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 Romans 5:6–11 as written below, then pause to reflect on the depth of Christ’s love and reconciliation.
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
Take a moment to thank Jesus for the love that pursued us before we ever sought him.
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: Colossians 1:15-29 and Colossians 2:1-15
Colossians 1:15-29
The Preeminence of Christ
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Paul's Ministry to the Church
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
Colossians 2:1-15
“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
Alive in Christ
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in him.”
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.
Did you know New Song Church is able to reach so many because of generosity?
Serve Teams: We are called to be a body of believers assembled, not just gathered, for the greater good of the Kingdom. Serving and being in community are parts of each of our lives' callings. We encourage you to serve where your gifts and passions will be best utilized. However, we recognize there are seasons of obedience and stretching where the Lord will ask you to serve where the greatest need is or in an area you have never served in before. Did you know we can display all four of the New Song Pursuits when serving? Find out more at www.newsongpeople.com/serve
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.