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Thanksgiving
November 22, 2009 03:40 PM PST
11/22/09 Thanksgiving Northpoint Testimonies In one accord
November 15, 2009 06:45 PM PST
www.northpointsb.com Pastor Paul M. Reinhard Acts 1-2 In One _______________ACCORD______ November 15, 2009 Welcome: If you could have any car for free… what would it be? Forget the responsible car… what would you really like? Worship: Spend this time connecting with God through songs, prayers, and creative arts. Boldly declare in prayer that the Holy Spirit is free to move and minister through your group! Be open to God using you! Word: When the Lord baptized the church in the Holy Spirit it was one of the greatest change points in history. One hundred and twenty unsure seekers became a powerful movement that has run all around the world. One hundred has become one billion. The same Holy Spirit that lit up Peter on the Day of Pentecost is available to you, your Life Group, and our church today! God has a ______PLAN____________ The Holy Spirit has ________POWER________ Jesus promised to give us the ___HOLY_______ _______SPIRIT____ The Holy Spirit came in the midst of ____UNITY AND PRAYER_____________________________ The early church _____WITNESSED__________________ in the power of the Holy Spirit A. EXPECT THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT B. GOD WILL USE YOU AS A WITNESS 1.Can you think of an area of life where unity is important? What is the area and how does unity make a difference? What would this “area of life” be like without unity? 2.Has there ever been a time when you were uniquely aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit? What was it like? 3.In Luke 11:1-13 Jesus speaks three things. First He gives us an outline for prayer. [1-4] Then He gives us a call to persistence. [5-10] Finally He tells a simple little story that has a huge spiritual point. [11-13] Read Luke 11:1-13 aloud. 4.Is there a part of the outline [1-4] that speaks to a need in your life? 5.How does the section on persistence [5-10] challenge your prayer life? 6.What promise does Jesus give to us in verse 13? Why do you think this is so important? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Prayer Time:
Ask Jesus for the gift He promised us in John 14:15-18 (NLT)
Witness: Acts 1:8 (NLT) But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 26 The Apostle Paul's Story
November 08, 2009 05:55 PM PST
Pastor Paul M. Reinhard Acts 26 The Apostle Paul’s Story November 8, 2009 Welcome: Did you have a favorite story when you were a little child? Worship: Spend this time connecting with God through songs, prayers, and creative arts. Boldly declare in prayer that the Holy Spirit is free to move and minister through your group! Be open to God using you! Word: Fill in the blanks if you are in worship. If you could not hear the message on Sunday your group will help you fill in the blanks. THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN SHARING YOUR STORY! ________Respect______________ your audience.
Be honest about your _______Past_____________. Share how you met ___Jesus__________________. What ____Differance________________________ has Jesus made in your _______Life_______? Share the __________Gospel_____________________. Don’t be surprised if _Sparks_________________ ____Fly______________! Give an __Invitation__________________________! The __Results_______________________ are up to God! _____________________________________________________________________ YOUR ELEVATOR STORY
The great Christians have never been afraid to point to themselves
Who I was ___________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ How Jesus Saved Me _____________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ The Difference it Made ____________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Witness: Be asking God in prayer for an opportunity to share your story with somebody this week! Remember 1 Peter 3:15-16 (NLT) Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. [16] But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way… Acts 19 The Turning Point
November 01, 2009 08:49 PM PST
www.northpointsb.com Pastor Paul M. Reinhard Acts 19 The Turning Point November 1, 2009 Worship: Spend this time connecting with God through songs, prayers, and creative arts. Boldly declare that the Holy Spirit is free to move and minister through your group! Welcome: Have you ever forgotten to set your clock when the time changes? Word: This week Pastor Paul shared the pivotal roll that Acts 19:19 played in his spiritual journey! The story of Acts 19 is set in the ancient city of Ephesus. The goddess Artemis [Diana in the Latin] was the principle spiritual power of the area! God used the Apostle Paul to challenge her… and the Kingdom of God won! 1. Are things such as crystals, fortunes, curses, magic, and astrological signs still available in our world? How do people you know use them? 2. Can you think of any books or movies that focus on the occult that have been popular over the last few years?
Read Acts 19:17-20 from a couple of different translations. Reflect together on four key things that stand out! Are these things easy? Why or why not? A. They confessed their sin.
6. Are their things in your life that keep you in sin and make you weak in your service to God? A. Are you willing to confess them to someone you trust? B. Are you willing to destroy them and pay the price if necessary? [This could mean throwing out movies, magazines, alcohol, drugs, and your favorite bong. It could mean deleting files on your computer and not returning to certain websites. It might mean quitting a job or ending a toxic relationship.] Keep in mind that in today’s dollars 50,000 pieces of silver would be about $4,000,000. The people who accepted Christ, repented of theirs sins, and burned the scrolls of Ephesus and Artemis were doing a spiritually radical and financially costly thing! That one moment changed their lives and legacy forever! If Pastor Paul had not loaded a bag with books and thrown them away that day in 1977 I doubt he would be writing out these notes for you today! If Paul had said no to God that day, there is no telling where he would be now! Closing Prayer: Shine your light Oh Lord my God into the depth of my heart. Reveal the sins that keep me from serving you freely and completely. Give me the Holy Ghost power to go through my house, my work, my car, and my life with Jesus. Help me to gather up everything that holds me back, and let me throw it away. Break the hold of Satan on my life, my family, my legacy, my home, my job, my church, and my city… In the powerful and precious, name of my Lord and my Savior, Jesus the Christ,AMEN Witness: Acts 19:20 (NLT) So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect. If we obey Him, He will use us in amazing ways! Notes: People and Places
October 25, 2009 05:19 PM PDT
www.northpointsb.com Pastor Paul M. Reinhard
Welcome: When you were a child, whose house in the neighborhood did you like to play at, and why? Worship: We are here to meet with God and one another. Spend some time entering the Fathers presence. Sing some songs. Read a Psalm. Playa song or a video on the TV or stereo. Open in prayer. Thank the Lord for being in you, and with you! Expect the Holy Spirit to move in your midst! He is with you! Word: This week we took a quick look at some of the different places the gospel went in the Book of Acts. We also looked at a few of the different people who connected in the Book of Acts. Today in our Life Group, we are going to do some thinking about how the Gospel spreads! 1.Have you been watching the news about the H1N1 virus? How is this swine Flu spreading? 2.Think about Sundays Sermon ... how was the spread of the gospel in the Book of Acts like the swine flu? 3.What can we learn from this comparison? 4.Let's look at this fellow named Apollos. We don't know much about him, but
A.Read Acts 18:24-28. What important action is taking place in this passage?
