Horizon Church of Towson

Resources for Gospel Series

We used several different books throughout the series that would be extremely helpful if you wanted to learn more. Here are the four that we leaned most heavily on:

Renovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard: Renovation of the Heart explains the common misunderstandings about human nature and the discipleship process by outlining the general pattern of personal spiritual transformation––not as a formula, but as a systematic process.

The King’s Cross by Tim Keller: King’s Cross is Timothy Keller’s revelatory look at the life of Christ as told in the Gospel of Mark. There have been many biographies of Jesus, but few will be as anticipated as one by Keller, the man Newsweek calls “a C.S. Lewis for the twenty-first century.”

In it, Keller shows how the story of Jesus is at once cosmic, historical, and personal, calling each of us to look anew at our relationship with God. Like Keller’s other books it has tremendous crossover appeal, but it is also ideal for the faithful, those who are looking for a closer connection to Jesus and Christianity.

The Cost of Discipleship by Deitrich Bonhoeffer: What can the call to discipleship, the adherence to the word of Jesus, mean today to the businessman, the soldier, the laborer, or the aristocrat? What did Jesus mean to say to us? What is his will for us today? Drawing on the Sermon on the Mount, Dietrich Bonhoeffer answers these timeless questions by providing a seminal reading of the dichotomy between “cheap grace” and “costly grace.” “Cheap grace,” Bonhoeffer wrote, “is the grace we bestow on ourselves…grace without discipleship….Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the girl which must be asked for, the door at which a man must know….It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.”

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard: A renowned teacher and writer of the acclaimed The Spirit of the Disciplines, Dallas Willard, one of today’s most brilliant Christian thinkers now offers a timely and challenging call back to the true meaning of Christian discipleship. In The Divine Conspiracy, Willard gracefully weaves biblical teaching, popular culture, science, scholarship, and spiritual practice into a tour de force that shows the necessity of profound changes in how we view our lives and faith. In an era when many Christians consider Jesus a beloved but remote savior, Willard argues compellingly for the relevance of God to every aspect of our existence. Masterfully capturing the central insights of Christ’s teachings in a fresh way for today’s seekers, he helps us to explore a revolutionary way to experience God–by knowing Him as an essential part of the here and now, rather than only as a part of the hereafter.

April 23, 2012 at 11:13 am | Sermon Studies | No comment

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Last Sunday we talked about how forgiveness is a process. The goal is to be

able to forgive completely. We looked at a quote from Ken Sande about what

full forgiveness looks like “I promise never to think about your sin again, or to

dwell on it or brood over it. I promise never to bring it up and use it against you.

I promise not to talk to others about it. And I promise not to let this sin stand

between us or hinder our relationship.” This is how God has forgiven us. This

is the forgiveness that is available to us. This is how we are ultimately called to

forgive others.

Next Level

Read Psalm 103:11-13 and read the quote from Ken Sande again.

1. Do you realize this is how God has forgiven us? Take some time and thank

God for forgiving you in that way.

2. Think of your own relationships. What is hardest about forgiveness for you?

3. Is there someone in your life that you need to forgive this way?

Read Colossians 3:12-14

4. Why does being forgiven enable us to be forgiven?

5. Why does forgiveness matter so much in a community that claims to follow

Jesus Christ?

March 8, 2012 at 11:56 am | Sermon Studies | No comment

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Recap:

Last Sunday we discussed the process of engaging in conflict resolution. We busted through the myths that if we get hurt, we’re allowed to say whatever we want or abandon the relationship altogether. Maturity in Christ means the ability to speak the truth in love. If it’s not loving, it’s probably not the whole truth. The hope is that conflict can help prune our relationships rather than lead to our abandoning them. Here’s an outline of the reconciliation process that is detailed in the book The Peacemaker and Matthew 18:15-16:

Phase 1: See and confess our contribution to the conflict.

Phase 2: a) Overlook their offense, or

b) Build on their partial confession

Phase 3:

Part 1 – Address their contribution to the conflict (one-on-one)

Part 2 – Agree together on a friend/professional to help mediate the conflict

Next Level:

Read Ephesians 4:14-16

1. What are some ways in the past that you have spoken truth in a harsh way? If you were to do it more lovingly, what would that look like?

2. Why do you think the writer of Ephesians makes such a strong connection between maturity in Christ and the ability to speak truth in love?

3. Do you struggle more with the “truth” part or the “love” part when it comes to “speaking the truth in love.” Meaning, is it harder for you to confront people you love with truth? Or is it harder for you to speak truth in a loving way? Why are these two (truth and love) so important to hold together simultaneously?

4. Is there someone in your life right now that you need to invite into a one-on-one reconciliation conversation? Who can you talk to ahead of time that would give you good insight into the best way to approach the situation?

February 29, 2012 at 5:15 pm | Sermon Studies | No comment

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Recap

Last Sunday we continued debunking myths on conflict. We got into how our culture is increasingly reliant on texting and emailing in place of conversations. This has led to a mess of miscommunication and a generation that is increasingly passive-aggressive in the way it deals with conflict. The big question that we tackled in regards to our conflict style is who are we serving in the way that we approach people? Are we serving ourselves by approaching conflict to meet our own goals or are we serving God and serving others by approaching them in a loving, self-sacrificial way?

Next Level

Read Galatians 2:11-21

1. Why was Paul so upset with Peter? What was the deeper issue that was at stake?

2. Why did Paul confront Peter face to face? Why did he do it publicly?

3. Read vs. 20 again. Why is the concept of dying to ourselves so important when it comes to conflict?

4. Who are you serving with your conflict style? Are you out for your own agenda or are you looking to serve God and others?

