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“The Power of Persuasion by Reputation” by Pastor Tony

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Group Discussion Guide

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Thriving in Babylon  Sermon Series
The Power of Persuasion by Reputation” by Pastor Tony
Leaders, please choose the best question(s) for your group

November 3, 2019
If you have questions, contact Pastor Ric,

Below are some discussion questions relating to a recent sermon. These are provided so that your Life Group can discuss what was shared. Previous Weeks’ Discussion Guides and Sermon Notes are available through the Sermons under the Resources menu. Click on the sermon series and then the sermon you are interested in.  You will see a paper icon under the sermon title. Click the icon to open the sermon notes. To listen to the sermon, click on the speaker icon.

Summary and Context:  Our series, Thriving in Babylon, is focused on how we can live for God, even when the culture around us denies him and belittles/persecutes those who follow him. Daniel, because of his service and confidence in a faithful God, had the privilege of impacting the lives of four different kings and their kingdoms!  He thrived in his faith even in the midst of extreme cultural pressures because of his commitment to and relationship with the living God.  Last week, Pastor Randy spoke of building credibility through mutual respect; and how, just like Daniel, we can be people of influence in a corrupt culture.  Pastor Tony exhorts us this week to resolve to be individuals who master the art of understanding those around us, specifically developing credibility through the power of persuasion through our reputation.

Sermon Texts:  1 Corinthians 9:19-23;  Jeremiah 29:4-7;  Daniel 1:17-20; 2:45-48; 3:30; 4:37; 5:29, 30; 6:1-3

 Discussion Questions:

Sunday morning, Pastor Tony taught us the importance of developing credibility through the power of persuasion by reputation. 

Have a conversation about which of Pastor Tony’s Keys to Persuasive Influence are most challenging for you:

  1. A deep love and worship of God

  2. Align your life to God’s principles not culture’s. Have resolve.

  3. Trust God for the outcomes.

  4. Surround yourself with those of the same heart and passion. Don’t go it alone.

  5. Speak truth with gentleness and respect.

  6. Become a master of cultural awareness to serve them. (I Corinthians 9:19-23)

  7. Pursue excellence in your role.

Spend a few moments processing this teaching with your group.  What things impressed you? How will this make a difference in your life?

  1. It takes time to do the research, read, interact with, and intelligently understand or “master” our culture. How do busy people make time for this? Do we really consider ourselves as “…a slave to everyone…” as we heed Paul’s advice in 1 Corinthians 9?

  2. James 1:19 give helpful advice as we encounter corrupt culture. It reminds us of key attributes of someone who wants to understand and serve. What are they and how do we implement them?

  3. Our culture places high value on young people. Daniel maintained influence and persuasion even in his older years. How did he do this?  How can those of us who are 60+ do this?

Each one of us are surrounded by people in our relational world, our Oikos, who are watching our responses to situations every day. 

  1. Who are the people in your oikos that the Spirit of God is nudging you to better understand? What steps will you take to accomplish it?

  2. Is your Life Group open to welcoming folks from your oikos?

Digging Deeper:

  1. In Acts 17:22-33, Paul demonstrated an understanding of stoic and epicurean philosophy. We get our theological term, “apologetics” from this passage.  What does that mean to you?

  2. As Christians living in modern day Babylon, how can we identify the false prophets in our day? What are some examples of modern-day false prophets/teachers?  Where in the Bible do we find God’s standards for such an evaluation?
Posted by Ric Joline with

“Credibility by Mutual Respect” by Pastor Randy

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Group Discussion Guide

PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION

Thriving in Babylon  Sermon Series
Credibility by Mutual Respect by Pastor Randy
Leaders, please choose the best question(s) for your group
 

October 27, 2019
If you have questions, contact Pastor Ric,

Below are some discussion questions relating to a recent sermon. These are provided so that your Life Group can discuss what was shared. Previous Weeks’ Discussion Guides and Sermon Notes are available through the Sermons under the Resources menu. Click on the sermon series and then the sermon you are interested in.  You will see a paper icon under the sermon title. Click the icon to open the sermon notes. To listen to the sermon, click on the speaker icon.

Summary and Context: Our series, “Thriving in Babylon” and our focus is on how we can live for God even when the culture around us denies Him and belittles/persecutes those who follow him. Daniel, because of his service and confidence in a faithful God, had the privilege of impacting three different kingdoms.  He thrived in his faith even in the midst of extreme cultural pressures.  Last week, Pastor Matt spoke of building credibility through humility.   Just like Daniel, who was a slave, but also a man who influenced kings.  This week we can resolve to be individuals who influence our culture through our character, specifically our credibility through mutual respect.

Sermon Texts:  Daniel 4:19; 5:16,17; 5:22-23, 29; 6:1-5; 6:10-14; 6:25-28; 1 Peter 2:11-12; 1 Peter 3:15-17

 

Discussion Guide:

Sunday morning, Pastor Randy taught us the importance of developing credibility through mutual respect in our relationships. Spend a few moments processing his teaching with your group.  What things impressed you? How will this make a difference in your life?

  1. When meeting someone who doesn’t share your beliefs, do you find it easier to ignore them or engage to prove your point?

  2. How did you respond the last time someone got angry with you because of what you believed? What is the best way to respond to an idea opponent?

Pastor Randy had us repeat a phrase: “Respect Earned by Respect Given”

  1. What are ways we could demonstrate an attitude of respect for those who don’t share our beliefs?

  2. Identify two or three key character traits of Daniel that you need to work on developing… to help gain credibility with idea opponents. (consistency of life, respect, compassion, etc.) Spend some time as a group in prayer for one another. (1 Peter 2: 11,12; 3:15-17)

Each one of us are surrounded by people in our relational world, our Oikos, who are watching our responses to situations every day.  Our character is on daily display to those around us. 

  1. What have you done with those in your oikos lately that demonstrates genuine relational care and commitment to them? How much time are you willing to give?  Do you need to prioritize to make margin for this?

Digging Deeper:

  1. What role, if any, does the Holy Spirit play in “proving a point”?

  2. What parallels can we identify in scripture between the life of Daniel and the life of Christ? How were the disciples called to live after Christ ascended?  What are one or two specific actions we can take this week to represent the glory of God, the work of Christ, and the confidence of the Spirit to our oikos?

Pastor Randy’s Takeaway Points:

  1. Everyone bears the image of God, no matter how marred that image. People were transformed by their interaction with a loving God.

  2. Influence and respect take time to build. Are your words backed up by your lifestyle?  Living out our faith is all about relationships.

  3. Build bridges by caring for people. “You cannot antagonize and influence people at the same time.” – John Knox

  4. Build a deep faith through an intimate relationship with God. Our culture today needs encounters with life giving followers of Jesus who love really well.
Posted by Ric Joline with

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