B.Now go backwards in the story and read Acts 18:1-4. Do some imagining here. 5.Do some imagining.How can your life look more the New Testament story of people and places? What do you think happened in the Paul to Aquila-Priscilla to Apollos progression? Witness: As you think about our call to share the gospel, consider Ananias in Acts 9:1O. This brother only shows up in one New Testament story. He is the godly disciple who shares Christ with Saul, who is soon to become the Apostle Paul. We know all about Paul, and the amazing ministry God has given him. But what about this man who went in spite of his fear and in obedience to pray with Saul and share Christ? When we obey God and take our place in the unbroken chain of Christian witness ... there is no telling what God will do! Scratch Were They Itch
October 19, 2009 10:34 PM PDT
Pastor Paul M. Reinhard Acts 17 Scratch Where They Itch
Welcome: Do you like the indoors or the outdoors best? Worship: You are here to meet with God and one another. Spend some time entering the Fathers presence.Sing some songs.Read a Psalm.Play a song or a video on the TV or Stereo. Open in prayer. Thank the Lord for being in you, and with you! Expect the Holy Spirit to move in your midst! He is with you! Word:This Sunday we looked at the Apostle Paul getting chased out of Thessalonica, Berea, and ending up in Athens. We talked about the idols that filled Athens and the Festivals that passed on the traditions from generation to generation.Then we saw Paul preach a brilliant sermon on Mars Hill with minimal results. 1.Have you ever gone fishing and caught fish, and then gone fishing and not caught fish. What was the diffrents? 2.Have you ever shared your faith and something really exciting came of it? Have you ever shared your faith and nothing happened? What was the difference? 3.Read Acts 17:19-23. What did Paul do to “build a bridge” with his audience? Was it effective? 4.Athena [the goddess of wisdom and art] was the spirit of Athens. Paul used the presence of many idols as his starting point in sharing the gospel. Think about your oikos [circle of influence] here in San Bernardino. What could your starting point be to speak with people about Christ? Have you experienced this lately? 5.Read Acts 17:30-31. Keep in mind that Paul was preaching to an idol-worshiping congregation. Is it safe to say that these words ‘hit the heart’ of Paul’s audience? How do you handle it when the Bible begins to confront somebody you are sharing Christ with? Homework: Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. Keep in mind that Paul went from Athens to Corinth in his travels. Later, when he wrote to the Corinthians, he emphasized that their faith did not rest upon the wisdom of his preaching. Is it possible that Paul learned something in Athens that influenced the rest of his ministry? Be encouraged by the Apostle’s words! Witness: Be ready this week to ‘build a bridge” to somebody that God puts in your path! Remember, even the Apostle Paul won some, and lost some! Our job is to share the Good News! Only God can save a soul! Close your time in prayer for those in your Life Group and OIKOS! Freedom In Christ
October 11, 2009 06:14 PM PDT
Acts 16 Freedom in Christ
Welcome: Do you drive to fast, to slow, or just right?
Worship: You are here to meet with God and one another. Spend some time entering the Fathers presence. Sing some songs. Read a Psalm. Play a song or a video on the TV or Stereo. Open in prayer, thanking the Lord for being in you, and with you! Expect the Holy Spirit to move in your midst! He is with you! Word: This week we looked at Acts 16. The Holy Spirit led Christians. One was called to serve. God saved and delivered others. People were beaten and put in prison. God moved in mighty ways and delivered His children. God touched entire families with His saving power. One entire city was in an uproar! That is an amazing amount of activity to find in just 40 verses. 1. Have you ever played with dominos? Have you ever stood them end to end and then knocked them over? Describe this process. 2. Think about your Life Group, and the people you know who have accepted Christ recently. Can you think of any domino patterns in their stories? 3. In Acts 16 we see people being "led of the Holy Spirit." Can you think of a time? When you sensed the Holy Spirit leading you? Did you obey? What happened? 4. Read Acts 16:16-18. In this text, Paul casts out a pneuma puthon. This was a python spirit. This is a specific term in the Greek language, which refers to the spirit of divination that was located in the very famous Oracle of Delphi. [CO Peter Wagner, Blazing the Way, The Acts of the Holy Spirit] In Greek tradition, mentally challenged or gifted people were believed to have lost their minds to give room to the god's. When Paul cast out this powerful spirit of divination and the owners lost their profit, it stirred up the entire city! Is their a spirit in your OIKOS? If it were cast out, would things be stirred up? What name would you give the spirit? Will you pray for it to leave? If you begin to pray in this manner, take it very seriously. This type of prayer takes us into the arena of spiritual warfare! [Ephesians 6:11-12 and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5] 5. Paul and Silas were arrested, beaten, and put in jail for doing good and obeying God. Their response was to ... A. Pray and Sing to God.
How would you respond to somebody who had locked you up in jail? Witness: The jailer watched what Paul and Silas did. He saw how God moved on their behalf. Remember ... people are watching you. They listen to what you say and they watch how you respond to adversity! God through you is a powerful witness to those who are watching! It is not just about us, it is about the OIKOS we are called to serve and reach! Close your time in prayer for those in your Life Group and OIKOS! There might be someone in your group right now who feels like their in a jail cell! They might need your prayers and encouragement to help set them free! At The Home Of Cornelius
October 04, 2009 03:24 PM PDT
At the Home of Cornelius Acts 10 Pastor Paul M. Reinhard 10/04/09 WELCOME: What is your favorite kind of candy? WORSHIP: Open your hearts to God with singing, prayer, or a poem. Be open and creative as you meet Him. Thank the Holy Spirit for meeting with you and be sensitive to His presence in your midst. WORD: We can see the Spirit of God moving powerfully in the book of Acts. People were ready to meet God. God's people were open to sharing the Good News. The results were amazing. Entire households came to Christ and experienced the joy of salvation and baptism. The same thing is happening around the world today. 1. Can you think of something that has changed since you were a child?
2. Simon Peter was a Jew. He lived under very strict food laws. Read Acts 10:9-21.
3. How would you have reacted if you were Peter? How does his vision challenge you in meeting new and different people? 4. Read Acts 10:28-29 and 2 Peter 3:9. What do these verses tells us about God's attitude toward people? Do we have God's attitude? WITNESS: How can the following formula be worked out in your Life Group? Earnest Seeker + Ready Believer + The Word + The Holy Spirit = Salvation & Baptisms! Remember:
CLOSE WITH PRAYER: These past weeks I have been deeply moved by the challenges faced by members of our Fellowship! People are wrestling with marriages, children, health, and fmances! These things can put a tremendous drain on our emotional reserves, and our faith. Take some time to pray for the people in your life group. Pray also for those in your OIKOS who need a touch from the Lord! The Call of the Apostle Paul Acts 9
September 27, 2009 03:29 PM PDT
WWW.NORTHPOINTSB.COM
Welcome: Do you have a good sense of direction? Do you ask for directions?
1. Have you ever experienced a major change of direction? Maybe you headed for one job, but took another. Perhaps you wanted to attend one school, but graduated from somewhere else. What was your moment of change, and how did it affect your life? 2. Do you think God was in the change?
3. Read Exodus 13:17-22. The deliverance of Israel from Egypt is one of the greatest Old Testament narratives. They spent 40 vears in the wilderness! A. How did God lead His people?
