INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

There is great promise in potential, an abundance of hope and possibility. Potential also

assumes risk, or at least the possibility of failure. It’s been said that potential is only present

when one’s performance isn’t currently measuring up. Perhaps that’s true, but isn’t that all of us?

None of us is the man or woman we want to be - not completely. None of us is the Christian we

hope to become, not yet anyway. God is still working on us; He is constantly shaping us and

making us fit for service. While He has been changing us for the good, the world has been

changing for the bad.

Have you looked around lately? It seems like we’ve awaken from a bad dream where

aliens have sucked the brains out of Americans. Everyone seems to have lost their minds in the

madness. Our world has literally been turned upside down before our eyes. Regardless of your

age or church experience, every Christian can relate to this chaos and confusion. Challenges

abound, and we seldom know what to do anymore.

What has brought us to this point?

How can we make things better?

How should we respond to the chaos?

I hope we can answer these and more questions in this 6-session group series. You may

be a group of college students meeting in a dorm, several pastors meeting in a network, or

perhaps you’re part of a small group at your church. Regardless, this study can help you learn

how to better navigate this ever-changing culture, while remaining faithful to the never-changing

gospel.

This is NOT a quick fix church growth strategy, nor is it a methodological guidebook to

help your church catch up with the trends of the day. Instead, this study - and the book it’s based

on - will encourage you to make a paradigm shift, to change your thinking. The problem with

Christians and churches in our day is not so much what they DO as it is who they ARE. This is

an identity issue; it’s a matter of the heart. Yes, the world has turned upside down, but there is

hope. Listen, the only hope for a world turned upside down is a church turned inside out.

About the Author

My name is Wayne Bray, and I am the Lead Pastor of First Baptist Simpsonville/Upstate

Church located in the Upstate of South Carolina. My wife and I have been in ministry our entire

22 years of marriage. God has given me a love for learning. I’ve earned five degrees from four

institutions, including New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Columbia International

University, Liberty University, and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. My wife made

me stop after I finished my doctorate. Otherwise, I would still be in school.

So why should anyone care what I have to say? That is a great question. In short, I have a

sincere desire to help you, and we likely have more in common than you think. An average guy

with a wife much smarter than himself, I’m a dad and husband, trying to figure it all out as I go.

God has called me to pastor three amazing congregations since the year 2000, and my wife is an

elementary school teacher. We have five kids from grade school to college, and we know what

it’s like to navigate culturally complicated issues with kids. Amy and I have an amazing

marriage, but we have no desire to act like it’s perfect. We are two sinners saved by grace. Our

goal has always been to be honest about our own “normalness” in hopes of helping the average

Christian find hope amid the craziness of the day.

We have discovered over the years – people are people – no matter where we are. While

the context of ministry may change, depending on the congregational setting, the challenges,

struggles, and victories tend to be very similar. You may be a member of a small rural church or

a large metropolitan church. Perhaps you’re a missionary on the field or a single mom who

works on Sundays. Regardless of your setting, the principles of this book and study will apply to

you. We are all living in the same world, and the solution steps are consistent for us all.

Ministry Experience

I certainly love my current church family in Simpsonville, SC. While I arrived as pastor

in 2015, God had been blessing our church greatly for many years. FBS/UC is a unique

fellowship to say the least. We have become a multigenerational, multisite, multi-form church.

So we have three campuses, each with it’s own Teaching Pastor, yet all united in mission and

vision. Although our two newer campuses are exclusively modern, the Downtown Campus

(Central) still offers three distinct worship styles each Sunday morning.

We are seeking to do the impossible by bringing generations together, not under a

worship style or preaching style…but under a shared mission and vision. FBS/UC is a

multigenerational church, leaning forward to reach the next generation. Today, more than 4,600

believers call this place their home, and much growth has come in recent years. The average

weekly worship attendance has grown 20% from 1,690 to 2,113 in the past four years. While this

has been an exciting season, I have found equal joy at every church I’ve served as Pastor. No

church is more or less important than any other.

