you shared above and the examples you gave, what would have happened if just one person tried to do it all? Would it have been as effective or successful? Why or why not?
START THINKING
Read this brief blog post together before answering the next questions!
https://www.progress-index.com/story/news/2011/04/09/pastor-explains-ongoing-feud-between/983991007/
After reading the history of the Jewish-Samaritan feud, read John 4:1-13. Knowing what you now know about the history, what do you think would have been going through this woman's mind as Jesus strikes up a conversation with her? (hint: verse 9!) Beyond this one word, what do you think she was experiencing in this moment?
What does this story tell us about how we should also approach those that are different than us or that we may even historically have been told to not associate with?
When you think about people in your own circles where you live, work, and play, who are the "Samaritans" of our day that Christians are often assumed - or even taught - to not have any association with? What do you think would be the result if Christians chose to follow the example Jesus gives in this story?
Read John 4:15-19.
- Why do you think Jesus responds to her wanting his eternal water with the question about her husband?
- Why do you think he addresses her personal life in this way?
- What do you notice that he does NOT do when he addresses her personal life? And why do you think He does it this way?
START SHARING
Read John 4:27-30.
- Who are the people in your life and in your circles that you may be the only one who can "run back" and tell them about Jesus? Identify the circles of people in your life where you live, work, and play that you have the greatest influence with to possibly leave the biggest mark.
- What keeps you from making this your top priority like it was for the Samaritan woman. She was so focused on this priority that she left her water jar at the well. What might you have to leave behind to make leaving your mark your top priority?
START DOING
What can you do this week to get to know the needs of the people in your life where you live, work, and play so that meeting those needs might open the door to spiritual influence? What is a need that you can meet this week?
The Samaritan woman ran back and told her story of how she met Jesus, and she did it in just a couple of sentences! What is the short story of how you met Jesus and how he changed your life that you can be prepared to tell? (Hint - Just finish these three sentences! "Before Jesus I was... I met Jesus when... Since I met Jesus I am now...")
Which Serve the City project will you be participating in this week or did you participate in last week? Click the link below to sign up! onelifeknox.com/servethecity
START PRAYING
Pray for each other in the micro church to not be afraid to leverage each of our circles where we live, work, and play to leave our mark. Pray that each of us will be filled with the Spirit of God to have the ability, wisdom, and understanding to impact those around us for eternity!
_____________________
CONNECTION CARDS
Be sure to fill out the online Connection Card to let us know next steps, prayer requests, or other information you'd like to share, Click Here.
_____________________
MULTIPLICATION
Share spiritual/missional conversations you've had where you live, work, and play:
Who did you have a conversation with that took a spiritual/missional turn this week?
What questions did you ask to discover where God is at work in their life, even if they are not aware?
How were you able to share your story of life change or how you have experienced Jesus?
How can you be intentional this week with people where you live, work, and play to have spiritual/missional conversations if the opportunity arises?
Who in your life do you think could be disciple-able or open to spiritual/missional conversations?
_____________________
WHAT'S NEXT?
Discuss the next step for your micro church. When will we gather again, and which purpose will it fulfill (missions, fellowship/care, growth, worship, multiplication)?/giveback/giveback
Discuss the next step for your micro church. When will we gather again, and which purpose will it fulfill (missions, fellowship/care, growth, worship, multiplication)?
July 31 , 2022
_____________________
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Serve The City, July 23 - August 6
Our church is going out into the community to lead 17 different service projects in an annual initiative we call Serve The City. Our Micro Churches and other OneLifers will be heading up projects at our local schools, senior and community homes, homeless ministries, and much more. To find a project to get involved with, visit onelifeknox.com/servethecity or scan the QR code that’s on the Serve The City card in your seat in the auditorium.
OneLife Students Back To School Bash, August 3
Wednesday night, August 3 at 6:30pm we’ll be having our Back-To-School Bash at the North Campus. It’s going to be a lot of fun as we wrap up our “Survivor Summer” competition and get ready to kick off the new school year. So mark your calendars and make plans to be there! If you’d like more information about OneLife Students, mark the OneLife Students box on your Connection Card.
Next Gen Sunday, August 7
Get ready, because Sunday, August 7 is OneLife’s Next Gen Sunday! During the service we will feature our next generation of disciples and leaders, hear stories from our family ministry, experience an awesome time of worship featuring our preschoolers and elementary students leading us in one of their worship songs, and much more. Don’t miss this incredible Sunday!