Close with Prayer for our Fellowship and One Another: OH Lord our God:
AMEN
September 21, 2009 09:46 AM PDT
WWW.NORTHPOINTSB.COM
Welcome: Have you ever planned to meet somebody somewhere…
Worship: Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Word: This past Sunday we looked at Philips Spirit led meeting with the Ethiopian. We saw how God directed their paths so that they crossed at exactly the right time and place. Today we will explore how God can lead us and use us to His glory! 1. Can you think of a serendipitous, unusual, or unexpected encounter that you have had? This could be that time when you ran into just the right person, at just the right moment! What impact did this meeting have on your life? 2. Have you ever had a sense that you should have done something…
3. Read Genesis 12:1-6. A. What did God tell Abram in verse 1? B. What did Abram do in verse 4? C. What would you do if God said this to you? 4. This past week I have been reflecting deeply on the possibility of 2,000 Christians occupying our property. I confess to you that it excites me, scares me, and saddens me all at the same time. Spend some time dreaming in your Life Group. A. How would it influence the North end of San Bernardino to have a 2,000 person church move their ministry to Sierra Way and Parkdale? B. What could a church that size, with those resources, do with this property? 5. What emotions come into play when you think about this kind of a change? Witness: Read this quote by J. Vernon Mcgee. How can it apply to your ministry this week? The Spirit of God had gone ahead to prepare the heart and to prepare the messenger. This leading of the Spirit of God is absolutely essential. I'm afraid that a great deal of personal work is done in a haphazard manner and without the leading of the Spirit of God. I believe that we ought to make it a matter of definite prayer before we talk to anyone. We should talk to the Lord about the individual before we talk to the individual about the Lord. It is not simply that we need the Holy Spirit to lead us. What we need is for the Spirit of God to go ahead of us and prepare the way, then to call us up to where He is. We want to go where the Spirit of God is moving. Close with prayer in the spirit of Philip and Abram: Oh Lord, we praise you, and we trust you. Forty-four years ago, you moved Calvary Baptist Church from 19th and E. St up to Parkdale and Sierra Way. Now we are experiencing a shifting and a stirring once again. What is your will for your church? Whom do you want on this corner? Where would you have NorthPoint to go? What would you have us to be? Lead us Oh Lord with great clarity and joy. Let us know your will for us. Let us unite our hearts together as your children, and together seek your will for our Fellowship. Give us a sense of excitement and peace about following you!
NOTES:________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ The Path of Simon Peter
September 13, 2009 02:50 PM PDT
WWW.NORTHPOINTSB.COM
Welcome: What is your favorite tree? Tell us about it! Worship: Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Witness: Ask God to give you an opportunity this week to share the ABC’s with somebody in your oikos! Be ready for the chance when it comes! Word: Simon Peter is an awesome man with an awesome story. He began as a fisherman and ended up an Apostle. At one point Peter was a fleshly failure. When Jesus was finished with him, he was an awesome spirit filled leader. Praise God that we are on a journey with Jesus that will not end until we see Him in eternity! He is at work in us and He will never quit! 1. Is there an exciting area of your life that is growing, changing, or happening? 2. How has your Christian walk been growing or changing lately? 3. Read Luke 22:54-62. A. Why do you think Peter denied Jesus? B. Describe how Peter felt when Jesus looked at him! 4. Have you ever been keenly aware of God’s love, forgiveness, and restoration?
5. Think about the way Jesus treated Simon Peter. If Jesus is our model then how should we treat people who have failed? What should our attitude be? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
_______________________________________________________________________ INVITE A FRIEND TO COME AND HEAR ABOUT
September
October
November
NOTES: _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ The Last Supper
September 06, 2009 09:44 PM PDT
www.northpointsb.com
Welcome : What is your favorite meal? Worship : Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Witness : Take time in your Life Group to pray for the people in your OIKOS. Ask God to bless them. Ask God to open an opportunity for you to share the ABC's and serve them. Fervent prayer and diligent service will open amazing spiritual doors Word : The Last Supper was a powerful time of connecting with Israel's past, and pointing to a glorious future. In a few short sentences, Luke reminds us of several key teachings of Jesus. Since this meal was very important, so are the words of the Master. 1.Can anyone in your Life Group remember an interesting, different or special Communion Service that you have ever experienced? 2.Jesus make several amazing declarations during this Passover Meal. Explore these teachingd and apply them to your own life and ministry.
C.The disciples began to ask each other which of them would ever do such a thing. Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. Luke 22:23-24(NLT) Why do Christians get into arguments about their religious positions of authority? How do we get past the arguments and truly serve one another? 3.What is Communion [The Lord's Supper] like for you? Has God been meeting you in a special way lately? Do you pray a special prayers? Do you have a special traditions for your times of communion? Close with prayer for the needs that have been shared. Remember to thank God for the gifts of His Son! Personal Reflection:Spend some time this week reflecting on 1 Corinthians 11:7-34 Jesus Tells The Future!!!
August 30, 2009 01:22 PM PDT
WWW.NORTHPOINTSB.COM
Welcome: Are you ready for the Fall? What changes will it bring to your life? Worship: Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Witness: Take time in your Life Group to pray for the people in your OIKOS. Ask God to bless them. Ask God to open an opportunity for you to share the ABC’s and serve them. Fervent prayer and diligent service will open amazing spiritual doors. Word: This past Sunday we looked at the teachings of Jesus in Luke 21:5-37. Jesus spoke about the destruction of Jerusalem that was only a generation away. He also spoke about the end of the age. [Or, the end of time.] 1. Why are people so interested in prophecy and the end of the world? 2. How does the thought of the world ending make you feel? 3. Many Christians spend lots of time pondering the return of Christ. They get very excited about charts, graphs and manmade books. What did Jesus say to His very closest disciples about His return in Acts 1:6-7? 4. What did Jesus focus on in these verses? Luke 21:8 ____________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Luke 21:9 ____________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Luke 21:12-14 ____________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________ Luke 21:26-28 ___________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Luke 21:34-36 ___________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Acts 1:8 ___________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ 5. What picture, or theme, do the above scriptures paint for you?
Close in a time of prayer for yourselves and our church. Praise God for the vote of confidence our Movement has shown in us through their $25,000 gift! Personal Time with God in the Listening Room:
But you should keep a clear mind in every situation.
As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God.
And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize
August 24, 2009 09:27 PM PDT
WWW.NORTHPOINTSB.COM
Welcome: What exciting thing did you do this summer? Worship: Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Word:
1. Read Luke 20:45-47. What critique does Jesus give to the religious leaders? 2. Keep the religious leaders in mind as you read Luke 21:1-4 above. A. Who was Jesus comparing? __________________________________________ B. What was the difference in their behavior? ________________________________________________________________________ 3. What do you think Jesus meant when He talked about giving out of surplus? 4. What did Jesus mean when He says she “has given everything she has?” 5. Do you give to God out of your surplus, or do you dig deep? 6. What does it mean in our culture to “give it all?”
B. Why does talking about our money create such distress for us? C. What emotions, questions, fears, concerns, etc. come into play when you speak of money? 6. Last but not least… How does this passage of scripture speak to our current challenges and concerns as a church? Close with a time of prayer.
NOTES: _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Witness: Be praying for your OIKOS this week! Ask God to show you “the person of peace.” This person is open to the gospel, and is the key to reaching a completely new OIKOS. God is already preparing this person to connect with you and talk about Jesus. It's Not Where You Go...It's Where You ARE!!!
August 16, 2009 03:42 PM PDT
Northpoint Christian Fellowship
Welcome… Greet and connect with one another. Take some time to find out how everybody’s week has been. Worship… Now take some time and connect with God. Sing, pray, meditate, listen to a song. Enjoy this time of putting off the weeks challenges, and relaxing in the presence of God. Remember that God loves to “Hang Out” with you! Witness Take some time to discuss and pray over those in your OIKOS that need to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Ask the Lord to incline their hearts and to give you a chance to share with them. Make a plan to deliberately see them this week. Word… The Sunday before last, Pastor Paul said that “Our Church is not in trouble. In fact, it’s healthier than it’s been in decades.” He gave some qualifying statements to back it up. 1. As a group, discuss what areas of health you currently see present or coming on the horizon to NorthPoint. This past Sunday, I (Michael) modified Paul’s statement to simply “NorthPoint is a healthy church.” I said that before we can agree or disagree wit this statement that we had to clarify and qualify the words “healthy” and “church”. 1. What is “church”? (Hint: Take a look at Romans 16:1-5)
The Greek word in the Bible that we translate into “church” is the word “ecclesia.” Ecclesia literally means “a gathering”. Every biblical reference to church or ecclesia refers to a group of people and never a location or building. Since we know, biblically speaking, that “church” is a gathering not a gathering place, we can now determine whether the “gathering” that meets at NorthPoint is “healthy”. 1. What are 2-3 strong areas of health in your Life Group?
