Creekside Community Church

1. Standing Together

2. Striving Together

1. Suffering Together

For further thought and discussion:

Getting Started


1. What was helpful to you in this week’s sermon? What didn’t you understand?
2. What’s the healthiest team you’ve ever been a part of? What were you able to accomplish? What’s the unhealthiest team you’ve ever been a part of? What weren’t you able to accomplish?


Going Deeper

4. Paul commands the Philippians, “let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ”(1:27). What is Paul saying about the Philippians’ citizenship (a point that is missed in most English translations)? How does this command function within the letter? Why is it so important for understanding the book of Philippians?
4. Paul tells the Philippians to “stand” (v. 27) and to “strive” (v. 27). He also says they are “engaged in…conflict”(v. 30). What imagery do these words convey? How are the Philippians to view themselves, and their mission? How does this impact our view of the Christian life? How does it change our expectations of what following Jesus entail?
5. Why is it vital that we strive togetherfor the sake of the gospel? How can disunity and disharmony keep us from accomplishing our mission? How have you seen disunity hurt the church’s mission?
6. What kind of suffering is Paul talking about in verses 28-30? Have you ever experienced this kind of suffering? Share your experience with the group. Why, according to Paul, can we take heart when we suffer for Christ (vv. 28-29; see also Acts 14:22; Romans 8:17)?



Application:

7. Paul envisages the church as a team that labors together to advance the gospel. As a Community Group, how do you strive together for the faith of the gospel? Here are some diagnostic questions to ask as a group:

- Do we know who each other’s non-believing friends are?
- Do we pray for each other’s non-believing friends?
- Do we labor together to bless people in our sphere of influence?
- Do we socialize together with non-believers to show them the love of Christ?
- Do we have specific people we’re trying to reach together, and a plan to reach them?