Big Idea

Life's Toughest Questions Series Discussion Guide

Session 1: Can you be scientifically and intellectually honest and still be a follower of Christ?

Session 2: Who knows what sin is?

Session 3: Why does God allow so much suffering?

Session 1:
Big Idea 
A biblical world-view shows that faith and science do not conflict; they work together to strengthen our relationship with God.                                                                                                                                                            
Ice Breaker What was your best and/or worst science project as a kid?
  Arch Enemies When we think of arch enemies, some classic rivalries probably come to mind: Tom vs. Jerry, Seinfeld vs. Newman, Tyson vs. Holyfield, and Faith vs. Science.  In the modern era, it seems that we’re constantly breaking up those last two.  Let’s look at the contestants. In one corner we have faith.  Generally speaking, this consists of Christ followers, trusting in the Bible, believing in God, etc.  In the other corner we have science.  Generally speaking, this consists of the use of reason, trusting in the scientific/historical method, and sometimes even atheism.  They have defended themselves from punishing blows in classrooms.  They have spilled ink trying to prove this or that against each other in books.  They have been shared cheap shots on bumper stickers, all the while trying to deliver the final knockout.   When the bell rings, the contestants return to their corners with blackened eyes and bloodied noses and wonder: Can a Christ follower ever believe in science?  Can science ever make room for faith?

1.    How were you taught to understand the relationship between faith and science?

2.    In what ways do you currently think science and faith seem to conflict with each other?

3.    What scientific question do you have that faith doesn’t seem to answer?   

I Thought We Were Friends
Faith and science weren’t always enemies.  The rift began roughly during the Renaissance period (1400’s to 1600’s.)  This was a time of classic discovery and expression in all disciplines: Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel, Ferdinand Magellan circumnavigated the globe, Martin Luther posted the 95 theses, and Copernicus suggested that the earth orbited the sun.  But faith in God was assumed in each discipline.  So how did faith and science split?

The story of Galileo (1564-1642) is a prime example of the budding tension between these former buddies.  Galileo determined to subvert Aristotle’s archaic view of the solar system in favor of Copernicus’ view.  However, any new ideas or discoveries had to agree with the Church’s view of the Bible.  In judgment against Galileo, Cardinal Bellarmine stated, “The doctrine attributed to Copernicus, that the earth moves around the sun…is contrary to the Holy Scriptures and therefore cannot be held.”  Galileo was consequently condemned.

This was a turning point for faith and science.  Many began to assume that the Church was incapable of or uncommitted to growing in their view of the world.  Since the Church’s interpretation conflicted with the latest discoveries, people trusted less in the authority of the Bible and more in the authority of the scientific method.  This spurred the advent of the Enlightenment period (1600’s to 1800’s) and the birth of modern science (that we derive truth only through natural reason and physical evidence).  Even though most of the fathers of modern science actually believed in God, the faith of the church didn’t keep pace with the sciences.  And so faith and science became bitter rivals.

4.    What mistake did Cardinal Bellarmine and the Church make in judging against Galileo?

5.    What do you think about the fact that most of our classic scientists believed in God? 

Read Romans 1:19-23 (The Message)
But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand.

6.     What are some examples of how we have stopped treating God like God?

7.    What do you think might be some of the “cheap figurines” with which we have traded God’s glory?

Shake Hands and Make Up
What is to blame for this drama is the kind of world view that the Church has held, not faith or science itself.  A world view is basically our framework of beliefs and assumptions that is influenced by our culture and experiences.  It explains how we interpret things in life.  It is the “lens” through which we view the world.  If we focus our lens properly, chances are that faith and science can start getting along again.  Here are three helpful tips:

•    PICK YOUR BATTLES.  A great principle of faith was once introduced in light of similar debates: In essentials of faith, unity, in nonessentials of faith, liberty, and in all things love.  Cardinal Bellarmine condemned Galileo over a “nonessential” issue of faith.  It is easy to do the same if we argue for or against certain views of science.  Having such views shouldn’t deny or affirm your Christianity unless they actually conflict with an essential of faith.  Tim Keller, in his book The Reason for God, says that we should consider the various theories of science “only after drawing conclusions about the person of Christ, the resurrection, and the central tenets of the Christians message.”
•    READ RESPONSIBLY.  The Bible is not meant to be read like science or a history textbook.  It may speak to matters of science and history, but doesn’t always necessarily speak for them.  We should interpret the Bible in light of its various genres and cultural contexts.  Galileo himself said, “The Bible tells men how they go to heaven, not how the heavens go.”
•    SURRENDER WITH FAITH AND REASON.  Faith without reason is negligent.  Reason without faith is arrogant.  Faith protects us from the hell of skepticism.  Reason protects us from the hell of naïveté.  Therefore, we must have reasoned faith.  There are mysteries of life that reason can’t explain, but there is still much to life that God wants us to discover.  Like any other discipline, science echoes the voice of God, but our faith helps us encounter him.

