The Church is wherever God’s people are trying to live and to share out the good news of God.
Here are some opening questions to help us think and discuss on the good news of God and how we live and share it.
Thinking about yourself, what do you consider is the “good news of God”?
Thinking about your church, what do you consider is the “good news of God”? Is this different from above question?
What might be some ideas for yourself / your church to “live” the good news of God?
Sharing the good news of God can mean the way you live your life, and how your church conducts its activities and businesses. What do you think are important ideas, messages or concepts that we want to share to others?
Sharing the good news of God can also mean explaining the word of God. This can be very challenging to do. Spend some time to write in your own words, or draw, what the good news of God is to you.
For those who share the good news of God by preaching, leading studies, debating, how can we show support to them?
For those who share the good news of God by acting as missionaries, promoting religious understanding and tolerance, undertaking social action, and advocating for the underpriviledged, how can we show support to them?
What might be other ways you as individual, and as a church, try to live and to share the good news of God?
To try to do something needs a plan and goal. What might be the goal for you, and your church, as you live and share the good news of God?
Does your church have a plan to live and share the good news of God? If yes, can you summarise the key points? How much is this central to all that you do?
The implication here might be that living and sharing the good news of God is to reach out to people outside church. However, it is existing people in church that often has the greatest need to receive the good news. How does your church know how to balance between reaching out to people within and without?
The word “trying” suggests this is more “intention-focused” than “result-focused”. Do you agree?
Having done the above questions, you might have some concluding thoughts on how you, and your church, can “try” to live and share the good news of God. To “try” probably means to have a plan. You might want to take some time now to jot down key ideas, and you can discuss in a more formal way at a later time as something for the whole church community.
