Growth Group Content

Fall 2023 Overview 

Fall 2023 includes three distinct content sections; a September section, a Fall Church-Wide, and an Advent section.

Fall programming will begin on September 10. The Fall Church-Wide will begin October 8. That gives groups that plan to start meeting before the church-wide four weeks to gather together. The Fall Church-Wide is six weeks long and wraps up the week of November 12. That should give you four to five weeks before Christmas for your group to do another series. Below you will find our suggestions for how to utilize all three parts of the fall season.

Spring 2024 Overview

Spring 2024 includes three distinct content sections; the Spring Church-Wide, a March section, and an April/May section.

The Spring Church-Wide will start at the end of January, which gives you time to take a break after Christmas. The church-wide is of variable length, depending on how your group wants to navigate it. After the church-wide wraps up, you should be able to do a series in March and another in April/May. Below are our suggestions on what content to use during each section in the spring.

September 10 - October 1
September 10 - October 1

September

Spiritual Formation/Life Application


Our Suggestion: Holy Habits by Derwin Gray (4 weeks)


This four-week series, led by Derwin Gray, focuses on four rhythms of life that help ground us in our faith while also helping us live as a witness to the Kingdom of God. This study uses 10-to-15-minute video lessons and provides a leader guide to help group leaders facilitate discussion. This study is a great companion to the sermon series that will be happening during this season.



Alternate Suggestion #1: Watch Your Mouth by Tony Evans (4 weeks)


This four-week series, led by Dr. Tony Evans, focuses on how we use our speech. The series strives to help us think about how we can wisely use our speech. If you want to use this series, please let pastorjames.bryde@4fcc.org know so that he can order a leader guide for you. 



A Book: The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg


If your group is full of ambitious readers, they can break it up into 4 weeks. Otherwise you can read and discuss the first three chapters and then pick it back up after the Fall Church-Wide or in the spring. The first three chapters provide a framework for thinking about spiritual formation. The next 10 chapters give easy to read explanations of key spiritual practices. This is a great book to read as a group. There is a study guide your group can use at the end of the book.

October 8 – November 12
October 8 – November 12

Fall Church-Wide

Life Application


Our Suggestion: Church-Wide Series 


Our Fall Church-Wide focuses on the stories Jesus told. We will be looking at 7 of Jesus stories to see what they mean and how that matters for us. We will email you the links to the teaching videos and copies of the leader and participant’s guides.  

November 19 - December 24
November 19 - December 24

Advent

Our Suggestion: Do one of the following Advent Series.



A Flexible Meeting Schedule Suggestion: Meet 3-4 times with your group to help build deeper relationships.


Try doing a few of the following options:



  • Plan a fun event for your group to do together (top golf, escape room, karaoke, board game night, etc.) Make sure to have other people in your group help with the planning.

  • Have a Christmas Party at one of your group members’ homes. Ask everyone to bring some food. You could watch a Christmas movie together, have a spirited match of Christmas trivia, or bust out a game of Christmas charades. 

  • Plan a way for your group to serve together at one of our various Christmas serving opportunities. Ask Pastor James for some suggestions of where you can serve together. 

  • Have your group gather and watch this sermon by Matt Chandler. Allow people to share their thoughts. Spend time praying together.  

December 31 - January 14
December 31 - January 14

January

Our Suggestion: Take Time Off


We suggest your group take these weeks off so that you, as the leader can rest and so that your group members can get a short break after the chaos of the Christmas season. If your group really wants to get together, consider gathering to do something fun together. 

January 21 - March 3
January 21 - March 3

Spring Church-Wide

Book of the Bible


Our Suggestion: Titus by Chip Ingram (7 weeks)


The Spring Church-Wide will be covering the book of Titus. Our first suggestion is that you use Chip Ingram’s Titus series on RightNow Media to help lead your group through a discussion on Titus. This Titus series is 7 weeks long and has a provided leader guide.  


