Home (part 1): Place Of Origin

TO START

To start group tonight have each member grab a pen and paper. Have members write down as many compound words including the word “home” as they can in 90 seconds. Have a prize for the winner.

 

DISCUSSION

What does the word "home" make you think of? What do you FEEL when you hear the word home?

Where is home for you? Is that a simple or complicated question to answer?

  • Where are you from? Where do you belong? Are those the same place? Why do you think that is?

Home shapes our sense of identity, community and enmity. In other words, home gives us an understanding of who we are, where we belong, and what we’re against.

Consider these three first in the sense of your earthly home. How does where you’re from affect who you are, where you belong and what you’re against? Have each person in the group complete these three prompts:

  1. I am a ________ [insert last name]. We are ____________ [insert adjective].

  2. We __________________ [insert something you do in your family].

  3. We do NOT __________________ [insert something you would never do in your family].

Now consider those three in relation to your spiritual home. How does our origin story as people of God shape our understanding of who we are, where we belong and what we’re against.

Complete the following prompts together:

  1. We are God’s people. We are ______________ [insert a few adjectives].

  2. We find belonging in/with ____________________.

  3. We are against _____________________.

Is knowing this important? Why or why not?

Does understanding where you come from as God’s child affect the way you live on a day-to-day basis? How does knowing you belong to and with God shape your decisions, priorities and thoughts?

 


SCRIPTURE READING

At some point in the evening, you may wish to read scripture together. Consider reading Romans 8:14-39, having each member read a piece.

 

PRAYER

Tonight, pray for one another’s homes. Have each group member share a problem or hardship going on in their hometown (or family). Pray for each home, one by one.


FOR KNOWLEDGE AND FUN

*If your group is interested, you might watch this super-interesting TED talk Justin mentioned on Sunday. It’s about what home means in an ever-more-mobile world:

https://www.ted.com/talks/pico_iyer_where_is_home?language=en#t-105912

 

*If your group is looking for a fun activity to do together this week, why don’t you brainstorm movies about home (going home, making a home, etc.) and then pick one to watch together? Either get together to watch it, watch it apart and report back next week about how it made you feel, OR watch it at your own separate homes but at the same time, texting or chatting together while you watch.

Movie suggestions to prime the pump: Homeward Bound, Dan In Real Life, Sweet Home Alabama...







 

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