VIDEO 1 | WEEK 1 | THE P.R.O.C.E.S.S.

Here we’ll discuss the heart of the book and the premise of sonship.

• Do you agree that most Christian leaders go through the P.R.O.C.E.S.S.?

• Who is a leader you can name that went through a time of testing and kept their influence/leadership?

• Without delay, name a leader that you look up to. Let’s go around the room and name them.

• Now listen the characteristic or two that you respect about them. What made you think of them?

• Let’s make this personal.  What part of the “process” are you in right now?  There are times when we’ll hit these different phases again and again.  Is there an obstacle that you faced years ago that tested your character and integrity?  Is there an obstacle you’re facing right now?

• Why is it tempting to want to be known as “successful” and what is it about this that reveals our sinful nature?  Why do we sometimes crave accolades, “likes,” position or power?  What does this reveal about sanctification?

• In your group, read Mt 4:1-11   Discuss what Satan offered Jesus and why?  Is it possible Satan was actually offering something to Jesus that was already His, given to Him by the Father?   Satan offered Him what?  Power?  Fame?  Tempted Him to “prove” himself.  Jesus already knew His identity - a loved child of God!

• In your group, someone read the story in Luke 15 of the Prodigal Son.  In this story, consider the following questions: Why was the older brother mad?  What did the Father do to celebrate the son that came home?  What does this tell you about God the Father’s love for you?  If you had to pick, which character in the story most resembles you and why?  Do you see yourself as the forgiven and thankful son or the jealous older brother?  Discuss this statement Pastor Jordan made: Religion is when you try to earn what the Father has already given.  What does that mean?

  ACTION STEPS

• I can intentionally show my team gratitude by:

  • Telling them how grateful I am for them

  • Writing them a card describing my gratitude for their work

  • Celebrating their achievements

  • Asking them questions regarding their desires & dreams

  The leader I mentioned in question 2 is _________________________

  The reason I look up to them is because they have the following character traits:  ____________________________________________________

  These are character traits that I am going to ask God to strengthen in my leadership.

  If I had to select where I’m at in the process of a leader right now, I’d say I am in the phase of (circle one)   

  Promise    Reality    Obstacles    Character Tests    Endurance    Success    Sonship

  If you’re brave, discuss with the group why you selected that.  Be raw.  Be real.  Surface conversation leads to surface relationships.  Be vulnerable and go deep.  Let God excavate your heart and build priceless, possibly lifelong friendships through this group.

VIDEO 2 | WEEK 2 | JOSEPH

• Is it possible Joe was misunderstood by his brothers?  In what way?

• What dream has God placed in your heart?  Does it feel too big to ever come true?  Are you too worried about being misunderstood?

• What does it mean when the dream is too big for you to accomplish in your own strength?  And why would God put that kind of dream in your heart?

• Would anyone want to share about a “pit” that you endured or a time when your character was tested?

• Have you ever bought into the lies that came with “success” - that you deserved more than you were given?  What does the 10 Commandments say about coveting and how is that related to living a life thankful for what you do have?

• What’s the difference between arrogance and confidence?

• Is it ok to be driven?  Is it ok to have ambition?  Is it ok to have vision?  What’s the difference between ambition and vision?   Excerpt from the book: Vision is what you can do to better the lives of others - the preferred picture of your future and your city’s future. Ambition is the personal drive to accomplish and conquer - to attain power and prominence.  Ambition is what you think you can do alone and comes from a place of pride.

• Have someone in your group read John 14.  Have someone else read John 15.  Discuss what it means to see Jesus as the vine, the center of it all!

• I believe there’s a difference between ambition and vision.  Vision is what God can do through you with others for Him.  Vision comes from a place of humility and prayer as God gives you a burden for the salvation and peace of a people.  It usually connected to a conflict that God’s Spirit has made increasingly clear to you.

  Ambition comes from a place of arrogance and selfishness; it’s what you can do for you.  It’s that slimey black sludge that pushes others down to get ahead.  It will tempt you to stretch the truth to make yourself look more important than you are.  It will tempt you to grapple for things that are not yet in God’s timing.  But like Jesus, you can resist those temptations with the Word of God and the trust that God’s timing and ways are perfect.  Ambition will likely try to sneak in like an unwanted thief from time to time in the heart of a leader.  The second you see him intruding, kick him out with a confession of humility and thankfulness, a song of praise and a prayer.

  Do you agree that sometimes we feel our value comes in our assignment and season instead of our sonship? What lies does Satan tell us when we are not succeeding at work or meeting goals we set out for our ministry or company? What temptations does Satan gives us? What does Satan want us to believe?

  What does the Father want us to believe about ourselves?

  A good place to start that prayer could be …

  Father, help me to have vision without ambition. Help me to advance Your Kingdom and not my own.  Give me the courage to never stall as a result of short-sightedness or fear.  Search my heart and know my motives.  Convict me if my motives ever change and my desire becomes selfish or self-seeking. Prone to wander, Lord I feel it.  Help me Holy Spirit and keep Your grace front and center in my life. Remind me Holy Spirit, daily that it is YOU and YOU ALONE who gives me the grace to even breathe the air I breathe.  Bring me to a place  of humble thankfulness and vision for the future.

