THREE THINGS TO KNOW
DON’T MISS THIS. Want to learn more about Ada Bible Church? Join us this Sunday for DISCOVER ADA BIBLE. This one-session class is a simple way to get to know who we are as a church and how you can be part of what God is doing here. We’ll share our mission and vision, introduce you to our ministries, and help you find your best next step at Ada Bible Church. To register, click HERE.
GROUP VALUES. This week, we continue our focus on the group value of PRAYER. Prayer is more than asking God to change our circumstances; it’s partnering with him in his work of changing people. In Philippians 1:9–11, Paul prays for believers to grow in love, wisdom, and spiritual maturity. As a group, let’s be intentional about praying for one another this week—not only for needs and challenges, but also for deeper faith, greater love, and lives that honor Christ. When we pray this way, we join God in his work of transforming people from the inside out.
GROW AS A LEADER. This week, as Jeff talked about insightful love and reflective love, you may have thought of people in your group who need more than just encouragement. They may need a thoughtful conversation. Loving people well sometimes means speaking truth with grace, even when it’s uncomfortable. As you consider those conversations, spend time praying for wisdom, humility, and discernment. If you’d like help thinking through a situation, your campus staff would be glad to provide coaching and support.
SERMON DISCUSSION GUIDE
Welcome to another week of our sermon series, POWERFUL PRAYERS. This week, we look at one of Paul’s prayers for the believers in Philippi. His prayer challenges us to move beyond praying only for what people need and begin praying for who they are becoming in Christ.
ICEBREAKER
Who is someone who has had a positive influence on your life, and what is one quality about them that impacted you?
THIS WEEK’S TEXT
Have someone read Philippians 1:9–11 aloud.
What words or phrases stand out to you most in this prayer Paul offers to the Philippians?
According to this passage, what is the connection between love, knowledge, and discernment?
What are the specific things Paul prays for in these verses? Do we pray for those same things in the lives of others?
THIS WEEK’S SERMON
In our fifth sermon of POWERFUL PRAYERS, Pastor Jeff focused on praying for others in ways that lead to spiritual growth and maturity. As a group, recall some of the sermon’s big ideas and main points.
What kinds of things do people most commonly pray for today?
Scripture teaches that love should continue to grow. What are some ways love can become stagnant or challenged in our relationships?
Love is most helpful when it is guided by wisdom and discernment. Can you think of a time when well-intentioned love actually caused harm because it lacked wisdom?
As followers of Jesus, we are called to reflect his character in the way we love and pray for others. Where do you see the greatest need for Christlike love in our world today?
Jesus teaches that abiding in him is the source of spiritual fruitfulness. How does staying connected to Christ help us love others well and with good insight?
It is often easier to pray for someone’s situation than for their spiritual growth. Who in your life would benefit from prayers focused on their relationship with God?
The prayer from this week’s message encourages us to pray for overflowing love, guided by knowledge and insight. Who is one person you can commit to praying this prayer for during the coming week? Which part of that prayer feels most needed for them right now?
WRAP UP
This week, we discussed how prayer can shape not only our circumstances but also the love that abounds within us because of Christ. Paul’s prayer reminds us that God desires a love that continues to grow, is guided by wisdom, and reflects his character to the world. What from this conversation or the sermon encouraged or challenged you the most, and how will this change how you pray moving forward?