THREE THINGS TO KNOW
DON’T MISS THIS
TRUNK OR TREAT is this Friday, October 14 at all campuses! It’s a great opportunity for your group to serve our community. Consider hosting a car together as a group or everyone doing their own. To host a car, sign up by Wednesday, October 12, at adabible.org/dvcarhost.
GROUP VALUES
This month we’re focusing on the value of Formative Conversations. Formative conversations require us to BE THERE, BE ENGAGED AND BE YOURSELF. These are all elements of the small group covenant. Review the covenant as a group and discuss how the covenant can help your group have formative conversations. Find the covenant at adabible.org/sgcovenant.
GROW AS A LEADER
Have you had a 1-on-1 with your staff contact lately? Now that your group is hopefully in a fall rhythm—it’s a great time to talk about goals, challenges and opportunities to grow. Reach out to your staff contact this week to set something up.
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Welcome to the first week of our new series, DANIEL: HONOR IN EXILE. This week we look at how Daniel and his friends navigate being far from home. navigating desire.
What is the furthest from home you’ve ever been?
NAVIGATING EMOTIONS TOOL
During the last series, we used a tool to help us navigate our emotions. This is the last week we will feature the tool in the SDG, but we encourage you to continue using it for small group discussions. Pick up a card at NEXT STEPS during a weekend service or download one here.
Take a moment to share your responses to the questions on the tool with your group.
- Today I am feeling _______________ (mad, glad, sad, excited, afraid, ashamed).
- Do I know why?
- I am asking God to give me an extra measure of ________________ (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control).
THE PROGRAM
Read Daniel 1 aloud. What stands out to you?
Verses 1 and 2 contain a lot of information. How do you think the events of these two verses would’ve impacted someone from Jerusalem spiritually, emotionally and psychologically?
How have you experienced your trust in God being shaken through hardship or disappointment?
What’s the program Daniel and the other guys are put into?
THE KING’S TABLE
How do you think it would’ve felt for Daniel and the others to have their names changed, learn a new language and adapt to a whole new way of living?
Why does Daniel not want to eat the king’s food?
How does this story help us know the difference between not liking something from our culture and when to draw a line?
THE TEST DRIVE
Daniel is in a tough spot. He doesn’t want to compromise his beliefs but also recognizes he is in a foreign land. How does Daniel handle it?
Daniel is an exile in a foreign land. What are some ways it might change how we approach things if we started thinking of ourselves as living as exiles in a foreign land?
Pastor Jeff Manion helped us see that how we draw a line is often as important as drawing the line. How could this change the perception of Christians by those around us?
What’s an area of tension you feel with our culture that you want to approach with a bit more politeness, respect and grace, like Daniel?
THE FINAL EXAM
Why do Daniel and his friends do so well on their “final exam”?
How is it helpful to know that God is active even in a difficult situation, like Daniel experiences?
Think back through some of the difficulties or disappointments you’ve experienced. How did you see God working in, around and through those times?
WRAP UP
Today we talked about the lessons we can learn from Daniel’s experiences far from home. Where did God challenge you through the conversation today?