NEXT STEPS

This Matters :: You Matter

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Bible App, Kenny Green, Rick Shurtz, Spiritual Growth Path, This Matters, You Matter

Gateway South & Central

3/6 YOU MATTER

What’s most important to live a life with purpose and intentionality? Inspired by the book of Colossians, THIS MATTERS intends to help you realize that you matter way more than you think! Next Steps are designed to help you maximize the impact of the message You Matter this week. Work through the following questions, and get together with your Life Group, running partner, &/or friends to discuss what you’ve learned!

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. When in your life did you ask for something from your parents but they gave you something else? It could be something better or something worse. What happened?
  2. Read Colossians 4:2-4. According to Paul, how should we engage God in prayer?
  3. How have you viewed prayer in your life?
    • Approaching God only when in crisis?
    • Approaching God like He’s a genie in a bottle?
    • Approaching God to grow in trusting Him?
    • Approaching God for the needs of others?
    • Approaching God to advance His message of faith, hope, and love?
    • Some of the these?
    • None of the these?
  4. How have you seen prayer change your perspective? When have you seen God answer prayer with a “yes,” a “no,” a “not yet,” or a “yes, but not in the way you were wanting”?
  5. Read Colossians 4:5-6. Paul’s encouragement to every believer is to engage those who are outside of the faith community with love and the message of hope found in Jesus. Who made the most of a moment or an encounter with you? What happened?
  6. Have you ever had the opportunity to help move someone forward in their faith or even help someone choose to follow Jesus? If so, what happened?
  7. The rest of Colossians 4 includes a list of heroes whose names may not sound familiar, but they were faithful in their calling and in their “mission field.” Who are the people in your life you think God has placed in your path to serve, love, and when the time is right, share about faith?
  8. Who do you sense God may want you to invite to join us on Easter Sunday?

KEY SCRIPTURES

Colossians 4:2-4 (NIV) — Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

Colossians 4:5-6 (The Voice) — Be wise when you engage with those outside the faith community; make the most of every moment and every encounter. When you speak the word, speak it gracefully (as if seasoned with salt), so you will know how to respond to everyone rightly.

DIGGING DEEPER

Did you know you can now track your progress working through the outcomes we include in Next Steps right on Gateway’s website?! Go to SPIRITUAL GROWTH PATH and create an account. You’ll get access to Spiritual Fitness Checks and training with the spiritual outcomes.

Spiritual Outcomes – Spiritual Disciplines, Intercession, & Outreach

  • Learn more about how you can engage God in a consistent rhythm of prayer by working through the SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES outcome.
  • Learn more about how to pray effectively for others by working through the INTERCESSION outcome.
  • Learn more about how to lovingly share about your faith by working through the OUTREACH outcome.

 

BIBLE APP by YOU VERSION

If you’ve yet to do so, we encourage you to download the Bible App by YouVersion on your smart phone. Create a free YouVersion account under Settings. Tap Plans > Discover > Search: Outreach New Testament > Start Plan. Then you can read along each day with us!