Discussion question for August 28, 2022.

An EQ measures emotional ability and can be used as an indicator of maturity.  How well do you understand your emotions?  Which emotions tend to be most prevalent in your normal day?  Which emotions do you rarely or never experience?  How do you control your emotions?  When do your emotions control you?   How do you relate with others who are experiencing a range of emotions?

The outcome of trust is hope.  How do you define hope?  What must you believe to have hope?  How does it feel to recognize those beliefs?  How does hope and trust relate together in your practical world?  How does hope fit with personality types, such as pessimist or optimist?  When is hope ill-advised?  How can you grow in hope?

Discussion question for August 12, 2022.

All Christians know that we must trust in the Lord and not lean on our own understanding.  When did you first discover the need to trust?  How did your formative years influence your ability to trust (Psalm 22:9-10)?  Where do you trust, and in what do you put your faith?  How can you align your trust to the Lord rather than any other option?  When is trust foolhardy, and how can you guard against it?  How does trust influence proactive versus passive responses?  How do you encourage others to learn to trust?

Discussion question for August 5, 2022.  Note: No meeting on July 29, 2022.

God creates each person with unique gifts, abilities, and predispositions.  What sets you apart from others?  How do those special traits glorify God?  Who has identified your individuality in your life? What have you received that you (and others) are grateful for?  Why have you ever tried to hide certain peculiarities?  How do things that seem like your weaknesses demonstrate the power of God?  How does God redeem qualities that seem like a burden?  What role does gratitude play in your self-acceptance?

Discussion question for July 22, 2022.

Being loved and accepted for who you are is a fundamental need for humans.  What does it mean to you that you are entitled to be loved?  When did you first come to believe that you are unconditionally accepted?  How do you know when someone loves you?  How do you know God loves you, personally?  How do you display love and acceptance to others?  Who do you know who is genuinely happy to see you when the occasion arises?

Discussion questions for July 8, 2022.

Shalom is a condition of peace, well-being, goodness, and blessing.  What does shalom mean to you?  What does it mean to you to “expect shalom“?  When have you experienced shalom?  What interrupts this condition in your life?  How does the expectation of shalom influence the way you live?  How can you model this sense of peace and well-being to others?

Discussion question for July 1, 2022.

We discussed Psalm 127, particularly how it seems to be divided into two parts.  How important is it to join those two parts?  What can we know about God through these verses?  What can we know about the Psalmist?  How much do you rely on commentaries or published opinions of others?  What do you do when your understanding of scripture disagrees with the interpretation of another person?  How can you encourage younger believers to dig into the Bible?

Discussion question for June 24, 2022.

The business world uses pictures of climbers roped together while attempting to summit Mt. Everest to depict the power and importance of teamwork.  How important is teamwork for your Christian life?  What biblical examples do you know about teamwork?  How does proper teamwork establish the church of the heart?  Who are the members of your support team?  How do you tap into the power of the relationship you have with them?  What is missing in your team?  How will you fill that gap?

Discussion question for June 17, 2022.

Jethro instructed Moses to establish able and God-fearing men to help with judging and mentoring the tribe of Israel (Exodus 18:21-23).  How can you find able men to mentor?  What limitations do you experience in investing in others?  How can you arrange your lifestyle to incorporate more mentoring?  What is your theoretical maximum?  Who mentors you?  How do you find a balance in your relationships among those who give and those who receive from you?  How will you improve your serve?

Discussion question for May 6, 2022.

Jesus said to not judge, not condemn, but to forgive (Luke 6:37). How do you guard your heart from judgment? What does a justice mentality have to do with the Kingdom of God? How do you reconcile sin, forgiveness, judgment, and condemnation? What are you prompted to do or think when you see another person choosing to sin? Where could you get compassion for others? How have you experienced the blessings promised in verse 38?