7.29 Media

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.
Have any selected video or music clips ready to show
Encourage your group to listen to the Faithelement podcast ahead of the next session (Share the link via email or social media)

Ask: “What kind of smile do you make for family photos?”

After some discussion play Kanye and Smiling video.

Follow-up video by asking some discussion questions like:

What are your first impressions of this video segment sand why?
Which ideas expressed do you find to be agreeable and challenging and why?
What do you think of Kanye West’s ideas about God and creativity?
In what way might the context of those thoughts affect your view of them?
What other things do you think you might find more or less difficult to accept, depending on the source? Why?

Have someone read aloud Ephesians 2:1-10 and ask:

How familiar or meaningful are those words to you and why?
In our contemporary context, what do you think it means to be either “dead in our sins” or made alive together in Christ?”

Watch together the Bible Background Video.

Then continue by asking:

In what ways is Jesus’ message one of peace and unity instead of something that might cause us to disagree?
How might the thought that we are all “broken temples” in some way make it easier to come to terms with others about non-essentials of our faith?
In what ways do you think that disagreements with other believers affect our faith and our witness?
Why do think we tend to judge others as being somehow unfit to be fellow believers?
How might we get beyond our tendency to judge others and enter into a more constructive relationship

Play the Satan’s View of the Church video

Then ask:

What is your immediate reaction to videos like this and why?
At what points does the content of this clip support or challenge your thinking and why?
In what ways has a lack of unity among believers affected your faith experience?
With whom do you struggle to find unity and why?
How do you think believers might best overcome their disunity?

Close with prayer for the people who would not be with you today, either through their choice or yours.