a GROW lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Have a Heart for God (Ezra 7:1a,6-10)
Build a Reputation of Integrity (Ezra 7:25-28)
Identify with the People You Lead (Ezra 9:4-6; 10:10-12)

Background Passage:
Ezra 7:1–10:44

Focal Passages:
Ezra 7:1a,6-10,25-28; 9:4-6; 10:10-12

What This Lesson Is About:
People lead from the essence of who they are. Leading successfully involves walking with God in such a way that both unbelievers and believers recognize the person’s integrity and trust the person to lead.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can challenge you to walk with God in such a way that both unbelievers and believers recognize your integrity and trust you to lead.

a GROW lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Recognize Your God-Given Potential for Influence (Esth. 4:13-14)
Realize that God Is the Ultimate Influencer (Esth. 4:15-17)
Use Your Influence in Godly Ways (Esth. 8:3-8)

Background Passage:
Esther 1–10

Focal Passages:
Esther 4:13-17; 8:3-8

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about leading by exercising godly influence.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help you recognize you have influence and determine to use your influence for God’s purposes and in godly ways.

a GROW lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Accept Your Responsibility (Josh. 1:1-5)
Hear God’s Command (Josh. 1:6-9)
Act Courageously (Josh. 1:10-11,16-18)

Background Passage:
Joshua 1:1-18

Focal Passages:
Joshua 1:1-11,16-18

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about identifying and overcoming the fears that prevent us from being the spiritual leaders God wants us to be.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help you learn God’s ways to overcome the fears that prevent you from being the spiritual leader God wants you to be.

[Evangelism Lesson]

a GROW lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
An Empty Tomb (John 20:1-10)
A Temporary Grief (John 20:11-15)
A Joyful Recognition (John 20:16-18)

Bible Passage:
John 20:1-18

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about the ultimate solution to grief: victorious life through Christ’s victory over death.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can lead you to place your hope in the living Christ who conquered death for you.

a SERVE lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Know the Source of Comfort (2 Cor. 1:1-3)
Be a Channel of God’s Comfort (2 Cor. 1:4-7)
Offer Comfort Through Prayer (2 Cor. 1:8-11)

Bible Passage:
2 Corinthians 1:1-11

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about the support we can give to others who are grieving.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help you minister to those who grieve out of your own experience of God’s comfort and through your prayers.

a CONNECT lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Rejoice in God’s Faithfulness (Ps. 31:7-10)
Trust in God’s Power (Ps. 31:14-16)
Express Your Love for God (Ps. 31:21-24)

Background Passage:
Psalm 31:1-24

Focal Passages:
Psalm 31:7-10,14-16,21-24

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about the presence of a powerful and faithful God, whom we can trust even in the midst of difficult circumstances.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help you acknowledge God’s constant presence in spite of circumstances and feelings.

a GROW lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
An Intellectual Approach to Grief (John 11:20-27)
An Emotional Approach to Grief (John 11:32-36)
The Supernatural Approach to Grief (John 11:43-44)

Background Passage:
John 11:1-44

Focal Passages:
John 11:20-27,32-36,43-44

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson looks at different human responses to loss and the hope Jesus gives to believers who grieve.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can lead adults to discover that the grief they experience can be grounded in hope.

a GROW lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Live in Light of the End (1 Pet. 4:1-2,7-11)
Endure Suffering with Joy (1 Pet. 4:12-16)
Prepare for God’s Judgment (1 Pet. 4:17-19)

Background Passage:
1 Peter 4:1-19

Focal Passages:
1 Peter 4:1-2,7-19

What This Lesson Is About:
In this lesson Peter set down principles that should guide Christians to develop a resolve to remain clearheaded, disciplined in prayer, and to ultimately stay the course in the face of suffering.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can change your perspective on difficulties by strengthening your resolve to remain focused on Christ in spite of suffering.

a CONNECT lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Your Conduct Among Unbelievers (1 Pet. 2:11-12)
Your Conduct at Home (1 Pet. 3:1-7)
Your Conduct Among Believers (1 Pet. 3:8-12)

Background Passage:
1 Peter 2:11–3:12

Focal Passages:
1 Peter 2:11-12; 3:1-12

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson presents biblical instructions for maintaining right relationships during times of difficulty and stress.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help strengthen your relationships even during times of stress.

a GROW lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Be Holy! (1 Pet. 1:13-16)
Be Reverent! (1 Pet. 1:17-21)
Be Obedient! (1 Pet. 1:22–2:1)

Background Passage:
1 Peter 1:13–2:10

Focal Passage:
1 Peter 1:13–2:1

What This Lesson Is About:
In this lesson Peter spelled out the impact our future hope should have on our conduct, even when we are going through difficult times.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help you discover ways to demonstrate a holy, reverent, and obedient lifestyle.

