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The Things of First Importance

May 15, 2018

We recently held the first webinar of this season’s series, “The Keys to a Successful Small Group Campaign.” The first webinar is titled, “What is a Christian Life Trilogy Campaign & What Does Small Group Bible Study Look Like?” In the webinar, The Rev. Charlie Holt, author of the Christian Life Trilogy, discussed the importance of small group Bible study and how The Christian Life Trilogy will aid in transformation, growth and friendship. To check out the video of the webinar, click here!

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

small group Bible study
The things of first importance are the foundation of The Christian Life Trilogy, following the Heart of the Gospel. Paul tells us that the most important news is the death of Jesus Christ and His rising to new life. The pattern of the Christian life is one of dying to self with Jesus, in order that we might be raised by him and filled with the Holy Spirit. The Christian Life Trilogy is a transformational process focusing on the things of most importance.
The Heart of the Gospel:
  • Jesus Crucified
  • Jesus Resurrected
  • Jesus Ascension and Outpouring of the Holy Spirit

Small Group Bible Study

The Crucified Life

Luke 9:23

small group Bible study
Our call to discipleship is to walk the way of the Cross, which means dying to self. This is the place it must begin, as dark as it might seem. You cannot be reborn until you have taken up the cross and died to self with Jesus. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” We resist change, because it involves losing something, but change also brings growth and new beginning. “You can choose courage or you can choose comfort,” Dr. Brené Brown says. “You cannot have both.” The Christian life is not going to be a comfortable life, it will involve change and aspects of ourselves that will be lost. But we will work to become the new thing that God would have us to become.

7 Words from the Cross

The seven last words of Jesus are the process that leads us to surrendering our lives to Jesus. Through the seven weeks of The Crucified Life you will better understand this process. Beginning with forgiveness, we will study through salvation, the relationships we all have, the distress of temptations of our flesh nature, with abandonment we think about external problems, challenges and suffering in life. Ultimately, we move to a place where we are working toward surrendering our lives to God, leading to the finish line of triumph.
Forgiveness Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.
Salvation Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.
Relationship Woman, behold your son. Behold your mother.
Distress I thirst.
Abandonment My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Reunion Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.
Triumph It is finished.
 

The Resurrected Life

Revelation 21:5

small group Bible study
The other side of transformation is the Lord making all things new. The Risen Lord can make all things new once we have surrendered our lives to God, as he did for us. To surrender, we must overcome our worldly doubts and fears. We must let go and allow God to lead us in this new life.

Making All Things New

What becomes new with the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead? He wants to give us a new life, a new temple, a new body, a new covenant, a new creation, a new day. We experience these themes as we work through the scripture study each week. Gaining understanding of what becomes new and how this newness applies to our lives as we follow Jesus in The Resurrected Life.
All Things New Overcome Doubt and Fear
New Life Letting Go and Letting God
New Temple Inviting God’s Presence
New Body Manifesting Jesus
New Covenant Experiencing Resurrection Power
New Creation Stewarding the Good News
New Day Living in the “Now” but “Not Yet”
 

The Spirit-Filled Life

Ephesians 3:14-19

small group Bible study

All the Fullness of God

Ultimately, the plan of God is that we might be filled with the fullness of God through the Holy Spirit. So, what does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? This begins with the baptism through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, after which we are adopted as children of God. The Holy Spirit works in our lives and our hearts to transform us internally, like a butterfly from a caterpillar. Manifesting the fruit of God through love, joy, peace, patience and kindness. The Holy Spirit equips us with the gifts we use in the service of God’s kingdom. The Spirit of God empowers us to do amazing things, with more power than we have on our own. And through this learning and growth we become God’s anointed Christian people. We have had over 200 congregations in 8 different countries go through these studies. One thing we hear the most is that The Spirit-Filled Life is their favorite study, of course it is! This is the study in which we are fully engaging in the Christian Life and closest to the fullness of God. But you cannot get to The Spirit-Filled Life unless you walk the way of the cross and experience that ever important death of self.
Baptized The Outpouring of the Spirit
Adopted The Calling of the Spirit
Transformed The Fruit of the Spirit
Equipped The Gift of the Spirit
Empowered The Work of the Spirit
Anointed The Mission of the Spirit

If you want to be part of the upcoming webinars of this series, please register here:

small group Bible study webinar series

Now that you have learned more about the themes of The Christian Life Trilogy, try a free sample to get a taste of the transformation. If you haven’t already, check out our recent post about small group study in early Christianity and the benefits of developing small groups: here. Next, we will go over the importance of church-wide study and how to plan your small group campaign. If you have more questions about The Christian Life Trilogy, please get in touch.

small group Bible study
 



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