ANNOUNCEMENTS 

DISCUSS PLANS FOR THE FALL & NEXT WEEK  Next week is the last meeting of the quarter. Find out from your group if they know their Life Group plans for the fall. They can indicate their plans on the Feedback Forms, too. Also, don’t forget to let us know of any roster updates that you know of, or changes to your meeting day, time or location for the Fall Quarter.  Please confirm any “changes” or “no changes” using the “Blue Button” when you submit your attendance.  Also, make sure your Campus Pastor/Station-in-Life-Pastor knows about the changes. 

PRAYER FOR NEW FALL LIFE GROUP LEADERS & HOSTS Take some time to pray for new Leaders and Hosts to launch new Life Groups in the Fall.   

SUMMER CONNECTION IDEAS 

• Over the summer, you may want to consider planning a social with your group at the beach, having a game night, going out to dinner, attending one of our summer events/classes or meeting for guys-only/girls-only breakfast once or twice.
• You may also consider sending out prayer requests via email, text or mail; this is a great way to keep people connected.

LEADER INFO 

 IMPORTANT DATES   

• Fall Life Group Signups: August 31 – September 15, 2024
• Fall Life Group Quarter: September 15 – November 23, 2024

DIGITAL FEEDBACK FORMS & Feedback on New Discussion Guide Format
End of the quarter Feedback Forms will be emailed to each person in your group on Monday, May 13. Please have your group fill them out at one of your two final meetings for the quarter if they haven’t done so already on their own.  Also, now we have a specific form going to all leaders asking some more specific questions in regard to new discussion guide. 

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 

1. Jesus urged Sardis to wake up! Have you ever experienced or witnessed sleepwalking?

Everyone may not have an answer, just a fun one to see if anyone has sleepwalking stories.

2. What point or idea have you remembered most since hearing this weekend’s message?

1. Read Revelation 3:1-13. Notice how often Jesus says “I will…” do something. What stands out to you about the things He urges the churches to do and the things He promises them He will do?

Answers will vary. What’s encouraging? What’s challenging? What words and phrases catch your attention?

Additional Question – Verse 11 tells believers “to hold on to what you have.”  What was your response when you first heard it mentioned in this weekend’s teaching and/or re-reading it now?

2. Read also 1 Peter 5:8-11. Just like the letters to the churches in Revelation, there is both warning and encouragement, command and promise, in these verses. What encourages you in these verses?

1 Peter 5:8-11 New International Version

⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. ¹¹ To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 

Additional Questions:

• What’s your response to what is said about other believers’ suffering in light of your own in verse 9?
• Can you think of any examples of your own suffering or difficulty that made your character stronger?
• How often do you think about God making you better while experiencing difficulty?
• How can we be real about pain, yet also hopeful that God is at work? What has been your experience with this? When do you find it difficult to process?

Additional passages to help us process when life is difficult:  2 Corinthians 1:3-7 and Hebrews 4:14-16

3. Why do you think alertness is necessary in following Jesus? What are some possible dangers of going to sleep spiritually?

Both passages warn about this. What happens when we don’t stay alert? (Get distracted, start to compromise, feel discouraged, etc.)

Additional passages:  Hebrews 2:1; 5:11-14; 1 Corinthians 10:12; Romans 12:2

Resisting Temptation: Alertness enables believers to recognize and resist temptation. Jesus Himself emphasized the importance of watchfulness in Matthew 26:41, warning His disciples to pray so they wouldn’t fall into temptation.

Discerning God’s Will: Being spiritually alert allows believers to discern God’s will for their lives. Through prayer, meditation on Scripture, and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, they can better understand and follow God’s guidance.

Staying Faithful: Alertness helps believers stay faithful to their commitment to follow Jesus. In the face of trials, challenges, and spiritual attacks, being spiritually alert enables them to remain steadfast in their faith and obedience.

Avoiding Spiritual Stagnation: Alertness guards against spiritual complacency and stagnation. It encourages believers to continually grow in their relationship with God, seeking deeper intimacy and understanding of His truth.

1.  Chris gave us seven vital signs to know how dead or alive our faith is (confessing Jesus as Lord, calling God Father, unity in the body of Christ, compassion, reproductive growth, passion, desire for holiness, willingness to sacrifice). Those can be summed up in the following two questions. Consider your answers and share them with your group.

• In the last two years of your life, where have you seen growth or change in your relationship with God?

For most of us, this is meant to be encouraging—spot the signs of growth and life. Encourage each other in your group where you have seen growth in them if people have a hard time self-identifying.

• In the last two years of your life, where have you been a light to others? Who is impacted by you?

Suggestion: Brainstorm with your group what kind of actions and attitudes bring light and what actions hide the light or don’t represent Jesus.  If you can’t think of any specifics from the past, is there anything you can think of you can add or change in going forward to change that? 

2. Do you have someone in your life who could wake you up from spiritual sleepwalking?

How can someone best encourage you to stay alert?

1. This week’s verses held encouragement and promises of God for the faithful. Find a way to tangibly remember encouragements or promises of God this week. Then, share your experience with your group.

Examples: make a playlist, recite a promise every day, find photos from seasons where you saw God’s faithfulness, change your phone wallpaper, set a daily reminder on your calendar, make a collage or art piece, write a list and share it with someone, go outside and find reminders of God’s faithfulness, etc.

See if your group did this this week or wants to try it over the next week.  

2. Christ encouraged Philadelphia in their faithfulness. How could you encourage someone else in their faithfulness this week?

Brainstorm with your group. You may also want to save this one for next week and use on how to encourage each other over the summer.

Prayer Request and End of the Quarter Reminder:Make sure you take time to get prayer requests and let you group know next week is the last week of the quarter.