1. How do the ways of our cultural impact how you express your faith? Are these ideas compatible with what the Bible says? How so?
   1. Look at Psalm 51. What do verses 13-15 have to do with the rest of the psalm?
   2. Would this agree with or conflict with popular culture (think about the popular idea that religion is a personal and private matter)?
2. What are some of your religious traditions? (Think of things you do, ways you worship or practice your faith, even things that you believe)
   1. How important are these traditions to you?
   2. Do these traditions have a Biblical basis? If you say yes, can you show it from the Bible?
   3. Read Mark 7:9-13.
      1. Are there ways that any of your “non-Biblical” traditions interfere with proper service to God or create barriers for those who have not yet come to faith in Christ?
3. Look up Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 10:34 and John 17:23
   1. How can Jesus could be called “Prince of Peace” and then say he did not come to bring peace but a sword?
   2. Do you think that Jesus is a divisive or a unifying person? How so? (Consider the words of Zechariah in Luke 2:34-35)

Sunday, September 28, 2014 – “Joshua: The Mission

1. Think of a time when someone broke an important promise they had made to you.
   1. How is your relationship with a person affected by a broken promise?
   2. At what point do you decide he/she has actually broken the promise rather than simply having not yet fulfilled it?
2. Reread Numbers 13:17-33 and then read Joshua 1:1-9.
   1. How do you think Joshua felt about the task ahead of him?
3. Why do you think it was important for Israel to have this Promised Land all to themselves? Why couldn’t they have lived amongst other peoples? (see Deut. 7:1-6)
   1. What does it mean to be a “holy people”?
4. How is the modern church’s task similar to that of Joshua and Israel?
   1. What is today’s church supposed to conquer?
   2. How does Deut. 7:1-6 apply to the church today? What are some of the things that need to be driven out of the church today?
   3. How is the church weakened if we don’t drive those things out?
5. What are some promises of God that we are meant to claim in our own personal lives?
   1. What will our lives look like when we do?
   2. Are there still things to be driven out of your life?
   3. If you are not yet “perfect,” does that mean that God has failed to keep his promises for your life?

Sunday, September 21, 2014 – “Joshua: The Making of a Conqueror”

1. Think of somebody that you consider to be a great leader (preferably somebody that you know/knew personally)
   • What characteristics of that person make you consider him/her to be such a good leader?
   • Do you think that these characteristics were things that he/she was born with or were they learned?
2. Read Exodus 24. What do you think it would have been like for Joshua and what do you think he learned from his experience?
   • Briefly recount an experience that taught you a positive, life-changing lesson.
3. How did fighting the Amalekites (Exodus 17:8-13) prepare Joshua for his later role of leading Israel?
   • Why do you think that God wanted Moses to be sure that Joshua heard what was written on the scroll in Ex 17:14?
4. Read Numbers 13:30-33, 14:8-9. What do you think gave Joshua and Caleb such great faith when the other ten spies said it would be impossible to conquer the Promised Land?
   • On a scale of 1 to 10, how great is your faith? [10 being like that of Joshua and Caleb (ready to conquer any giants that stand in your way), 1 being like the other spies (you would rather wander safely in the wilderness than try anything risky for God).
5. What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
   • Have you been filled with the Holy Spirit?
     • If yes, how is it making a difference in your life?
     • If no, what is preventing it from happening in your life?
   • If you don’t know, are you willing to learn more and to do whatever is necessary to let it happen?