Leaping Together! - Connect Groups
Introduction
Introduction
* Friends, we are really sorry for the technical problems with Ruth's recording on these videos. Hopefully the glitches don't distract from the content of what is said nor the actual materials! Thanks for your patience with us. *
Our word for Lent this leap year is: ‘Leap’! So far we have been reflecting on what it means to leap with God — to leap into prayer, to leap into the Bible, and to leap into action. The phrase a ‘leap of faith’ is often seen as desperate dash, a last ditch attempt, “It will take a leap of faith...”But the leaps of faith we take in our discipleship are often more like the practiced leaps of an athlete, or an enthusiastic child playfully pushing themselves. Learning to trust and grow as we leap further, not out of desperation but out of love for God and God’s world, living lives of compassion.
Like sportspeople competing in a competition or children playing a game we don’t leap alone, we rely on the support of others. An individual gold medalist doesn’t get over the line on their own — there are whole teams getting them there.
The work we do helping build God’s kingdom through kindness, generosity and love takes leaps of faith as we learn to ‘back ourselves’ and back others, to grow ever more into the wonderful people God created us all to be. But, however rewarding, this can be hard work! As with all leaps, there will be falls, there will be crashes but as Christians we are not asked to leap alone. We are intended for community, to support one another as we leap through the air!
So this month we are going to take inspiration from four leapers in the Bible, who knew that they did not leap alone, who drew strength from others to make the leap:
• The Esther Plan: the importance of community
• The Nehemiah Method: the importance of belonging
• The Mary Mission: the importance of collaborating
• The Nicodemus Trajectory: the importance of involvement Weekly Overview
We begin by exploring The Esther Plan — reflecting on what community means when you’re out on a limb, and how flourishing often comes through helping others to flourish. Loving God, amongst people who don't know God is a difficult but invaluable thing. Then in the second week we consider The Nehemiah Method and how powerful a real sense of belonging is at the heart of our efforts. It is transformative when everyone has a role and a place, leaping together, working fast and not breaking things.
In the third week we reflect on The Mary Mission and ask what it meant to work together as a community to provide for Jesus in the 1st century and then what it means to provide for Jesus as a 21st century community. How are we collaborating to become more than the sum of our parts? Finally, in the last week of the theme, we contemplate The Nicodemus Trajectory, and what it means to go on a journey from feeling on the periphery of something to becoming more involved and realising it has become central to your life as you learn to leap together with others — moving from being at the edge of something to the heart of the action.
SEEDS TO SOW: We have a 'Seeds to Sow' phrase at the beginning of each section. These are open-ended and optional and are designed for people wanting to develop their own ideas/resources in response to the material. Perhaps if using this material as a group you could use these prompts to inspire a time of prayer, or drawing, or creative writing? They are intended to be short and sweet, simply a starting off place for you and your imagination, be encouraged to tailor/develop as suits your group.
Download the Discussion Questions as a PDF
These discussion questions adapt our monthly theme for small Connect Groups or personal Bible study. The questions are divided into 5 parts to correspond with the 5weeks of the Daily Worship theme. They are offered as a guideline and there is no need to go through all the given questions in a single session, or in the following sequence. Feel free to pick and choose, or adapt to what interests you or your group.
