GROUP GUIDE
Leading a group through these questions? Here’s a simple guide for 1.5-2 hour GROUP meeting.
Welcome and Opening Prayer. (5 minutes)
Read the passage aloud. (5 minutes)
Guide the group through the questions. (30-60 minutes)
Take time to share prayer requests and pray for each other. (15-30 minutes)
TEACHING RECAP
Summary: Growth sounds exciting—until it gets complicated. Why does progress so often bring tension, misunderstanding, or even opposition? And what does God actually do when things start to feel messy inside the church… or hostile outside of it? In this talk, we explore what happens when faithfulness creates friction—and how God turns even resistance into something that advances his mission.
Main Points:
A growing church will experience internal tension.
God’s answer is to gift and mobilize every believer.
A faithful church will face external opposition.
God uses opposition to advance his mission.
On-Ramps:
When you feel the urge to grumble, serve instead.
Discover your gifts by serving in a variety of ways.
If God has clarified your calling, stay faithful in it.
Trust God to use opposition for his purposes.
Discussion
What stands out to you from this passage? How does this passage most challenge or encourage you?
Why does growth in the early church lead to internal tension instead of smooth momentum?
What do we learn from Scripture about the role of every believer in the mission of the church? Look up some examples
Why might a church that is truly on mission become uncomfortable or controversial?
Where do you see opposition today that might actually signal a gospel movement?
Has God put a deep calling on your heart? Are you actively moving forward in it?
Have you clearly identified your spiritual gifts? If not, what would it look like to discover them through serving?
How do you want to respond to this passage in your daily life?
PRAYER
How can we pray for you as a group?
Next week: Acts 8:1b-40
