Advent Week One

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ADVENT: Week 1 – Light In Darkness Open in Prayer W elcom e/Introductions/Cast Vision Rem ind the Grow Group of the ground rules Share context of the story [Provide context by sharing the information below.]

In chapter 9, the prophet Isaiah predicts and laments the fall of Jerusalem. While the Assyrian invasion will bring great devastation, the people of God still have an unbreakable hope in the light that He brings. Isaiah also talks about the glorious coming of the Messiah. Jesus is certainly our Mighty God, Wonderful Counselor, and Prince of Peace. There will be no end to His reign. Tell the story – Isaiah 9:1-7 [Have someone tell the story.] Rebuild the story [Group members tell the story together based on what they remember.] Read the story out loud [Read the scripture passage to see if anything was added or omitted.] Discuss these questions:

1. What do we learn about God from this passage? [There is no limit to God’s power; God fulfills His promises; God brought light to a very dark world; God brings joy to our hearts in the middle of our difficult circumstances and experiences; God is our Eternal Father; God is the Wonderful Counselor; God is the Prince of Peace; Jesus promises to give us rest in the journey (Matthew 11:29); God saves me by His grace; God calls me to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others; etc.]

2. What do we learn about Man/Us from this passage? [I am a sinful person in need of a Savior; I was in darkness, blinded by the enemy, until the Lord opened my eyes (II Corinthians 4:4); I constantly need the gospel of Jesus to bring light into my darkness; I live a hectic life often void of God’s peace; I can often pursue vain things hoping that they will bring joy to my life; I am hesitant to share my faith with others; I often make decisions based on the “temporary” instead of the “eternal”; etc.]

3. What is God saying to you specifically through this passage as it pertains to your life, marriage, family, and work? 4. In light of what you’ve learned today, what do you need to do to obey God? Other Q uestions specific to this passage:

1. When you are faced with making a difficult decision, from whom do you seek counsel? As you have grown as a disciple of Jesus, does it look different from how it once did? 2. Share a critical moment in your life when you experienced the amazing peace of God. Assign Next week’s passage – Isaiah 40:1-11 [Ask someone to tell the story next week.] Close in Prayer

ADVENT: Week 1 – Leadership Coaching The purpose of this page is to help you sharpen your skills as a Grow Group leader. Each week, we will include concepts, challenges, and resources designed to assist you as you lead and shepherd your Grow Group and grow as a disciple yourself.

Leading [learn to facilitate your group more effectively] Focus this week on being a good listener. Remember to always listen with the purpose of understanding. Desire to know the person and the situation they are facing. Pay attention and don’t check out while people are sharing. Respond to those who share either empathetically (i.e. “Thank you for sharing.” or “Can you share a little more about that?”) or paraphrase back to them what they just said to let them know you were listening.

Shepherding [know the sheep, feed the sheep, lead the sheep, protect the sheep] Don’t be afraid to challenge those you are discipling. There will be times you come across someone who has a great spiritual hunger and desire for growing in the Lord. But more times than not, you will need to consistently encourage those in your Grow Group to take steps of faith. The next step for most of us can appear scary and intimidating. As leaders, we must be willing to consistently challenge the people we are discipling and encourage them constantly with the promises in God’s Word.

Developing [grow as a disciple yourself] A major thing that will challenge the people in your Grow Group is for them to see you stepping out in faith and growing in your personal relationship with Jesus. Pray this week that God will give you a renewed hunger for His Word and that He will give you the faith to take the next step in your spiritual growth. Don’t let fear drive you. And make sure you don’t forget to share these stories with your Grow Group!