Date: August 4
Act With Courage
The Point: Persistent problems call for courage.
Get Into the Study
Use the following information to introduce Question #1.
American singer/songwriter Khalid is enjoying great success today. He’s been nominated for a Grammy and was named one of the “TIME100 Most Influential People 2019.” But Khalid can recall a time when he wasn’t so popular. “I can remember being in high school,” he said, “in my senior year, going to a basketball game and the whole opposing side chanted ‘Khalid can’t sing’, ‘Khalid can’t sing’. And honestly, I wanted to cry.” Khalid credits his mom with helping him to keep going. “I went home and I talked to my mom and she was like ‘Don’t listen to them.’ She was like ‘They’re just mad that you’re chasing after your dreams. But you can’t get rid of that dream, you got to keep on.’” Khalid told TIME that “persistence” was the key, “To keep at it, to keep going and you got it,” he said.
Say: Kahlid has demonstrated the power of persistence in his musical career. Then call attention to Question #1 (Who comes to mind when you think of persistence?) and invite volunteers to respond.
Information for this post was gleaned from:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/24/time-100-khalid-explains-why-persistence-is-so-important.html
Get Into the Study (Option)
Use the following optional activity to introduce today’s session.
Introduce the theme of courage and encouragement by listening to a recording of General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s brief speech delivered to Allied soldiers on the eve of D-Day, the battle that turned the tide of World War 2. After listening to the 1:39 speech, highlight that Eisenhower prepared the troops for what lie ahead by reminding them of the importance of their task and the tools at their disposal.
Click here for the video.
This idea supports the teaching plan found in the Bible Studies for Life: Young Adult Leader Guide.
You can also use the following optional activity to introduce today’s session.
In advance, prepare a clip from the movie Courageous to demonstrate the kind of godly courage and conviction believers must exhibit to overcome the problems we face.
Click here for the video.
This idea supports the teaching plan found in the Bible Studies for Life: Adult Leader Guide.
Study the Bible
Use the following information to supplement Question #4.
Patrick Carberry is a former FBI intelligence analyst supervisor. He worked for the FBI for 17 years in the Middle East war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan. Wanting to call attention to and help persecuted Christians in other parts of the world, Carberry has formed a nonprofit called Joshuacord. He chose that name as a reminder of the red cord mentioned in the story in Joshua 2 where Rahab helped the Israelite spies escape from the city of Jericho. In the past, Carberry’s job took him to the Middle East where he saw “the travesty that’s been happening to so many minority religions, including Christians” who are being persecuted by ISIS and other anti-Christian groups. Carberry felt he could not just stand by and watch the persecution of Christians that was happening in these countries. “I believed I had to do something,” he said, “as a wakeup call to the churches.” Through the work of Joshuacord, Carberry encourages believers to pray for persecuted Christians. And he raises support through donations and participation in the annual Joshua 1:9 Freedom 5K Run. Carberry then channels these donations to partner agencies doing relief work in Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria.
Say: Patrick Carberry is demonstrating courage and action in his work to help the persecuted church in war-torn countries. Then call attention to Question #4 (Where do followers of Jesus have opportunities to demonstrate courage in our culture?) and invite volunteers to respond.
Information for this post was gleaned from:
http://www.bpnews.net/53266/persecuted-church-draws-2-passionate-advocates
— Donna McKinney wrote these Leader Extras. Donna is retired from a career with the federal government of the United States. She is a veteran Bible study group leader living in North Carolina.
Additional Questions
Icebreakers
- When have you been impressed by someone’s persistence?
- When has persistence paid off for you?
- What’s one of your favorite true stories about a person of courage?
2 Chronicles 15:1-7
- Has following God become easier or more difficult as you have grown older?
- How would you summarize verse 7 in your own words?
- In what situation have you recently needed to hear the message of verse 7?
2 Chronicles 15:8-9
- When has the Word of God given you the courage you needed to overcome a challenging situation?
- What steps can we take to make listening to God a priority?
- What verse or passage in the Bible do you turn to when you need courage from God?
Member Extra
Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought:
Video
Here’s a brief video giving you an overview of this session: Living a Godly Life, Session 3.
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