February 22, 2012 at 8:55 pm | Sermon Studies | No comment

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Recap:

Last Sunday we talked about Myth #3 “Problems are caused by one person,” and Myth #4 “They have a problem with me so I don’t have to do anything.” The truth that dispels both of these myths is that “It takes two to tango.” In other words, it takes two people to create problems and two people to resolve them. Jesus dispelled Myth #3 in Matthew 7:3-5 and he dispelled Myth #4 in Matthew 5:23-24.

As followers of Christ we are called to face our contributions to conflicts in our lives and we are called to pursue peace with everyone as far as it depends on us (Romans 12:8). Not doing so not only affects our peace with God and our peace within ourselves, it also affects the mission of the Church (2 Cor. 5:18-20).

Next Level:

Meditate on Matthew 7:3-5

1. Think through the current conflicts in your life (or conflicts in the recent past). How did you contribute to those conflicts (either contributions that started the conflict or ones that added fuel to the fire)? Did you ever confess your contributions to the conflict with the other person? If not, why not?

2. Think through what it would look like for you to confess your contributions to the conflicts in your life. Pray through the ways that you have contributed to conflicts, ask God’s forgiveness, and rest in the grace that He gives us through Jesus Christ. Weed out any self-condemnation that may still exist. Know that God has forgiven you.

3. Consider purchasing the book “The Peacemaker” by Ken Sande.

4. How might you start the process of seeking peace with those who may have an issue with you? What would it look like for you to pursue reconciliation with that person in a humble, gracious, kind and thoughtful way?

February 17, 2012 at 12:43 pm | Sermon Studies | No comment

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Recap

Last Sunday we began a series on the topic of conflict. We spent most of our time debunking the myth that conflict is a bad thing. When handled in a healthy way conflict is the very thing that leads to change and growth. Conflict is what exposes the need for change and transformation. Is also draws us closer to God and helps us to grow in our faith.

Next Level

Read Acts 6:1-7

1. What were the symptoms of the problem and what was at the root of the conflict?

2. What were the steps the apostles took to deal with the conflict?

3. Do you fear conflict or do you tend to gravitate towards it too much? Why?

4. Are you open to correction in your own life?

5. Do you trust God to bring healing and restoration when you find yourself in conflict?

February 8, 2012 at 2:27 pm | Sermon Studies | No comment

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Recap:

Last Sunday we looked at the bold personality of Elijah. After his triumphant victory over the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, Jezebel threatened his life. Elijah ran to Mt. Horeb (a.k.a. Mt. Sinai) in the desert to escape. There we see him face his fears and deal with depression, ministry burnout and despair. The Lord didn’t offer to change his situation, he simply offered his presence in the form of a gentle whisper.

We learned that having an Elijah-type personality is a double-edged sword. Elijah-types are strong, bold personalities that we absolutely need leading in the church. They also can be destructive if they don’t take care of their own spiritual health.

Next Level:

Read Mark 8: 27-33

1. How are Peter and Elijah similar in their personalities? List things that are good about having a strong personality. List ways that a strong personality can be a handicap.

2. What are ways that you tend to dominate or walk on the people in your life? In conversation? At work? With your moods? With your demands? How might you transform your that tendency into something encouraging or empowering to others?

3. What do you admire about strong personalities? What do you dislike about them? How do you tend to deal with those around you who have a bold personality? Is there a healthier way you could interact with an “Elijah-type?”

4. What things about your own personality do you not like? When do you tend to project those things onto other people? How might you deal with them inside yourself so that you will avoid projecting them onto others?

February 1, 2012 at 10:13 pm | Sermon Studies | No comment

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Recap

Last Sunday we continued our in depth study of 1 Kings 16-21 by looking at Jezebel. We talked about how Jezebel was fiercely devoted to the worship of Baal, which had devastating effects on the nation of Israel. We also talked about how she influenced people by manipulating them and attempting to control the outcome. Many of us struggle with “control issues” and that is not something to be taken lightly. Our need to control and manipulate the outcome shows a lack of trust in who God is.

Next Level

Read 1 Kings 18:27-19:2

1. What was at stake in this contest on the mountain?

2. What did God reveal about Himself in this conflict?

3. When we feel the need to control the outcome, what does that reveal about our view of God?

4. What steps do you need to take to stab at the heart of “control issues” in your life?

January 23, 2012 at 7:22 pm | Sermon Studies | No comment

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Recap:

Last Sunday we examined the life of Obadiah from 1 Kings 18. We learned how a reserved, behind-the-scenes personality can still have great influence in God’s Kingdom. We also looked at a modern-day Obadiah in the person of William Wilberforce. Obadiahs are people who subtly and over time influence from the “inside” of an organization.

Next Level

Read 1 Kings 18  and Genesis 41

1. What are the similarities that you see between Obadiah and Joseph? What are some differences?

2. What personality traits do you have that are similar to Obadiah? Which ones are different?

3. Think through how you could influence your workplace from the “inside.” What would that look like? How could you influence your place of work and your co-workers in such a way that your work environment resembles more and more the Kingdom of God?

4. There were times where both Obadiah and Joseph feared for their lives. What fears are stirred up when you consider being an Obadiah in your work, neighborhood or family? How might you overcome those fears in order to do God’s will?

January 18, 2012 at 10:51 pm | Sermon Studies | No comment

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