We Choose | Grace Church

Week 1 Study Questions

Finishing off our Core Values series, pastors David Delk and Scott Mozingo remind us what God accomplished through our church over the last two years and review our new 2019-2020 ministry plan. Using our Core Values as a framework, We Choose lays out for us what we are doing as a church and our desire to work in obedience alongside what God has put in front of us. Each of our campus pastors then give us a picture of campus-specific ministry initiatives before Matt Williams challenges our body of believers to consider how we respond to what we have been given in Christ.

Application

Looking back at the past six weeks, in which Core Value have you seen the most growth and in which do you see the most need for growth? What are one or two specific actions you will take away from our Core Values series?
In 1 Chronicles 29:17, David encourages his people that they have been willingly generous and that it has been done with joy. How would you normally characterize your attitude when you are generous with your time, money, or gifts? What can you give willingly and with joy?
GROUP: Review the ministry plan booklet together. Discuss items that are new information for you and if there is anything you don’t understand. What ministry do you want to learn more about and how can you get involved?
GROUP: Take a look together at the Giving Guide and reflections on pages 21-22 of the ministry plan booklet. Where do each of you think you fall on the guide, and where would you like to be? Has this changed in the two years since we first introduced this guide? Lastly, look at the reflections underneath your category on page 22 and discuss one of those questions or ideas with the group.

Key Points

In 1 Chronicles 29, David praises God for what he is doing in Israel. It is important and instructive for us to notice that David, Solomon, and Israel are in positions of strength here, yet these are words of praise and humility—words of dependence. He recognizes that even when things are going well, everything comes from God.
1 Chronicles 29:14 is a powerful act of allegiance, humility, and dependence on God; it is a rejection of our prideful instinct that we are our own providers. David reminds us that the idea of generosity should come naturally to us because we are only giving what has first been given to us.
“We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace” (1 Chronicles 29:15). Time is the thing we can't get our minds around. Time is what reorients us around our dependence on God—it’s what makes us crave some kind of permanence or transcendence that we can only find when we serve a transcendent God.
We are all playing a small role in what God is doing at Grace Church. We are small people doing small things together. Like David, we should express joy and gratefulness for what God is doing and that we get to be a part of it.
What we’re talking about in our ministry plan is not a vision; it is an explanation of what we are already doing as God presents opportunities and generosity allows.
When people get involved in a local church, life change happens. How do we know when it’s “working”? When lives are being changed through the work of Jesus Christ.

Week 2 Study Questions

At the beginning of 2019, we introduced our two-year ministry plan, We Choose, across all of our campuses. Using our Core Values as a framework, We Choose lays out for us what we are doing as a church and our desire to work in obedience alongside what God has put in front of us. This past weekend, Teaching Pastor Matt Williams gave us an update on each of these initiatives we have been working towards for the past year and challenged us on serving and giving. You can keep up with what we are doing over the course of the two years here.

Application

Read Matthew 5:13-16. How are you currently salting the earth? Do you have any new convictions from this sermon? What are they?
GROUP: Discuss anything from the update that was new information for you and if there is anything you don’t understand. What ministry do you want to learn more about and how can you get involved? If you are already involved in one of these, share with your group how you have seen God working.
GROUP: Where do each of you think you fall on the giving guide, and where would you like to be? Has this changed in the past few years since we first introduced this guide?
Specifically using the giving guide, answer the following question based on which one you fall under:
- Consumer: Who do you know that is generous? Meet with them to discuss their motivation and practices.
- Casual: Why do you think you treat your financial gifts differently than any other monthly expenses?
- Reluctant: What fears keep me from giving consistently?
- Intentional: How much house is enough? What kinds of materials will foster contentment? These answers are unique to you—what would it look like for you and your family to place a cap on spending and saving?
- Courageous: Who have you shared your story with? Who can you spur on to give courageously?

Other Scripture References

2 Corinthians 9:7

In Your Presence | Elevation Worship | Apple Music | Spotify

Psalm 16:7-8 & 11• Deuteronomy 31:6 • Romans 8:31-34

This I Believe | Hillsong Worship | Apple Music | Spotify

1 Corinthians 15 • John 3:16 • Romans 1:16-17 • Hebrews 1

Hope to Carry On | Grace Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify

Romans 12:1 • Ephesians 4:16 • Ephesians 3:20

Week 3 Study Questions

In this passage, Jesus calls his followers to be salt and light—preserving the world by pointing others to the light of the gospel through our transformative love. This call informs We Choose, our two-year ministry plan which is a strategic way to budget, allocate, discuss, raise, and spend resources in a manner that will help us accomplish the mission God has given us. Check WeChoose.GraceChurchSC.org regularly for updates.

