Breaking Ground
Who would you say knows you better than anyone else in the world? How have they shaped who you are?
The Dig
This Sunday, we continued our series Secret of Life by exploring the false ideas that our world teaches us about relationships.
Across the Scriptures, we find a consistent call to present ourselves as we actually are & to foster authentic relationships (see: Proverbs 12:22 & 28:13, Matthew 5:13-16, Luke 12:2, Colossians 3:9-10, Ephesians 4:25, & Romans 12:13 as just a few examples). However, this sort of honest, open, vulnerable, & equal relationship is rarely upheld as what we should be aspiring to within our present culture & world. Instead, we are often called to embrace a vision of relationships defined by status, elitism, & the creation of a pristine public image. With this in mind, reflect upon the questions that our panelists discussed on Sunday.
What cultural narratives & postures do you see most powerfully at work within how relationships are defined & fostered today? How did these develop over the last several decades? How has this impacted the relationships of children, youths, & adults in our culture?
A critical part of our cultural shift in understanding relationships has been the rise of tech, social media, & smart phones. How have these realities changed our understanding of & approach to relationship building in the 21st century?
Consider the shift from a monoculture to subcultures & the rise of echo chambers in our world today. What role has this played in transforming how we see & foster relationships? Where do you see both positive & negative impacts of them on children, youths, & adults in our culture?
Where have you struggled with adopting one of these cultural narratives around the nature of relationships? How has this impacted you positively & negatively?
How should Christians define & seek to be in relationships with others? How should this be different from the narratives & models of relationship upheld by our culture?
How can you adopt a healthier, more authentic vision of relationships in this next season of your life?
Getting Out of the Hole
Take time this week to reflect upon the topic we covered in the Sunday sermon.
- How do you define a healthy relationship? What narratives do you hold about what relationships should be defined by & how they’re best fostered? How has that been shaped more by our world’s definition of community as opposed to Christ’s?
- How has your worldview as it relates to relationships shaped the way you share yourself with others? Do you find yourself being 100% honest about your brokenness or holding aspects of your life back from those closest to you? If so, why do you think that is?
- Where do you need to embrace a Christlike vision of authenticity in your relationships? What’s one step you can take to start fostering such relationships in your life this fall?
Journal about how this prayer practice makes you feel this week. Share your experience with your group next week.
Additional Resources*
Centered Set Church by Mark D. Baker
Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
TheBibleProject.com
Coming Up This Week:*
August 31st: Join us next Sunday as we continue our series Secret of Life!* Please see mye3.org for details.