CONNECT

Describe an experience that captured you emotionally What is your favourite movie or book character and why?

WORD
25 He

replied, I know nothing about that one way or the other. But I know one thing for sure: I was blind . . . I now see. John 9:25

If faith hinges on proof, then every question needs an answer. Yes, faith begins with thinking thinking about the evidence for Gods existencebut thinking alone is insufficient. People all over the world are beginning to believe in Godfrom rural farms to modern cities, from under-educated to top scientists, from skeptics to open-minded. One of the great pieces of evidence for God is the transformative effect in the lives of people whove decided to put their trust in God. This is what we call Living Proof

Faith is experienced not just understood

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9 If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. T hen you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you John 8:32 God is holy, and is therefore beyond our full comprehension. God wants us to use our minds to learn about Him, but its wrong to think that fully understanding God is a prerequisite for faith. We dont have the mental ability to fully fathom a God who brought everything we see into existence. Jesus said that truth is not just understood academically, but discovered experientially as you put your trust in Him. Why do people sometimes think they need to fully understand God before they engage in faith? Why is it difficult at times to bridge the gap between our head-knowledge and our experience? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________

 People are living proof of Gods existence

12 I

thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:12-14 The Lords message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaiayour faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it 1 Thessalonians 1:8 Paul travelled in and around the Ancient Near East, sharing his story of what happened to him on the road to Damascus, and sharing his experience and understanding of who Jesus. As he did this people came to faith and experienced life change. This sounds matter-of-fact, but its so significant. People from drastically different backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, and experiences believed Pauls testimon y that Jesus was the Son of God, and today there are billions of believers all over the world. This is one of the strongest evidences for Gods existence. Billions of people all over the world experience the God of the Bible. Why do some people deny this evidence for Gods existence? Describe a powerful spiritual experience youve had. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________

SO WHAT

What is the relevance of the Word to my life?

Take some time to prepare a story you can share in 2 minutes using the format Once I was.What God did.Now I am If you havent yet decided to follow Jesus, think about an area of your life that youd like to be transformed in some way Take some time to go round and share your story.

NOW WHAT

How do I apply the Word to my life?

What is an area of your life where you currently desire to experience more of God? What are some of Jesus instructions you need to put into practice in order to experience his truth? Who do you know that would benefit from hearing your story?

PRAYER
Pray for a deeper experience of God as you put your faith in him Pray for people you know who need to experience God Pray for any requests that people in the group may have.

How To Use This Material

This material is designed for small group discussion. The goal is not to just teach a lesson but to apply truth to our lives. The best preparation for each small groups leader is to have these guides in hand during the Sunday message so they can take notes to prepare for their group meeting. Each weeks lesson is taken from the GODS NOT DEAD book chapter of the same title. Reading that chapter will prepare the leader for a successful group discussion. These materials work best with a group of four to twelve people. Each lesson has four parts: connect, word, application, and prayer:

CONNECT (1015 minutes ) Most lessons have three warm-up questions provided. Pick the question or questions that will relate best to the group. If you think of a better warm-up question, feel free to use it. A good warm-up question is not controversial, should require no Bible knowledge, and should have no right or wrong answer. Good warm-up questions ask for a persons opinion and experience and should be loosely related to the topic in the word section. Everybody is encouraged to talk during the CONNECT time.

WORD (1520 minutes ) Each lesson has several key points in bold type followed by scripture, brief comments, questions, and blank lines. Use the extra lines to record additional comments, cross references, illustrations, and other thoughts that might help communicate the point.

APPLICATION (1020 minutes ) Maturity is not about how much we mark up or read our Bibles, but about how much we obey our Bibles. The goal is for truth to be absorbed into our hearts, not just into our heads. Therefore, personal application is at the very heart of discipleship and spiritual growth. Everybody is encouraged to speak during the personal application time.

PRAYER (1020 minutes ) The prayer time may begin with some answers to prayers to encourage and build the faith of the group. If your group has eight or more people, it may be a good idea to break into two or three smaller groups during the prayer time. Everyone should be encouraged to participate in the prayer time. Expect God to answer your prayers.