*While this vision for your future may seem a bit blurry right now, I want to encourage you to keep pushing towards it.  If God’s given you a promise, a picture in your mind of what He wants to do in your future, don’t ignore it and certainly don’t give up on it!  As each person in the group shares, encourage each other - give courage and strength to one another to pursue the promise and believe God to be faithful to accomplish the work He began!

VIDEO 3 | WEEK 3 | GIDEON

• What were the excuses Gideon gave when God tapped him on the shoulder?

• Have you ever given God similar excuses?  If so, what are they?  i.e. I don’t have enough money to do that (The lie of scarcity when God owns it all)  I don’t have enough talent to accomplish that (The lie that God withheld good gifts from you)  I don’t have the right background (Forgetting that nobody does!  Only Jesus is perfect which is why our hope is in him, not ourselves)

• What emotions might Gideon have felt when God asked him to use clay pots and trumpets instead of swords and shields?  Have you ever felt silly obeying God?  When?

• When Gideon did what God asked of him, God came through in miraculous ways.  What might happen if we as Christian leaders begin to trust that we do hear the voice of God when we pray and seek His guidance and begin to act in faith, no matter how abnormal the assignment may be?

• Someone in your group, read John 15:26-27. What does this passage tell us regarding our ability to hear God’s voice?  Someone read John 14:15-21.  What does Jesus promise us?

• Someone read John 10:1-19. How is Jesus our “Shepherd?” Is hearing God’s voice only for special leaders who are “more anointed” or does that promise also apply to you and me?

• Why do you think God reduced Gideon’s already small army to only 300 men? A few reasons are possible. Maybe to teach Gideon about his own character and develop his trust in God. Sometimes God uses difficult situations to prove His faithfulness and His ability to save so that He is given the glory He deserves. That’s the reason God gives us in the text. God wanted given the credit and He deserves the credit!

  
  

VIDEO 4 | WEEK 4 | DAVID

• What obstacles did young Dave have to overcome?

• What temptations did he face with growing fame?

• Someone read Psalm 8:1-4 then discuss… How does David’s view of God humble him and give him proper perspective?

• Someone read Psalm 18:16-19 then discuss… How does this express Dave’s dependency on God?  Do you think this sort of public humility repelled or attracted people to his leadership?

• As a leader, why is it hard sometimes to admit when we need help?

• As a leader, why would it be a great idea for you to pray and ask God for help publicly, in front of your team, with your team?

• When we allow people to see our need for God, even admitting our weaknesses, it encourages them to respect God more than us.  Why is this so needed and so important today?

• When Dave admitted his failures and repented, God forgave Him and restored him.  In your group, admit something God forgave you of.  This removes the power from Satan to smother you in shame.  With secrets come shame, with honesty comes freedom.  Like Dave, you’ll be surprised to feel a weight removed from your heart the minute you admit where God has forgiven you, exposing deep wounds that need to be healed.  Someone read James 5:15-17 “…And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.  Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

• How did David’s leadership at home differ from his leadership of Israel?  Is it possible to lead poorly as a parent yet succeed as a leader?  What can we do to avoid that?

• At the end of your life, will you be glad you were a great leader or a great dad/mom?  What can you do now, on a weekly or daily basis to ensure that you first succeed at home in leading your children?

• How did David’s relationship with God inspire his desire to adopt his enemy’s grandson?  How can our relationship with God inspire us to love another?

• Do you believe it’s the role of government or the church to solve the adoption crisis?  Why?

VIDEO 5 | WEEK 5 | NEHEMIAH

• What were some of the fears Nehemiah likely had to overcome?

• Is it possible God can use a terrible situation to redeem people?  Discuss openly something that was unfair that you experienced and discuss the possibility of God using it for His glory and the redemption of others.

• What gave Nehemiah the courage to approach the King?  Does God give us courage when we approach Him in prayer?

• How do you think Nehemiah felt when Sanballat and Tobiah were openly accusing him of subverting the King’s authority?  How do you think he ignored such vivid and public criticism?

• When as a leader have you faced criticism and what did you do in response?

• Have you ever experienced a time when you felt isolated or intimidated?

• Someone read James 4:13-17 then someone else read James 5:7-11

• JAMES 4:13-17  Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

  JAMES 5:7-11  Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

• Someone else read Romans 8:12-29 

• What do these passages tell us about God’s will and God’s goodness?

• How can we overcome the mental battle that Satan brings to us - the temptations to quit, the beliefs that we aren’t good enough to make it, that we aren’t smart enough or “spiritual enough” to lead…?

• How do we overcome these accusations Satan throws at our minds?  How does grace play into these lies of shame?  How does Jesus’ work on the cross break these lies?

VIDEO 6 | WEEK 6 | DANIEL

• Why is it easy to understand God corporately but not know Him personally in today’s culture?

