2. Closely Connected

3. Definition of ministry: “Ministry is meeting another’s needs with the resources that God has given to you.”

4. “How do I connect to the ministry that God has prepared for me to accomplish?”

5. The way to connect to your ministry here at RBC is through our small groups, or a better name for them would be Life Groups.

6. What exactly do the Life Groups accomplish for you?

7. 1. Life groups give an opportunity for us to get to know each other better as friends.

8. 2. Life groups give an opportunity for us to encourage one another in the purpose that God has given each of us.

9. But this is more than friendship, it is brothers and sisters meeting together.

10. Hebrews 10:24-spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

11. If you are the leader of one of our Life Groups, then you should see yourself as a Dream Assistant.

12. 3. Life groups give an opportunity to seek out those who need to be in the class but aren’t yet.

13. THE EMPTY CHAIR!

14. 4. Life groups give an opportunity for us to mature as Christ followers through serving others.

15. We encourage our Life Groups to do ministry projects together.

16. Every person is born with a passion.

17. Every person that is born again is born with a purpose-to do the good works that God has prepared beforehand.

18. Given enough opportunities everybody will find the INTERSECTION of passion and purpose.

19. Jesus commanded us to be servants to others.

20. Luke 22:24-26 “Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call

21. themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.’”

22. We are never more like Jesus than when we are serving others.

23. We are never less like him than when we refuse to serve others.

24. Question for the day: What if ministry to others is not just a potential avenue for spiritual growth but is absolutely essential to our spiritual growth?

25. “We begin to grow when we take responsibility for the growth of another person.” Dr. Howard Hendricks

26. If we are going to maintain a healthy weight we have to do two things: 1. Watch what we eat. 2. Exercise.

27. James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

28. “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:17

29. With these Scriptures in mind our Life Groups need to be more than just a study of the Bible. They need to also be opportunities to serve others.

30. This was the idea behind my idea many years ago to challenge people to go on just one mission trip.

31. To discover your ministry go and serve others in love. God will bring the intersection of purpose and passion into your life.