What is the Church? (Group Study, Video Session 5)
David Fitch defines the Church as “a community of practices which join people together in their submission to Jesus as Lord.”
Before diving into session 5 of the group study, What is the Church: Why It still Matters, take a moment to reflect on this question from Pete’s March 12th sermon: Why do you think God gives each of us spiritual gifts, or "Portions of His Grace"?
(If you would like access to this video study, please contact Groups director Jessica Flake.)
Session 5: Why Church?
God Works Through Presence
1.What does presence have to do with the question: “why church?”
Presence in the Old Testament
2. Read Exodus 33:12-17. Discuss the impact of God’s promise to be present to His people.
Note that God’s promise in this passage occurs just after the Hebrew people failed to hold up their end of the covenant with God by creating and worshiping a golden calf.
3. What does this say about God’s commitment to presence?
Presence in the New Testament
4. How does God deliver on his Old Testament promise to be present with his people?
Read some or all of the following passages and discuss the next question.
5. What is accomplished through the Holy Spirit? What implications does all of this have for the church?
6. Given what we read in Revelation 21:1-4, what is the goal of God’s redemptive work?
Reflect Together
7. If you are in a community group, talk about the ways in which your group experiences God’s presence together. If you’re not in a community group, reflect on other groups you have been part of that has experienced God’s presence together.
Reflect On Your Own (optional: something to think about this week)
David Fitch ends this session with an example of presence that occurs during his weekly breakfasts with his son. Their intentional time together creates space for God to work, shaping both Fitch and his son.
Identify a relationship in your life in which you want to experience God’s presence. (This could be with a family member or good friend, a neighbor or acquaintance, or even an organization in your community.)
8. What might be accomplished if you took the time to create space in that relationship for God’s presence?
