SomeTime Bible Study - Week 1

This week you will be introducing “SomeTime.” SomeTime is a cojourner experience—a time dedicated to exploring the spiritual backstories of your friends. During this experience you will be asking friends, “Sometime, I’d like to hear about your spiritual journey…would you be up for that?” And, during that conversation (or in the next one) you will ask if you can meet to hear his or her story.
- Read the article SomeTime – An Overview & Guide. You can find the article under the “Documents to Print” section
- Review 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 and associated questions
- Your copy of this study (One copy just for you)
- SomeTime – An Overview & Guide article (One for each group member)
- Soularium or Perspective Cards(One for each group member)
- Knowing God Personally or Backstory booklets (One or more for each group member)
- Passages devotional (If provided, one for each group member)
Acts 17:16, 17: “ Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there .”
Question : In what ways, if at all, did you experience an increased awareness of idolatry on campus this last week?INTRODUCE SOMETIME“This week’s study is going to look a little different. In fact, we are actually going to start with the application and then work our way back to the heart and ‘why’ behind it.”Hand out & read the article:SomeTime – An Overview & Guide
Basically SomeTime is about…- Asking friends, “Sometime, I’d like to hear about your spiritual journey…would you be up for that?”
- And meeting with friends who are interested in talking
(Anticipate questions your group may have. Think about what questions you had when you were first introduced to SomeTime .)
PRACTICE“It’s helpful to experience what it might feel like to ask a ‘Sometime…’ question in a live conversation. So we’re going to pair up & practice using ‘Sometime…’ in a live situation. Consider starting with, ‘What did you do last weekend?’”(You may want to consider reviewing the section of the article subtitled: “Asking the Question—A Practical Tip”)
HAND OUT RESOURCESProvide to your group:- Soularium or Perspective Cards (One for each person)
- Passages devotional (If provided, one for each person)
Read : 2 Corinthians 5:14-21
What motivations does Paul give for helping others become reconciled to God? Why do you think Paul felt the way he did?- The love of Christ, our spiritual view of others, and our calling as ambassadors.
- Paul ceased to make superficial judgments based on external appearances (vs. 12). It was now his custom to view people not primarily in terms of nationality (i.e., Jew or Gentile), but in terms of spiritual status.
- We typically have a difficult time seeing people holistically; we often focus on the physical appearance and demeanor of friends and forget to consider their spiritual well-being. Friends can seem successful, happy, content, etc. and we can wrongly conclude that they don’t need Christ.
“ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him… ”
In what ways might we need to die to ourselves and live for him during SomeTime ?PRAY- For the friends we started praying for last week and
- For ourselves—that we would take steps of faith to ask friends a “Sometime…” question
2 Corinthians 5:16 : “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.”
* One Solitary Life. Essay adapted from a sermon by Dr. James Allan Francis in “The Real Jesus and Other Sermons” © 1926 by the Judson Press of Philadelphia (p 123-124 titled “Arise Sir Knight!”).