Let me back up to my first pastorate. I was called to the Oak Hill Baptist Church in

Millen, GA in the year 2000 as a 27 year old man who had not yet completed his Bachelors

degree. If I remember correctly, we had 107 in Sunday School on the morning of the vote. Oak

Hill was located 5 miles outside of Millen, which is a South Georgia town of around 3,500

people. There were only one or two homes within a mile of the church in either direction. The

experts would have said Oak Hill Baptist Church had no hope for growth. It was NOT

strategically located, and it lacked all the “bells and whistles” many Christians think are required

to reach the lost. Despite the obvious challenges, Oak Hill has always been a very strong and

evangelistic church. We experienced rapid growth during those days, and the congregation

remains strong and vibrant even 20 years later.

In 2006 I became the Senior Pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Douglasville, GA, which

is a western suburb of Atlanta. We had right at 300 in attendance the day of the vote, and God

gave me 10 amazing years as their Pastor. During this time the church more than doubled in size,

and many people came to faith in Christ. It was at Beulah that God gave me a heart for both

multigenerational ministry and birthed my calling to pursue a multisite form of ministry. Leaving

Oak Hill and Beulah were the two most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make, but there is no

doubt God was leading my family every step of the way.

I tell you all of this biographical information for a reason. No matter who you are or what

context of ministry you find yourself in, you can impact your community. You can reach the lost,

and I believe this study can help you. This is not a new trend for a few, but a universal challenge

to every Christian. I believe God has provided us with this simple concept of Inside Out to

change our perspective, to bring hope back to the conversation. It’s time to turn inside out for the

glory of God.

Instructions for the Group Study

You’re holding a study guide that goes with a book titled, Inside Out: Christian Hope in

a World of Contradiction. While the book is informative, I believe much of the benefit will come

from your discussion in this group study. The book is divided into two parts, cultural problems

and the proposed solution. The first half of the book is discouraging, but the second half is full of

hope and challenge.

I would suggest that you have a group leader open each session in prayer before starting

the 15-20 minute opening video. The purpose of the video is to remind you of the content of the

relevant chapters, while moving the group toward a time of discussion. Depending on the context

of the group, I would suggest the key leader have some prepared comments and statements

related to the session each week. Still, I would limit this to 10 minutes, allowing for the group to

have at least a 30-minute timeframe to walk through the various questions provided. I also

encourage the group leader to add questions to those included here. Allow the group to ask

additional questions that they think of during the discussion.

The first session may require a 90-minute duration, but I suggest a 60-minute timeframe

for the remainder of the sessions. This will keep the demands of time low and keep everyone

interested in the dialogue. While you want everyone involved, you don’t want anyone to

dominate. Set rules for discussion, limiting time to 3-5 minutes for each person’s comments. The

value of this discussion will be a balanced conversation. So invite people who may not

immediately sign up. Some people just want to be invited.

In order for this to be successful you need to lay a few ground rules. Everyone should feel

comfortable sharing their opinion about these topics, even if there is some disagreement in the

group. Encourage everyone to embrace our diversity of opinions on peripheral issues. Open up

the channels of dialogue and let people talk. We need people to talk about these subjects. Have

everyone agree upfront that they will endeavor to build unity among the group, building bridges

on issues that many have avoided for years. Include a variety of people in this conversation. This

group could actually bring teens together with senior adults, but it should bring us closer – not

push us further apart.

So let’s get started!

SESSION ONE

The World Turned Upside Down (Review)

There is no way to create an exhaustive list of all the challenges we face in America, but

the first 5 chapters of the book present 5 specific cultural developments that have contributed to

the madness. While it’s not going to be easy, we will cover all 5 of these negative cultural trends

in this first session. This will allow us to spend the next 5 sessions talking about solutions.

Ideally, everyone in the group has already read the first 5 chapters of Inside Out before you begin

Session One. This will ensure we have a productive conversation. Let’s refresh our memory.

Below is a list of 5 developments that have led to our world being turned upside down.

The World Turned Upside Down

1. Organized

2. Utilitarianism

3. American

4. Jenga

5. and iPhones

First, let’s acknowledge an obvious trend away from established authority. I call this

Organized in the book. Yes, those are contradicting terms, yet this describes

American culture perfectly. The new norm is that no one has the right to define what is normal

anymore. Our current cultural climate reminds us of biblical descriptions of the time of Judges.

“In those days there was no king… Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 17:6.

Evidence can be found in the classroom where respect for teachers seems to be a thing of the

past. Public contempt for law enforcement is another common example of this organized

anarchy. It’s becoming more and more common for people to question the authority of police

officers, but this is not an isolated case. Virtually all established authority is being called into

question. It seems the only certainty is that nothing is certain anymore.

