Remember to prep for your group
- Pray for your group by name.
- Review the sermon recap, key scriptures, and takeaways.
- Choose which questions you will use for your group.
- Plan the prayer and ministry time.
🎬 Sermon Recap
This week’s message focused on the fifth spiritual habit of belonging in Jesus’ church: Outreach – investing in relationships and inviting others into Christian community.
Pastor Perry shared his own story of coming to faith in high school because two Christian friends took a risk: they invested in friendship and then invited him—not first to a church service, but to a youth environment where he could experience Christian community and hear the gospel. God was already at work in his heart, and their simple investment and invitation became the bridge to his salvation.
We then looked at how Jesus prioritizes the lost (Luke 15; Luke 19:10) and how the early church lived a lifestyle of invitation (Acts 2:46–47). We were encouraged to:
Pastor Perry shared his own story of coming to faith in high school because two Christian friends took a risk: they invested in friendship and then invited him—not first to a church service, but to a youth environment where he could experience Christian community and hear the gospel. God was already at work in his heart, and their simple investment and invitation became the bridge to his salvation.
We then looked at how Jesus prioritizes the lost (Luke 15; Luke 19:10) and how the early church lived a lifestyle of invitation (Acts 2:46–47). We were encouraged to:
- Invest in people through a BLESS lifestyle (Begin with prayer, Listen, Eat, Serve, Start spiritual conversations).
- Invite people into appropriate spaces of Christian community (Sunday gatherings, Easter services, community groups, game nights, or simply reading the gospel together).
Key Scriptures
- Luke 15:1–10
- Luke 19:10
- Acts 2:46–47
- John 13:34–35
- Ephesians 3:20–21 (for prayer over Forward Together / new space)
Key Takeaways
- Jesus passionately pursues the lost. The parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost sons show God’s heart to seek, save, and celebrate those who return to Him.
- Outreach is a normal part of following Jesus. “As you go” (in your everyday life), you’re called to invest in people and make disciples.
- Investing comes before inviting. Like Pastor Perry’s friends, we’re called to genuinely invest in relationships—care, listen, serve—before and as we invite people into Christian community.
- BLESS is a simple framework for outreach.
- Begin with prayer
- Listen
- Eat together
- Serve
- Start spiritual conversations
- Not every environment is the same. People are at different places spiritually. Some may come to a Sunday gathering or Easter service; others might first come to a meal, game night, or a one-on-one gospel reading.
- Belonging and mission go together. Being “planted” in a church family means growing in devotion, fellowship, service, giving, and outreach—together.
- We’re asking everyone to REACH ONE. Pray for, invest in, and invite at least one person this year who doesn’t yet know Jesus.
Leading the Group
👋 Welcome
Thank everyone for coming and making this group a priority in their lives.
💛 Vision
Consider paraphrasing / summarizing the vision for discipleship / C-Groups:
- We’re here as a group to honor God and make disciples
- Discipleship is being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and boldly doing as Jesus did.
- In other words, we grow together in the LORD and go together (where we work, live, and play)
📬 Announcements
🔥 Warm-Up
- Share about a time when someone invited you into something (a group, event, team, or church) that ended up impacting your life more than you expected.
- What made that invitation meaningful or effective?
💬 Suggested Discussion Guide
Please choose ahead of time which of the following questions you want to use for your c-group.
Discussion Questions
You don't have to answer all of these. Choose the most helpful for your group.
- God’s Heart for the Lost
- When you hear the stories of the lost sheep and the lost coin (Luke 15), what stands out to you about God’s heart?
- How does that challenge or encourage the way you think about people in your life who are far from God?
- Your Story & Invitations
- Who invested in you and invited you into Christian community or toward Jesus?
- What did they do (or not do) that helped you move toward Christ?
- Investing: The BLESS Framework
- Which part of BLESS (Begin with prayer, Listen, Eat, Serve, Start a spiritual conversation) feels most natural to you? Which feels most challenging? Why?
- Can you think of a specific person where one of these steps would be a meaningful next move?
- Inviting into the “Right” Space
- The sermon highlighted that not all environments are equally helpful as a first step (Sunday service, community group, game night, a meal, reading Scripture together, etc.).
- Think of one person you know—what environment might be the best first invitation for them, and why?
- Fears & Barriers
- What fears or barriers hold you back from investing in or inviting others (fear of rejection, not knowing what to say, past experiences, etc.)?
- How might the truth of Luke 19:10 (“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost”) speak into those fears?
- Belonging & Mission
- We were invited to belong through five habits: Devotion, Fellowship, Service, Giving, and Reaching Out.
- Which of these five do you feel strongest in right now? Which one do you sense God inviting you to grow in?
- REACH ONE
- If you had to identify one person to “REACH ONE” this year, who comes to mind (no need to share the name if it’s sensitive; you can just describe the relationship)?
- What is one realistic step you can take this week to invest in them?
Practical Applications
Of all we have discussed tonight, what is 1 step God is calling you to take in order to follow Him more fully this week?
In addition, you can mention some of these steps to consider.
In addition, you can mention some of these steps to consider.
- Create a “Reach 1” List
- Write down the name(s) of one to three people in your life who don’t know Jesus or are far from Him.
- Commit to pray for them daily (even a short 30-second prayer).
- Practice One BLESS Step This Week
- Pick one BLESS action for your “Reach 1” person:
- Pray for them by name each day.
- Ask a good question and really listen to their story.
- Invite them for coffee, lunch, or into your home.
- Find a simple way to serve them.
- Ask a gentle spiritual question (e.g., “Do you have any spiritual background?” or “How do you think about God these days?”).
- Pick one BLESS action for your “Reach 1” person:
- Plan an Invitation
- Decide on one invitation you can extend in the next few weeks:
- Easter service
- Easter Outreach / campus event
- Community group night
- Game night or social gathering
- Reading a gospel together (e.g., “Would you ever be open to reading the Gospel of Mark with me and talking about it?”)
- Decide on one invitation you can extend in the next few weeks:
- Belonging Commitment
- Evaluate yourself on the five habits: Devotion, Fellowship, Service, Giving, Reaching Out.
- Ask: “What is one next step I can take to belong more fully and participate more intentionally in this church family?”
- Set a Reminder to Pray for the Church’s Future
- If you haven’t already, set a daily alarm at 3:20 p.m. to pray Ephesians 3:20–21 over the church—especially for favor, provision, and a new space to gather.
🙏 Prayer
Close your time by praying into these themes. Invite the group to pray either in smaller groups (men with men or women with women) or all together using this guide.
- Spend time praying together using these themes:
- For God’s Heart
- “Jesus, give us Your heart for the lost—help us to see people the way You do and to feel the urgency and joy of Your rescue mission.”
- For Courage & Opportunity
- Pray for boldness to invest in and invite others, and for specific open doors with your “Reach 1” people.
- For the People on Our Hearts
- Have each person (silently or aloud) bring the name of at least one person they are praying for.
- Ask God to draw them, soften their hearts, and orchestrate meaningful conversations and invitations.
- For Our Church Family
- Pray that Every Nation Church would be a community marked by:
- Deep love for God
- Sincere love for one another
- Courageous love for the city
- Ask God to plant people, heal wounds, and form a true spiritual family on mission.
- Pray that Every Nation Church would be a community marked by:
- For God’s Heart
- Close by thanking God for those who once invested in and invited you, and ask Him to make you that kind of person for someone else.