The Joy of Friendship

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LIFE GROUP LEADERS GUIDE The Joy of Being God #4 – “The Joy of Friendship” Tips for Leaders As your group arrive, alongside asking how their week has been, try revisiting old discussions that were particularly good/deep in this series. "Remembered we talked about/resolved to... how's that going?" Work to create a sense of journey and progress with your Life Group. You are not just hosting one off Bible studies week by week, you’re doing life together, a shared adventure. Asking simple questions like the one above can help your group move beyond the superficial. CONNECT IN with one another – Icebreaker Questions Who are your best friends? Why do you get on so well with them? [Leaders note: Feel free to frame this question to include the past. For instance, allow people to talk about friends at school, even if that was a really long time ago!]

CONNECT UP with God – Bible Study ➢ Please read Genesis 1:26-27. Here we read that we are made in God’s image. In what ways are we like God and how do we reflect him? [Leaders note: answers can include things like creativity, loving, community…]

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Andy started his sermon by looking at the Trinitarian nature of God, and proved that the Trinity can be a difficult concept for us to grasp and explain. What do you think of the Trinity? What are the best, and worst, illustrations you have heard trying to explain it? ➢ Please read 1 John 4:7-11. Home in on v8. Do you think “God is love” is a good starting point for thinking about the Trinity? How does it help us understand who/what God is? ➢ Please read 1 Corinthians 12:12-30. Here the Apostle Paul starts by describing the unity we share in Jesus Christ before looking at two temptations we can fall into. What are they? [Leaders note: v14-20 describes inferiority, v21-26 describes superiority] Which temptation do you more naturally struggle with? ➢ What do you consider to be your main contribution to Everyday Church? These can gifts, talents, experience, skills, knowledge, resources or character. [Leaders note: if your group knows each other well you may like to do this question as an exercise. Something like… hand around pieces of paper with an individual’s name at the top. People take in turns to write what they consider to be someone else’s strength.] ➢

On Sunday Andy explored three aspects of Jesus’ friendships with his disciples that we can emulate: 1. Making space: Do you have enough time in your life for friendships? What might you need to stop or amend to create space for them? 2. Being vulnerable: What is your favourite Social Media network? Does Social Media currently have a more positive or negative impact on your life? E.g. is it an unhelpful source of comparison? Do you find vulnerability easy or hard? 3. Taking initiative: Is there an activity that you would like to start with your friends? “Shared adventure is a friendship accelerator.” Are there any shared adventures you’d like to go on as a Life Group? [Leaders note: this could be a great opportunity to organise a social, or a holiday!]

CONNECT OUT with people explore faith around you What could you do this week to deepen your friendships with those you know from outside of Everyday Church? [Leaders note: encourage people to aim for something that will be natural and fun, not forced. It only needs to be a next step.]