1. A healthy church must be committed to true biblical teaching…(James 1:22)
2. A healthy church must have strong biblical leadership…(2 Timothy 4:1-4)
3. A healthy church focuses on discipleship… (Matthew 28:19-20, Colossians 1:28)
4. A healthy church has a biblical understanding of membership…(Hebrews 10:23-25)
Final personal reflection…take some time a pray personally and corporately about whether you and your group are more committed to the “gathering” or the gathering place. Remember, “church” is NOT where you go, it’s where you are! Admit you are a sinner. Romans 3:23
August 15, 2009 09:42 PM PDT
08/09/2009 Pastor Paul Reinhard Luke 20:41-47
August 02, 2009 10:34 PM PDT
WWW.NORTHPOINTSB.COM
Welcome: How many different places have you lived in your adult life? Worship: Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Witness: Be praying for your OIKOS this week! Ask God to show you “the man of peace.” This person is open to the gospel, and is the key to reaching a completely new OIKOS. Pray a special blessing upon that person and their household! Word: For months, our church has been praying about the direction God would have us to go! We have read books, attended symposiums, and had special prayer meetings! We have shared with you candidly that our money coming in is less than our money going out. The time has come to make some decisions. On August 23rd we will be having a special business meeting. For the next couple of weeks our Life Groups will be engaging in some Biblical reflection to prepare for that meeting. 1. Did Jesus own a building? How do you think it affected His ministry? ________________________________________________________________________ 2. Did the Apostle Paul or Peter own a building? How did it affect their ministry? ________________________________________________________________________ 3. Read Acts 19:8-10. Make a list of the events that happened! You will come up with different numbers, depending upon how you group them, and your Bible translation. Carefully analyze the flow of the story. What happened? What did Paul do? What was the fruit of his ministry? A. __________________________________________________________________ B. __________________________________________________________________ C. _________________________________________________________________D. _________________________________________________________________ E. _________________________________________________________________ F. _________________________________________________________________ G. _________________________________________________________________ H. _________________________________________________________________ 4. Read Acts 17:24-25, 1 Peter 2:4-5, and 1 Corinthians 6:19. Where does God live? Does He live in a building? Does He live in a body? _______________________________________________________________________ 5. Think about our Vision… Mentoring, Life Groups, Celebration. A. Where can you do Mentoring? _______________________________________________________________________ B. Where can you do Life Groups? _______________________________________________________________________ C. Where can we do Celebration if we sell our facility? _______________________________________________________________________ Prayer: Close your time together in prayer. Pray for God’s will for our church. Pray for His leading and protection. Pray that we will hear His voice, and follow Him. When Dr. David Yongii Cho, the pastor of the largest church in the world, was asked his secret for success he said, “I pray and obey!” That was his simple secret, pray and obey! _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _PERSONAL AND FAMILY REFLECTION This reflection is for your consideration during the week. We will be speaking about this in Life Group next week. Please spend time in your listening room with these things! At our last Board meeting, Pastor Chris and I [Paul] offered our resignations to the Board. We told the Board that if they wanted to turn the church around and go back toward a “traditional” model of ministry, that we would truly respect and honor their wishes. The Board unanimously voted to pursue the Vision of Mentoring, Life Groups, and Celebration. They observed that Calvary/NorthPoint has been doing traditional style ministry on our property since 1965. The church has ridden the attendance roller coaster between 150 and 300 worshipers through all of that history. We have only been marginally effective at the main goal Christ gave the church. We have not been radically and wildly effective at winning souls and making disciples. Our city is not fundamentally different because we are here. Chris and I are going to make the same offer to our congregation. If you would like our resignations, we will humbly tender them. But if you believe that God would like to do a mighty work in this community, through the Cell Model of ministry that we are pursuing, then we would be honored to serve you, and lead you, in that direction. Our Staff and Board have prayed together for months about these things. We are tired of spending most of our meetings and energy on buildings and budgets. We are ready to sell the “synagogue” which has become a “financial millstone around our necks” and go in search of an affordable “hall of Tyrannus” in the center of our corporate OIKOS. I [Paul] want to spend my days winning souls and making disciples, not worrying about payroll and making the mortgage. As I have been praying about these things at camp the last few weeks the story of Cortez came to mind. When he landed his soldiers on a foreign shore, he burned the boats. They understood the importance of winning the battle, because there was no going back from the Vision! I am coming to believe that the decisions about our budget and property are more Vision than financial. If NorthPoint wants to be a traditional church, then she needs property upon which to run her programs. If NorthPoint is going to be a Cell Movement, then we can rent a place to Celebrate, or meet in a park during the nice months, and win thousands to Christ in our homes, schools, places of business, or the local coffee shop! Where we meet will reflect who we are and where we are hGod has given us a peace about launching out into the deep! I fully appreciate the magnitude of this discussion. The time has come. We must make decisions! We love you and will be praying for you as you pray for one another and us! Paul and Chris
Burn The Ships
In the spring of 1519 a Spanish fleet set sail
Burn the ships, we're here to stay,
In the spring of new beginnings a searching heart set sail
Burn the ships, we're here to stay,
July 26, 2009 05:08 PM PDT
WWW.NORTHPOINTSB.COM
Welcome: Has it been hot enough for you lately? Worship: Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Witness: Take time in your Life Group to pray for the people in your OIKOS. Ask God to bless them. Ask God to open an opportunity for you to share the ABC’s and serve them. Fervent prayer and diligent service will open amazing spiritual doors. Word: This past Sunday we watched deceitful men try to trap Jesus. We watched Jesus give a very brilliant answer to their questions. 1. Have you ever been around people who tried to trick or cheat you?
________________________________________________________________________ 2. Read Ephesians 4:14-16 out loud… A. What does Paul want to see happen with us in verse 14? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ B. What two things does Paul want to see happen to us in verse 15? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ 3. Read Luke 20:20-26… How is the “agenda” of the religious leaders different from the picture of the Body of Christ that Paul gives us in Ephesians 4:14-16? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Close with a time of prayer. Focus on these verses. Search me, O God, and know my heart:
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.
_____________________________________________________________ Prophetic Confrontation!
July 19, 2009 04:26 PM PDT
July 19,2009 Pastor Pual Reinhard Luke 20:9-19 Table Talk
July 15, 2009 08:14 PM PDT
July 12,2009 Table Talk with the Waco Wanderers Teach Us To Pray
July 09, 2009 08:55 AM PDT
Sunday July 5,2009 George Stewart Learning the Secret of Contentment
June 28, 2009 04:04 PM PDT
June 28,2009 Guest Speaker Mark Lambert To Tithe or Not Too Tithe,Thats the Question
June 21, 2009 08:30 PM PDT
06/21/2009 Mike White Don't Mess with God
June 14, 2009 05:25 PM PDT
June 14,2009 Pastor Paul Reinhard Luke 20:1-8 Engage June 7 2009
June 10, 2009 10:13 AM PDT
Fasting
June 09, 2009 06:01 AM PDT
June 7 2009 Pastor Paul Reinhard A House Of Prayer!