8.    What do you think about that principle of essentials and nonessentials of faith as it relates to faith and science?

9.     What is the difference between the Bible speaking to science rather than speaking for science?  Can you give some examples?

10.    What are some specific areas where the sciences help our faith?  What are some areas where faith helps our sciences?

11.    Which of the three principles is hardest for you to embrace?  Explain.

  What’s Next? Find ways to practice the three principles mentioned.  How can you better understand the relationship between essential and non-essential issues of faith and science?  How can you learn to interpret the Bible more appropriately?  How can you allow faith and reason to work together in order to strengthen your relationship with God?  Here are some practical steps:

•    Journal about the relationship between the essentials of faith and any views of science that you have.

•    Retreat to nature and reflect on the mysteries and complexities of God’s creation

•    Read The Reason for God by Tim Keller

Session 2
Big Idea:
God has many things to say about sin; what they are though, may not be exactly what you were thinking.
Ice Breaker We can all admit that we often use our rearview mirror for other things than seeing cars in our rearview.  Share some stories and examples of other uses of your rearview mirror.
PART I

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall Although our cars are full of mirrors, ironically this is the place that we most often assume our superiority and point out the faults of others.  Outside our vehicles, the toughest challenge can be looking ourselves in the face and admitting that we might not be perfect.  It’s not that we are bad and others are not wrong, but our immediate sphere of influence is with the person staring back at us in the mirror.

READ Matthew 7:1-5 (The Message)
Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

1.    This verse reflects our natural inclination to be judgmental.  What are some common examples of people placing judgment on others (situations, types of people, occupations, etc.)?

2.    Have you ever felt judged?

Denial is More than a River in Egypt We have a tendency to both deny our flaws and downplay our mistakes with ourselves and others.  We have a constant need to “keep up with the Jones’s” on the outside while still protecting our tender hearts on the inside.  Our ego’s can be compared to that of an M-1 tank; nearly impossible to crack on the outside because we have built strong walls around the intricate, delicate inner workings that will shut down if the smallest thing were to affect it.  But because of our self-focus we tend to unknowingly protect our delicate ego while poking and prodding another’s.

3.    What lengths have you seen people go to protect their ego and/or pride?

4.    How would you describe sin?

READ John 1:8-10 (The Message)
If we claim that we're free of sin, we're only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won't let us down; he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we've never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.

Sin is more a condition than a bunch of deeds.  We make sinful choices and decisions because of our sinful nature.  If you were to compare sin to a common cold, our sinful nature is the virus that affects our body and the sins we commit are a result of the virus like the nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, fever symptoms.  In order to deal with our sins, and protect our egos, we have to learn to separate the sin from the sinner.

5.    Do you agree with the concept of sinful nature and symptoms of a sinful nature?

6.    Give some examples of symptoms of our sinful nature?

Nyquil for Our Sins Nyquil is not a cure for the common cold but it can be a protective measure as we feel symptoms coming on and a way to curb the symptoms after contracting the virus.  Jesus teaches us to cling tight to God and be diligent in “taking our medicine” so that we can live a life of dormant symptoms.  We have access to a church family, an instruction manual in the Bible, and communication with God through prayer, but if we don’t engage in any of these things it’s the same as leaving the cough medicine in the cabinet and complaining that we don’t feel well. 

7.    What are some examples of things you do to curb the symptoms of sin?

8.    What are some action steps you can take immediately to start dealing with the symptoms of sin?

READ Philippians 2:12-13 (The Message)
What I'm getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you've done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I'm separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.   
9.    What is one thing in this discussion that you either learned for the first time or was reminded of as the discussion progressed?  Was there anything that left you feeling confused, relieved, or energized?

What’s Next? Do something this week ‘for the least of these’ that goes unseen.  Feed someone who is hungry. Invite someone into your life who is a stranger. Clothe someone who has no clothes.  Look after someone who is sick.  Visit someone who has no reason for visitors.  Keep it between you and God and journal about it during the week.  Pray about where God might be calling you to do this on more of a regular – and perhaps relational – basis.  This will likely require some radical generosity of your time and money.  How might God be calling you to sacrifice generously in order to do this?

Session 3:
Big Idea
While we’ll never fully understand all of the answers behind suffering, God does offer us some important truths through His Word about suffering.

Ice Breaker
Share the story of where you were when you first heard about the 9/11 tragedies.  What were your initial reactions?  How did you feel as you processed it?

People have wrestled with the question of suffering and how it fits with God’s plan for ages.  We must realize that we are not going to be able to come to a final definitive answer.  However, there are several things that we can understand about suffering, several things that God teaches us about in His Word.

Truth #1: God is Above Us

READ Isaiah 55:8-9 (The Message)
I don't think the way you think. The way you work isn't the way I work... For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think.

