Corner Conversations

Take It Deeper Questions Read Micah 6:1-8 When have you felt undeserving? Undeserving of a good thing or a bad thing. What does it mean to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Why does God ask for these things specifically? Where have you had evidence of these things in the past? How did those moments look, feel, impact yourself and others? How are you focused, challenged, encouraged by this text in Micah? Bible Reading Plan Jude 1 Revelation 1 Revelation 2 Revelation 3 Revelation 4

Take It Deeper Questions: 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 What would your closest friends and/or family say is your greatest strength? Weakness? How do these verses make you feel about your place in the body of Christ? About your need for others? What is the cost of isolation? How are you challenged and focused by this text today? Bible Reading Plan: 1 John 3 1 John 4 1 John 5 2 John 1 3 John 1

TAKE IT DEEPER Where have you seen God at work outside of the Church? Do you think the Church has struggled recognizing the work of God outside its community and control? Why do you think that? What is the danger of ministry/missions work that focuses on attempting to make people more like the minister or missionary? Does God have the capacity to use people outside of the Church to effect His will (goodness)? When have you seen this happen? Where have you seen God at work outside the Church? Where do people search for God? Where have you found God? Where is God at work ahead of the Church today?

Take It Deeper Questions Read Hebrews 10:1-18 What daily rituals do you enjoy most and dislike most? What are the differences between Old Covenant atonement and New Covenant atonement? How much of your time is spent with a gnawing and/or vague sense of guilt? What does a life look like as it is continually being made holy? If you were to memorize one verse from this section, what would it be and why? Bible Reading Plan 1 Peter 1 1 Peter 2 1 Peter 3 1 Peter 4 1 Peter 5

Written study guide: A conversation on the old and new covenants Take It Deeper Questions Read Hebrews 9:11-28 What have you gone through once but have since vowed to never do again? The author used Old Testament analogies to explain the meaning of Christ’s death to religious Jews. What analogies might clarify with non-religious people today? What is the Old Covenant? What is the New Covenant? What are your personal challenges in walking away from the Old Covenant and fully embracing the New Covenant? Bible Reading Plan James 1 James 2 James 3 James 4 James 5

Take It Deeper Questions Read 1 Peter 2:4-12 When have you been most closely connected to a home improvement project? How did it go? What was most enjoyable? What was most unenjoyable? How do you respond to Peter's description of you in verse 9? What struggle within yourself are you facing that only Christ can help you overcome? How are you focused, confused, challenged or confused by this text today? Bible Reading Plan Titus 1 Titus 2 Titus 3 Philemon 1 Hebrews 13

Take It Deeper Questions: Read Mark 1:9-12 What do you need to hear (what would you like to hear) from people in your world? What do you need to hear (what would you like to hear) from God? What was God telling Jesus? What do you hear as God speaks these words over you? Do you hear what God is trying to say? Why or why not? How does it impact you that God spoke these things to Jesus before he started his public ministry? Bible Reading Plan: 2 Timothy 1 2 Timothy 2 2 Timothy 3 2 Timothy 4 Hebrews 11 Hebrews 12

Take It Deeper Questions Read John 3:1-21 Who are the most important or famous people you know? What do you think Nicodemus had to overcome in order to come to Jesus? Why did Nicodemus come to Jesus? (vs. 1-2) How did Jesus respond? What does it mean to be born of water and Spirit? Why is Nicodemous an important perspective to bring to the famous verses of John 3:16-18? Bible Reading Plan Hebrews 1 Hebrews 2 Hebrews 3 1 Thessalonians 3 1 Thessalonians 4 1 Thessalonians 5

Take It Deeper Questions: Read 1 John 4:7-12 Share your “first love” story. If the absence of love leads to indifference, how is indifference similar and/or different to hate? How does God love? How does being loved by God and people affect you? How are we to love? Bible Reading Plan: Philippians 1 Philippians 2 Philippians 3 Philippians 4

Take It Deeper Questions Read Luke 18:35-43 Who is the most famous person you have seen up close? What were the circumstances? What do the disciples still fail to see about Jesus in this moment? What stands out about the beggars handicap, faith and character? What would have happened if the man didn’t take any initiative? What would have happened if Jesus would not have responded to the initiative? What insight does this story give into trusting God and being trustworthy in your relationship with God? How does this story challenge, encourage and give you focus? Bible Reading Plan Ephesians 1 Ephesians 2 Ephesians 3 Ephesians 4 Ephesians 5 Ephesians 6

