Years ago when Michael W. Smith, Petra and Striper (Yes—I went old school there with that last one) ruled the Christian music industry, a little band emerged that changed Christian music forever. They called themselves DC Talk. This Christian rap and rock trio would eventually win multiple Grammy awards for their Albums including Free at Last and Solo. But none of their records are probably as familiar as the world renown album called Jesus Freak. Jesus Freak peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200 and six of the albums seven singles reached number one across various Christian radio formats. The album was widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential albums in the history of Christian music.

One song on the Jesus Freak album entitled “What if I Stumble?” starts with this quote from Brennan Manning: “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” In the song that follows this quote, the group contemplates the authentic journey of following Christ in the midst of both Christian religiosity and their own frailty to live up to a kind of Jesus standard in their own lives.

Twenty plus years later I still remember that quote. In fact, as I think back on it, it was this quote and many other thoughts like it that catalyzed me on my own journey to make sense of what it looks like in real life to follow Jesus well. Too often paralyzed by a religion that seemed all about the rules and very little focused on the person of Christ that I was reading in the Scriptures, I soon realized that I was in need of not just a change but an entire reformation. For too long I had defined Jesus through the narrow confines of my legalistic idea of Christianity. Now Christ was challenging my Christianity and helping me redefine what it means to be Christian. And while I still have many more miles to travel on this journey, one thing remains—I’m choosing to let Christ lead me to what it means to be Christian instead of letting a form of Christianity dictate the way I see Jesus. In fact one of the foremost values of my life is “Christ before Christianity…because following a person is different than fitting into an institution.”

This week at Grace Snellville, I would love to keep this conversation (that has so saturated my personal life) moving with you. For anyone who has ever found themselves stuck in the rules of religion and devoid of the vibrancy of a life of faith found in relationship with a living person, this week’s message is for you. It’s also for everyone who like me is just doing their best to allow Jesus to reframe everything about what it means to live life as a Christian. So, come join us this Sunday and let’s get Unstuck from Religion together.

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SEE IT // BE IT

(WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE)

DATE: June 11, 2017 : Unstuck: Stuck in Religion // Scripture: Mark 3:1-6, Luke 6:6-11, Matthew 12:9-14

ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes
Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out.

SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes

When we look at the present-day Church, in many ways it seems that it’s missing Christ. When we look at Jesus in the gospels, He’s not just bringing religion, he’s bringing a transformative Kingdom. He’s not fitting into the religious world of His day. In this story, Jesus does something different—He heals the man right in front of everyone. The Pharisees had wondered if He would heal on the Sabbath, but Jesus was healing the Sabbath. The man with the withered hand was hoping for a word from God, Jesus was helping with the work of God, and the Pharisees were standing in the way of God.

THE MAIN THOUGHT  keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion.

The biggest threat to the Christian movement is not a world opposed to Christian morals but a form of Christianity that has missed Christ.

SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes
Picture  (What is the story saying?):What were the Pharisees hoping that Jesus would do? What was the man hoping that Jesus would do? What was Jesus doing? What were the Pharisees doing?

Mirror (Where am I in the story?):  When have I been in an unrestful situation and just needed God to say something to me? (Exodus 2:24-25) Where is a place in my life that I need to move from having faith IN Jesus to operating with the faith OF Jesus? Are there places where I’m standing in the way of God, instead of making way for God?

Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): : Since I have been met by God’s grace, where do I now need to act out that grace in my relationships?

BE IT> – Practice
Change UP //Exercise 15 minutes

Set a timer for two minutes. Ask the Lord to show you places in your heart that are withered. Let him guide you to places you are blind to. Open your heart and hands, inviting God to have his way with you

Change IN //  Group Activity 5 minutes

In a group, talk about the love of Jesus and the lordship of Jesus and how those two things are working in your personal lives, as well as in your community. Identify places that need to be brought into balance.

Change OUT //  Life Application Assignment 5 minutes

If you haven’t connected with Grace Snellville Worship on Spotify yet, visit http://bit.ly/2reR6VS. Let it encourage your heart as you seek to live Unstuck from Religion.

CLOSING PRAYER 5 minutes
Take a few minutes to gather any prayer requests and pray for each other to SEE IT and BE IT this week.