God tells us clearly through the prophet Isaiah that His thoughts and His ways will not always make sense to us.  It’s part of that whole “we are just human, we are not God” thing.

1.    When someone asks you a question that you don’t know the answer to, do you usually tend to be completely honest and admit that you don’t know, or do you try and make up something?

2.    How does it make you feel to know that you will never fully understand God and His ways?  Why?
a.    Annoyed.
b.    Relieved
c.    Humbled
d.    Anxious
e.    Other

Truth #2: It Was Not God’s Idea
When people ask why God created a world with suffering, they often forget that this was never His original plan.  Genesis 1-3 tells the story of God’s original creation of our entire world, including the first man and woman, and how it was completely free of sin and suffering.  But then as He gave those first humans the choice of whether to obey Him or rebel and go their own way, they chose rebellion.  Sin made its grand entrance into the world, and with it – suffering. 

3.    What were the results of Adam & Eve’s first “sin” against God?  How do you think that plays out today?

4.    God didn’t have to put the forbidden “tree of knowledge” in the Garden of Eden, just as He doesn’t have to allow us today to go our own way.  Why did God put the freedom of choice into the hands of humans?

Truth #3: God Doesn’t Like It Either

Read the following verses to see how God feels about the human suffering we endure:

Psalm 34:19
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and saves those who are crushed in Spirit.

John 11:35
Jesus wept.

Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

5.    What does this tell you about how God feels when we suffer?  How can this help us endure times of suffering?

Truth #4: God Can Redeem Suffering
Even though God isn’t the cause of all suffering, and He weeps and comforts along with us, the great thing about God being God is that He can actually redeem tragic situations and bring good out of them.  Without God, we don’t have that possibility.

READ Romans 8:28 (The Message)
He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

6.    Share a time when you have seen positive things come out of tragic situations or suffering. 

Insurance companies all call natural disasters “acts of God.”  Whenever major tragedy strikes, people ask, “How could God let this happen?”  Yet when miraculous, beneficial, and positive things happen, people rarely give God the credit.

READ James 1:2-4
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. 

7.    Why do you think people tend to think God is responsible for the negative stuff, but not the positive stuff?

Truth #5: We are Part of God’s Answer
Some of the questions about suffering go more like this:  “How can God allow all of those children in Africa to go on starving to death?”  We wonder why God won’t step in and do something.  But what if God does have an answer for that?  Some experts claim there is currently enough food and resources world-wide to feed and care for the entire world’s population.  We just aren’t sharing them.

What if we are part of God’s answer to some of the suffering in this world?  When we ask God, “Why don’t You do something about the suffering in this world?” – could He ask us the same question in return?

Sometimes suffering can feel overwhelming, like we can’t make a difference.  And the danger of this is that it can move us to inaction.  But we must not let that happen.  Remember that the world changes one life at a time, so even as we allow God to use us to relieve the suffering of just one person – we are playing a vital role in being God’s answer.

READ James 2:15-17
Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

8.    Share a time when you acted to help relieve someone’s suffering.  What motivated you to do so?  How did you feel afterwards?

9.    Are there any situations currently in your life where you feel you have the opportunity to help relieve someone’s suffering but haven’t yet?  What do you think holds you back?

WHAT’S NEXT
Taking question 8 one step further; identify some needs of others around you.  Take a next step to do something about it.  If you’re not sure how to start, pray and ask God for direction.  And finally, be sure to share the story and celebrate when God uses you to be His answer in this situation!

Life's Toughest Questions Science & The Bible

Life’s Toughest Questions
Week One – Can you be scientifically and intellectually honest and still be a follower of Christ?

The BIG Idea Team, Individual and Family Study Guide
Please take time to run through this study guide with your team, on your own or with your family so that you can further apply and process the BIG Idea.

Big Idea:
A biblical world-view shows that faith and science do not conflict; they work together to strengthen our relationship with God.                                                                                                                                                            
Key Verse:
Read Romans 1:20-23 (The Message)
By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand.

The Scoop:
When we think of arch enemies, some classic rivalries probably come to mind: Tom vs. Jerry, Seinfeld vs. Newman, Tyson vs. Holyfield, and Faith vs. Science.  Generally speaking, the battle between faith and science consists of Christ followers, trusting in the Bible, believing in God, etc or the use of reason, trusting in the scientific/historical method, and sometimes even atheism.  Each has defended themselves from punishing blows in the classroom and shared cheap shots on bumper stickers; all the while trying to deliver the final knockout.   When the bell rings, the contestants return to their corners with blackened eyes and bloodied noses and wonder: Can a Christ follower ever believe in science?  Can science ever make room for faith?

Faith and science weren’t always enemies.  The Renaissance period (1400’s to 1600’s) was a time of classic discovery and expression in all disciplines: Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel, Ferdinand Magellan circumnavigated the globe, Martin Luther posted the 95 theses, and Copernicus suggested that the earth orbited the sun.  But faith in God was assumed in each discipline. 

