Before the Session
Facilitator: In advance of the session
- Have the Bible Background Video ready to view.
- Review today’s scripture text and the session activities to help better facilitate the discussion.
- Encourage your group to listen to the Faithelement podcast ahead of the next session (Share the link via email or social media)
Context (From the Current Session Page)
Visit the Kickstarter introduction page and review together the introduction for for this site, then explore some of their ongoing projects. Ask questions like:
- How do you feel about the concept of a Kickstarter (individuals helping fund the startup of new projects) and why?
- What kinds of Kickstarter projects are likely to draw (or have already drawn) your interest or funding and why?
- What do you think that this emerging idea of individuals backing other people’s hopes and dreams says about our current generation?
- With kinds of ventures are you involved that might positively affect your future?
- How does waiting for something in which you have invested some degree of hope affect you?
Content (From the Mind Session Page)
Read 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13, then watch the Bible Background Video.
Ask questions like these:
- In her background video, Nikki describes Paul’s situation — how he had to leave Thessalonica quickly, uncertain whether his efforts there would be fruitful. Why might this situation have been so encouraging to him?
- How would you or Paul describe his feelings in verses 8-9? (You may want to look at different Bible translations to get a better sense of this)
- In what ways does “fulfilled hope” bring us joy and encouragement – and how can it affect the way we hope and wait for other things?
- Why do you think hope is such an important part of the Christian faith?
- What are we hoping for – for ourselves; others; or all creation?
- How might the things for which we hope as an act of faith make a difference in the way we wait, assuming that it does make a difference?
Closure (from the Media Session page)
Introduce the Fury of Firestorm video by telling your group that: “In this clip from The Flash The two gentlemen walking into the auto repair shop are part of superhero team trying to help a mechanic named Jax, who underwent some unpredictable changes as the result of an industrial accident.” Play the clip and ask:
- Why doesn’t Jax like to talk about being injured in the accident?
- If you were Jax, how would you have felt waking up in the hospital seeing the disappointment in your mother’s eyes?
- Jax felt he was destined to do great things but did not get the chance, how might that feel especially if you knew you were on the verge of making it?
Continue by telling the group that Jax eventually got the chance to discover what he could do within the changed circumstances of his life, and play the Welcome Aboard video, then ask:
- For what are you most waiting with hope this Advent season?
- In light of your own hopes, how will you receive the words this Advent season to be “welcome aboard” as a fellow struggler?
- How might we better welcome others who are likewise struggling with the weight of their unrealized hopes?
Close in prayer.