• I’m going to ask that we get real today.  I’d like each of you to state your greatest insecurity by stating what you want to be known for - that thing that describes who you assert yourself to be.  Then be willing to shed that for the sake of being God’s child with or without that position at work or title.  It may be powerful for you to each state a new declaration after you’ve thought about what’s inside that tries to define you.  For example, it may go something like:  My name is Jordan Biel and before I’m a great pastor or songwriter, I’m a child of God.  Whether my music endeavors or pastoral goals fail or succeed, I am known and loved by Father God.  I choose to never compromise my Christian beliefs to attain power or position.   *Insert your name and your position/roles in the underlined words and make your declaration!   My name is ______________________ and before I’m a __________________________, I’m a child of God.  Whether my endeavors or goals fail or succeed, I am known and loved by Father God.  I choose to never compromise my Christian beliefs to attain power or position.

• Daniel was unwilling to worship anything but God.  Worship is when we put our thoughts and affections, money and time into something.  You may not realize you’re worshiping something until you assess where you’re spending your time, thoughts, money and passion.  If I looked at your checkbook, what would it tell me that you worshipped?  If I could peer into your brain (scary, right?) and I could see the last 1,000 thoughts that crossed your mind, what would the whole of them summarize?  Are your thoughts constantly racing over money?  Then that very well may be an idol in your life that your heart and mind are worshipping.  Let’s ask God to forgive us of that and ask Him to cleanse us of that junk - that need for more money so we feel more secure - that need for approval from colleagues so we feel more important - that need for affirmation so we feel loved.  Let’s shed all those felt needs and realize that our true identity can only come from son-ship - from knowing that we are a child of God and that we are eternally loved by Him!

• Name a huge goal that you have.   Share it with the group!  It can be a God-given dream.  It could be to run a marathon; it could be anything. Now ask yourself “Would I be content with my relationship with Jesus even if that fails or even if I’m not “as successful” as hoped in that endeavor?”  If you can come to that place, then you’re on the right track in the process of becoming a Christian leader who endures!  Is God able to make that dream a reality?  Of course!  And we will believe for that together!  But if it doesn’t turn out how we expected, we must understand that doesn’t change God’s goodness.

• What are you currently trusting God for?  What miracle do you need?  If you don’t need a miracle, it’s possible you’re not in the secret place of prayer yet daily hearing from the Lord.  What I’ve discovered is that the more I get away to talk with the Lord, the more aware I am of the world’s needs around me and what God wants me to do.  The more aware I am of that, the more I realize that I can NOT do what He’s asking without a miracle.  So again, what is it that God is speaking to you in the quiet place of prayer that may require a miracle in public?

• Talk in your groups - is it possible for a miracle to take place in today’s society that would so move governmental leaders out of atheism or apathy and into faith in Jesus Christ?  What could that look like?

• Is it possible to Lead in Ministry and not truly know and love Jesus?  Why is this possible?  How?  Have I ever been tempted to believe that my value comes from what I’m accomplished?  Have I believed the lie that my value comes from what others think of me?  Where does my value truly come from?  Why is God the only one legally able to give me identity and value?  Only the Maker can give His creation it’s true identity?  And only the one who paid a price can declare it’s value.  God made us and we are His special treasure.  God paid a price for us to be made holy and wholly His there only He can give us our true identity, the one we’re all looking for.

• What are some disciplines we can put in place to be more intentional in show humility?  What can we do in our conversations to display love and Jesus-like sonship?

• Take time as a group to read Mathew Chapters 5 & 6.  Split up the passages by going in a circle and as it’s read, take notice of how many references there are to God being your Father or the mention of “brothers” or “sisters” then discuss this.  Leader, after it’s read and everyone has commented, ask the group … How do these commands from Jesus suddenly become much easier when we have the right perspective - the perspective of son-ship?

VIDEO 7 | WEEK 7 | JESUS

• I’d like you to take a few minutes and circle the attributes you feel the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart about in the list below.  After you’ve circled at least three, I’d like you to take a few minutes to pray, ask the Holy Spirit to help you in these areas and then write down what you’ll commit to doing to grow in that area.  Make the commitment a commitment to God - a prayer.  I want to even encourage you to share this commitment with a friend or your spouse.  It makes the commitment more meaningful and more likely to be enacted because you’re inviting them to hold you accountable to it.

  SIGNS OF SONSHIP   Circle at least three you need to grow in.  If the group leader has a dry erase board, go ahead and write on the board what the group members select.  Don’t forget to write your own!

Describe what you think about this info-graphic.

Discuss the joy and freedom that comes from knowing who you ARE before you enter a new season and operate in a new assignment.

Discuss the freedom that comes in knowing who you are despite WHERE you are.

Discuss the dangers of getting too wrapped up in your assignment and season and forgetting your identity as a son or daughter of Father God.

BONUS VIDEO! ⬇️

Could something as childlike as curiosity be the key to innovation in your church, ministry or business? Maybe being childlike is the key to making a big impact for our Father!