The conflict for faith and science stemmed from the fact that any new ideas or discoveries had to agree with the Church’s view of the Bible.  Many people began to assume that the Church was incapable of or uncommitted to growing in their view of the world.  Since the Church’s interpretation conflicted with the latest discoveries, people trusted less in the authority of the Bible and more in the authority of the scientific method.  Even though most of the fathers of modern science actually believed in God, the faith of the church didn’t keep pace with the sciences.

1.    How were you taught to understand the relationship between faith and science?

2.    In what ways do you currently think science and faith seem to conflict with each other?

3.     What are some examples of how we have stopped treating God like God?

What’s Next? (take home/further processing/application)
Find ways to practice the three principles mentioned.  How can you better understand the relationship between essential and non-essential issues of faith and science?  How can you learn to interpret the Bible more appropriately?  How can you allow faith and reason to work together in order to strengthen your relationship with God?  Here are some practical steps:

•    Journal about the relationship between the essentials of faith and any views of science that you have.

•    Retreat to nature and reflect on the mysteries and complexities of God’s creation

•    Read The Reason for God by Tim Keller

Learn How You Can Leave A Soul Legacy.

At Keystone, we love to see where God is at work and then jump in and join Him. What about you? Can you commit to leaving a legacy by supporting Keystone and one or more of the following teams? Between now and this Thanksgiving, will you consider…    

1. Supporting Keystone’s mission on a regular basis with your gifts of skills, time and money and    

2. Going above and beyond your regular giving to leave a legacy by jumping in and supporting one or more of these three important teams?          

• The Sibley Team
• The TLC Team
• The Reproducing Keystone

Team The Sibley
Team Sibley School is located downtown and part of the Grand Rapids Public Schools system. 98% of the families with kindergarten-5th graders at Sibley live at or below the poverty level. We partner with the school throughout the year to serve families in a variety of ways. Your gifts of time and money are expressions of Christ’s love and provide desperately needed support.

Goal: $33,500

• $10,000 for Read 4 Rent
• $23,500 for Kids Food Basket
• Can you help? Tell us how.

Read 4 Rent
Read 4 Rent is a family literacy and education program that provides mentoring for parents as they tutor their own children in reading. Parents earn money that is applied towards their rent. Read 4 Rent was started and is led by a teacher at Sibley, and is designed to give a hand-up, not a handout.     * $500 will support one family for an entire year.

Our goal is to support 20 families ($10,000)
Additional ways to serve Read 4 Rent include:

• Donate used children’s books or
• Encourage your k-5th grader to Give Back To God by donating their change to purchase books
• Be a friend! Connect with a Read 4 Rent family
• Can you help? Tell us how.

Kids Food Basket
Kids Food Basket is an agency that is attacking childhood hunger in Grand Rapids by ensuring that children in our community don’t go to bed hungry. Kids Food Basket provides healthy, tasty and cost effective sack suppers for children who are nutritionally at-risk (at/below poverty level).
$100 will feed one Sibley child a sack supper every school day for the entire year!
Our goal is to feed 235 Sibley children ($23,500)

Additional ways to serve Kids Food Basket include:

• The Trail Mix Project on your own or with a group buy the food, mix and package it, and deliver
• Packers & Sandwich Makers with a group or on your own. Go to KFB and get packing!
• K-5th graders, decorate lunch bags for the kids who are served at KFB
• Can you help? Tell us how.
• Check out Kids Food Basket’s website at www.kidsfoodbasket.org.

The TLC Team
There are people within our Keystone family who are going through difficult circumstances, and need extra tender loving care. These families are struggling with unemployment, car repair needs, utility bills, rent, food, medical and childcare needs.

There are also people (for example, Beth & Nate Venton, Dana Inglesbreth and Jane Beal) who have all been led to serve God and others beyond Grand Rapids, and they need financial support. The TLC Team will support these families and individuals with financial gifts, acts of kindness, and prayers.

Goal: $33,000
$15,000 to support Keystone families in need
$18,000 to support friends serving beyond GR          

Additional ways to serve The TLC Team include:

• Rebuild the Keystone TLC Team to coordinate meals, offer services (car or home repairs...), prayers or sending a card
• Be a local encourager for a project or person (prayer & support)
• Serve food/beverages at funerals or other times of need
• Can you help? Tell us how.

The Reproducing Keystone Team
Keystone is a reproducing church, with locations in Forest Hills and East Grand Rapids. 67% of our neighbors do not have a relationship with Christ. We believe God desires us, as His church, to reach more people through starting more churches. We budget a total $150,000 to start Keystone in a new location. Your investment of time, energy and money will help impact lives now, in the years to come, and for eternity.

