👋 Welcome
Thank everyone for coming and making this group a priority in their lives.
💛 Vision
Take 10 seconds to remind people why you are gathering.
We exist to form Acts 2 Community where we are committed to:
We exist to form Acts 2 Community where we are committed to:
- Make Disciples: We gather as disciples to learn the ways of Jesus and put them into practice while helping others do the same. Life on Life.
- Build Spiritual Family: We create relational environments for meaningful connection with Jesus and each other, and opportunities for transformation through biblical practices. Life in Community.
- Live on Mission: We intentionally pray for and make an effort to impact our friends and neighbors with the Gospel through word and deed and invite them into Christian community. Life on Mission.
📬 Announcements
🔥 Warm-Up
What’s a time when a simple conversation ended up being much more meaningful than you expected (with a friend, coworker, stranger, etc.)? What made it meaningful?
🎬 Sermon Recap
This message concluded the series “The Mission” by focusing on how we actually have spiritual conversations the way Jesus did. The pastor introduced a simple posture summarized by the acronym SALT:
We were reminded that:
Jesus has all authority and has sent His church on mission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28).
We’re praying this year to “reach one” person with the love of Jesus.
Many Christians want to make a difference but feel awkward, unprepared, or afraid of starting spiritual conversations.
Jesus is already at work in people’s lives; we don’t start from scratch.
Our role is to join what He’s doing. Spiritual conversations are less about having a script and more about having a posture of love, curiosity, listening, and timely truth.
- S – Start a spiritual conversation
- A – Ask good questions
- L – Listen well
- T – Tell the truth
We were reminded that:
Jesus has all authority and has sent His church on mission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28).
We’re praying this year to “reach one” person with the love of Jesus.
Many Christians want to make a difference but feel awkward, unprepared, or afraid of starting spiritual conversations.
Jesus is already at work in people’s lives; we don’t start from scratch.
Our role is to join what He’s doing. Spiritual conversations are less about having a script and more about having a posture of love, curiosity, listening, and timely truth.
💬 Suggested Discussion Guide
Please choose ahead of time which of the following questions you want to use for your c-group.
Key Scriptures
- Matthew 28:18–20
- Colossians 4:2–6
- John 5:17, 19
- 1 Peter 3:15
- John 14:6
Key Takeaways
- Jesus’s mission still stands and we are Plan A. The Great Commission is still in effect until “the end of the age.” The church is God’s primary strategy for reaching the world.
- We’re focusing on “just one.” As a church, we’re praying and believing God to help each of us intentionally love and reach one person this year.
- God is always at work before we get there. We never start from zero with someone. The Father is already working; our role is to discern where and join Him.
- We don’t wait for perfect moments; we initiate. Most “perfect” spiritual moments don’t just fall into our laps. Like Jesus, we often need to start the conversation.
- SALT is a posture, not a script.
- Start – Move from passivity to intentionality.
- Ask – Use open-ended spiritual questions that invite people to share.
- Listen – Love people by really hearing them; reflect back what they say.
- Tell – Share the right part of the gospel at the right time, guided by the Spirit.
- Loving is listening. In a world of arguing and talking past each other, one of the most Christlike things we can do is listen deeply and reflect understanding, not rush to “win” or correct.
- The Spirit gives words and timing. As we ask, “Holy Spirit, what gospel truth do they need right now?” He can highlight pieces of the big story (Creation, Fall, Redemption, New Creation) that speak directly into a person’s pain or questions.
- Spiritual journeys are often slow and relational. Some encounters are dramatic and quick; many are like the “year and a half at the coffee shop” – slow, patient, relational, and ongoing.
Discussion Questions
You don’t have to answer all of these. Choose the ones most helpful for your group.
- Big Picture / Mission
- When you hear that “Jesus’s mission has a church, and we’re it,” what emotions rise up in you (excited, overwhelmed, unqualified, etc.)? Why?
- How does the “reach one” focus change the way you think about evangelism or mission?
- God Already at Work
- The sermon quoted Jesus: “My Father is always at work…” Where have you seen hints that God might already be at work in people around you (family, coworkers, neighbors)?
- What holds you back from believing God is really working in the lives of people who seem disinterested or resistant?
- SALT – Start & Ask
- Which part of SALT is most challenging for you personally: starting, asking, listening, or telling? Share why.
