Week Two - Who is God?

At the beginning of every basketball season at UCLA, John Wooden would reteach his players how to put on their shoes and socks. Wooden won 10 championships with his teams in the 60s & 70s. Fundamentals matter and they affect everything. The foundations of a house are necessary for integrity of the structure.

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.

The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God.

For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like.

We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing about the Church is her idea of God.

—A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

We will become like the God we worship. Don’t miss the opportunity here. This might seem really basic, but it’s consistently worth revisiting who we’re actually talking about when it comes to the God we claim to worship. This might sneakily, be the most important week for someone in your group.

  • Reflect on your own misconceptions about God.

  • The parental figures in someone’s life will affect a person’s view of God. Be sensitive to the potential scars that you don’t know about yet.

  • Jesus is the perfect representation of God’s character (Hebrews 1:3).

Review the training notes about facilitating discussion. Here’s a few reminders.

  • Validate your group member’s perspectives, while leading people toward truth. Point them to the Bible, but understand we all have baggage, especially related to this question. Allow people to be honest, even if you’re uncomfortable with their perspective. Your conversation will help lead you toward a better view for everyone.

  • Don’t teach. Listen and seek to understand.

  • Ask follow up, clarifying, and open-ended questions.

Prayer Experience

Be sure to solidify your Prayer Experience plans ASAP! Don’t let logistics get in the way of the Spirit. If you need a location, please reach out to Todd. Our Church Building (!) is likely an option. Email Todd or check out the Prayer Experience Blog.

Serve Experience

It’s never too early to set a date to serve. Feel free to use this early time period to get a jump on that. Feel free to reach out to Email Todd. Some great starting places would be:

  • Family House - Preparing meals for families staying long-term in Pittsburgh due to medical issues.

  • Light of Life - Mostly Men’s homeless shelter and development program.

  • Urban Impact - Preparing and delivering meals for programs that serve underpriviledged minors in the North Side.

  • Hearth - Local shelter for women leaving abusive siutations.

  • Mars Home For Youth - A long-term residence for troubled kids.

Todd Ransom