Goal: $33,000

• Investing in a site leader & programming leader
• Equipment--portable or permanent
• Establishing capacity for children’s programming   

Additional ways to serve the Reproducing Keystone Team include:

• Be a part of the next launch & planning team
• Help immediately with network activities:

• Volunteer at Network Services
• Support Network-wide Student Ministries by making a meal for leaders or driving kids around

• Can you help? Tell us how.

Trail Mix Project for Kids Food Basket

THE TRAIL MIX PROJECT FOR KIDS FOOD BASKET
CONSIDER DOING THIS WITH YOUR TEAM OR GROUP!
Supply List: This will make enough trail-mix for one day's worth of 1400 plus sack suppers!!!

    (20) 3 lb 4 oz. jars of peanuts
    (20) 36 oz. bags of raisins or dried fruit
    (20) 56 oz. bags of milk chocolate chips or M&M's
    (40) 16 oz. bags of mini-twist pretzels
    (40) 16 oz. boxes of Cheez-it crackers or Goldfish
    (40) 14 oz. boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios
    Ziploc sandwich baggies (total of 1400)
    Plastic gloves (Meijer or GFS)
    Large mixing spoons
    Large new plastic tubs (2-4 people per tub)
    8-10 oz. plastic cups

**Before beginning make sure everyone washes hands and puts on a pair of gloves. Also be sure to pull back long hair into a pony tail.

In groups of 2-4 people collect supplies to make one tub of trail mix.

• 2 jars of peanuts
• 2 bags of raisins
• 2 bags of M&M's
• 4 bags of pretzels
• 4 boxes of Cheez-it's or Goldfish
• 4 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios

1.    Dump the above ingredients into tub and mix together well using large spoons and gloved hands.
2.    Fill large 8-12 oz plastic cup to the top by dipping it into the tub of trail mix
3.    Pour this into one Ziploc bag. Make sure the bag is sealed tight!
4.    One person can scoop and another can hold and seal the bags if desired.
5.    Repeat until plastic bin is emptied. This will take approximately 140 bags.

Repeat steps 1-5. This will make 10 tubs of trail mix and if extra ingredients are left, repeat steps 3-5.

Notes:

• Ingredients may be substituted. For example, chocolate chips for M&Ms, any cereal (Life, Chex, Golden Grahams, etc) for Cheerios.
• If doing this with younger children, have a parent involved with children at each tub.
• Omit peanuts if allergies are a problem for your group.

Soul Cash - Short Guide Soul Legacy

God wants your life to leave a legacy, and leaving a legacy requires generosity of our time, money, and relationships.

Key Verse:
READ 2 Corinthians 3:2-3
Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it—not with ink, but with God's living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives—and we publish it.

The Scoop:
As Christ followers, our lives are supposed to be a representation of Christ.  If we remember that each thing that we say and do is a representation of our relationship with God, then that should change the way we live and make decisions. Not only with our money but in the way that we treat the ones we love and those we don’t even know.  We have many resources and how we choose to use them should be a reflection of God in us.  The things we do and the people we influence today can last a lifetime and beyond.  Our gift to this world and to God is the legacy we leave behind.

1.    What would people say about you if you were alive at your own funeral but no one knew you were there?  Who would you want to speak?  Who would you not want to speak and why?  Would you be satisfied with the legacy you have left so far?

2.    Can you identify an event or person that left an impression on your heart?

3.    How can your life leave an impression on someone’s heart? 

What’s Next? (take home/further processing/application)
Make a move to do something this week to increase your legacy by investing in things that will change a life, impact a community, and affect generations.  Consider the following places where you can join other Keystone people by investing both time and money to make an eternal difference in someone's life. 

The Sibley Team
Sibley School is located downtown and part of the Grand Rapids Public Schools. 98% of the families who send their kindergarten-5th graders to Sibley live at or below the poverty level. Your gifts of time and money are expressions of Christ's love and will provide desperately needed support for families in this area of Grand Rapids.

The TLC Team
There are people within our Keystone "family" who are going through difficult circumstances, and need extra tender loving care. Financial gifts to our Care Fund, acts of kindness, and prayers all help support these individuals in times of need.

Reproducing Keystone Team
Keystone is a reproducing church, currently with locations in Forest Hills and East Grand Rapids. We believe God desires us as His church to reach more and more people for Him through starting more churches. Your investment of time, energy and money will help impact lives now, in the years to come, and for eternity.

