Prayer

Take the first 10 minutes of your time together to listen to what God is doing in one another’s lives and pray for any specific needs people in your group may have.

Our world and our culture are changing faster than ever before in history. The issues we are confronted with on a daily basis, from gender issues to the definition of marriage to racial conflict to political debates, are moving at a pace that can leave us feeling confused, angry or even apathetic because it just gets to be too much at times. This week, on the coat tails of having Stephen Mansfield in, we will take a look at what it means for God to have purposed and planned us, as His people, to live in the time and places we live to both engage and transform our culture. It isn’t going to be easy, but as we will see there is plenty of reason for us to be bold, courageous and hopeful as we move into the future of our nation.

Discussion Questions

Alan Hirsch, The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church

“It is one thing to create a countercultural community or a Christian subculture, but it is a much more difficult thing to live as an “incarnational-missional communitas” in the midst of a culture and not be bound by its dictates and decrees: to be “in” it, not “of” it, but not “out of it” either.”

What would you say are some of the most pressing issues in our culture today?

What kind of Christian, or church, would you say our culture needs today? Why is that?

Acts 17:24-27

”The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.”

According to Paul why do you live in the time and place in which you find yourself today?

Is it possible that God has allowed you to experience the things you’ve experienced as a means of preparing you to be the kind of Christian our culture needs today?

Jeff Vanderstelt, Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life

“I have found it is the small, everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”
“The mission of Jesus is yours to participate in. It has always been God’s intention to choose normal, everyday people, and to show his amazing power and glory through them. He’s not looking for the most impressive person because he already is that person.”

How might we engage the culture over the issues of our day?

What fears, insecurities or intimidations confront you in this call to engage our culture in these areas?

Romans 8:28-36

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

How might the following Truths give us the boldness and confidence to engage our culture in the face of adversity?

• Jesus is seated on His throne ruling over all creation at this very moment.
• The resurrection of Christ guarantees we will be victorious over the powers and principalities of this world.
• Suffering and persecution are part of God’s plan in how we can engage and transform culture.
• Our friends, family & co-workers are clinging to idols that will fail them and bring about destruction in their lives.
• We have the Holy Spirit living inside of us.
• God has a purpose for you to fulfill in this culture at this time in history.

Closing Thought

John Perkins

”The big deal is we think the power is in us individually, the power is in us collectively. It is in the church.”

How can we encourage you to remain bold and courageous in the calling to engage culture?