Shaping our Culture

For the past two weeks we have heard two great messages from pastor Erwin McManus. The first one was about living out your personal greatness, because you were created by God to be great. Do you believe that? If you have any doubt you only need to recall your childhood memories when you dreamed of becoming someone great. Would you continue to believe that no matter how old you are, and ask God to show you how to become that great person He created you to be?

The second message we heard was about shaping a new church culture that could impact the world which we are going to spend some time talking about today. We are often shaped by the culture we grew up with and it affects what we like to eat, where we like to live and who we like to hang out with. We are most comfortable living within that culture. We find it easy to be friend with people of the same culture and hard to find common ground with people of a different culture. While there is no right or wrong with that, that same phenomenon could potentially be a problem after we become Christians.

Why do I say that? Because if we are not careful we find ourselves only doing life with other Christians and we forgot what it was like to be a non-Christian. But it was that one Christian who venture out of his/her comfort zone to be friend with you so that you had the opportunity to become one. That was why last week’s message was an important one for us to hear, because the moment you love someone that needs Christ, it changes your mind completely on how you live your Christian life.

Moving Forward

We want to create a church environment where people that are not like us will feel at home and belong. How can you help create that environment today?

Discussion Questions

1. What are some of the things you like about your culture growing up? What are some of the things you don’t like as much?

2. What are some of the characteristics you would look for in a friend?

3. Is it hard for you to be friend with a non-Christian? Why or why not?

4. Pastor Erwin McManus said “The future church needs believers to sacrifice for those that are not yet believed.” What do you need to sacrifice specifically for those that are not yet believed?