Soul Cash - Short Guide Soul Care

Week Two – Soul Care
The BIG Idea Team, Individual and Family Study Guide
Please take time to run through this study guide with your team, on your own or with your family so that
you can further apply and process the BIG Idea.
Big Idea:
God wants to provide a way for you to care generously for the people He brings into your life.
Key Verse:
READ Matthew 25:35-36, 40 (The Message)
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick
and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me…I tell you the truth, whatever
you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.
The Scoop:
We've all experienced having our heart strings pulled by pictures of starving children on TV, but pitying
people and feeling guilty are different from what God wants the motivation to be when it comes to what we
do with our money. He wants our giving to be a reflection of what we care deeply about in our souls:
people matter to us because they matter to God.
1. When Jesus says, ‘the least of these brothers,’ to whom is he referring?
2. How does the world discourage us from “taking care of the least of these?” How can we deal with
this?
3. What are we holding onto in our lives (money, time, relationships) that might be preventing us
from generously taking better care of “the least of these?”
What’s Next? (take home/further processing/application)
Do something this week ‘for the least of these’ that goes unseen. Feed someone who is hungry. Invite
someone into your life who is a stranger. Clothe someone who has no clothes. Look after someone who is
sick. Visit someone who has no reason for visitors. Keep it between you and God and journal about it
during the week. Pray about where God might be calling you to do this on more of a regular – and perhaps
relational – basis. This will likely require some radical generosity of your time and money. How might
God be calling you to sacrifice generously in order to do this?

Soul Cash Series Group Discussion Guide

This post included the adult group discussion guide for the entire Soul Cash Series.

Session 1 Soul Cause

Big Idea God has a cause for your life (and your money) that brings passion and purpose.

Introduction The things we worry about most are usually the things that have the strongest hold on us. They influence where we spend our time and where we spend our money. If you think about it, the majority of our time is spent earning money and the decisions we make are most often based on money. What would happen if we made our decisions based on a cause; something bigger than ourselves? What would it be like to wake up each day driven by a cause rather than making ends meet? The difference may seem subtle but the perspective here makes all the difference.

Ice Breaker Have you ever seen “MythBusters”? What was the best myth you have seen them bust? What are some common myths of today?

Money Myths
There are generally two myths that people believe about money that are more commonly accepted than any urban legend. The first myth is the “Enough Money” myth. We believe that if we just had enough money, our problems would be over. The problem with this theory is that enough money is never enough money. This myth perpetuates itself regardless of how much money is enough money. The second myth is the “God Wants Something From Me, Not For Me” myth. God says all sorts of things in the Bible about money, and we believe that those words are in there to get something from us, not for us.

READ Matthew 6:19-21 (NLT)
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

1. Do you think of this verse as a parent telling what to do in a “because I said so” way or do we hear a caring God trying to help us in a “I want to help you” way?
2. When we hear this verse who do you think our treasures in heaven are for?
3. Take a close look at what the verse says. For who does Jesus say we are storing up our treasures in heaven?

Jesus said, “I've come that you might have life and have it more abundantly”. He is saying what I do and say, I do and say for you. So when it comes to money, He wants to help us live an abundant life full of joy. That is why He is trying to help us see that wherever we put our treasure, wherever we put our money, our hearts will follow. The Message version says it bluntly, “It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

Read Matthew 6:19-21 (The Message) Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

We Can’t Serve Two Masters
When we believe the myth that God wants something from us, we begin to feel like there might not be enough for us. When we believe the “Enough Money” myth we fall into the trap that God wants what we never have enough of. These two myths fuel each other and in turn, we choose to love money over God.

READ Matthew 6:24 (The Message) You can't worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you'll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can't worship God and Money both.

4. What are the things that make you feel like you need to serve money?

5. Do you believe that if you serve God and focus on a greater cause that you will be happier than if you focus on money?

No Worries!
Most of the things we worry about are outside of our control. Some of the things we worry about are things that we create in order to be able to control. The problem of worry is one of mindset; we want control. If it’s control that we want, then let us focus on the one thing we can control which is out mindset.

6. What things do you worry about the most?
7. What cause or causes do you get most excited about?
8. How are a worry mindset and a cause mindset different?

READ Matthew 6:25-26,33 (The Message) If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

9. What does it mean to steep your life in God-reality? God-initiative? God-provisions?
10. What do you believe God wants you to do with your life?
11. What do you believe God wants you to do with your money?

What’s Next? Invite God into your personal finances. Each time this week that you worry about money, write it down. Try to deal with it in the most rational, God-trusting manner; but no matter how you deal with it at that moment, just write it down. Then look at your list at the end of the week and see what things you are still worrying about and what things now seem insignificant. If you make this a habit you will begin to see where God moves and how He is taking care of you and where your heart is.

Session 2 Soul Care

Big Idea
God wants to provide a way for you to care generously for the people He brings into your life.

Introduction We've all experienced having our heart strings pulled by pictures of starving children on TV, but pitying people and feeling guilty are different from what God wants the motivation to be when it comes to what we do with our money. He wants our giving to be a reflection of what we care deeply about in our souls: people matter to us because they matter to God.

Ice Breaker What is the best gift you have ever gotten? What is the best gift you have ever given someone?

PART I A Generous Sacrifice
READ 2 Corinthians 8:9 (The Message) You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us—in one stroke he became poor and we became rich.