The second cultural contradiction to acknowledge is

Utilitarianism,

which is self-love in the name of benevolence. While utilitarianism claims to fight for what is

best for the most people, the ego of the average American reveals a contradicting value system.

Scripture reveals pride as a doorway to destruction. Consider Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before

destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Truthfully, everyone wants equality as long as

they are first in line. Most people think this is a great idea with the expectation that they are the

beneficiaries and not the ones who are expected to pay the price of sacrifice. This explains why

many in our society have embraced late-term abortion, euthanasia, and other previously

unthinkable wrongs. Many consider the burden of the few impacting the many to be justifiable

reasoning to end the life of the few, understanding their death benefits the majority. This is a

tragic reality in our nation.

Another obvious problem in America is materialism. We have become infatuated with a

dream for more, an undying need for success and prosperity. No one can deny the fact that we

have fallen asleep, but our dreams have become American . What started as a

hope for a better future, an opportunity to work hard to make something of ourselves, has now

been manipulated into an unrealistic dream that will ultimately be empty in the end. Sadly, the

church has suffered from the influence of these materialistic nightmares, coming in the form of

the “Health – Wealth – and Prosperity Gospel.” Packaged in a promise of divine blessing, heresy

has become mainstream in the Christian church in the US. Yes, we’ve been asleep too long.

Consider Paul’s challenge found in Romans 13:11, “Besides this you know the time, that the

hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first

believed.”

Perhaps a foundational cause of it all, the fourth cultural contradiction is referred to as

Jenga . I’m sure you’ve heard of the game where each player takes turns

removing a piece of wood from the Jenga tower. Obviously, after a while the tower becomes

vulnerable and eventually falls. Sadly, decisions being made today are destroying our nation’s

foundation, but this is not a game. Proverbs 14:34 teaches us that, “Righteousness exalts a

nation, but sin condemns any people.” Many people are fighting to remove or redefine the moral

standard of America, but the challenge will come when there is no foundation on which to stand.

You can’t remove the blocks and expect the tower to stand forever.

The final cultural characteristic that has led to our world being turned upside down is the

challenge we face with generational differences. We are a nation of and iPhones

- and everything in between. Sure, we are a people divided by race, religion, politics, and more –

but one overarching issue is generational. We’ve become so accustom to generational division,

the tension doesn’t even seem to bother Christians anymore. Think about it, it’s like most

churches have picked one generation at the exclusion of others. As a result, we have senior adult

churches & young adult churches. We are not the same, but that’s a good thing (Romans 12:3-8).

Something that should be one of our greatest strengths – has become a weakness.

These five factors have impacted the culture around us, but they have impacted the

Christian church in America too. We cannot make the mistake of ignoring these cultural changes.

Where many believers fall short is how we respond. There are two obvious extremes. Christians

either take a militant posture of defense and aggression, or we run from the confrontation

altogether and isolate ourselves from the world around us. I want to challenge you to evaluate the

challenges, admit your own failures, and make the needed changes. Yes, the world has turned

upside down, but we can still make a difference. Let’s begin by discussing the problems and

praying for God’s grace to turn inside out.

GROUP TIME

If you’re like most Christians, you may have strong opinions related to the recent chaos

in our culture. Every day seems to introduce a new challenge for believers as people attempt to

provoke believers and spark debate. Perhaps it’s best to begin by understanding the causes of this

chaos. What would happen if we stopped looking at the lost world as our enemy, and started

looking at them as our mission field? We need to open up the lines of communication. Please

allow your group time to be a safe place for honest discussion and disagreement. Don’t shame or

blame someone simply because they don’t share your opinion on an issue.

QUESTIONS:

Consider the five cultural characteristics mentioned and discuss your observations?

1. Do you see the five cultural characteristics mentioned earlier as major overarching cultural

challenges or minor isolated issues?

2. What are real-life examples of these cultural challenges that you have personally observed?

3. What does Scripture have to say about authority and rebellion? How does this affect the way

in which we approach these conversations?

4. What does the Bible teach us about pride and a narcissistic attitude?

5. How should our lives be different from the world in relationship to materialism?

6. What effect has the “health, wealth, prosperity gospel” had on the average Christian in

America?

