WEEK 4 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

Naming the stages of apprenticeship: the critical journey.

Introduction:

The whole notion of a journey with stages is not exactly as linear as it sounds. You don’t simply move progressively from point A to point B. You visit and revisit locations on the journey, moving forward and backward, but the journey is going somewhere—you grow, become more mature, capable, and better equipped. And sometimes you regress. Get lost. Confront a wall. The journey of discipleship is complicated and complex. This paradigm of stages can apply to your entire life journey of discipleship.

Bottom line: Maturity is being willing to be led where you would rather not go.

Something To Talk About:

We overview a stage theory paradigm called “The Critical Journey,” a six-stage journey to a life of love.

Stage 1: Recognition of God: This is where we all begin on the journey of faith. We may experience it as children or as adults. This is a time of discovery and accepting the reality of God’s presence in our lives. This stage is characterized by a sense of awe and also a sense of innocence. There is a natural awareness of God, a sense of our need of Him, and also an experience of greater meaning and purpose for our lives. This stage reminds us of the incredible power of God and the finiteness of our lives.
Stage 2: Life of Discipleship: This stage is a time of learning and belonging. We are like apprentices, absorbing as much as possible from people we respect and trust. It is a very social time of interacting with others on a similar journey; there is often a sense of excitement due to belonging to something bigger than ourselves. This stage represents the best of the community. It is also usually characterized by a sense of rightness; there is a feeling of certainty and security in our faith.
Stage 3: Productive Life: This is best described as the “doing” stage. It is a very active phase when we consciously work for God. We have become aware of our unique gifts, and we want to use those to benefit our community of faith and the world. Often, we take on a specific leadership role or responsibility. There is a sense of productivity, fruitfulness, and having reached a spiritual goal.
Stage 4: Journey Inward: This stage is marked by a deep and very personal journey inward. It can often feel unsettling initially, yet it can lead to incredible freedom for those who journey through it. Many of the certainties and securities of previous stages begin to unravel, and we are confronted by doubts and questions that can lead to a crisis of faith. We move from a posture of knowing to one of seeking deep inner direction for our lives; we are compelled to understand ourselves and know God more fully. We can experience pain in discovering that God is not who we previously thought He was. The Wall belongs to Stage 4 and represents our will meeting God’s will face to face. We are confronted with whether we are willing to surrender to God. The Wall is a place of wrestling, of dying to self and waiting to be reborn. Going through the wall unmasks us and involves a painful but transformative rediscovery of who God is and who we are. Many never have the courage to journey through it.
Stage 5: Journey Outward: This is the next stage after rediscovering God and accepting love. We are fully surrendered, with eyes wide open to life’s great and painful mysteries. We now begin to reemerge from our inward journey with a fresh focus on others and a renewed sense of calling, but from a new, grounded center and a sense of fullness. We become aware that God’s purpose for our inner lives is lived out in the world. We don’t burn out; we live in a place of deep calm and stillness. Our inner stillness is the source of our outward journey.
Stage 6: Life of Love: In this stage, we reflect God to others more clearly and consistently than we ever thought possible. We have entirely lost ourselves and yet have truly found ourselves in God. We are humble, wise, selfless, and deeply compassionate. Christ’s life represents a model for our lives. Obedience comes naturally. We are spirit-filled in a quiet, unassuming way. We live with a Christ-like detachment from material things. We do not fear pain, trauma, disappointment, or even death.

Discussion Questions:

What stage of maturity is the most common? Why?
What is the greatest joy/struggle in your current stage of faith?
Do you find yourself comforted and informed by your stage, or desperate for clear instructions—a way forward?
How can you embrace the uniqueness of this stage in your journey of faith?
Do you find yourself comforted and informed by your stage, or desperate for clear instructions—a way forward?
What does “hit the wall” mean in your own life?
How do you cope with discouragement or “hitting the wall?”
How can we maintain faith and trust in God when experiencing difficult times or “hitting the wall?”
How can we find hope and peace when we feel like we’re “hitting the wall?”
What is one thing that stood out to you from this week’s message? What challenged you?

Take one thing home with you:

Most Christians have experienced a spiritual high. But most Christians have also lost that spiritual high at one point in their lives. All of a sudden, it seemed like everything got harder. Disciplines that were once effortless, like reading your Bible or praying, feel like a chore. You open the Bible and stare, hoping God speaks loudly and fast so you can move on. Your prayers slowly become all about you, and you rarely have time to pray for others. The more challenging spiritual disciplines, like fasting or times of solitude, aren’t even on the radar. Spiritual disciplines should never be mistaken for our relationship with God. Remember that intentionality and focus allow the relationship to thrive when hitting a wall. This is similar to how spiritual disciplines work. They create the space and time to relate to God intentionally. When these become inconsistent or non-existent, it’s time to move into action and reconnect with God.