1. How did Jesus become poor?

Consider this story: When I was in college, one of my best friends became pregnant with her second child. We were both 19 years old. She was newly married after the birth of her first child. She and her husband also cared for a child from his first marriage, leaving them in significant finanicial stress. My friend pondered the idea of an abortion because she couldn’t bear the thought of giving birth to her baby and not being able to afford to keep it.

Knowing that my friend would later regret an abortion and knowing how much she loved her son and stepdaughter, I thought about what I could do to help. I suggested to her that I take care of her son and stepdaughter for one year while she took care of her soon-to-be-born baby.

That year, I learned how selfishly I had been living. From a life that was previously centered on my own needs, I transitioned to a life centered on the needs of these two children. Outside of my rent payments and groceries, the rest of my expenses were on the children. I paid for her stepdaughter’s private school, for her son’s daycare, for diapers, for food and entertainment, for additional bedding, and for whatever unexpected expenses came our way.

It was a time I will never forget. And it was a time I will always be thankful for. I learned that our true cause for living is something so much greater than ourselves. It has to do with a God-given care we have for those around us.

2. Share a time when someone has sacrificed for you for your gain and not theirs.

II Loving God Means Loving Others Too
READ 1 John 4:20 (The Message) If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.

Once a religious leader asked Jesus about what is the greatest commandment (from the 10 Commandments). Jesus answered that loving God with our entire being is the first one, and the second is just as important: to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matt. 22:34-40). He said that the whole list of the Ten Commandments is based on these two inseparable commands. If you look at the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20), the first four commandments are about loving God, and the last six are about loving people.

3. What is the relationship between loving God and loving people?
4. Everyone is made in God’s image.
5. What does it say about us when we can’t love one of our brothers?

For the Least of These
READ Matthew 25:35-36, 40 (The Message) For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me…I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. Jesus is displaying for us the importance of taking care of all of God’s people, regardless the circumstances. The ‘caring for people’ part is usually not the problem; we are convinced of the need to care for people. The difficult part is caring for people even when it’s not convenient for us, even when it might cost us something.

5. When Jesus says, ‘the least of these brothers,’ to whom is he referring?
6. How does the world discourage us from “taking care of the least of these?” How can we deal with this?
7. What are we holding onto in our lives (money, time, relationships) that might be preventing us from generously taking better care of “the least of these?”

What’s Next?
Do something this week ‘for the least of these’ that goes unseen. Feed someone who is hungry. Invite someone into your life who is a stranger. Clothe someone who has no clothes. Look after someone who is sick. Visit someone who has no reason for visitors. Keep it between you and God and journal about it during the week. Pray about where God might be calling you to do this on more of a regular – and perhaps relational – basis. This will likely require some radical generosity of your time and money. How might God be calling you to sacrifice generously in order to do this?

Session 3 - Soul Legacy

Big Idea
God wants your life to leave a legacy, and leaving a legacy requires generosity of our time, money, and relationships.

Introduction There is a story about two girls from Taylor University who were involved in a car accident and then were misidentified as each other. One of the girls died in the crash. The other survived, but was in a coma and unrecognizable for a while. The family of the girl who was pronounced dead mourned her passing and held a funeral service for her. Meanwhile, the family of the girl in critical condition clung to hope of her survival.

Two weeks into the crisis, it was discovered that the two girls’ identities had been confused, and the girl who was thought to still be alive was actually dead. And the girl whose family had just held a funeral service for her was in fact, still alive. But what was that funeral like? What was said to her? What was said about her? She was already a Christ-following young woman, but her life changed as a result of this “mistake.” She had the opportunity to reevaluate the legacy she was leaving.

Ice Breaker
What if you were alive at your own funeral but no one knew you were there? What would people say about you? Who would you want to speak? Who would you not want to speak and why? Would you be satisfied with the legacy you have left so far?

Ripe for Opportunities…Finances
READ 2 Corinthians 9:11 This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.

1. What do you think “wealthy in every way” means?

2. Do you think this verse is referring to financial wealth?

3. What other kinds of wealth can we give away?

PART III
Ripe for Opportunities…Time & Relationships
READ 2 Corinthians 9:12-14 Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain meaning of the Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone. Meanwhile, moved by the extravagance of God in your lives, they'll respond by praying for you in passionate intercession for whatever you need. Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise it enough!

As Christ followers, our lives are supposed to be a representation of Christ. If we remember that each thing that we say and do is a representation of our relationship with God, then that should change the way we live and make decisions. Not only with our money but in the way that we treat the ones we love and those we don’t even know. We have many resources and how we choose to use them should be a reflection of God in us.

4. What have you done recently that showed generosity of your time?
5. What have you done recently that showed generosity in your relationships?
6. What other resources might you have to offer?

Soul Legacy…Written on Our Hearts
READ 2 Corinthians 3:2-3
Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it—not with ink, but with God's living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives—and we publish it.

