Afterparty this Sunday at Frontline PW

Saturday is Cinco de Mayo, so what better way to meet new people after Frontline than with some Mexican food!  Feel free to bring your own sombrero and we will provide the rest!

Sign up to Pray for Eburru, Kenya

Join others in a 24 hour prayer time on Saturday, May 12 for the physical and spiritual needs of those in Eburru, as well as to pray for Pastor Steve and Mary.  Contact Phil Spradlin at philspradlin@gmail.com to sign up to pray for an hour or more.

Bowling Fundraiser

The Kenya 2012 women’s team will hold a bowling fundraiser on Saturday, May 12 from 2-4pm at the AMF Centreville bowling alley.  Cost for admission is $30 and includes unlimited bowling for 2 hours & shoe rental.  There will also be raffle drawings for a number of great prizes too.  All proceeds go directly to support the team’s trip and David’s Hope International.  Please RSVP to Shannon DeSario by Monday, May 7 to reserve a lane (shannon.desario@yahoo.com).

The Broken Clock: Week 3 Discussion Questions and Leader Guide (4.29.12)

Speaker: John McGowan

Leaders: In this final week, we want to discuss two primary issues: (1) excellence at work, and (2) identifying each person’s passion to serve the Lord. These two issues correspond with John’s first point in his exposition of Nehemiah 1:1-2:5. Probably most groups will not get past these two issues. But depending on your group, you may want to spend time in John’s second and third points, by focusing on prayer and specific requests. (Some example questions for these points might be: “For what specifically do you need to ask from your boss?” and “Where on your calendar are you going to pray about talking to your boss?”) We’ve designed these questions to take about 80-90 minutes. Given your group dynamic, you may spend more, or less. As the group leader, feel free to use the questions you like, don’t use the questions you don’t, expand discussion on certain areas, limit discussion on other areas, and go on Spirit-led tangents.

Leader Prep Time: Watch message here (35 minutes), Review questions and guide here (30 minutes), Download member-only questions here.

 

Leader Questions/Comments:

• Women contact caroline.seymour@mcleanbible.org.
• Men contact nate.keeler@mcleanbible.org.
• Couples contact nate.keeler@mcleanbible.org.

 

In this message (4/22/12), John McGowan outlines:

• Nehemiah’s example in trusting in God’s sovereignty
• Nehemiah’s example in approaching King Artaxerxes

 

1. Let’s start out by following up from last week. How did you do with making changes to your calendar? How did you create space this past week to remember God’s work and goodness (what we called “worshipful rest”)?
   Leaders: Use this question to engage your group in discussion. Whether group members were successful or unsuccessful, get to the root of the issue by revisiting the conflict between the Christian’s “sinful flesh” and “heart’s priorities.” If you desire, review questions 3 and 4 from Week 2 of this series curriculum. Leave no room for legalism but transformation rooted in the gospel. Remember that we can obey because the Christian is in union with Christ and possesses the power of the Holy Spirit. If necessary, feel free to delay the rest of this curriculum and spend time on these important points.
2. This past Sunday, John used the example of Nehemiah approaching King Artaxerxes for permission to go back to Jerusalem and repair the wall. What in this message stood out to you?
    Leaders: If your group has not listened to this message, you may want to spend some significant time in Nehemiah 1:1-2:5 before moving on. Note to the group that Nehemiah is a Godly man with Godly priorities at the outset of the story. It takes a man after God’s heart to pray as Nehemiah did in chapter 1.
3. King Artaxerxes was in earthly authority over Nehemiah. Who are the people that the Lord has placed in earthly authority over you? (Or, who is your King Artaxerxes?)
   Leaders: The point of this question is simply to identify—not judge—those people. Make sure group members are not listing people who just have influence, but people who literally can tell them what to do. Engage every person in the group to make a list with real names. Common answers will include the names of: a boss, a teacher, parents, government authorities, etc.
4. Let’s focus in on our bosses. Nehemiah had evidently “found favor” before King Artaxerxes. (2:5) What would your boss say about the excellence of your work? (Another way to ask this question: How would you rank your excellence at work, on a scale of 1 to 10?) Be honest.
   Leaders: If some people in your group are unemployed, feel free to modify this question for them to focus in on another authority in their life. Engage every person in the group on this question. As a leader, manage this discussion carefully. Make sure that group members do not judge or criticize answers – but instead, encourage group members to listen objectively. Furthermore, don’t let your discussion turn into a “gripe session” about bosses, for God’s sovereignty extends even over ungodly earthly authority (like King Artaxerxes!). Also beware of people that may want to manipulate their bosses into favoring them. There’s no indication that Nehemiah manipulated his way into the King’s favor. Instead, it was the excellence of Nehemiah’s work that caused him favor with the King.
5. In order to increase in favor before our bosses, we need to work with excellence. What is one thing you need to change this week about the quality of your work? How can this group hold you accountable to that change?
   Leaders: Aim for one specific, concrete example from each person in the group. Some ideas for accountability might include: checking in at regular intervals during the week, asking specific questions about that one thing someone needs to change, reminding each other of the truth of Colossians 3:17, 23-24, etc.
6. Nehemiah’s heart had broken for one thing: the state of the wall in Jerusalem. (1:3-4) There’s something that breaks your heart and about which you aren’t doing as much as you want. What is that thing?
   Leaders: Some examples might be: fatherless children, the absence of significant relationships in your life, stepping up to leadership in a particular ministry at Frontline, new people in DC, the elderly, college students, Haiti, people in the hospital, my next door neighbor, special needs, etc. For some group members, identifying something small might be appropriate. For others, you may want to push them to think bigger.
7. How are you going to create space in your calendar to do something about it?
   Leaders: Use this question as a review of the concepts discussed during the past 3 weeks. But also use this question as a call to action. Encourage your group members to begin to take positive steps, no matter how small they may seem. And then follow up regularly with each other in accountable relationships.

Leaders: The past three weeks may have brought up some issues on which your group needs more study and application. Touch base with your coach or staff contact for specific issues. But also consider the following resources:

• On the issue of spiritual disciplines, consider Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney.
• For additional study on the flesh/Spirit distinction, the 2011 Fall Retreat series, “Changed,” is a great start. This series is available on frontlinedc.com. For a long, challenging, and dense study (probably better for personal study), consider D.M. Lloyd-Jones multivolume commentary on Romans, chapters 6-8 (published by Banner of Truth).

Girls Gone Wise Bible Study – 10 weeks beginning June 4

This study is yet another discipleship opportunity in a multigenerational setting that we will be offering this summer.  Join Frontline and MBC women on Monday nights beginning June 4 from 7 – 9 pm at the church as we discuss scripture related to what it means to be a wise woman in a world gone wild.  The study is written by Mary Kassian, featured speaker from this years MBC Women’s conference, and will speak to women of all ages.  For more information and to register for this 10 week bible study, please contact Tina McPhee at Tina@mcpheecomm.com by May 20.

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