7. While the United States is not “the chosen people of God,” our nation has historically been

know as a Christian influence in the world. Discuss how this has changed over the years, and

discuss specific ways the Church has lost much of its influence along the way.

8. The challenges of Generationalism are real in our day. It’s a subject everyone wants to

complain about, but no one seems to want to fix. Why do you think most churches gravitate

toward one particular generation, at the exclusion of others? Is this practically beneficial? Is this

an effective strategy? Is this a biblical view of the church?

9. Are you willing to do whatever it takes, short of sin, to reach the lost in your community?

What would this look like practically in your own life and in the life of your church?

SESSION TWO Drop the

Rocks (Review)

Our first session was centered on the undeniable spiritual crisis in America. It doesn’t

matter if you’re a Democrat or a Republican – Young or Old – Male or Female – Black or White,

your world has been turned upside down. Much of this cultural chaos has come as a result of

division among Americans. We live in a volatile time in history. Though united in name,

Americans are divided on virtually every issue under the sun. From Right to Life, Same Sex

Marriage, Concern for Refugees, Sexual Assault, Racial Injustice and Religious Liberty,

conversations quickly turn to confrontation. Dialogue is soon replaced by disrespect, and

Christian evangelism is overshadowed by political extremism.

We wonder why church doors are closing, Christianity is in decline, and the culture

seems to be rejecting the gospel. Quite frankly, the church of Jesus Christ in North America has

forgotten its purpose. Worse yet – most Christians are in denial. While cultural storms rage,

Christians have turned off the lights & locked the doors. The church has turned inward,

concerned more about survival than souls. I will spend the next five session presenting simple

solution steps that may help us refocus our attention back on the gospel.

My challenge today is simple. = We must Drop the .

First, we must stop throwing rocks at the world. This doesn’t mean we compromise on

sin, but we must remember to love the sinner. Jesus is the perfect demonstration of this.

Religious leaders were always trying to trap Jesus. Remember the story found in John

8:4 "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses

commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?"… 7 …"Let him who is without sin

among you be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the

ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and

Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.” Notice in verse 11, Jesus NEVER

ignored sin. He said, “Sin No More.”

Many Christians have become culture warriors – not just standing for truth, but fighting

for change. Their primary goal appears to be strong-arming unbelievers to live moral lives. So,

even if successful in change of life style, there is no true repentance. People are still going to

hell. Listen, our goal is not to change people’s minds but for Christ to change people’s hearts.

Why did Jesus come? Hear Jesus’ words in Luke 5:32, “I have not come to call the righteous but

sinners to repentance”

Secondly, we must stop throwing rocks at each other. Friendly fire is a major problem in

the church today. Ironically, Jesus says this in John 13:35, “By this all will know that you are my

disciples, if you have love for one another.” If this is the measurement – the world can’t possibly

think we’re following Jesus. We are divided doctrinally, methodologically, generationally, and

politically. We have much that divides us, but Jesus is the One who unites us! We must drop the

rocks. Truth is still truth & Jesus still changes lives. The only hope for a world turned upside

down is a church turned inside out. So let’s drop the rocks and get busy building bridges.

GROUP TIME

Like it or not, we all have rocks in our hands. While issues and degrees may vary, we’re

all guilty of a critical or aggressive attitude at times. It’s important to note, the goal in dropping

the rocks is not to change anyone’s opinions or to prevent dialogue. Rather, the hope is to change

our approach to the subject, and improve our interaction with others by allowing the Holy Spirit

to direct each conversation with grace. Constructive conversations cannot take place with rocks

in our hands, but when all parties approach a discussion with intent to build bridges, great things

happen as a result.

So as we move into discussion time – consider this. Many things divide us as Christians,

but they don’t have to. Too often, we allow peripheral issues to neutralize the mission, but we’re

on the same team. If anyone can overcome racial conflict, generational tension, and social

injustice – it should be the church of Jesus Christ. Still, the only hope we have is to drop the

rocks. With this in mind, allow the members of your group discussion to express their opinions,

even if they’re different from yours. Don’t force people into silence, but open up the lines of

communication. Your group sessions must be a NO ROCK ZONE.

QUESTIONS:

1. Have you noticed an increase in confrontation in our culture? What are some specific

examples?

How has social media contributed to the problem?

How do you respond when this happens?

2. Why do you think people have become more emboldened to speak their minds? Has social

media given people a newfound confidence of criticism?

