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BROKEN: Broken Churches

Daily devotionals have been prepared to accompany the First Quarter Series, BROKEN.  They are available at the Welcome Center or online at www.gpbrokenstudy.blogspot.com.  The following questions can be used as a weekly recap in a small group setting or as a personal study aid for the sermon preached by Senior Pastor, Tommy Dove, at the Grace Place on Sunday, February 19, 2017.  Past sermons are available offline at www.nashvillechurch.com.   Click on “Media” and then “BROKEN” to view the video.

Small group members are encouraged to bring their completed daily devotionals to their weekly group sessions to share their BROKEN discoveries with their group.  For more information on participating in a Life Group study, contact Pastor Jon Green.

Weekly Warm-up:
When did you start going to church regularly?
How many different churches have you attended regularly?
What makes an ideal church?

Watch Weekly Video: (optional)


Weekly Overview: (skip if video is used)
There is not much worse than a broken church.  Of all places to be healthy and whole, it should be a church.  THE church, of course, is never broken but our local congregations sure can be.  The damage caused by these broken groups of people can be widespread and last a lifetime.  Sadly, these situations are far too common.

A broken church is deeper and more damaging than one broken relationship.  These congregational break ups shake our faith.  The place we go to strengthen our faith becomes a place of disagreement, fear, pride, jealousy and bitterness.  We expect those character traits in the world but not in the church, not in the Body of Christ.  A church is just a group of flawed, broken and forgiven people but the mission of The Church should be to encourage and lift up not to break down.

Weekly Discussion Questions: (Italicized questions come from daily devotional)

Church #1   Ephesus
Read Revelation 2:1-7
What struggles can weigh down a church to the breaking point?
How do you put the broken past in the past?

Church #2   Pergamum
Read Revelation 2:12-17
How do false teachings enter the church?
How should those situations be handled to maintain the truth without breaking the church?
Why is it important to study God’s Word for yourself?

Church #3   Sardis
Read Revelation 3:1-6
How can a church be dead but still open on Sunday?
How do we encourage accountability to each other?

Church #4   Laodicea
Read Revelation 3:14-22
What causes a church to be so broken that they are just going through the motions?
How do broken churches get back on track?
  • Turn back to basics.
  • Repent
  • Listen to the Spirit, not traditionalism, modernism or any other "ism."
  • Wake up!  Be revived!
  • Buy gold from Him, be diligent!
  • Open the door when Jesus knocks.
Prayer:
Pray for the strength of our local church.
Pray for our pastoral staff.
Pray for yourself as a healthy church member.
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