It's About Reaching Out
For many of us, Christmas is a time of great joy spent giving to and loving those around us. For many others, the season is full of sadness and pain as we try to reconcile the reality of our lives -- especially broken families and loneliness -- with what is supposed to be a time of celebration and joy. Where are all of these hurting people? They may be people we work with, live next door to, pass by in the mall while out shopping for presents, or they may be family members. For those who believe in Christ and want to serve him, Christmas is a wonderful time to share His love by reaching out to those we know are hurting this season and reconnecting with those who we have lost touch with. We can show the truth of our faith by reaching out to others and reaching out is yet another way we can get this Christmas right.
1. Has there ever been a time in your life when you have been lonely? What would you have liked someone to have done for you?
2. Is there anyone in your life who you need to re-connect with? From the Bible, what can we tell is God's opinion on healthy relationships?
3. The meaning of Christmas changes as we grow from children into adults. How do you see this Christmas compared to when you were young?
4. The meaning of Christmas changes even further as we grow from young believers into mature believers. In what ways can reaching out to others evidence of spiritual maturity?
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Curriculum
Here are your curriculum choices for January, February and March of 2009.
1. Sermon Based
2. Fireproof Your Marriage
3. Parental Guidance Required
4. The Gospel of John (DVD Driven)
5. Financial Peace University
Call or email on what you would like to do!
1. Sermon Based
2. Fireproof Your Marriage
3. Parental Guidance Required
4. The Gospel of John (DVD Driven)
5. Financial Peace University
Call or email on what you would like to do!
Get This Christmas Right - Week 1
Here is some extra stuff that is available for your lesson...
Bigger and "mo better" have become the American way leading some to spend their entire lives chasing "stuff." Greed is a cycle that never ends: desire, buy, desire something new.
For some this cycle is not a major issue, but for others it leads to lives that lack meaning. During the Christmas season, those who are not usually tempted can easily find themselves lost as every commercial, magazine ad, and radio jingle encourages us to buy, buy, buy. So, how do we break the cycle? Self-less giving is God's answer to greed and materialism. Jesus provided the ultimate example of this type of giving when he sacrificed his life for each one of us. If we can learn to give to others throughout the Christmas season, we can choose to lose the race for more "stuff" and find the real meaning of the season -- the birth of Jesus Christ.
Can you remember all the presents you recevied last year at Christmas? If there was one special present that was something you truly wanted, how long did it make you happy?
Think back throughout your lifetime, can you remember can instances where you have given sacrificially or been the recipient of self-less giving? During the Christmas season, many of us feel pressured to find the a present for everyone on our list, often so we can simply check them off of our list. How is sacrificial givining different than what we are encouraged to do during the holidays? Does it feel different?
Bigger and "mo better" have become the American way leading some to spend their entire lives chasing "stuff." Greed is a cycle that never ends: desire, buy, desire something new.
For some this cycle is not a major issue, but for others it leads to lives that lack meaning. During the Christmas season, those who are not usually tempted can easily find themselves lost as every commercial, magazine ad, and radio jingle encourages us to buy, buy, buy. So, how do we break the cycle? Self-less giving is God's answer to greed and materialism. Jesus provided the ultimate example of this type of giving when he sacrificed his life for each one of us. If we can learn to give to others throughout the Christmas season, we can choose to lose the race for more "stuff" and find the real meaning of the season -- the birth of Jesus Christ.
Can you remember all the presents you recevied last year at Christmas? If there was one special present that was something you truly wanted, how long did it make you happy?
Think back throughout your lifetime, can you remember can instances where you have given sacrificially or been the recipient of self-less giving? During the Christmas season, many of us feel pressured to find the a present for everyone on our list, often so we can simply check them off of our list. How is sacrificial givining different than what we are encouraged to do during the holidays? Does it feel different?
Monday, December 1, 2008
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