3. How can we improve our witness in the public square, including social media?

4. Do you agree that Christians waste too much time debating peripheral issues?

5. What are some specific examples of secondary debates that have been treated by many as

issues of fellowship?

6. What are some doctrinal and/or methodological subjects that have divided the church and

distracted us from the main thing? Where is the peripheral line drawn?

7. If our goal is changed hearts, not minds, do you think that most Christians are approaching

the mission strategically? If not, what can be done to change this?

8. Is the #1 goal of Christianity to convince the secular society to adopt a biblical view of

morality, or is the goal to introduce people to Jesus, who can change their hearts? Discuss the

irony of attempting to change a lost man’s mind, without asking God to first change his heart.

9. Arguably, nothing has divided our nation as much as politics. Where should a Christian draw

the line when it comes to political conversations? Is it more important to win a political

debate or introduce someone to Jesus Christ?

10. Read the following quote from Pastor Carey Nieuwhof and have the group discuss his

statements. Do you agree with his assessment? What can we do about it?

“The problem in many cases is not that unchurched people don’t know any Christians. The problem is

that they do. And they don’t like us—for good reason… The presence of judgment almost always

guarantees an absence of love… Remove grace from the truth and you don’t actually have truth at all,

but a cold, steely imitation… The opposite is also true, of course. Remove truth from grace and you

don’t have grace, but a spineless imitation.” www.careynieuwhof.com

NOTES

SESSION THREE

Trade Suits for Boots (Review)

Last week we started taking some solution steps toward turning inside out. Our

discussion centered on the constant tension that surrounds us in this day, and our need to drop the

rocks. Unbelievers are not our enemies; they are our missional targets. Other Christians should

not be our debate opponents. Instead, they should be our partners in ministry. The problem is that

most Christians are disconnected from the actual ministry. This leads us to the second solution

step. We must trade our suits for . That is, every Christian must embrace his/her

individual calling as a missionary in the community around them.

In many ways, American culture has influenced church structure and methodology for

decades. Some people have a really hard time accepting this, but those same people have no

problem accepting that reality on the mission field. While the source of our message is the Bible,

the context of our ministry is the Twenty-first Century. Congregational voting, committees,

councils, and even our music are all, in part, products of our culture. I think it’s clear that

Christians embraced a missional model in the early 1900s that effectively reached a generation of

Americans.

The church thrived in an institutional era of organizational loyalty and authoritarian

leadership. The church adjusted to the need of the culture. That is missions, right? There’s only

one problem. The culture changed, but the church stayed the same. Every church is intentionally

prepared to reach a culture, but sadly in many cases that culture is decades old. It’s been said, if

the 1950s ever return, the Christian church is prepared to see a great revival. I realize this is a

challenging word, but it’s one we desperately need to discuss.

GROUP TIME

Consider how an occupational missionary approaches the mission. Missionaries immerse

themselves into the culture around them. They learn the language and customs. The music,

teaching, and communication are all geared toward that specific culture. Ironically, when we

look at our own ministries – we forget this missional strategy. In fact, some people feel guilty for

even considering culture in the equation. The truth is that we must Trade our Suits for

. If we hope to turn our churches inside out for God’s glory, we must begin to

think like missionaries.

QUESTONS

1. Discuss ways that foreign missionaries have to strategically prepare to reach the lost.

Discuss ways a missionary has to study and adapt to the culture.

2. How can we effectively turn confrontations into gospel conversations?

3. Do you think the church in American is focused more on rescue or survival?

Do we spend more time pursuing reconciliation or retaliation?

Explain:

4. Consider John 4:35. “lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest”

Can the fields be harvested without workers? Discuss the significance of the answer.

5. Answering with biblical support, is there any difference in the calling of a foreign missionary

and the average believer who worships in your church on Sunday morning? Explain the

similarities in calling and responsibilities.

6. Do you believe every Christian is called – in some way – to become a missionary to his/her

own personal community? Do you see your community as your mission field?

NOTES

SESSION FOUR

Pull Back the Curtain (Review)

We all know the story of “The Wizard of Oz,” a little Kansas girl uses the magic of the

red shoes to learn to appreciate the good home she’s been given. Ironically, the movie is not

named for the main character, Dorothy. The identity of the Wizard is a suspense-filled question

mark for most of the movie. Once you finally get to the end, the truth is revealed. The great and

mighty Wizard of Oz is not so great and mighty after all.

