What is SOAP?

SOAP is an acronym for: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. As you prepare for participating in City Group this week, we invite you to write down your thoughts in a journal. Journaling is a great way to record and process your thoughts & what God is sharing with you.

Week of June 8th
Worldviews on Trial

OVERVIEW

We are in a teaching series where we are introduced to the one true God and a way of seeing the world that is so much better, truer, and more beautiful than anything the world can offer.

KEY POINTS

Week 1 on Naturalism - Naturalism is the belief that everything that exists can be explained by nature and science and nothing supernatural (like God, miracles, or the soul) is real. You can say you are a Christian with your words and show you are a naturalist by your actions.

Week 2 on Relatiivism - Relativism is the idea that truth and morality change based on the beliefs of people and society. You say you are a Christians with your words and show you're an relativist with your actions.

Week 3 on Individualism - Individualism is the belief that your needs and desires should be prioritized over the needs and desires of others. You can say you’re a Christian with your words and show you’re an individualist with your actions.

Week 4 on Spiritualism - Spiritualism is being interested in spiritual things but not committing to follow any one god or religion. You can say you’re a Christian with your words and show you’re an spiritualist with your actions.

THIS SUNDAY on Determinism - Determinism is the belief that all actions and events result from other actions, events, or situations, so people cannot actually choose what to do.

SCRIPTURE

As we read aloud through these verses, let's pause, reflect, and listen for what Holy Spirit might be saying to you through the Word of God.

Key scriptures from the series. 

  • 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 
  • John 14:6 NIV "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
  • John 8:31-32 NIV “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
  • 1 John 3:11-12 NIV For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 
  • Exodus 6:6-7 NIV  ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 
  • Matthew 16:24-25 NIV Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”

OBSERVATION

Q1. What describes the way the world wages war? What does Paul say sets itself up against the knowledge of God? (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV) If you had to explain naturalism in your own words, what would you say?

Deeper Dive - What do the weapons we fight with have the power to do? What do you think that means? What do we do with every thought? What do you think that means?

Q2. If you were brutally honest, why do you often do what’s wrong instead of what’s right? How do you justify those choices to yourself? If you had to explain relativism in your own words, what would you say?

Deeper Dive - What does Jesus say makes someone His disciple? Does Jesus make exceptions about when we hold to His teaching or not? What does this mean for you? What’s the result of holding to Jesus’ teaching and being His disciple? In what way or ways has the truth set you free?

Q3.  Who do you want to become? Share some things you want to be true about you in the future. If the choices you make today determine the person you become tomorrow, are you on the trajectory to become the kind of person you want to be? What change do you need to make?

Deeper Dive - What does God warn Cain about? (Genesis 4:6-10 NIV) Why do you think God asks Cain the questions He asks? What does this teach you about God’s character? What stands out to you about Cain’s choices? How do you see sin escalating in this story? What does that teach you about people and what humans are capable of?

Q4. How are you doing at obeying God? If you had to rate your obedience on a scale of 1-10 (1 = I basically just do what I want, 10 = Perfectly obeying God, just like Jesus), what would you say? Why? What’s one step you could take that would move you closer to a 10?

Deeper Dive - Have you ever failed to commit to something or been unable to make a decision because you were afraid of picking wrong? What contributed to that fear? What do you think would help you overcome it?  What does Jesus say we must do to be His disciple? What does that require? How is similar or different from what you’ve heard or thought about being a Christian? What does Jesus say about trying to save your life? What does that mean? What about losing your life for Him? What does that mean? What might this have to do with spiritualism or fear or commitment?

 APPLICATION

Week 1 Application - Take one step of faith. One step toward God. One step in the direction of what Jesus wants you to do. One step in the direction of who Jesus wants you to be. Faith = Trust, based on evidence, that leads to obedience. All you need is enough trust to take one step.

Week 2 Application - Read the Bible more days than you don’t. Be at church more weeks than you aren’t.

Week 3 Application - Sacrifice yourself to serve someone else. Who will you serve this week? What sacrifice will you make to serve them?

Week 4 Application - (John 5:3 NIV) Demonstrate your love for God by doing what He says.

PRAYER

Jesus, we are so grateful for all that you have invited us into. We pray that every single one of us would take seriously the calling to trust in you and follow you with our whole lives, that you would help us to grow in our faith so that we can take one step after another, following where you lead, so that we can experience the goodness that you offer. It's in your name Jesus we pray, amen!

WHAT NEXT? SERVE ON A TEAM
Next Steps

Our heart for you in taking a "Next Step" is to help you grow in becoming more and more like Jesus.

  • Invite. Everyone is only one invitation away from coming to church with you. We are here to reach 1% of our city. Take a step, be bold, bring someone to church with you Sunday.
  • Invest. Investing financially at BeLoved helps us to stay on mission. You can find the best way to give at belovedchurch.ca/give Take a step, start your faithful practice of tithes and offering.
  • Discover. Embark on the journey at belovedchurch.ca/grow Take a step and invest into your discipleship journey at BeLoved.
  • Serve. Jesus came to serve rather than to be served. Love on others like Jesus by jumping on a team and serving on the weekend at BeLoved. Help move God's great Church forward.
  • Get baptized. Congratulations! Take a step to "Go ALL IN for Jesus." Register online at belovedchurch.ca/baptism