June 01, 2009 09:27 PM PDT
Sunday May 31,2009 Pastor Paul Reinhard Luke 19:45-48 The Cost and the Call
May 24, 2009 06:13 PM PDT
5/24/09 The Cost and the Call! Luke 19:41-44
Welcome: If somebody said to you right now, “Let’s go out and do some evangelism!” what thoughts would go through your mind? Worship: Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Word: We tell people about things we like! Go eat at this restaurant! Watch this movie! Check out this store! It is easy to introduce people we love! This is my wife! This is my mom! This is my best friend! 1. Why does the concept of “doing evangelism” create so much stress for so many Christians? 2. Go around your circle and read Mark 5:1-20 aloud! A. Describe the demon-possessed man! Did this man have issues? What were they? B. Can you think of contemporary issues that are a parallel to the problems this man had! C. From the story would you say that this man was a deeply learned spiritual man? D. What did Jesus tell this man to do? Mark 5:19 E. How did people respond to this man? Mark 5:20 2. Go around your circle and read aloud Paul’s story in Acts 22:1-23. A. What do we learn about Paul the Apostle in verse 3? B. Did Paul teach a deep and theological lesson to the people in Acts 22? C. What did he do? How did he share? What did he share?
A. My life before Christ! _______________________________________________________________________ B. How I met Christ! _______________________________________________________________________ C. What God saved me from! _______________________________________________________________________ D. The difference Christ has made in my life! _______________________________________________________________________ 4. Close your time in prayer for the advance of God’s Kingdom through you! _______________________________________________________________________ A little story for your personal meditation: One day as a woman was crossing a street at London station, an old man stopped her. He said to her, "Excuse me, ma'am, but I want to thank you." She looked up and exclaimed, "Thank me?" He replied, "Yes'm, I used to be a ticket collector, and whenever you went by you always gave me a cheerful smile and a good morning. I knew that smile must come from inside somewhere. Then one morning I saw a little Bible in your hand. So I bought one, too, and I found Jesus.
Witness: Be praying this week that God will give you His passion for the lost. Ask God for an opportunity to share the ABC’s with someone in your OIKOS! Draw close to Christ, and ask Him to use you, to His glory, in a new and wonderful way! True Love Waits!
May 18, 2009 04:41 PM PDT
True Love Waits
Icebreaker – Where do you believe you gained the majority of your beliefs and understanding about sex and sexuality? Worship: Spend some time in worship of your creator. Whether that is through song, praise, thanksgiving, scripture reading, etc… Word: “Suppose you came to a country where you could fill a theatre by simply bringing a covered plate on to the stage and then slowly lifting the cover as to let everyone see, just before the lights went out, that it contained a mutton chop or bit of bacon, would you not think that in that country something had gone wrong with their appetite for food”
1. C.S. Lewis wrote this in the 1940’s in regards to our unhealthy appetite for sexuality. Do you think this quote still rings true today? How so?
3. What role has God played in your sexuality? 4. Read Mark 12:28-34. How do these four areas of our lives tie in with our sexuality? 5. Read 1 Corinthians 7:1-7, According to this passage what can we learn about God’s expectations for us? 6. Read Galatians 5:19-23 What parts of these passages characterizes your life. Are you living a spirit directed life or a sinful nature led life? Witness: Spend some time and share with your group those that you are praying for and those that you’re sharing Christ with. It is important for you to all be praying for one another as you head out to share Christ in your city. Raising Your Children for Christ!
May 10, 2009 09:51 PM PDT
5/10/09 Raising your Children for Christ!
Welcome: What was your favorite thing to do with your parents when you where a child or teenager? Worship: Open your hearts to God in a creative way. Take time to sing, pray, listen, or share. Put aside the pressure of the week and connect with one another during this special Life Group time. Word: We are going to be looking at the spiritual influence that parents have upon their children. This could bring up some sensitive, even painful thoughts, so be very kind and gentle with one another. Only share what is comfortable for you. 1. What spiritual memories do you have from the family groups in which you were raised? Do you have different memories from different groups during different periods of your childhood? What were the special lessons that you remember? 2. Were there people outside of your family unit who had a special spiritual influence upon you? What did you learn from them? 3. How do you feel about the spiritual content of your childhood? 4. Now, let us take a leap several thousand years into the past. Read aloud the challenge that God gave to His children as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. As you read jot down the instructions that stand out to you. What speaks to you, and why?
_______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ 6. Read Psalm 78:1-8 and notice the emphasis that is placed upon stories. Children love stories. Teenagers and young adults love stories. Here is a challenge to you adults. Tell your children your stories. Include your family stories because they are very powerful in shaping your child’s understanding of their roots and place in this world. A. Have you raised your kids on your stories? B. Have you raised your kids on family stories? C. Will you begin sharing age appropriate stores with your children? It will give you a wonderful common ground from which to discuss your faith and life! Spend some moments in prayer and lift up your children to the Lord! _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Witness: Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit and the Resurrection power of Christ! Allow His power to flow through you to the world around you! When God shines through… the world will be touched by Him… through you! Let it happen! A Vision for Mentoring
May 03, 2009 08:41 PM PDT
May 3, 2009
Icebreaker – What person has impacted your life the most? Why? (Someone other than God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit) Worship: Spend some time in worship of your creator. Whether that is through song, praise, thanksgiving, scripture reading, etc… Word: 1. Have you ever been in any kind of mentoring relationship? What was it about? What did it consist of?
3. What is our responsibility as Christians to one another? 4. Read Genesis 4:9 and Philippians 2:3-4. Which passage represents the modern Christian church? Which passage should we be living up to, and how do we do it? 5. If you are already part of the Year of Equipping mentoring process share with your group your experience so far. 6. If you are not in a mentoring triad yet, share what some of your fears or hesitations might be in getting involved.
2 Timothy 2:2 (NLT)
2010
April 19, 2009 05:50 PM PDT
4/19/09 Celebration
Welcome: What were some great concerts you have been to in your life? Worship: Doing Life together is about meeting with God and one another. It is about opening our hearts to God, and to one another. Enjoy your time together. Pray, sing, share, open up to God, and one another. Life Groups are a special time to step outside of normal time, and space, and to meet with the God who is both inside and outside of our time and space! When you meet with Him, anything can happen! Word: For three Sundays we are taking a look at the three key parts of our NorthPoint Vision. Celebration came first, next Sunday will be Life Groups, followed by Mentoring.
1. What is the weirdest way you have ever seen people meet with God? \
2. Do you like to meet God in a loud way, or a quiet way, or both? Does it vary from place to place, mood to mood, or moment to moment? 3. We are going to look at three places in scripture where the glory of God came down amongst people. As you read the passages, ask the following questions. A. How do you think the people felt, who experienced these events? B. How would you respond if God appeared like this to you today? Exodus 40:33-35 ______________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Luke 9:28-36 _____________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ 4. What do you think of the Greg Ogden quotes from Transforming Discipleship? Information is not transformation
We want self initiating, reproducing,
PERSONAL REFLECTION:
“Why do we [the church] work so hard, do so much, and accomplish so little?”
_______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Witness: Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit and the Resurrection power of Christ! Allow His power to flow through you to the world around you! When God shines through… the world will be touched by Him… through you! Let it happen! 7 Preachers 7 Minutes 7 Last Words of Christ
April 12, 2009 01:50 PM PDT
4/12/2009 Linden,Mark,George,Michael,John,Chris,Paul Engage Service
April 10, 2009 02:37 PM PDT
04/05/09 Pastor Paul Reinhard Proverbs 5 "Teaching Teen's Sexual purity" Cry Out To Jesus!!!