- The sermon gave examples of spiritual questions (e.g., “Do you have any spiritual background?” “What’s your take on Jesus?”).
- Which one feels most natural for you?
- How might you rephrase it in your own words?
- Have you ever had someone ask you a sincere question about your faith? How did it feel?
- Listening Well
- The pastor said, “Loving is listening.” Think of a time you felt really heard by someone. What did they do that made you feel that way?
- Where do you notice the temptation to plan your response instead of really listening? How might reflective listening (“I hear you saying…”) change your conversations?
- Telling the Truth (Right Truth, Right Time)
- The sermon described thinking in the four big movements of the gospel: Creation, Fall, Redemption, New Creation.
- Which of those four has been most meaningful in your own story with God recently?
- In your experience, what happens when Christians try to dump everything they know on someone in one conversation? How is it different when we share one key truth that fits where the person actually is?
- The sermon described thinking in the four big movements of the gospel: Creation, Fall, Redemption, New Creation.
- Real Stories / Real Fears
- Which of the stories from the sermon (the man on the train, the father at the coffee shop) impacted you the most? Why?
- What are your biggest fears about starting spiritual conversations (e.g., rejection, not knowing answers, damaging the relationship)? How might the SALT approach speak to those fears?
- Your “One”
- Do you have a sense of who your “one” might be this year? If you’re comfortable, share a first name or general description with the group.
- What would be a realistic next step with that person in light of SALT (e.g., move from casual chat to a spiritual question, invite them to coffee, simply listen better)?
Practical Applications
Consider inviting group members to choose 1–2 concrete steps for this week:
- Identify and pray for your “one.”
- Ask God to highlight one person where you live, work, or play whom He wants you to love intentionally this year.
- Begin praying daily for them by name: for openness, for God’s work in their heart, and for opportunities to talk.
- Own 1–2 spiritual questions.
- Choose one or two spiritual questions from the sermon that fit your personality (e.g., “Do you have any spiritual background?” or “Where would you say you are spiritually right now?”).
- Rewrite them in your own words and practice saying them out loud so they feel natural.
- Practice reflective listening.
- This week, in any conversation (even non-spiritual), intentionally reflect back what you hear:
“So what I hear you saying is…” or “It sounds like you’re feeling…” - Notice how people respond when they feel truly heard.
- This week, in any conversation (even non-spiritual), intentionally reflect back what you hear:
- Ask God where He’s already at work.
- Before work/school/errands, pray: “Father, show me where You’re already at work today. Help me see and join what You’re doing.”
- Be attentive to small openings: comments about stress, suffering, purpose, or spirituality.
- Prepare your own answer.
- Reflect on: “What was so compelling when I first believed? Why have I stayed with Jesus through hard times?”
- Write a short (2–3 minute) version of your story that focuses on Jesus and His grace, not just on church background.
- Consider an ongoing invitation.
- If you already have someone spiritually interested, prayerfully consider inviting them to:
- Read a Gospel with you (e.g., Mark or Luke, one chapter per week), or
- Come into Christian community (group, Sunday gathering, meal with believing friends).
🙏 Prayer
Close your time by praying into these themes. You can pray in pairs/triads or as a full group.
Use this as a guide:
“Lord Jesus, thank You that You are already at work in the people around us. This week, help us start, ask, listen, and tell like You did. Make us faithful with just one person this year. Use our conversations to point people to You. Amen.”
- Thank Jesus for His authority and His promise: “I am with you always.”
- Ask God to:
- Open our eyes to see that the Father is always at work around us.
- Give us courage to start spiritual conversations instead of waiting for perfect moments.
- Help us ask good questions that show love and curiosity.
- Form us into people who listen well, reflect understanding, and handle others’ stories gently.
- Fill us with the Holy Spirit to tell the right truth at the right time, with gentleness and respect.
- Lift up specific “ones” by first name (or description) and pray:
- For soft hearts and openness to Jesus.
- For clear opportunities to talk and listen.
- For ongoing conversations that lead to encountering the real Jesus.
“Lord Jesus, thank You that You are already at work in the people around us. This week, help us start, ask, listen, and tell like You did. Make us faithful with just one person this year. Use our conversations to point people to You. Amen.”