Application

To be the “salt of the earth,” we must be in proximity to others. As a church, we are working to engage the community in meaningful ways that promote the gospel. As an individual, what steps do you need to take in order to be salt? Which ministry specifically can you move towards as a volunteer?
As a city on a hill, the church is a living demonstration of the gospel—it represents an entirely unique socio-political system that is different from the world. In what ways does your life need to change in order to reflect this truth? How can you love others in a way that is transformative?
Part of being salt and light is giving financially—you can be a consumer, a casual giver, a reluctant giver, an intentional giver, or a courageous giver. Which of these words describes your attitude towards giving? What step can you take towards being more generous?

Key Points

Jesus calls his disciples to be the salt of the earth—this means they should flavor and preserve the world. Likewise, we must be in close proximity to those in need while retaining our distinctiveness as Christians.
Further, we must be willing to engage the most complicated problems in our culture. Only then can Jesus’ love transform others through the gospel.
Jesus also calls us to be light, a city on a hill. The church should be a living demonstration of the gospel–a unique socio-political system under God’s just and benevolent kingship. This is why we love each other in transformational ways.
Through We Choose, our two-year ministry plan, Grace Church has been working to make biblical community accessible to those who need it most.
- We have spent over three million dollars in ministry over the past two years. This includes re:generation, GriefShare, DivorceCare, re|engage, Mosaic, Senior Honor, Same Sex Attraction Parental Support, and Family Grace.
- We have also partnered with local organizations that are already working skillfully in areas of the community that are facing great need. We have contributed over 100,000 dollars to partnering with Project Hope, Jasmine Road, DSS, Homes of Hope, JUMPSTART, and others.
God has blessed us with abundant resources, and as a church, we pray that he would continue to extend our reach into the community for his glory. Check WeChoose.GraceChurchSC.org for regular ministry updates.

Other Scripture References

Revelation 3

John 13:35

Matthew 25

King of Kings | Hillsong Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Romans 1:16-17 • Hebrews 12:1 • Acts 18

Week 4 Study Questions

This passage in 1 Thessalonians captures our hope in the resurrection—because Jesus conquered death, we have faith that those who die in him will be resurrected when he returns. One way that we, as a church, can embrace this hope more fully is through offering natural burial. Not only does it provide a way for us to steward our resources well, it allows us to engage one another more fully throughout the dying, grieving, and healing process. To learn more about natural burial, visit GraceChurchSC.org/NaturalBurial.

Application

Consider the idea that death is a discipleship issue. How have you seen God work in your life, or someone else’s, through death and grief? What would it look like for the local church to be a more active part of the mourning and grieving process?
As believers, our hope is grounded in Jesus’ resurrection—we look towards life after death with faith and hope because Jesus has conquered death. How should this truth impact the way in which we navigate death? What are your thoughts on the idea of natural burial?

Key Points

Because death is a discipleship issue, we want to step into the process more fully as a church and love one another through the way we engage the dying and their families. There are four reasons we believe natural burial will enable us to disciple people well:
- Natural burial provides a way for us to be good stewards of the environment.
- Natural burial provides a way for us to be good stewards of our financial resources.
- Natural burial is aligned with our discipleship view of hope. Our hope is not in the ability to preserve and protect our bodies, but in God’s ability to recreate us after death.
- Natural burial gives us the ability to share the dying process more fully with other believers and their families. We will be able to offer care, support, and encouragement to one another.
We are a “city on a hill,” and how we love and care for one another means something to God (Matthew 5:14). To learn more about natural burial, how it will enable us to love one another well, or to volunteer to be part of this ministry, visit GraceChurchSC.org/NaturalBurial.
To hear sermons and access other resources related to the topic of death, visit our Theology of Death series at Resources.GraceChurchSC.org/sermons/theology-of-death.

Other Scripture References

Teaching

We Choose Update Year 1

We Choose Update Year 2

Salt and Light

Natural Burial

Resources

We Choose Updates

Theology of Death Series 2015

Reading Plan

We Choose Update

Natural Burial

Week 1 Study Questions

Application

Key Points

Week 2 Study Questions

Application

Other Scripture References

Week 3 Study Questions

Application

Key Points

Other Scripture References

Week 4 Study Questions

Application

Key Points

Other Scripture References