April 05, 2009 05:26 PM PDT
4/5/09 Cry Out To Jesus! Luke 19:28/44
Welcome: Where are you going to spend Easter, and what are you going to eat? Worship: Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Word: This past Sunday we looked at our Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. What a pivotal time in history as Christ continued His journey toward His cross, and our salvation. The disciples were worshiping, the crowds were responding, and the Pharisees were fuming. God placed a choice before the nation of Israel. It was a choice God had offered many times before! God passes by, and He extends His hand to us. The age-old question is… will we take it? 1. Think about times that you have been travelling. Have you ever missed your ride? What happened? What did you do? 2. Think about modern America. Think about the people you work with. Think about the people you go to school with. Think about your professors. Are the people in your world aware of God passing by? How are they responding to Him? 3. How do the people in your world respond to your relationship with Christ? 4. In the Triumphal Entry, we see Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. Read this part of the story in Luke 19:41-44. What do His tears tell us about the heartbeat of God, and His attitude toward us? What does it teach us about our attitude toward the world? 5. Imagine Jesus weeping over America. What do you think He would say to us as a nation if He were physically here today? 6. Two thousand years ago the Jews recognized the importance of the prophecies of Zechariah 9:9, 14:3-4, and the powerful words of Psalm 118. Some worshiped Him. Others wanted Him to silence His worshiping disciples. How do we share Christ with our Oikos, here in America, in 2009? 7. Finish your time together this week by praying for people that you are inviting to Easter Sunday or to your Life Group. Pray for one another, and encourage each other as together we attempt to live out the principles of the Kingdom of God in our generation! Notes and thoughts: _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Personal Reflection for this special Easter week: Psalms 113-118 are known as the Hallel. This is Hebrew for Praise. It is where we get our word Hallelujah. These Psalms were sung during the preparation for the Passover. The Passover was the season when the sacrificial lamb was chosen, prepared, and slain. Jesus and the disciples probably sang them as part of the last supper. As you prepare for this Easter consider spending some devotional time with the Hallel. As you read through these Psalms sung for the Jewish Passover, look for the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. Look for the eternal Lamb in the Hallel. Hallelujah! Witness: Ask God to give you His passion and tears for the lost. Ask God for an opportunity to share the ABC’s with someone in your OIKOS! Draw close to Christ, and ask Him to use you, to His glory, in a new and wonderful way! AMEN What Are You Doing With Your Gifts????
March 29, 2009 04:10 PM PDT
NorthPoint Christian Fellowship
Ice Breaker: If you had to describe your day as a flavor of ice cream what flavor would it be and why? Worship: Prepare ahead of time to have someone in your group share a psalm, song or poem that they enjoy that draws them closer to God. Word: 1. What is the most valuable thing someone has ever trusted you with? 2. How did you do with it? Have they trusted you with anything since then? 3. Has anyone ever misused, or not appropriately taken care of something you allowed them to use? 4. How did you respond? 5. We explored 4 main areas of responsibility that God gives us. Time, Possessions, Money and Gifts (spiritual), let’s explore those for a minute? 6. God has given us each the same amount of time, how we use it is up to us. If you were to write out your last week’s schedule, and then gave it to someone you did not know, what would they say about your priorities? Is that where your priorities should be?
8. Over half of the world’s population lives on less than $2 per day, 80% live in substandard housing (no electricity, no running water), and 50% are malnourished, many living on less than 1 meal per day. No matter how you slice it we as Americans are wealthy, since we have been given much, much is expected of us. How have done in using your finances to build the kingdom of God? 9. Ralph Neighbor says “Live simply so others may simply live.” How does that statement impact you? 10. The American church has a bad reputation as consumers; this would not be so if we each used the gifts that God has given us. What gifts do you feel like God has given you and how are you using them, if you are not, why not? 11. Read 1 Cor. 14:26, is this what your life group looks like, or does one person bring all the parts and the rest just consume. 12. Read Luke 19:11-27 Closing Question – If Jesus Christ was to come back today how would he react to your usage of the resources that he has given you? What needs to change in your life for you to be a better steward? Witness: Spend some time sharing how you can use the resources God has given you to bring new people into the kingdom of God. The God Who Saves!!
March 22, 2009 07:52 PM PDT
3/22/09 The God of Mercy! Luke 19:1-10
Welcome: What is your favorite kind of dog? Why? Worship: Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Word: The story of Zacchaeus reveals the heartbeat and purpose of Christ in a very special way. There is something humorous about this rich man climbing up a tree to get a glimpse of Jesus. Then Jesus surprises everyone by inviting Himself to lunch! 1. If you could go to lunch anywhere in the world, with anyone in the world… where would you invite yourself, and with whom? Why? 2. Read the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10. A. What do you think the crowd was thinking? B. What do you think Jesus was thinking? C. What do you think Zacchaeus was thinking? And how did his thinking change as the story moves along? 3. Was there a time in your life that you felt like Zacchaeus?
4. Now let us switch gears and look at some scriptures that challenge us to be about our Masters business! A. In Luke 19:10… what did Jesus say His purpose was! B. What did Jesus say to His disciples in John 20:21?
#1. ______________________________________________________________ #2. ______________________________________________________________ #3. ______________________________________________________________ Promise __________________________________________________________ 5. It is easy to say that these teachings of Jesus were only for the twelve disciples. The ones we call the apostles. But Jesus opened the door wider than that! Consider the following verses. If Jesus was talking to the disciples, then who was He talking about? What should we be doing? Matthew 9:35-38 _________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Close this week by reflecting on this classic piece of artwork done by Rembrandt in the 1600’s. It is called, “The Return of the Prodigal Son.” Where do you fit in this picture? Repentant sinner? Judgmental elder brother? Or a compassionate father? As you close, pray that God will forgive and heal the sinner, bless the ministry of the father, and break the hard heart of the elder brother! Witness: Be praying this week that God will give you His passion for the lost. Ask God for an opportunity to share the ABC’s with someone in your OIKOS! Draw close to Christ, and ask Him to use you, to His glory, in a new and wonderful way! The GOD of Mercy
March 15, 2009 03:33 PM PDT
3/15/09 The God of Mercy! Luke 18:35-43
Welcome: Are you ready for summer? Worship: Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Word: One of the great things about Jesus is His compassion. He liked people. He cared about people. He helped people everywhere that he went. In your Life Group today spend some time thinking about the Christian Church. Explore the gap between what the Church often is, and what the Church should be! 1. What do Non Christians living in the secular world think of when you mention Church? It would be awesome if somebody has lots of friends, family, or co/workers who don’t go to Church. What do they think about the Church? 2. Think about the experiences you have had… A. What is the Church? B. How should the Church behave? C. What should the Church be doing? 3. Is there ever a gap between what the Church is, what the Church is supposed to be, and how the world sees the Church? 4.Read the story of the blind man found in Luke 18:35-43. A. What do you think the Crowd was thinking? B. What was Jesus thinking? C. What were the disciples thinking? D. What was the blind man thinking?