Take It Deeper Questions Matthew 13:44-46 What is the most valuable thing you have either lost or found? Define joy. How and why is it possible to have joy in the midst of pain or cost? Why would someone joyfully do something that is not easy to do? Why do some people have a greater perspective while enduring things that are “costly” and are able to do them with joy? How are you challenged, focused and/or encouraged by our conversation on joy? Bible Reading Plan 2 Corinthians 13 Galatians 1 Galatians 2 Galatians 3 Galatians 4 Galatians 5 Galatians 6

Take It Deeper Questions Read John 14:25-27 What is peace? How do you know when you have it or when you see it in someone else? How does a person get it if they don’t have it? How can you help others in their relationship with peace? How should peace be affected by current circumstances and how should it be unaffected by current circumstances? Bible Reading Plan 2 Corinthians 7 2 Corinthians 8 2 Corinthians 9 2 Corinthians 10 2 Corinthians 11 2 Corinthians 12

Take It Deeper Questions Read Matthew 5:3-12 If our culture would write a version of blessed statements, what would they be? What is your version of personal blessed statements? How have Jesus’ blessed statements come to a different light in 2020? What are the internal changes that this year is giving you opportunity to embrace and follow through with? Bible Reading Plan 2 Corinthians 1 2 Corinthians 2 2 Corinthians 3 2 Corinthians 4 2 Corinthians 5 2 Corinthians 6

What to read Read Psalm 139 and reflect on the concept of God being present through support and opposition. Take It Deeper Questions Read Philippians 4:10-20 What do you look back on as being the happiest days of your life? What is Paul’s secret to contentment? How does Paul’s view of contentment resemble or clash with our cultures view of contentment? How does Paul’s view of contentment resemble or clash with your view of contentment? What outside force is most likely to upset your contentment? What is key for you to be content irregardless to outside forces? Bible Reading Plan 1 Corinthians 11 1 Corinthians 12 1 Corinthians 13 1 Corinthians 14 1 Corinthians 15 1 Corinthians 16

Take It Deeper Questions Read Matthew 23:25-26 Share your worst restaurant experience. Why do people feel pressure to look good to others? Why do Christians feel similar pressure? What are the issues you have discovered with living life and faith as an external show? How does internal transformation affect all of these external pressures? How are you focused, challenged and encouraged by Jesus’ words today?

Take It Deeper Questions: Read Luke 10:25-37 In your mind, what sets someone apart as being extraordinary? What sets someone apart as being extraordinary to God? How does this parable address prejudices? Who has been a Good Samaritan in your life? Do you have any common obstacles to being a Good Samaritan? How are you encouraged and challenged by this parable today? Bible Reading Plan: Romans 16 1 Corinthians 1 1 Corinthians 2 1 Corinthians 3 1 Corinthians 4 1 Corinthians 5

Take it deeper questions What are some things in life that you value, that other may not? What problems arise when perceived value is lacking? How does someone change their perceived value? What are the consequences of refusing to change the way you perceive value in different groups of people? How can you increase your own perceived value of people who are different from you? When confronted with a broken system what is your personal responsibility? What are you, or can you do?

Take It Deeper Questions Have you ever tried to use the wrong tool for a job you were doing? How did it go? What are some things you actually feel well equipped to deal with? How do you feel when you witness great injustice? How do you feel when you witness great justice? What does it mean to “love your neighbor as yourself?” How can you move from sympathy or empathy into compassion?

Take It Deeper Questions: Read Matthew 4:18-22 What does following Jesus mean to you? What does it say about Jesus that He asked people to follow Him? What does it say about the disciples that they followed Jesus? What does it mean to be “made into a fisher of man?” What does it look like to follow Jesus in this season? Bible Reading Plan: Acts 28 Romans 1 Romans 2 Romans 3 Romans 4 Romans 5

Because of the stuff currently happening in Minneapolis, we currently do not have take it deeper questions or bible reading available for this week. We just ask that you pray for us, for our city, and wisdom full of compassion. Thank you.  - Greg