Launch Kit

Conversation 5

We know who we are called to be together. Will we do it?

  • Will we stick to our identity and plan together?

  • How can we keep in step with what God is doing in and through us?

Each of these questions require the Holy Spirit to answer. Explore these today in your conversation together.

⚙️ Supplies needed: A stack of sticky notes to write Scripture references on then hand out. This will let the whole group participate in the conversation.

Today’s Conversation

Jesus + the Spirit

💡 Bottom Line

The Holy Spirit is the constant companion in everything Jesus does from birth to death and life again.

📜 Read Scripture Aloud

TIP: Distribute these references on sticky notes so that everyone can remember their text and read it aloud.

REFERENCES: Luke 1:31-38 — Luke 2:52 — (Isaiah 11:1-2) — Luke 3:21-23 (you can stop before the genealogy) — Luke 4:1-2, 13-14 — Luke 4:16-21 — Acts 10:38 (Acts is “volume 2” of the larger story Luke record)

🙋 Ask a Question

TIP: Who are we seeing at every step of Jesus’ story and work?

💡 Explain

  • The gospels show Jesus fully followed the will of His Father

  • The gospels show Jesus fully depended on the Spirit to do so

  • Jesus’ daily living, work, and mission are directed, empowered, and enabled by the Holy Spirit

📜 Read Scripture Aloud

TIP: (Also distribute on sticky notes.) It was not just Jesus’ life, work, and mission but also beyond His life. Explore the following together…

REFERENCES: Acts 2:29 — Hebrews 9:14 — Romans 1:2-4 — Romans 8:11

💬 Discuss Together

TIP: We are seeing the fuller picture of the Trinity in the Gospels, and remember: we are shaped by who God is and what He’s done.

⏭️ Next, we will try to see the Spirit in everything disciples do too.

Disciples + the Spirit

💡 Bottom Line

Like Jesus, disciples follow the will of Father and depend on the Spirit to do so. Our daily living, work, and mission can be directed, empowered, and enabled by the Holy Spirit.

📜 Read Scripture Together

REFERENCES: John 14:15-19 — John 16:4-7 — John 20:21-22

🙋 Ask a Question

TIP: What is the surprising message? or What is the powerful image?

  • John 14 & 16 — it is better for Jesus to go so that He can send us His Spirit

  • John 20 — He breathes on them like God breathed life into humankind in Genesis 2; to “receive His Spirit” is to receive new life and be animated by His life (new creation!)

📜 Read & Explore Together

REFERENCES: Luke 24:44-99 — Acts 1:4-5 — Acts 2:1-4

🙋 Ask a Question

TIP: Who is there at the birth of the church? Who empowers and enables the first disciples to do what Jesus sent them to do? Who must we depend on in everything we have committed and planned to do?

💡 Explain

  • Jesus said He would send the Spirit so that disciples fulfill God’s mission

  • Jesus calls the Spirit “the Spirit of truth” because He leads us into obedience to the truth of Scripture and Jesus’ example

  • The Spirit is the primary Discipler and Equipper — He will direct our discipleship, and He will make disciples of our names + faces if we depend on Him to do so

In a Picture

Like a droplet of water running off our Gospel Identity…

  • We live as people loved by the Father, united with Jesus, dependent on the Spirit

  • Just like Jesus, we ask God for His lead, then listen and obey

  • When we partner with Him, these little drops of everyday discipleship will become streams of living water to change our world

Pause to Discuss

  • What are we learning as we do this? What has God shown us as we’ve explored these ideas together?

  • What do we need to do right now? What simple actions or changes can we start making right away?

  • How do these truths put John 15:4-5 or 1 Cor 3:5-9 in a new light for you?

  • Looking at Gal 5:16-26, how will we know when we are in Spirit-dependence or when we’re “off track” / “out of step”?

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Committing to mission in a GC can sound challenging. As we have walked together through these conversations, how do you now feel about engaging mission together?

Look Forward

💡 Bottom Line

In a Gospel Community, we practice our identity as God’s family of servant missionaries. Practice means we put intentional effort in with patience for results: we will try and do, fail and improve, together. Ensure we have everything in place to practice together for the foreseeable future.

🫱🏻‍🫲🏾 Is there anything else we need to clarify or commit to together?

  1. Who’s doing what? Are we clear on how we will (a) communicate regularly, (b) handle discussions, (c) handle meals, (d) include or supervise kids, etc. If there’s a role or job to do, make sure it’s clear who owns it or coordinates our efforts to fulfill it.

  2. When are we meeting? Are we clear on our GC time together and any “everyday” ways we will engage together outside of GC?

  3. Where are we meeting? Are we clear on where we share our time together? If we’re rotating houses, are we clear on when and where we go next? How will we plan and communicate that?

  4. How are we staying in touch and praying for one another? Are we using group chat, text thread, etc.? Is there anything we should know about that or ways we intend to use it? Does anyone need help getting set up? Is anyone missing our messages or left out?

🙏 Pray Together: seal the launch!

Take Home

  • Continue to pray for names + faces

  • Continue to meet as you have planned

  • Continue to grow in everyday discipleship and mission together

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Plan for where your conversations will go next!

Include the Kids!

⚙️ Suggested tools: paper or a paper roll; board or whiteboard; crayons or markers

🫱🏻‍🫲🏾 How to help: older kids help younger kids; all GC members can help too — the more involved, the better! GC members can share their names + faces.

❓ What about…if kids give “bad answers”? Affirm the good, adjust what’s wrong, add what’s missing.

💡 Bottom Line

Do you wish you could have help living like Jesus? God has a way to help us with that!

The Holy Spirit is how. So let’s just ask, listen, and obey!

🙋 Ask a Question

TIP: Do you wish you could have help living like Jesus? Or help living like God wants us to?

🖍️ Draw a Water Drop

TIP: We’ve been talking about how God helps us everyday. Can we show you too? Let’s draw a water drop…

📜 Read Scripture Together

REFERENCE: In John 5:19-20, Jesus says…

💡 Explain

TIP: Write the key words (underlined) next to the droplet as you go.

  • Jesus always asks His Father: What should I do? How would you do this if you were me?

  • Jesus always listens for a response: He wants to hear God, follow His example, and His Word (Bible).

  • Jesus obeys and does it! Even if it’s small or big, simple or tough.

📜 Read Scripture Together

REFERENCE: Did you know Jesus said He would send HIs Spirit to do the same with us? Let’s read John 14:26 together…

🙏 Pray together

TIP: Let’s pray together to ask Him to help us, so we can listen and obey Him too!