Now upon being introduced to the Wizard, this unlikely group of friends is impressed

with his projected image of grandeur. He appeared to be large and in-charge, impressive, an

exceptional Wizard. At the end of the day, he was a weak man who was hiding behind a curtain,

pretending to be something he wasn’t. I’m afraid this is how the world sees most Christians

today. It’s time to pull back the .

Sure, we know we’re imperfect people, but we tend to hide behind a curtain of self-

righteousness. Here is the sad truth. This generation will reject any Church and/or Pastor who

hides behind a curtain. The only way to turn your church inside out is to get real; be authentic.

Church leaders have to stop attempting to project some unrealistic image of perfection in hopes

of fooling a few people. They know we’re not perfect. In fact, the gospel loses its true attraction

when we attempt to convince people that we are somehow more worthy. You know what makes

the gospel attractive to lost people? They are drawn in by the truth that you were, and still are,

unworthy too. You and I were lost without a hope until Jesus saved us.

Consider Jesus’ confrontation of the Pharisees in Matthew 23:27. "Woe to you, scribes

and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear

beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.” Wow! That’s pretty

strong. Truth be told, when most Americans think of modern Christians, they would think more

of Pharisees than Jesus. Lost people don’t need perfect Christians – they need Hope in Jesus. If

they see us like the Wizard of Oz – larger than life – they have an unrealistic view of our faith

journey and their hope for forgiveness. If, however, we show ourselves for who we really are –

unworthy sinners – the grace of God is on full display, and we become portraits of His grace.

Here’s the question, who do we want to be in the spotlight? Him or us? Do our lives

make much of Jesus or us? People need to see that there is hope for the hurting, for the sinner,

for the failure. We are all just works in progress. Listen to Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:17,

“…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has

come.” So God uses the testimony of a changed life, and when we hide behind a curtain of self-

righteousness, we steal His glory. Let His grace shine in you – by pulling back the curtain and

allowing others to see what you’ve been saved from, “the old.” We need to help them see that

Christians are not perfect; we’re just forgiven.

This may seem simple, but it is critical if we hope to reach the next generation. They

place an extreme value on a person’s authenticity. Sadly, most Christians have one voice on

Sunday and another voice on Monday. Inconsistency reigns in the Christian church. I want to

challenge you to open up during the discussion time, and be honest about your own

inconsistencies. Expose your tendencies to hide behind the curtain and veil your failures. I’m

here to tell you that will help you and your church turn INSIDE OUT.

GROUP TIME – QUESTIONS

1. Read Matthew 23 as a group and ask the following questions:

a. What did we learn about the Scribes and Pharisees?

b. What did the text teach us about Jesus?

c. Do you think the world sees the average Christian is more like Jesus or the

Pharisees? Explain.

2. Why do you think Christians often feel compelled to put on a front, trying to appear to

have it all together when they really have problems like everyone else?

3. What does it mean to be an authentic Christian?

4. Discuss some examples of things Christians have behind the curtain.

5. Read the following passages of scripture and then discuss God’s expectations of humility

and reaction to pride: Proverbs 11:2, Proverbs 16:18, and James 4:6-10.

6. Why do you think verse 9 challenges us to “Change your laughter to mourning and your

joy to gloom?” Look in verse 8 for the answer.

7. How can acknowledgment and repentance of our sin help us humble ourselves and overcome our pride?

NOTES

SESSION FIVE

Surrender Self (Review)

One might rightly assume that the church needs strong spiritual leadership during these

challenging days of transition, a time when everything has been turned upside down. “Strong

leadership,” however, may not look like you think. Remember the culture has moved away from

all authority structures, and like it or not the church has been influenced by these changes. Only

those who practice mutual surrender will have any hope of accomplishing the church’s mission.

So what does surrendered leadership look like inside the church?

Characteristics of Surrendered Leadership

1. We must think over hierarchical.

Positional leadership is not as legitimate as leadership.

You must in people in order for them to in your vision.

2. We must decentralize .

Including others in the conversation produces .

3. We must ourselves.

Most churches are losing or neglecting their most valuable resource.

Our makes us stronger – and helps us reach more people.

