ANNOUNCEMENTS  ONLINE FEEDBACK FORMS THIS WEEK Please have you group fill out their Feedback Forms this week if they haven’t already. Let your group know how important their honest feedback is for you as Leaders and Hosts.  It’s just a few questions and should take approximately two minutes to complete.                                                                             Here’s how the online forms work:  Everyone in your group should have received their own personal email with a link to their Feedback Form on Sunday of this week. (Look for “Tell us about your Life Group!” in the subject.) Each unique email link is designed for that specific person and isn’t meant to be shared. In the event that someone in your group can’t find the email, you may share the generic link listed here with them. northcoastchurch.com/feedback Please take the time in your Life Group to have everyone complete the form if they have not already done so on their own. We will be emailing you the results of your group’s feedback in the weeks following the end of the quarter. DISCUSS PLANS FOR THE WINTER QUARTER & LAST MEETING Find out from your group if they know their plans for being part of the group in the Winter. They can indicate their plans on the Feedback Forms. Also, let us know of any roster updates that you know of, or changes to your meeting day, time or location for the Winter Quarter when you submit your attendance.  PRAYER FOR NEW WINTER LIFE GROUP LEADERS & HOSTS Take some time to pray for new Leaders and Hosts to launch new Life Groups in the Winter.  LEADER INFO NO LIFE GROUPS OVER THANKSGIVING Just a reminder that there will be no Life Groups held over Thanksgiving Week, from November 20-26. IMPORTANT DATES   Last week of Fall Life Group Quarter: November 27 – December 3 Winter Sign-Ups: January 7-15 Winter Quarter: January 15 – March 18 ATTENDANCE Submit your group’s attendance online at northcoastchurch.com/attendance. If you’re not sure how to post attendance, you can check out the guide here: lifegroups.northcoastchurch.com/how-to-post-attendance ONLINE GROUPS Check out our Tips and Tutorials for Online Groups here: lifegroups.northcoastchurch.com/pro-tips/ ABOUT POLITICS IN LIFE GROUP – We believe it is important for Jesus followers to think through and process how they are going to vote and engage in politics. But due to the polarizing nature of our current political climate, we want to keep our Life Group meetings free of politics and focused on relationships with each other and God’s Word. Presenting the Good News of Jesus’ saving grace to all, and the unity we have as believers is vitally important to us. In light of this, remember to keep politics completely out of your Life Group discussions. We exist to minister to everyone who wants to know Jesus. Every election cycle we have Christians who become divided over issues and can be deeply offended by comments, jokes, and even prayer requests. We do not want to send the message that people who vote a certain way or have differing political views are not welcome. If someone in your group starts to take things in a political direction (be it with humor, a rant or even a “prayer request” for a specific outcome), gently remind them that the body of Christ (and North Coast Church) is made up of followers of Jesus – some of whom are Republicans, Independents, Democrats, etc.

What stood out to you most from what you heard or read in this weekend’s message?

1. In this weekend’s message, we saw the team that helped David in his successes as a king. If you could put together a team of mighty men and women for your life, what kind of teammates would you want to have on your team? What qualities would they possess?

2. Who is your favorite leader or successful person in your life, around you or in the public sphere? What character qualities make them your favorite? Is there anything demonstrated in their lifestyle you want to or don’t want to model in your own life?

Another way to ask it: Who’s your favorite turtle on a post?

Additional Question: Is humility one of the qualities your favorite leader or successful person possesses?

1. Larry reminded us that Christianity is a team sport that was never meant to be played alone but in the body of Christ. Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 and write down anything that stands out to you about why we need others in the body.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 New International Version (NIV)
¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Needing or depending on others is often not looked highly upon in our individualistic culture. What are some reasons you think we, as a culture, resist or struggle with this idea of needing each other or being a body?

Additional Question: Part of being in the body of Christ means that our walk with God is personal, but not private. In your life, what is your natural tendency: to be private or to invite others into your walk with God? What do you think is the tendency of most Christians you have seen in your life?

What does inviting others into our walk with God look like?

Additional Questions:

• What does it not look like to invite others into our walk with God?
• What are the challenges of walking with God’s family?
• What is the difference between how we interact with friends and family? How do those differences help us know what it means that we are “family” in Christ?
• What are some of the reasons you might hear someone give for why they don’t have close Christian relationships in their life?
• What are the benefits of being in close Christian community?

 

Additional Verses:

• Hebrews 10:25
• Galatians 6:2
• Proverbs 17:17
• Proverbs 15:22
• 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Is there anyone you have seen do this well? Explain.

In other words, someone who has allowed others into their walk with God. What can you learn from their example?

2. This weekend we were reminded that we are only where we are today because of other people who made it possible. In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus helps a group of people in a significant way and makes a point about how they respond to His kindness. As you read the passage, pay attention to the two different responses. When do you find yourself responding like the people in the passage?

In other words, when do you find yourself responding with thankfulness to others, and when do you find yourself forgetting or neglecting to thank the people who have helped you get where you are?

Luke 17:11-19 New International Version (NIV)
¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” ¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Additional Questions:

• What’s the difference between a person who’s thankful and not?
• When do you remember to be thankful?

Each of us is a turtle on a post in some way. What are some reasons we neglect to show thankfulness for the lifting up we have received?

Additional Questions:

• As you think about those you have encountered in your life and those around us in our culture, do you think more people respond like the man who remembers to thank those who help them get where they are or the other nine men?
• Larry’s message this weekend pulled back the curtain on the truth that none of us are truly self-made individuals. What are some areas in life that you think most people fall into the trap of thinking they are self-made? How do we balance this with the role we play in our accomplishments?

As you think about the influence you have in your job, home, school, hobbies, the body of Christ, etc., write down some names of the people who have contributed to your success. Here are some questions to help guide you:

• Who was the first person to teach you about Jesus or invite you to church?
• Is there a person who took a chance on you and gave you an opportunity when you didn’t have much experience in something yet?
• Is there anyone who has taught you a significant lesson you hold on to today?
• Is there someone who pointed out a gift or strength of yours in a way that made a difference in how you have used that gift since?
• Is there a teacher, coach or mentor who pointed out an area of weakness for you and helped you grow in that area?

You could also encourage everyone to make a list of names based on the categories of their lives. I.e., who has contributed to where you are with your family/relationships? In your job? In any skills or hobbies? In the church?

Additional Question: In what ways are you a turtle on a post? (Where do you have success or influence?)

How many of the people you wrote down have you thanked for the role they played in helping you be where you are today?

Additional Question: How did you thank them? What was it like?

Larry pointed out that Uriah (Bathsheba’s husband) still made the list of David’s mighty men, despite their messy and painful history. Is there anyone on your list you might have a hard time thanking? If so, explain.

Some people may not have an answer for this, and that’s okay.

Additional Question: Is there anyone you’ve never thanked and you wished you had?

Group Activity Option: You could bring thank you notes to group and have everyone write a thank you note to someone on their list.

Which person (or people) on your list of “mighty men or women” can you reach out to this week to say thank you?

Is there anything that might hold you back from reaching out to them? If so, explain.

Additional Question: Is there anyone in your life you may be able to be a mighty man or woman for and help lift them up?