Hey Gang,
Final lesson in our series called
Oneness Embraced
Oneness Embraced Book by Tony Evans
Click Here to Read the Book
I have purchased the eBook for you to read above, if you’d like to read along with the study - just click on the link above for the book.
Week 7: Oneness Embraced – Discussion Guide
The
Key to Kingdom Oneness and Holding Back Evil Through the Church
FOCUS: The purpose of the Church and what this means
for fighting the onslaught of evil, e.g. racial divide, and the salvation of a
nation.
Tony Evans’ Video highlights:
- Hurricane Katrina visit to New Orleans and
failed levees
- The job of the church to restrict evil
- The first mention of the Church in Matthew 16
- The function of the Church made up of
individuals linked together to reflect and legislate the values of the Kingdom
of God
- The Church as Heaven on Earth and the problem
of the Church becoming just like the earth
- Jesus’ statement “I will build my Church”. The
keys are given to gain access.
- The purpose of the Church is the Kingdom, not
the Church. Using the wrong keys will not work.
- The Church is the levee to keep hell and Satan
out
- Unity is critical for the salvation of a
nation. God has given only the Church access to Him to overrule what the enemy
is doing in society. The church as God’s legislative body is very powerful and
hell cannot stop it.
For Group Time
Icebreakers:
- Share
a time when you acted as a levee for someone or some situation.
Discussion Questions Session
6:
- Share your thoughts on the analogy Dr. Evans used of the church as a levee. What is the true purpose of the church?
- Like
weak levees, where has the church in the U.S. been remiss/rebellious in pushing
back evil, specifically as it relates to racism?
- Like
strong levees, where has the church in the U.S. been faithful/righteous in
pushing back evil, specifically as it relates to racism?
- Does
understanding the true purpose of the church and why oneness should be embraced
convict you in any way? What will you do
differently?
Self-Reflection:
- As a
Christian, how can I help to hold back the sin of racial division, injustice,
racism?
- Do I
know the purpose to which God has called me?
- How am
I representing the “homeland (Kingdom of God)?” Read 1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-11
Challenge:
Imagine what oneness would look like for you?
Think prayerfully this week about next steps for you, for First Baptist
Simpsonville/Upstate Church, for your workplace, and for our city.
~~
Hope to see everyone this Sunday!!
God Bless,
David & Susan
Teacher Notes:
Click Play to Watch
The Key to Kingdom Oneness
and
Holding Back Evil Through the Church
FOCUS: The purpose of the Church and what this means
for fighting the onslaught of evil, e.g. racial divide, and the salvation of a
nation.
Tony Evans’ Video highlights:
- Hurricane Katrina visit to New Orleans and failed levees - held back lake Ponchartrain flooded 26% of New Orleans immediately - Catastrophic event August of 2005
- Spawned off 62 tornadoes across 8 states
- Claimed more than 1800 lives
- 106 billion dollars of damage – costliest in world
- Storm surge 26 feet
- Levees: Hold back the water Church (Levees for society): Hold back the flood waters
- Levees were vulnerable, later tested and failed,
waiting on the big one
- Levees being the church - Waters of Lake Ponchartrain
not new waters been there shouldn’t be surprised that New Orleans flooded
- Shouldn’t be surprised everything flooding into
our culture
- Biggest problem not Katrina it was the levees
- Biggest problem not racism biggest problem is
the church’s lack of response to racism / sinful storm in our culture – the
church has to deal with – has to step up – the church is supposed to be the
levees
- The job of the church to restrict evil
- The first mention of the Church in Matthew 16
- The function of the Church made up of
individuals linked together to reflect and legislate the values of the Kingdom
of God
- The Church as Heaven on Earth and the problem
of the Church becoming just like the earth
- Jesus’ statement “I will build my Church”. The
keys are given to gain access.
- The purpose of the Church is the Kingdom, not
the Church. Using the wrong keys will not work.
- The Church is the levee to keep hell and Satan
out
- Unity is critical for the salvation of a
nation. God has given only the Church access to Him to overrule what the enemy
is doing in society. The church as God’s legislative body is very powerful and
hell cannot stop it.
Illustration: the
levees and an embassy
- Embassy a home away from the home land
sovereign territory in a foreign land – the safe place - Jason Bourne
- Church is to be a little piece of heaven here
on earth
Discussion Questions Session 6:
- Share
your thoughts on the analogy Dr. Evans used of the church as a levee. What is
the true purpose of the church?
- God
has placed a levy in history – He has called it the church
- The
church is designed to hold back Satan’s forces being unleashed against mankind.
- Weak
levees - where has the church failed in pushing back evil, specifically as it
relates to racism.
- Strong
levees – where has the church been faithful in pushing back evil, specifically
as it relates to racism.
Share your thoughts on the analogy Dr. Evans used of the church as an embassy.
What is the true purpose of the church?
3. Does
understanding the true purpose of the church and why oneness should be embraced
convict you in any way? What will you do
differently?
The unity of the church is critical to the progress of God's work in history.
I will build My Church. Stones hewn together to become a ROCK!
The Purpose of the Church / the Kingdom
The Keys to the Kingdom / Power / Authority in Heaven
Unified - cross-cultural / cross-race / cross-class
Self-Reflection:
As a Christian, how can I help to hold back the sin of racial division, injustice, racism?
Do I know the purpose to which God has called me?
How am I representing the “homeland (Kingdom of God)?”
Read 1 Peter 2:4-5,
9-11
Challenge:
Imagine what oneness would look like for you?
Think prayerfully this week about next steps for you, for First Baptist Simpsonville/Upstate Church, for your workplace, and for our city.
I Can See Clearly Now
Click Play to Hear