6. Think about the characters of the seven stories that Jesus told in Luke 18:1-19:27. There was a Widow, a Judge, a Pharisee, two Tax Collectors, Children, Disciples,
A. What does the combined teaching of these stories teach you about the Grace of God? B. How should they warn those of us who call ourselves Christians? 7. There is a lot of pain, fear, and need in the world these days. It is on every TV, radio, and computer! How can we, as the followers of Jesus Christ serve the people in our OIKOS? Let Jesus example, stories, and teaching be our guide! 8. Close your time in prayer. If there is anybody who needs a special touch from God right now… spend some time and lift him or her up in prayer. As you pray, take some time to listen… and see if God wants to speak to someone through His Body!
_______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Witness: Pray for the people in your OIKOS. [Your circle of influence.] Pray that God will open a wide door for to share your faith. Look for opportunities to bring your friends or family to meet with your Life Group. Do not assume they will say no if you invite them. They might just surprise you and say yes! Especially if you have been bathing them in prayer! Remember… everything is possible with God! Don't Miss The Message!!
March 08, 2009 09:44 PM PDT
3/8/09 Don’t miss the message! Luke 18:31-34
Welcome: Have you ever had a premonition that came true? Worship: Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Word: If the church is a club then it should be equal with all of the clubs. If the church is entertainment then it should be equal with all other entertainment. If the church is a self-improvement society then it should be no different from all of the others. However, if the church is what the Bible says the church is, then we are absolutely unique… and the church is not equal with anyone or anything. At the heart of our faith there is a question! Is Christianity true? If it is true, we ought to be paying attention. If it is not true, we should find something more productive to do with our time! We Christians like to talk about feelings, experiences, and encounters when we describe our relationship with God. The problem with our spiritual talk is that it is very subjective. Your experience means something to you, and my experience means something to me! There is one unique area where God has given us a very objective basis for our faith. The historical accuracy and revelation of His written Word. Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, “Listen, we’re going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true. Luke 18:31 (NLT) Jesus declared the writings of the Old Testament contained predictions that pertained to Him. The amazing thing about this was the diversity of the Old Testament. It was written over a time span of about 1,500 years. Some of the authors were Kings, others were shepherds or farmers, and some were wandering prophets. Even women had a voice and a part in the presentation of the message. [Unusual for that period of time and local.] The book was written from the Sinai desert up to Asia Minor and down into Egypt. Yet the message is one amazingly consistent story. And woven through broader story is the specific story of a savior who will come to redeem all of mankind from their sins, and reconcile them with His Father in Heaven! Only God Himself could author such a book!
I see things in scripture that read well in their context but also connect with the life of Jesus Christ. I don’t know if they can stand alone and be called prophecy…
Witness: Pray for the people in your OIKOS. [Your circle of influence.] Pray that God will open a wide door for to share your faith. Look for opportunities to bring your friends or family to meet with your Life Group. Do not assume they will say no if you invite them. They might just surprise you and say yes! Especially if you have been bathing them in prayer! Remember… everything is possible with God! What Keeps YOU from following Christ?
March 01, 2009 09:48 PM PST
luke 18:18-29 Pastor Paul Reinhard 03/01/09 Bring The Children Unto Me
February 22, 2009 08:40 PM PST
Pastor Chris Reinhard Luke 18:15-17 That Religious Attitude
February 16, 2009 08:27 AM PST
2/15/09 Pastor Paul Reinhard Luke 18:9-14 Persist with God
February 14, 2009 09:51 PM PST
2/8/9 Persist with God Luke 18:1-8
Welcome: What is your earliest memory of prayer? Worship: Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Word: Our story today tells of a woman with a problem. Of a judge that will not listen. And the teaching of our Christ to persist in prayer. 1. What challenges are defining our current world? 2. How are these challenges affecting you and your OIKOS? 3. Read aloud the story of Luke 18:1-8. 4. How do you connect this story with the current state of our world? A. What verses connected with you? Why? 5. Let’s explore your experiences with prayer. A. What does your current prayer life look like? Do you pray occasionally, regularly, dutifully, or joyfully? What do you pray for? B. Do you feel like God hears your prayers? C. Do you feel that God answers your prayers? 6. How does listening fit into your times of prayer? Do you give God the gift of silence? How does God speak to you? Does God speak to you? 7. Is there something that you need to make a matter of consistent prayer? Would you like to share it? Take time now to pray for one another! It is not enough that we simply study about prayer… it is imperative that we pray!
Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray.
Witness: Prayer is one of the greatest gifts we can give to the hurting people around us. We have people in our OIKOS with small faith, or no faith. Many people around us do not know how to lift their burdens to God in prayer. Ask God to connect you with people, to whom you may offer the gift of prayer. They will thank you for it! Notes: ___________________________________________________________
February 02, 2009 09:57 PM PST
02/01/2009 Luke 12:13-34 Michael White Temptation, Faith and Servant Hood
January 18, 2009 03:18 PM PST
Temptation, Faith, and Servant Hood
Icebreaker: If you were offered a pill that would cause you to live 1,000 years would you take it? Why or Why Not? Worship: Spend some time in worship of your creator. Whether that be through song, praise, thanksgiving, scripture reading, etc… Word:
2. Have you had the same experience in your Christian Faith, the closer you get to God the more intense the battle gets? 3. How do you deal with temptation? What helps you overcome it? 4. What are some areas that we need to be careful not to cause others to stumble? 5. Forgiveness is tough, what makes it difficult to forgive a person who has wronged you? 6. Jesus says 14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. How do you react to that statement? 7. What is the best way to deal with someone in the Christian faith that has offended you?
9. How does the reading of God’s Word help increase our faith? 10. How are you doing in your faith in God, when is it easy to have faith, and when is it difficult to have faith? 11. In what areas of the Kingdom of God do you really enjoy serving? 12. In what ways can servant hood be hard? 13. Last Question: If you had to critic yourself based on the following statement, how would you be doing? a. We need to be self motivated, self replicating, fully committed followers of Jesus Christ. Witness: Take some time this week to put together your “Hit List.” These are people that you know need Jesus Christ. Begin praying that God would open up opportunities to share your experience with Christ to those people. Be prepared to share your “Hit List” next week at Group. Listen To GOD
January 11, 2009 05:15 PM PST
1/11/09 Listen To God Luke 16:19-31
Welcome: What is your favorite animal at the Zoo? Worship: Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Word: The Kingdom of God does not work the way the world does. God plays by His own set of rules. That can be very stretching at times, even frustrating. If you are going to win a game, you must know the rules. If you are going to be the victor, you must play by the rules. The same is true with the game of life… God says, "I don't think the way you think. The way you work isn't the way I work." Isaiah 55:8 (MSG)
1. Has somebody ever helped you in a practical way?
2. Has anybody ever helped you financially in a way that seriously affected your life?
4. In a few minutes we are going to read about Lazarus and the rich man. Before we read the story, we must know who Jesus is talking to. Who Jesus is talking to will always flavor what He is saying. Read Luke 16:14-15… Who is Jesus speaking with? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
6. Let’s check out the heartbeat of God for His children, in regards to money and people, and how we treat them both. A. 1 John 3:16-17 ____________________________________________________ B. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 _________________________________________________ What is God saying to you about money, lifestyle, and those around us? _______________________________________________________________________ 7. Remember we said at the beginning of this lesson that God’s ways were different. What is the promise of God in these verses… and how do they compare with the world? A. Proverbs 11:24-28 __________________________________________________ B. Isaiah 58:6-12 _____________________________________________________ 8. Allow the words of John Bunyan (1628-1688) to stick in your heart. John spent 12 years in an English prison for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ without a license. While in prison, he earned a living for his family by making shoelaces. When he was released he preached again, and during his next six months in jail, he wrote A Pilgrims Progress! A man there was, and they called him mad; The more he gave, the more he had. Personal Reflection:
Witness: Jesus said, “By this shall all people know you are my disciple… that you love one another.” Ask God to open your eyes to the people around you. Ask God for wisdom, discernment, and the ability to help those He brings into your life. Even small acts of generosity can make a huge difference for people in the midst of a struggle. Do it! Seize The Year
January 04, 2009 04:19 PM PST
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Welcome: Where were you when the “Ball Dropped on 2009? Worship: Be creative in opening your hearts to God! Take time for a song, poem, video clip, story, or testimony! Spend some moments in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to meet with you as your teacher, friend, encourager, and the giver of great gifts! Word: Every year is new and filled with wonderful potential. In fact, if you are a child of God every single day of your life has the potential to be new and exciting! Other faiths may tie people to endless religious circle, or lock them into a social class from which they cannot easily escape! But every time a Christian says to God, “Please forgive me for yesterday [repentance], and grant me a fresh tomorrow [vision, wisdom, protection, and direction]” it is done! So get ready to enjoy great new things in 2009!
