Discussion Guide: You Have a Part to Play – Overview

PRAYER

Since our main purpose in gathering is to build relationships and learn how to walk together in all that God has called us to be and do, let’s start by praying for one another. 

Does anyone have any prayer requests or testimonies of how you’ve seen God moving in your life, making a real difference that we can celebrate together?

THIS WEEK

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, “You Have A Part To Play“?

In the opening message, “The Difference Maker,” we asked key questions to highlight how Jesus uses ordinary people to transform lives, campuses, communities, and beyond:

• What part will you play?
• What if you truly believed you could make a difference in the world?
• What would help you believe that God has created you to be a difference-maker?

As you reflect on the aforementioned questions and the part you play, how has your life this past week represented—or perhaps not yet reflected—making a difference as a difference-maker?

INTRODUCTION

As we begin this new series, You Have A Part To Play, it’s essential to start with the right understanding and mindset of what this truly means.

We live in a broken world. Things are not as God designed initially—pain, greed, abuse, and selfishness are everywhere. But it doesn’t have to stay this way.

As followers of Christ, we carry within us both a powerful force and a message that can and will bring healing and light to the broken and dark places around us.

OPENING THOUGHT

Ask one person to read the following aloud slowly for the group:

You are human, and that means something. It means you have needs, desires, fears, purpose, and value. You are wonderfully made and designed for love. You are meant to be loved and understood because being human means you are not meant to be alone. It’s not good for you to be alone. You were made to love, to create life, joy, and hope. We were not meant to die, but because of the way things are, being human means one day you will die. It means you may suffer sometimes, often at the hands of another person. Because of the way things are, being human means we’ll experience loss, disappointment, and disagreement. You are human, and that means something. It means you are meant to affect the way things are. What if not just you, but we—as a church, a people, a family—could lean into the truth that no matter how old or young, single or married, wealthy or not so much or poor, every single person is not only a part of a larger cosmic struggle but also has a crucial part to play in that spiritual battle between good and evil? What if we believed that we—in our space, in our time, in our city—could truly make a difference? What if we believed that we could change things? What if we believed that we had a part to play in the restoration of all things?

What captures you the most about the opening thought, and why?

SCRIPTURE

As we read this scripture aloud, 2 Corinthians 5:18, focus on how it highlights the part we play as difference makers:

18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. —2 Corinthians 5:18

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

As we explore Scripture and our role as difference makers, let’s dive into how God has worked in our lives and uniquely equipped us for His purpose. Reflect on the following questions:

In what ways have you experienced God’s power to make a difference in the restoration of all things where you live, work, and play, and how has He uniquely equipped you to be a difference maker?

Do you struggle to believe that God has created you to be a difference-maker? If so, in what ways?

When you think of a “difference maker” in the Bible, who comes to mind and why? Who do you most relate to or whose life resembles yours as a difference maker?

When you think of a “difference maker” in the Bible, what other scriptures come to mind and why?

Per our SCRIPTURE, has the ministry and message of reconciliation truly marked your life and made a difference? If so, how? To whom might God be leading you to embody and share this message?

In what ways does the generosity, sacrifice, and faithfulness of Jesus impact how you relate to Him and others?

CLOSING THOUGHT

As we conclude, let’s hold on to the truth that God has uniquely equipped us to be a difference maker in this world. Though our lives are touched by brokenness, we are called to bring healing, light, and hope. The real question isn’t whether we have a role to play but how we will embrace that role. As you reflect on your life as a whole, consider: 

What do you hope the dash between your birth and death represents in terms of how you lived and the difference you made in the world?