a GROW lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Living Hope (1 Pet. 1:1-5)
Unshakable Faith (1 Pet. 1:6-9)
Glorious Grace (1 Pet. 1:10-12)

Bible Passage:
1 Peter 1:1-12

What This Lesson Is About:
Peter stressed that regardless of their circumstances, believers have a living hope that cannot be taken away, and they have the resources to continue living holy lives.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help you live a life of confident faith regardless of your circumstances.

a CONNECT lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
When God’s Words Become Our Words (Hos. 14:1-3)
When God’s Blessings Become Our Blessings (Hos. 14:4-7)
When God’s Ways Become Our Ways (Hos. 14:8-9)

Background Passage:
Hosea 13:1–14:9

Focal Passage:
Hosea 14:1-9

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about returning to God when we’ve made a mess of our lives.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson will challenge Christians to repent of their sin and return to God.

a CONNECT lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
God Pursues Us (Hos. 11:1-2)
God Nurtures Us (Hos. 11:3-4)
God Will Not Abandon Us (Hos. 11:5-11)

Bible Passage:
Hosea 11:1-11

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about how God demonstrates Himself to be a tender, loving Father who desires to be intimately involved in our lives.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help believers understand that God can be trusted and that He wants to be intimately involved in their lives.

a CONNECT lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
God’s Loyalty Allows Us to Return (Hos. 6:1-3)
God Expects Loyalty from Us (Hos. 6:4-6)
Our Loyalty Is Expressed in Right Actions (Hos. 6:7–7:2)

Bible Passage:
Hosea 6:1–7:2

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about the loyalty God expects from His people.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help you understand what true loyalty looks like, and that you can choose to live out that loyalty to God.

Evangelism Lesson

a CONNECT lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
God’s Outrageous Command (Hos. 1:2-3)
God’s Severe Indictment (Hos. 1:4-9)
God’s Miraculous Grace (Hos. 3:1-5)

Background Passage:
Hosea 1:1–3:5

Focal Passages:
Hosea 1:2-9; 3:1-5

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about how God loves and pursues people, both inside and outside the church, who are unfaithful to Him.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson will help you recognize how much God loves you and wants to have a personal relationship with you. You will be challenged to respond to His love by obeying His commands.

a CONNECT lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Focus on the Word (Ps. 119:11-16)
Fellowship Through Prayer (Mark 1:35-39)
Fruit of Time Well Spent (Ps. 1:1-3)

Background Passages:
Psalms 1:1-6; 119:9-16; Mark 1:35-39

Focal Passages:
Psalms 1:1-3; 119:11-16; Mark 1:35-39

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about the practice of meditation as expressed in the Psalms and by Jesus.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson will challenge you to focus on God through prayer and His Word throughout each day.

a SERVE lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Sacrifice Defined (Luke 9:23-24,57-62)
Sacrifice Demonstrated (Luke 21:1-4)
Sacrifice Commanded (Rom. 12:1-2)

Background Passages:
Luke 9:23-62; 21:1-4; Romans 12:1-2

Focal Passages:
Luke 9:23-24,57-62; 21:1-4; Romans 12:1-2

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson explores what the Bible says about a lifestyle of sacrifice by examining Jesus’ command to take up one’s cross, the example of the widow’s offering, and Paul’s command to offer oneself as a living sacrifice.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson will help you develop a Christian lifestyle of sacrifice.

a SERVE lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Redefine Greatness (Mark 10:42-45)
Seize Your Opportunities (Matt. 25:19-21,29)
Serve the Least of These (Matt. 25:34-40)

Background Passages:
Matthew 25:14-46; Mark 10:35-45

Focal Passages:
Matthew 25:19-21,29,34-40; Mark 10:42-45

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about the greatness of servanthood. Jesus lifted up the value and importance of servanthood and called us to use whatever He has given us in service, especially service to the “least of these” (Matt. 25:40).

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson will challenge you to seek ways to serve others.

a CONNECT lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Humility Defined (Phil. 2:1-4)
Humility Taught (Luke 14:7-11)
Humility Exemplified (John 13:3-5,14-15)

Background Passages:
Luke 14:1-11; John 13:1-17; Philippians 2:1-11

Focal Passages:
Luke 14:7-11; John 13:3-5,14-15; Philippians 2:1-4

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about humility. Jesus exemplified humility when He washed the disciples’ feet and Paul called us to live that same lifestyle of humility.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson will challenge you to develop a lifestyle of Christlike humility.

a CONNECT lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
The Foundation for Community (Eph. 4:4-6)
The Purpose of Community (Eph. 4:7,14-16)
The Characteristics of Community (Eph. 4:25-32)

Background Passage:
Ephesians 4:1-32

Focal Passages:
Ephesians 4:4-7,14-16,25-32

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about the necessity of staying connected to a community of believers.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help you value Christian community and commit to develop meaningful relationships in your church.