1. What were some of your best and worst experiences with group projects in school? What made a good lab or group project partner?
2. Pastor Aaron explained how Philippians was written as a thank you letter from Paul to the Church at Philippi (see Phil 1:3, 2:25-30, 4:15-19). How does this impact the way you read the book?
3. Read Philippians 1:3-11. What sticks out to you about Paul’s relationship with the church at Philippi? How do you think they developed that level of depth of relationship even though they went years in between seeing each other?
4. Pastor Aaron shared 5 principles of healthy participation in the Gospel from Philippians. Would you agree with this list? As it relates to global missions, which do you feel you do well in? Which do you feel you need to grow in?
   • Healthy Participation Yields Deep Relationships (Phil. 1:7-8)
   • Healthy Participation Focuses on Prayer (Phil. 1:9-10)
   • Healthy Participation Rejoices with One Another (Phil.2:17-18)
   • Healthy Participation Gives Honor (Phil. 2:29-30)
   • Healthy Participation Requires Me to be Healthy (Phil. 4:1)
5. From what the visiting missionaries shared, what stuck out to you the most about their experiences on the mission field? What practical advice did you hear for how to better care for our missionaries?
6. While the expectation isn’t that you know every one of RBC missionaries, who are some of your favorites? Why? What level of relationship do you have with them? What are steps you could take to develop a deeper participation with them? Are there a couple missionaries your shepherd group wants to commit to pray for?

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1. What phrases or ideas does Paul repeat—and therefore emphasize—in Ephesians 1:7–14?
2. What exactly does it mean to be “in Christ”? How does that differ from the idea of being a distanced representative of Christ?
3. What images come to mind when you read that the Holy Spirit is the “seal” and “guarantee” of a Christian’s future inheritance? What do these images communicate about our relationship with God and our future?
4. Why might Paul emphasize God’s predestined purpose when talking about our inheritance? What comfort is this meant to provide?
5. Which of the blessings in this passage do you most need to be reminded of right now, and why? Redemption, forgiveness, God’s grace, His larger plan, your future inheritance, or the Spirit’s presence?
6. What difference would it make to move beyond only thinking about faith in terms of what God has personally done for you, and consider your place in God’s larger plan of redemption?
7. What other applications can you make from this passage?

The post As He Loves, Part 2: In Him appeared first on Reston Bible Church.

1. What stood out to you in this message?
2. So often, as followers of Christ, we don’t embrace the significant “blessings” that are ours. Why do you think is so?
3. What steps could believers take to be more conscious of the “blessings” we have in Christ?
4. If we are to get our identity in Christ, what are the things in your life that compete with Him as identity markers?
5. Read Hebrews 12:1-2. What are the things that make it hard to “detangle” ourselves from the things of this world?
6. How does not being “detangled” inhibit our ability to live for the glory of God each day?
7. What is one way you will seek to live for the glory of God this week?

The post As He Loves, Part 1: Introduction to Ephesians appeared first on Reston Bible Church.

1. What stood out to you in this message?
2. What are your thoughts about the statement that many see God as insecure and self-centered in requiring worship from His creation?
3. Why are humans more resistant to glorifying God over against honoring people who do noble things?
4. What do you think makes it difficult to glorify God each day the way He deserves?
5. Does the statement that human beings are glory hogs seem true with you? Explain.
6. Do you find the reality of eternity comforting in the struggles of this life? Why or why not?

The post The Five Solas: Soli Deo Gloria appeared first on Reston Bible Church.

1. What stood out to you in this message?
2. Discuss Calvin’s statement that human beings are essentially “idol factories”? Do you think this is true? Why or why not?
3. Why do you believe that we tend, even as believers in Christ, to add to His finished work?
4. In what things other than Jesus do you tend to seek to find your identity?
5. If being a more consistent worshiper in daily living helps keep our focus on Christ alone, what gets in the way of this process?
6. What is one step you can practically take to ensure that Christ is in his proper place – “in Christ Alone”?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

What is the hypostatic union?
Got Questions

The post The Five Solas: Solus Christus appeared first on Reston Bible Church.

1. What makes it difficult for people to embrace the reality that faith is necessary to apprehend salvation and not works?
2. Discuss the idea that “being good” in the realm of this world although important, is different for the measure of being good for salvation. How are these things different?
3. How are followers of Jesus able to keep those two realities clear in our lives?
4. We said that good works do not gain us salvation but should be the outgrowth of it. What should the fruit of salvation look like?
5. If we’re being honest, we don’t always feel like “living it out” the way we could. What should be the proper motivation for living out our salvation in good works?
6. As a follower of Jesus Christ, how can we avoid a sense of pressure to simply be good?

The post The Five Solas: Sola Fide appeared first on Reston Bible Church.

1. What stood out to you in today’s message?
2. Discuss the point that we are sinners before we sin and therefore not essentially good? Why might this be a hard set of truths?
3. How would you help an unbeliever in Jesus come to grips with this reality?
4. Each day we assign value to people and things. How do you keep the world of comparison from invading the notion of “I am fallen but valued”?
5. Why do you believe it is difficult, after we are saved by grace, to then live each day by grace?
6. Discuss the reality that when offended we want justice, but when we offend we want grace. Why is it so difficult to give grace to others?

The post The Five Solas: Sola Gratia appeared first on Reston Bible Church.

1. What stood out to you in this message?
2. What makes it difficult to find meaningful time reading the Bible?
3. When it comes to reading, studying, meditating on and memorizing Scripture, where do you see yourself doing well and what could use more attention?
4. What are key life verses or concepts that have guided your journey?
5. What is a matter in life about which you need guidance and what step could you take to engage the wisdom of the Bible?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Why is it important to believe in biblical inerrancy?
GotQuestions.org

How do we decide which books belong in the Bible since the Bible does not say which books belong in the Bible?
GotQuestions.org

The post The Five Solas: Sola Scriptura appeared first on Reston Bible Church.

1. What is the most impressive natural sight that you’ve ever seen in person (Redwoods, Grand Canyon, etc.)?
2. Where does pride tend to rear its ugly head the most in your life?
3. How can success make pride more difficult to recognize?
4. David mentioned that “pride rejects God’s preventative grace.” What are some ways God might warn us before humbling us?
5. What is one practical step you can take this week to cultivate humility?

The post Character Studies: Nebuchadnezzar appeared first on Reston Bible Church.

1. What stood out to you in this message?
2. Who is another biblical personality who experienced failure, restoration and mission? Discuss the distinctives of their journey.
3. Who is someone you know in life who has experienced failure, has been restored and is now on mission?
4. What are the critical disciplines and factors in maintaining a life that is resistant habitual failure? Read Romans 7:13-25 and Romans 8:1-8.
5. What steps could you take to create a more bullet proof journey against failure that sets you back spiritually?
6. How do you believe God is calling you to be on mission for Him? What might need to change in order to see this mission come to greater fruition?

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