Alternate Suggestion: Titus by Mike Ackerman (5 weeks)


This option is a little drier but offers useful content for groups that are seeking something more informational in nature. The provided leader guide gives a few questions to get your group discussion, but you will need to supplement it with additional questions.  


A Book Suggestion: Titus for You by Tim Chester


If your group prefers to read rather than watch, this book provides a way for your group to learn about Titus and discuss it together. Each chapter has suggestion discussion questions at the end.


A Study Guide Suggestion: Titus – The Good Life


This option requires your group to all have a copy of the study guide. They will need to read the assigned passage and answer the questions in the study guide before coming to the group meeting. At the group meeting, you can discuss what people learned by talking through the study guides questions together.

March 10 - 31
March 10 - 31

March

Spiritual Formation


Our Suggestion: Just Ask by J.D. Greear (2 weeks)


Do you run to prayer—or run away from it? How would you describe your prayer life? In this two-session series, learn how to overcome your hesitations and insecurities about praying. Pastor J.D. Greear explores the way Jesus taught us to pray and how he approached prayer to his Father. See how Jesus encourages us to pray often, boldly, and with expectation. 


A Second Suggestion on Prayer: The Prayer Course by Pete Grieg (8 weeks)


This great series on prayer takes participants through the Lord’s Prayer and teaches the different elements of prayer that Jesus encourages to embrace in his teaching. If your group uses this option it will take you into April and possibly May 


A Lenten Option: He Chose the Nails by Max Lucado (5 weeks)


This 5-week series by Max Lucado examines 5 separate ways that Jesus’ death on the cross is an unimaginable gift to humanity. It helps prepares our hearts for Easter and is a great way to help us think more deeply about the importance of Jesus’ incarnation, death, and resurrection.  


A Book: Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools


This book gives its readers a great introduction to developing a deep and meaningful prayer life. It is written in an accessible format. Group leaders will need to figure out a plan for discussing this book as it does not have a study guide that accompanies it.

April 7 - May 26
April 7 - May 26

April/May

Relationships/Book of the Bible


The make-up of your group will change the way you approach these two months. Starting the first week in May we will be doing a sermon series on parenting (It applies to more than parenting but does have a parenting focus). For groups that have parents, this is a great time to do a parenting series. You can either take a few weeks off in April and then start a parenting series along with the May sermon series OR you can start one of the parenting series in the middle of April and run it through May. If a parenting series does not work for your group, consider doing the 1 Peter series.


Parenting Suggestion #1: Intentional Parenting by Doug Fields (5 weeks)


You are the greatest influence on the life of your child (no matter their age)! This series takes you through 10 helpful ways of living with your kids that help you be intentional about helping your kids form a strong faith and character. This series is 5 weeks long. If you would like to do this series, please let pastorjames.bryde@4fcc.org know so he can buy you a leader guide.


Parenting Suggestion #2: Talking With Your Kids About Jesus by Natasha Crain (6 weeks) 


Homes where deep and meaningful faith conversations happen regularly aren’t the product of lucky parents. They’re the product of intentional parents who believe nothing is more important than raising kids to know and love Jesus. In this six-session series, author Natasha Crain offers parents tools and encouragement for creating conversations that help clarify who Jesus is, why he matters, and how kids can live impacted by their faith in him. If your group plans to use this content, please let pastorjames.bryde@4fcc.org know so he can buy you a leader guide. 


A Parenting Book: Family Discipleship by Matt Chandler


This book presents a simple format for families to use to help create intentional discipleship in their homes. It is short, easy to read, and easy to discuss in a group setting.


Our Non-Parenting Suggestion: 1 Peter by Kyle Idelman (7 weeks)


For groups that want an option on a topic other than parenting, this 7-week series on 1 Peter is a great one. Kyle Idleman helps participants study the book of 1st Peter. 1st Peter helps us think about how we as God’s people can live out our faith in a world that looks nothing like the promised perfect kingdom. We end us seeing the importance of our lifestyle in regard to our witness to the world.