Date: August 23, 2026
Session Title: A Way to Serve
The Point: God has empowered and equipped us to serve His church.
Podcast—Bible Studies for Life: Adults
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Additional Teaching Options
Optional teaching ideas that incorporate current news, cultural trends, and real-world illustrations to help your group engage more deeply and view today’s issues through a clear biblical lens.
Getting Stated
Read after discussing Getting Started—Question 1 and The Point:
Spain’s soccer team returned home on July 20 after winning the World Cup. The team was greeted by a crowd of nearly two million fans in Madrid, where they rode on an open-top bus to celebrate their win. Players danced and took photos with fans along the route, showing off the World Cup trophy and their “We Are Champions” shirts. The parade ended in Cibeles Square, where players were introduced one by one onstage, with Alex Baena carrying the trophy. Winning the 2026 World Cup has made Spain a two-time champion, and the first country to simultaneously hold the men’s and women’s World Cup (won in 2023) titles.
These players and coaches will forever be known as the team that won the 2026 World Cup, and Spain will forever be known as the first country to hold both titles. Both accomplishments are impressive and set all the players apart from the rest. Similarly, each believer has a specific skillset that sets them apart from everyone else in the church. While most talents won’t win world titles, they do help win souls to the Lord, with the greatest reward coming in heaven.
To learn more about this article, search “Spain wins the 2026 World Cup,” or “2026 World Cup results.”
Study the Bible (Option for Adult Leader Guide)
Read after discussing Study the Bible—Question 5:
How can we help each other recognize and utilize our gifts?
Deaf Pathway Global (DPG) has created a new way to share the gospel with deaf people all around the world. With somewhere between 300-400 sign languages around the world, DPG focuses on “sign roots,” which are signs developed through shared elements to create a universal base layer so deaf people from different countries can still communicate without fully knowing each other’s languages.
The project’s first focus has been on Esther, as sign roots translate best with narrative stories. At only 167 verses, Esther tells a concise story that’s also visual and dramatic. Since 2020, DPG has translated Esther into seven languages thus far. The six year translation through these sign roots is significantly shorter than the usual decades it takes to translate the Bible under more traditional methods. Under this method, translation teams are able to work simultaneously on different books by creating theologian-approved storyboards and teaching videos.
Often, our gifts seem mundane to us because we use them all the time. But when we come together with like-talented people, God can use us for something bigger than ourselves. By pointing out what others around us are good at, or a specific need you or a friend can fill, we can better help each other recognize and use our gifts for God.
To learn more about this article, visit IMB.org and search “Book of Esther used in new era of Deaf Bible translation.”
The week’s writer for Extra is Emily Duncan. Emily is a Southern California native who lives in west Georgia with her husband and daughter. God saved her from Wicca when she was sixteen while at a youth retreat. Emily’s a member of Midway Church in Villa Rica and mentors young women as they transition from high school to college.
[Linked material and sources serve as background illustration only and does not imply endorsement beyond our biblical application.]
Additional Questions
Optional, thoughtfully crafted questions designed to warm up group conversation and guide engagement throughout each Bible passage—helping your group think critically, connect personally, and process Scripture through a clear biblical lens.
Icebreakers
- What lessons did you take as a child (piano, art, sports, etc.)?
- How are you like or different from your other family members?
- Who is the most talented person you know?
1 Corinthians 12:12-13. God’s intent is for Christians to work and serve together.
- Given the high potential for conflict, why do you think God meant for believers to work together?
- What is the beauty of unity amid diversity?
- When serving alongside other Christians, how have you been challenged or built up?
1 Corinthians 12:14-18. God has given every believer a specific role and responsibility in the body of Christ.
- How does the body metaphor help you understand how God wants the church to function?
- What part of the body best describes your role in the church?
- What are we questioning when we envy someone else’s gift or role in the church?
1 Corinthians 12:19-24. God has made every believer a necessary part of the body of Christ.
- How might verse 21 play out in a body of believers?
- What might happen when believers feel unnecessary in the body of Christ?
- How can we show other believers that we recognize their importance to the Body of Christ?
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