1. Read Luke 16:1-2 aloud. As you think about 2008, can you think of any events or individuals in our country that connect with this story? How do you think the man felt when he heard the words, “You are fired?” Can you identify with the man? ________________________________________________________________________ 2. Read verses 3-4. Have you ever felt like this man must have felt? Have you ever watched somebody scramble and get creative in trying to get out of a mess? ________________________________________________________________________ What usually happens when you try to sneak, or lie, or cheat your way out of a mess? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 3. Now check out 5-8. What did the man do to try fixing his mess?
4. What is the rich man’s response to the rascal in verse 8? What might this suggest about the rich man’s ethics? Have you known any rich and powerful people? What were they like? Were they Godly and generous or were they greedy rascals? _______________________________________________________________________ 5. What is the lesson for YOU in the application section of this story? Keep in mind that the story was a contrast between the wicked ways of the world and the true ways of the Kingdom! What is Jesus saying to you in each of the following verses? [9] _________________________________________________________________ [10] _________________________________________________________________ [11] _________________________________________________________________ [12] _________________________________________________________________ 6. Now, imagine that verse 13 was the YAHOO headline that they picked to SUM UP 2008! Does it fit? What does it say to us about our priorities in life, and the things that we should be most concerned about in 2009? 7. Is there a tangible “take away” for you in this story? Is there a specific area your brothers and sisters can be praying about with you? _______________________________________________________________________ Quote for Personal Reflection:
Witness: Dream a big dream about God touching people through you with the Good News of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ! Ask God to come directly through you in a way you have never experienced before! God is ready and looking for willing vessels! YOU! I Am The True Vine
December 28, 2008 06:16 PM PST
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Welcome: Would somebody like to share something exciting about this Christmas! Worship: Lift your mind off all the everyday things that are going on... focus on God! Get creative and let different people in your group use their gifts! Connect with the presence of God! Word: On the last night of His earthly life, in the precious closing moments of teaching His disciples, Jesus paints a beautiful picture for all of His followers. He talks about vines, branches, gardeners, and fruit. God is the Gardener. Jesus is the Vine. We are the Branches. And there is abundant fruit for us to bear. But we can’t bear that fruit unless we are properly connected! A. Have you ever grown grapes? What can you tell us about the process? B. Do you know anybody who really loves to garden? What are they like when their out playing in the dirt and helping things to grow? C. In the O.T. the imagery of the Vineyard was often used to describe God and Israel. As you hear the passion of the O.T. [Old Testament] you will understand the power of John 15 and the amazing claim Jesus was making. Read Psalm 80… identify the verses that speak of Vineyards, Sons, and God! What picture is being painted? What is the prayer of the people? How does this connect with our current situation in America? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ D. Compare Psalm 80:8 with Matthew 23-15. ______________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ E. Now read John 15:1-17. As you read the scriptures identify the verses that speak to 1, 2, and 3 below! Isn’t it interesting that in one of His last “talks” with the disciples that Jesus picks the themes of Loving, Obeying, and Abiding? When time is short people usually share what is closest to their hearts! Is that what Jesus was doing?
_______________________________________________________________________ 2. Obedience: _______________________________________________________________________ 3. Love: _______________________________________________________________________
G. Make the calling to Abide, Obey, and Love personal to your life! How do you do in these three areas? Which of the three could/should/would/will you do better with? H. Here are some very practical ways to help us in the calling to Abide…
Personal Devotions, Personal Prayer, Celebration,, Life Groups
Personal Prayer and Reflection: Spend some personal meditation time with this quote from the Life Application New Testament Commentary pertaining to John 15:17! Jesus legislated love. He required his disciples to make peace with one another, to place the interests of others above their own, and to solve differences quickly.
Witness: As we prepare to leave 2008 allow me to challenge each of you to be praying for your OIKOS… and preparing for the day when God opens a door for you to share your faith with them! I believe that 2009 will be a year of harvest unlike anything we have seen before at NCF! We are a part of God’s great plan… so we can’t lose! I am the Way the Truth and the Life
December 22, 2008 10:03 PM PST
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Welcome: Have you ever spent Christmas away from home? Where were you? Worship: Lift your mind off all the everyday things that are going on... focus on God! Get creative and let different people in your group use their gifts! Connect with the presence of God! Word: Several themes jump out of today’s scripture! The key parts of this scripture especially speak to us because it is Christmas week. I realize that many of our Life Groups are not meeting this week. So use these questions with your family, or for your own personal reflections! I will try to lead you without giving away some of the exciting connections! 1. What would you like your mansion in heaven to look like? What material would it be made out of? Is it in the city or the country? Is it single level, or multi story? Big yard or high rise? This is your mansion in glory!!! So what do you want it to look like? 2. Does your mansion have a cat or a dog or both? Do you have any fish or birds? 3. Read John 14:1-7. What declarations stand out to you? Why? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 4. What do you think about Philip’s question? Keep in mind that the disciples had been with Jesus for three years at this point. What do you think Philip’s confusion was all about? Do the words of Jesus ever confuse or frustrate you? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
A. I am the way! Hodos=highway! Is your spiritual highway smooth or bumpy? B. I am the truth! Alētheia=True! How does our modern culture handle the idea of God given absolute truth? How do they handle the idea of God breathed revealed truth! How would you define each of those terms? How do your friends see truth? Consider these verses… Exodus 34:6, Psalm 31:5, Isaiah 11:5.
C. I am the Life! Zoe=Life Giver! Consider some Life verses! 1 John 5:11-12, John 3:16, John 10:10. 6. Now think about the stable, the manger, the shepherds, Mary and Joseph! Think about the plan of God! Think about the willingness of Jesus Christ to leave the glory of heaven and come to earth… with one thing on His mind! YOU! WOW!!! But the fact is, it was our pains he carried— our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him. Isaiah 53:4-6 (MSG)
Witness: As we prepare to leave 2008 allow me to challenge each of you to be praying for your OIKOS… and preparing for the day when God opens a door for you to share your faith with them! I believe that 2009 will be a year of harvest unlike anything we have seen before at NCF! We are a part of God’s great plan… so we can’t lose! |
Podcast SummaryWeekly sermons from Northpoint Christian Fellowship in San Bernardino, CA. Pastor Paul Reinhard. About ncfFans of this ShowFavorite LinksNcf's FriendsContact MeSubscribe to this Podcast
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