Small Groups. Five HabitsSample

A New Church in Philippi

Read Acts 16

The word for “church” in the Bible means “the called-out ones.” It does not mean a church building. Today we are here gathered in Jesus’ name to worship Him, to encourage one another in the faith, to listen to Him speak to us through His word and to obey what He tells us to do. So, we are having church together. We plan to meet every week here at [place & time]. Once a month we will also have a worship celebration when all of all our house churches gather together. We hope that you will bring your family and friends next week. And we also hope to start meetings like this in the homes of others that you know.

One of the churches the Bible tells about started in the city of Philippi. Let’s look at how that church got started. As we read this, listen for the main three people whose lives were changed because of the things they heard and believed about Jesus. 

Read — Acts 16:11-15, 16-24, 25-34

Who were the three main people in this story whose lives were changed? 

A relationship with Jesus Christ dramatically changed the lives of these three people. If you lived in those days, which one of these three people would you have most liked to have heard tell their story? 

As you think about this story, some of the things we see in Paul and Silas’s lives are:

· Victory over Satan’s power - the evil spirit left the slave girl (v. 16-18)

· Rejoicing even in times of trials - even in prison (v. 25)

· Being able to tell others about Jesus clearly and simply (v. 30-32)

Which one of these would you like to see more of in your life? Explain.

Pray: 

Think of some people you know who are like Lydia, the slave girl or the jailor. How can we pray for them?

Applications:

1. Next week we will be talking about how to share with others what God has done in our lives. To prepare for that, please read Acts chapter 26. It is the story of Paul telling how he became a believer in Jesus. Also read Ephesians 2:1-10. This tells what happens to us when we put our faith in Christ. 

2.  Look for opportunities this week to reach out to others to share the love of Christ with them.  If they live nearby, invite them to join us next week. Who are some people you will invite to your small group this or next week?