Before the Session
Facilitator: In advance of the session
- Review today’s scripture text and the session activities to help better facilitate the discussion.
- Have the Bible Background Video ready to view.
- Encourage your group to listen to the Faithelement podcast ahead of the next session (Share the link via email or social media).
Context
Say: The podcast begins with the hosts discussing something that they are good at that others might not be aware. Some described a skill at cooking and another around painting art. Lead a conversation with prompts like these:
- What is something that you are good at that others might not know about?
- How did you learn that skill?
- How did you discover you have that skill?
- Do you still practice this skill? Why or why not?
Content
Read together Matthew 4:12-23, then watch the Bible Background Video and ask:
- What does fishing have to do with bringing people to Christ?
- What does Jesus want from us when he calls us? What does it look like to be ourselves as we follow Him?
- How can we use the gifts we have to serve Jesus?
- What would it look like if we recognize that God has already equipped us with what we need to follow God?
- Why do we underestimate our value in ministry because our gifts do not fit our definition of ministry?
- How can we learn to be our authentic selves?
Closure
Watch this clip from the film, the Dead Poets Society. Then lead a conversation using prompts like these:
- What is the teacher trying to get his students to understand?
- Why did the group who was walking around at first fall into the same step?
- What is the danger of conformity?
- How might the wisdom expressed in this video clip relate to today’s text?
Close with a prayer.
Writer: Sara McClain