Kid City "Pop Up" Sunday, August 14
Sunday August 14th, Kid City is having "Pop Up" Sunday for Kindergarten through 5th grade. This means that August 7 will be the last Sunday in their current grade level, and on August 14th they will "Pop Up" to their new grade for the new school year. Plus, it'll be a popcorn themed day which will be a lot of fun for our kiddos. So we can't wait to see you then!
____________________
GIVE BACK
Give Jesus your best! Make a one-time tithe or offering or to set up a recurring tithe or offering: Click Here To Give Online.
_____________________
BOTTOM LINE: We leave a mark in our city when I leave a mark in my circles.
John 4:13-18 NLT
13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” 15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” 16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. 17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”
John 4:25-26 NLT
25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”
1. Seeing physical needs around me opens the door to spiritual needs around me.
John 4:27 NLT
27 Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?”
2. Religion will try to keep me from the most obvious needs around me.
John 4:28-29 NLT
28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?”
3. Leaving my mark is the top priority.
4. My biggest mark will be left where I have the greatest influence.
John 4:30 NLT
30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
John 4:39-42 NLT
39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” 40 When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, 41 long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.”
5. My mark is left when I am not the hero of the story.
_______________________________________
START TALKING
When have you been part of a project or experience of some kind that required you and other people to divide and conquer? Maybe it's in your family, at school or work, or on a team of some kind. Were you more of the "do most of the work" person or the "show up and participate" person?
Thinking about what you shared above and the examples you gave, what would have happened if just one person tried to do it all? Would it have been as effective or successful? Why or why not?
START THINKING
Read this brief blog post together before answering the next questions!
https://www.progress-index.com/story/news/2011/04/09/pastor-explains-ongoing-feud-between/983991007/
After reading the history of the Jewish-Samaritan feud, read John 4:1-13. Knowing what you now know about the history, what do you think would have been going through this woman's mind as Jesus strikes up a conversation with her? (hint: verse 9!) Beyond this one word, what do you think she was experiencing in this moment?
What does this story tell us about how we should also approach those that are different than us or that we may even historically have been told to not associate with?
When you think about people in your own circles where you live, work, and play, who are the "Samaritans" of our day that Christians are often assumed - or even taught - to not have any association with? What do you think would be the result if Christians chose to follow the example Jesus gives in this story?
Read John 4:15-19.
- Why do you think Jesus responds to her wanting his eternal water with the question about her husband?
- Why do you think he addresses her personal life in this way?
- What do you notice that he does NOT do when he addresses her personal life? And why do you think He does it this way?
START SHARING
Read John 4:27-30.
- Who are the people in your life and in your circles that you may be the only one who can "run back" and tell them about Jesus? Identify the circles of people in your life where you live, work, and play that you have the greatest influence with to possibly leave the biggest mark.
- What keeps you from making this your top priority like it was for the Samaritan woman. She was so focused on this priority that she left her water jar at the well. What might you have to leave behind to make leaving your mark your top priority?
START DOING
What can you do this week to get to know the needs of the people in your life where you live, work, and play so that meeting those needs might open the door to spiritual influence? What is a need that you can meet this week?
The Samaritan woman ran back and told her story of how she met Jesus, and she did it in just a couple of sentences! What is the short story of how you met Jesus and how he changed your life that you can be prepared to tell? (Hint - Just finish these three sentences! "Before Jesus I was... I met Jesus when... Since I met Jesus I am now...")
Which Serve the City project will you be participating in this week or did you participate in last week? Click the link below to sign up! onelifeknox.com/servethecity
START PRAYING
Pray for each other in the micro church to not be afraid to leverage each of our circles where we live, work, and play to leave our mark. Pray that each of us will be filled with the Spirit of God to have the ability, wisdom, and understanding to impact those around us for eternity!
_____________________
CONNECTION CARDS
Be sure to fill out the online Connection Card to let us know next steps, prayer requests, or other information you'd like to share, Click Here.
_____________________
MULTIPLICATION
Share spiritual/missional conversations you've had where you live, work, and play:
Who did you have a conversation with that took a spiritual/missional turn this week?
What questions did you ask to discover where God is at work in their life, even if they are not aware?
How were you able to share your story of life change or how you have experienced Jesus?
How can you be intentional this week with people where you live, work, and play to have spiritual/missional conversations if the opportunity arises?
Who in your life do you think could be disciple-able or open to spiritual/missional conversations?
_____________________
WHAT'S NEXT?
Discuss the next step for your micro church. When will we gather again, and which purpose will it fulfill (missions, fellowship/care, growth, worship, multiplication)?/giveback/giveback
Discuss the next step for your micro church. When will we gather again, and which purpose will it fulfill (missions, fellowship/care, growth, worship, multiplication)?
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