Community Examen, Part 5: Steady Rhythms (08.31.20)

A Series of Guides for Groups Reassessing & Realigning on Community as Followers of Jesus

Leader’s Note

We encourage groups to abide by local ordinances for public health and safety. Continue to meet via video calls, or if meeting in person outside, abide by SF safety guidelines for outdoor, in-person gatherings.

Opening Prayer

After the group welcomes one another, have one person open in prayer and then take 2-3 minutes of silence. As you sit in silence, ask how the Holy Spirit is calling you to consistently engage with Jesus in this season—what might that look like and what kind of help might you need?

Share

Set a timer for 1-2 minutes per person to share: How do you believe the Holy Spirit is calling you to consistently engage Jesus?

Community Examen

During this series, we are taking a simple inventory of our communities in order to set them up for connection, health, and discipleship to Jesus.

This week the group gets to take their reflections from the last few weeks and choose a Steady Rhythm to keep as a group. Below are a few options of rhythms we’d recommend, which include Sermon Response, Bible Study, and Book Study.

Finding a Steady Rhythm

Read through these brief descriptions of Steady Rhythms that your group can choose and keep together to guide your meeting time the next few months after the Community Examen series completes. (Extended guides are in the appendix at the end.)

• Sermon Response: Use the few prompts below each week to discuss the prior Sunday’s sermon.
• Bible Study: Choose a book of the Bible, read through it, and study together using the Observe, Interpret, Apply method below. Consider using a companion commentary if helpful.
• Book Study: Choose a book from a Christian writer, read a chapter or two a week, and then discuss. There’s a short list of books we’d recommend with a few simple discussion questions below.

Discuss the options with your group and find a Steady Rhythm that will be good for your group to begin after the Community Examen series finishes.

Closing Intercession

Pray for your group, our church, our city, and our world.

Appendix of Guides

Sermon Response Prompts

Each time you meet, you can use these repeatable prompts to connect and respond to the prior Sunday’ sermon.

1. How would you summarize the sermon in your own words?
2. What encouraged or challenged you in the sermon?
3. How do you believe God is prompting you to respond to this teaching?
4. What do you need prayer for? (Have at least one person pray for each request.)
5. Intercede in prayer for your group, our church, city, nation, and world.

Bible Study – Observe, Interpret, Apply

Read the Bible passages selected aloud. We recommend 1-2 chapters per group gathering. Discuss through the following steps.

Step 1: Observe – What does the text say?

• Who is speaking? Whom are they speaking to?
• What is happening? What is being discussed? What isn’t happening?
• When does this take place?
• Where does this take place?

Step 2: Interpret – What does the text mean?

• What is the significance of the observations we’ve made? Why did these things happen?
• What is the author trying to communicate?
• Why did the characters in the passage say what they said?
• What is strange or confusing in this passage?
• What questions do we have about the meaning of this text?

Step 3: Apply – What does the text mean for us?

• Personal – How is God calling me to respond?
• Communal – How can we live this out together?

Closing Prayer: Intercede for your group, our church, city, nation, and world.

Book Study

Discuss a Christian book 1-2 chapters at a time. Choose a book from the list below or any other Christian book your group’s interested in. Use the following questions week by week as a jumping off point:

• What were your biggest takeaways from the reading? 
• What’s a concept or idea in this book that you struggled with? Something you disagreed with? 
• How did this reading expand your vision for God’s Kingdom? 

Book List:
The Inner Voice of Love: A Journey Through Anguish to Freedom – Henri Nouwen
Category: Devotional
Description: Made up of single page reflections, The Inner Voice of Love is adapted from the journals of one man, Henri Nouwen, through a period of intense despair. Each day he wrote himself a spiritual imperative as a reminder of his identity and security in Christ.

Mere Christianity – CS Lewis
Category: Christian Fundamentals
Description: Mere Christianity is adapted from a series of C.S. Lewis’s radio broadcast talks given over the course of WWII in which he set out simply to “explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times.” In a time of great uncertainty for his country and his world, Lewis makes the case for a faith that is profoundly grounding & uniting. You can read additional context on the book here.

Invitation to Retreat: The Gift and Necessity of Time Away with God – Ruth Haley Barton
Category: Practice
Description: Ruth Haley Barton breaks down the biblical imperative to Retreat. Retreat and Sabbath are often an afterthought in our 21st century, always-on lifestyles. Now, more than ever, we are called as a community to re-examine our practice in this area in order to invest in our friendship with Christ. 

Garden City – John Mark Comer
Category: Faith & Work
Description: Garden City explores the value God has for our work. It is a purposeful, practical guide for navigating questions around vocation, purpose, and time.

Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict – Esther De Waal
Category: Spiritual Practice
Description: Esther De Waal writes about the way of St. Benedict, a spiritual community dating back 500AD. Explore the way the spiritual practices of these monks can inspire us today.