Pursuing Spiritual Transformation

Community is God's idea. Only in community can we know and be known, love and be loved, celebrate others and be celebrated by them. And only through close, transparent relationships can we be transformed as individuals. Groups invites you to enjoy the rewards--and embrace the risks--of community. Step by step, this study will challenge and encourage you to explore the amazing potential for growth found in authentic relationships. You'll study the true nature of friendship. The power of paying attention. The path to intimacy. The encouragement of being for one another. You'll learn what it means to live out these and other simple but vital truths for being all you are, giving all you've got, and receiving all you need as a member of God's dynamic community, the church. Leader's guide included! Groups group sessions are: • This Is a Friendship • Love Pays Attention • Knowing and Being Known • When Community Breaks Down • Forgiveness • Building a Passionately Inclusive Church • Being "For" One Another

What would your life be like if Jesus lived it? Imagine the change you would experience in your thoughts, actions, and relationships. Think of the joy and freedom that could transform every area of your life. That's exactly what God has in mind for you! You'll find out how in Growth. Through personal study and small group interaction, this study sets you on a path to live out the character of Jesus in this world as only you can. It happens not by trying hard, but by training. By cultivating spiritual disciplines--Scripture meditation, prayer, solitude, endurance, loving others--you'll discover the joy of being transformed by Christ and the freedom of living each day sustained by his power.

Jesus said more about money than just about any other topic. Clearly, it is an important issue--and a touchy one! Deep down, we know it is not a matter of what we earn but how we manage what we earn that shows our ultimate priorities. Giving demonstrates how good stewardship is more than a responsibility-it's an adventure. As you study the connection between your wallet and your heart, you'll learn how money management is a powerful tool for shaping your character. You'll discover how giving is as much a part of spiritual growth as prayer and Bible study. And you'll learn about the rewards of cultivating wise financial habits and a generous heart. Above all, you'll find out how a lifestyle of giving reflects the heart of God, who freely gives his best to you. Leader's guide included! Giving group sessions are: • Money: Why Is It So Important to God? • The Open Hands of God • Tithing: A Training Exercise for the Heart • Behind the Scenes of Debt • What Is a Biblical Lifestyle? • Cultivating a Heart of Compassion • The Chance of a Lifetime

What does it mean to do everything "in Jesus' name"? Is that an ideal attainable only by a few "Super Christians"--or is it a way of life we can all experience?

Gifted--that's you! Uniquely equipped to help build up the body of Christ. As a follower of Jesus, serving others is an integral part of your identity and an important key to your personal growth. But how do you cultivate a servant's heart and your spiritual gifts in ways that build up your church, your family, your friends, and your world--without wiping you out in the process? Gifts guides you to the answers. Through personal study and small group interaction, this study will help you develop a passion to be used by God. You'll find out about your unique place in the body of Christ and how to surmount the obstacles that keep you from thriving. You'll discover the joy of serving with others--doing together what you cannot do alone. And you'll learn how to abide in Christ, experiencing a freshness and vitality that grow as you give! Leader's guide included! Gifts group sessions are: Use Me! Use My Gifts! Walking into Weakness. Comparison: The Killjoy of Servanthood. The Ministry of the Mundane. Servanthood's Bell-Shaped Curve. Abide in Him.

Many Christians have an easier time being saved by grace than they do living in grace every day. But grace is at the center of the life God calls us to--and reflects the heart of the One who calls. These studies in Grace will help you make the connection between grace as a remote biblical concept and grace as a lifestyle -- a reality you experience day in, day out. Through an unfolding study of Psalm 23, you'll learn how God -- our Good Shepherd -- is for you, how he longs to walk with you through temptation, sorrow, and even deep regret. You'll discover God's desire to make his joy your joy. Throughout, you'll learn how enduring, powerful, and life-affirming God's work in your life can be-and rediscover why it's called amazing grace.