7. What would you want to be said at your funeral? How does that compare to what you think people would say?
8. Can you identify the event or person that left an impression on your heart?
9. How can your life leave an impression on someone’s heart?

What’s Next?
Make a move to do something this week to increase your legacy by investing in things that will change a life, impact a community, and affect generations. Consider the following places where you can join other Keystone people by investing both time and money to make an eternal difference in someone's life.

The Sibley Team
Sibley School is located downtown and part of the Grand Rapids Public Schools. 98% of the families who send their kindergarten-5th graders to Sibley live at or below the poverty level. Your gifts of time and money are expressions of Christ's love and will provide desperately needed support for families in this area of Grand Rapids.

The TLC Team
There are people within our Keystone "family" who are going through difficult circumstances, and need extra tender loving care. Financial gifts to our Care Fund, acts of kindness, and prayers all help support these individuals in times of need.

Reproducing Keystone Team
Keystone is a reproducing church, currently with locations in Forest Hills and East Grand Rapids. We believe God desires us as His church to reach more and more people for Him through starting more churches. Your investment of time, energy and money will help impact lives now, in the years to come, and for eternity.

Soul Cash - Short Guide Soul Cause

BIG IDEA TEAM, INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY STUDY GUIDE

Please take time to run through this study guide with your team, on your own or with your family so that you can further apply and process the BIG Idea.

BIG IDEA:
GOD HAS A CAUSE FOR YOUR LIFE AND YOUR MONEY THAT BRINGS PASSION AND PURPOSE.

KEY VERSE:
READ MATTHEW 6:19-21 (NLT)

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

THE SCOOP:
There are generally two myths that people believe about money that are more commonly accepted than any urban legend.  The first myth is the “Enough Money” myth.  We believe that if we just had enough money, our problems would be over.  The problem with this theory is that enough money is never enough money.  This myth perpetuates itself regardless of how much money is enough money.  The second myth is the “God Wants Something From Me, Not For Me” myth.  God says all sorts of things in the Bible about money, and we believe that His words are to get something from us, not for us.

1.    Have you ever seen “MythBusters”? What was the best myth you have seen them bust? What are some common myths of today?

2.    What cause or causes do you get most excited about?

3.    Take a close look at what the verse says.  For who does Jesus say we are storing up our treasures in heaven?

4.    What do you believe God wants you to do with your money?

WHAT’S NEXT?
(TAKE HOME/FURTHER PROCESSING/APPLICATION)

Invite God into your personal finances.  Each time this week that you worry about money, write it down. Try to deal with it in the most rational, God-trusting manner. But no matter how you deal with it at that moment, just write it down. Then look at your list at the end of the week and see what things you are still worrying about and what things now seem insignificant.  If you make this a habit you will begin to see where God moves and how He is taking care of you and where your heart is. 

Retro - Suit Yourself Short Guide

Big Idea:
The world says, “Get all you can get for you,” but Jesus says, “Live justly and generously for Me.”

Key Verse:
Luke 19:1‐9 (The Message)
Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the
head tax man and quite rich. He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—
he was a short man and couldn't see over the crowd. So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a
sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by. When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up
and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home." Zacchaeus
scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him.
Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, "What business does he have getting
cozy with this crook?" Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically,
"Master, I give away half my income to the poor—and if I'm caught cheating, I pay four times the
damages." Jesus said, "Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of
Abraham! For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost."

The Scoop:
Zaccheus is our 80’s guy. He would’ve been right at home in the decade of corporate raiders and wealth.
His name means “pure” or “just” but Zaccheus was neither. As a tax collector, he made his money by
cheating, gouging or extorting it out of people. Perhaps the worst thing about how he acquired his wealth
was that he was a traitor. It didn’t matter to him that he ripped off his fellow Jews. Money mattered to
him. But when he meets Jesus, something happens. Notice Jesus’ words: “Today is salvation day in this
home.” Zacchaeus didn’t become generous in order to earn his salvation. Rather, justice and generosity
flowed out of Zacchaeus as a result of getting to know Jesus.

1. In the 80’s, it was okay to brag about being a “material girl” (or boy). Think about people’s
perception of materialism in today’s culture. How does our era compare or contrast with that of
the 80’s?

2. The interesting thing is that God doesn’t just call us to not be greedy. As stated in the Big Idea,
He calls us to live just and generous lives and care for the poor. What is the difference? And why
is this distinction important?

What’s Next? (take home/further processing/application)
What is one step you can take in your life this next week to live more generously? Some ideas include:

• Choose something you own but don’t really need, sell it, and give the money to someone in need.
• Commit some of your money and your time to a worthy cause and set up a time to serve there.
• Give money or a gift anonymously to someone you know in need.
• Intentionally spend some time with someone whom you know is ostracized/marginalized, and listen to them and share your story with them.