Kingdom Community Primer

Set the Table

(before the gathering)

Communion: Have elements ready (bread and juice).

Atmosphere: Consider worship music to encourage quiet reflection.

Prayer: Take a moment to stop, pray, and prepare your heart before the Lord.

Bible: Have your Bible present and ready.

KINGDOM COMMUNITY

Conversation and Connection that Honors the Lord

(45 minutes)

Shared Meal: Facilitate the shared meal if the group is participating (consider sharing the act of cooking by inviting everyone to contribute each week).

Conversation: This is the time when people can get to know each other and learn about the daily events in each other's lives.

PURSUING THE PRESENCE

Partake in Communion

(15 minutes)

If you don’t already have a Communion liturgy, have someone read through this prayer based on the Lord’s Supper in Luke 22 and the Wedding Supper in Revelation 19:6–9:

“All-loving God, we praise you and rejoice in your presence. We come to this table together with hope and longing love, sharing the Lord's Supper, to eat and drink a foretaste of that future Wedding Supper. Jesus, we are making ourselves ready: tuning our hearts and training our appetites to desire you and you alone. Infuse our lives with your presence as we share your body, broken for us, and your blood, poured out for us. You wait with longing for us to drink anew in your kingdom, so we say: Come, Lord Jesus. Come quickly.”

Encourage quiet reflection.

Explain: “We take communion to remember Jesus’ sacrifice and proclaim His death until He returns. 1 Cor. 11:26

Take the Bread & Cup:

Bread: “And He [Jesus] took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” - Luke 22:19 (Eat together)

Cup: “And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” - Luke 22:20 (Drink together)

Close in Prayer: “Jesus, thank You for Your sacrifice. Help us walk in Your grace and love. Amen.”

TRANSFORMATIONAL DISCIPLESHIP

Read and Discuss

(45 minutes)

Read: Matthew 6:5-13 (ESV):

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Discuss: The following questions—help by leading the conversation and creating space for more than one person to speak. Every person does not need to answer every question.

Leader Note: Questions such as “what do you not like?” are designed to encourage conversation about difficult parts of scripture or to better identify what is misunderstood about scripture. Sometimes simply recognizing discomfort may lead to a greater understanding. Do not feel responsible for removing discomfort or explaining. To avoid "fixing" behaviors, set the tone for the group by saying, "It's okay to feel this way; we don't need to fix it. We are here to be honest and open, not to fill the role of the Holy Spirit.”

What did you like from the scripture?

What did you not like from the scripture?

What did you learn about God?

What did you learn about yourself?

What decisions are you being challenged to make?

SACRIFICIAL MISSION

Serve Together

(10 minutes)

Leader Note: This is an opportunity to teach the group about the many things that encompass “Sacrificial Mission,” such as how our church serves the nations through mission trips and the all people project, how we serve the community through Serve Saturday, Neighborhood Network, refugee ministry, and Go Week, the difference between tithes and offerings, and how Sacrificial Mission is more than money. This is not a space to create shame or pride - it is designed to create dialog among brothers and sisters who love one another and may have questions. As we grow in spiritual maturity together, part of development requires teaching and sometimes accountability. We can have honest and vulnerable conversations with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Missions: From February 13 through 22, the Ghana mission team will partner with The Pearl House, a Christ-centered ministry that provides safety, education, and discipleship for at-risk girls in Ghana. The Pearl House works to equip young women with practical skills, spiritual formation, and the opportunity to build a hopeful future rooted in Jesus. Our team will spend the week encouraging the girls and staff, supporting daily programs, serving alongside local ministry leaders, and strengthening the long-term partnership between The Pearl House and New Song. As we prepare to go, we invite you to cover our team in prayer for safe travels, meaningful ministry, and deep impact in the lives of the young women at The Pearl House. Thank you for being a church that sends, supports, and invests in the mission of God around the world.

Generosity: What does generosity look like in your life?

Optional Prayer (Giving Liturgy): Heavenly Father, everything I have is from you. You are the owner of all things. My money and possessions are rentals to be stewarded in love for the sake of others. Jesus generously gave himself on my behalf, and as His apprentice, I am learning to live my life in the key of extravagant generosity. I am committed to following the pattern of Christ in all areas of my life. To take what you have given me and use it only for myself is the way of the world. You have called me to swim against selfishness and to live sacrificially, making your Kingdom my priority. I desire to be a person of increasing, mindful, and joyful generosity until no one is in need among us. I yield to the transformative power of Christ in me. Amen.

PRAYER

Bring it Home

(5 minutes)

Pray: Close in prayer

Prayer Requests: You can collect prayer requests, have members put them in GroupMe, or pray over the known and unknown needs of the group.

Release: Group is over—consider discussing the practice of group members assisting in clean-up before leaving. This is a way of serving and honoring the hosting family/person.