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly

than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith

that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all

have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members

one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…

Romans 12

GROUP TIME - QUESTIONS

1. If surrender is the right thing to do…why doesn’t everyone do it? Why do we fight

against mutual submission?

2. Maintaining unity in diversity is a great challenge in our culture. It requires constant

surrender on everyone’s part, and it requires that we all put Christ and His mission before

ourselves. What are some practical ways we can do this individually?

3. Diversity demonstrates the power of God and the purpose of ministry. We must stop

trying to make everyone like us by trying to fit into everyone’s predetermined

expectations. How can we as Christians break the cookie cutter? How can we learn to

value the differences in the body of Christ instead of criticizing others.

4. Surrendered leadership depends on surrendered followers. How can lay people in the

church provide support and confidence to the congregation’s pastoral leadership?

5. Surrendered followers need pastors and lay-leadership they can trust. What are some

simple ways leaders in the church can build the needed trust?

6. Do you agree that positional leadership is not as legitimate as relational leadership? Why

or why not?

7. The outside world tells us we can’t unite with people unlike us, but we believe Christ can

bring us together. How can diversity make us stronger and help us reach more people?

SESSION SIX Awaken to

Purpose (Review)

Welcome back for our final session. We have covered a lot of ground in the past few

weeks. I hope this has been a challenging time of self-assessment and contemplation. Though I

may or may not know you personally, I’m praying for you and your journey. I’m convinced that

the solution we’re looking for is NOT a quick fix scheme or a church growth strategy. We need a

course correction, a shift in paradigm. We’ve already discussed our need to:

…Drop the Rocks

…Trade Suits for Boots

…Pull Back the Curtain

…Surrender Self

This is the bottom line. If we really hope to turn the church inside out, we must Awaken

to . We must force ourselves to constantly ask the question, WHY? Why are we

doing what we’re doing? If we forget to ask why, we may soon fall into the trap of survival, but

remember – our purpose is NOT survival but rescue. Still Many Christians have made it their

goal to save their methodological preference with total disregard to the gospel message, and at

the cost of God’s mission.

Remember the story of Netflix founder, Reed Hastings, who offered to sell his company

to Blockbuster CEO, John Antioco for $50 million back in 2000. Antioco’s decision to pass on

this offer is one of the worst business decisions in history. Netflix value is now at $56 billion,

and as you know Blockbuster eventually closed its doors. Think about it. Technology changed

the industry, and those who adapted to the changes were successful. Others, like Blockbuster,

assumed they were above the fray and exempt from failure.

The railroad is another example of refusing to adapt to a changing industry. While the

railroad was a common means of travel in decades past, other options became available with the

invention of the automobile and airplane. At the end of the day a choice had to be made. Would

they remain committed to providing transportation, or was the main goal to save the railroad?

The answer to this question would determine everything. Why did they exist? Well, history tells

us they attempted to salvage a dying system and compete against the newer forms of

transportation. Today, the railroad is virtually insignificant in the transportation of people.

Christians often possess a Blockbuster mentality in a Netflix world. We’ve blamed the

next generation for rejecting our Blockbuster methodology, but it’s like we’re renting VHS

Tapes in the 21st Century. The question is WHY are you doing what you’re doing? Are you

living to defend your method, your institution, your legacy? A church that refuses to change its

approach is bound for eventual death.

GROUP TIME – QUESTIONS

1. If forced to choose, are you more interested in transporting people from death to life –

from darkness to light – or are you primarily concerned about survival of your personal

preferences? Discuss some examples of how Christians allow their own opinions and

preferences to hinder the mission. Don’t forget to include yourself.

2. In Luke 5 – the Scribes and Pharisees were grumbling about Jesus eating with sinners.

Then in verse 31-32 Jesus said this. "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but

those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." With

these words in mind, discuss the purpose of the church. Why does the church exist? Why

are we here? What is the purpose of every believer?

3. Consider the fact that many of the obstacles to our missional success are founded on

personal and relational differences. Racial, generational, political and methodological

differences present much of the division we face in today’s church. Are these issues

meant to divide us? Are they distractions from the enemy? Discuss among the group how

we might begin the process of making the main thing – the main thing again.

4. Paul challenges us in Romans 13:11: “Besides this you know the time, that the hour has

come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first

believed.” What are some steps we can take as Christian leaders to wake up the church

and turn in Inside Out?