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)
Share the story of Miranda Lambert, who wrote “The House that Built Me,” becoming overcome by emotion while she sang it at a concert and ask:
- Miranda seems to be overcome by the story she sees in the audience. Why do you think the audience member felt the need to display that part of his story on a poster for the artist?
- Why do you think it mattered that he let her know about their connection?
- Since telling our stories is part of a Christian practice of witness. What does “witness” mean to you?
- In what ways has it mattered in your faith journey?
Content (From the Mind Session Page)
Read 1 Timothy 1:12-17, then watch the Bible Background Video.
And then ask:
- Why do you think that the writer was surprised that God would use Paul and be merciful?
- The writer seems to make a distinction between acting in ignorance, and willfully doing something wrong. Without “chasing rabbits,” what do you think is the difference?
- What power and encouragement does the writer give to Timothy – and to us – by telling about Paul’s experience with Christ?
- When we think of what it means to be “saved,” we can speak both of what we’re saved from and what we are saved for. Based on your knowledge of the early Church, from what was the writer suggesting that Paul was saved?
- For what was the Paul saved?
Closure (from the Media Session page)
Play the Benjamin Watson video and ask:
- If you had gone through the injury time that Benjamin went through, how would you feel?
- When have you felt like you let God and others down?
- Why do we, or others, expect us to be perfect in our faith?
- In what ways has God’s grace shown itself to truly bigger than your failures?
- Where might your story of accomplishments and failure communicate God’s love to others in the coming days?
Close in prayer.