Going Deeper is designed for use with your small group, a friend or on you own. Its aim is to create time for you to spend with God and his word. Do as much or as little as you like. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact one of our pastoral staff.

1. Pray for the needs of your Life Group, for our church and our leaders, for personal and corporate renewal, and to allow God’s word to transform us. Share a recent entry from your Life Journal with the group.

2. This Sunday, the message was the first in a series focusing on the theme: Christ Has Set You Free! What thoughts or questions did the message raise for you? Which thoughts or points encouraged you orposed a challenge to you?

3. Read Galatians 1. Paul defines the gospel for the Galatian believers in verses 3 & 4. What is the “Good News” upon which Paul says they should be basing their Christian lives?

4. Paul uses strong words to describe the consequences for anyone who proposes a different Gospel. What was that other gospel (see also Gal 2:15-16)? Where do you see that gospel manifested today (in the church, in your life)? Why do you think we so easily slip from the Gospel of grace to a Gospel of works?

5. Missiologist Paul Hiebert coined the phrase “bounded set and centred set.” For a quick explanation go to the first link below. . What is attractive about living in a bounded set mentality? What are the underlying motives and “rewards” that keep us in a bounded set way of thinking? (As an additional excellent study on this topic watch the 20 min video at the second link below).

6. Paul urges us to base your life on the true gospel, but the pull to “alternate facts” is strong. Read Heb 5:1-4. How are we to deal with others (v2)? Why? How might this help us from slipping into a bounded set mentality?

7. Talk about how the power of the Gospel has made (or can make) a difference in your home, your workplace, your neighbourhood, our church.

8. Take a moment of silence as you consider how God is speaking to you. Do you sense an invitation to something new? What concrete steps of response do you want to take? How can your group support you in these steps