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Christlife Posture: Loving Like Jesus

Topic: The Challenge of Living in Community

(Roommates, Teammates, Suitemates, Apartment mates)

Suggested Approach: Choose 1 thing from each of the three boxes

OR Choose 1 from Media or Reflection + 1 from Scripture 

Media Excursions  (Watch/read/listen and be ready to discuss Q's)             

Photograph

  • The Second Mile (Michael Belk) What do you suppose Jesus is saying to the young man? How would he bridge the uncomfortable divide that might exist between them?

Video Clips

  • The 7 Habits of Highly Happy Roommates (How to Adult) Which of these tips are ones you neglect? What is one of your roommate stories?  

  • Masks (Central Films) How would taking off your mask affect your relationships with others?  How would trying to see beyond the mask that another might be wearing help you be a better roommate or teammate?

Song

  •  Mercy (Bethel Music)  How does this song help you think about living with others in a godly way? What lyrics stand out to you the most?

Articles  Read both and compare:

  •  The Roommate Agreement (Allison Rogers) What would you add to her list of seven things? Anything you would delete? What if your roommate is not a believer--would that change the list at all for you?

  •  10 Traits of a Good Teammate (J. MacDonald) Which of these traits describes you?  Which do you need to work on? Do you think Jesus would have made a good teammate according to these qualities? Why or why not?

  • Difficult Roommates: Should I stay or Should I go? (InterVarsity) Do you feel better about your roommate situation after reading these scenarios? Or does it convince you that it's time for a change.  How does the summary at the end encourage or challenge you? 

Reflection Options  

Journal   (Reflect on one or more of these questions)

  • Write about your best and worst roommate or teammate moments.  What contributed to them being either the best or the worst?  What was your part in the story?

  • Describe the ideal community (living situation or team).  Does your ideal include the idea of how challenges should be encountered together? If not, add it to your description.

Quote Interaction   (Agree, disagree or otherwise engage with the quote/quotes)

  • I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.  (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

  • Whatever a person may be like, we must still love them because we love God.  (John Calvin)

  • When I am with a group of human beings committed to hanging in there through both the agony and the joy of community, I have a dim sense that I am participating in a phenomenon for which there is only one word...."glory".  (M. Scott Peck)

  • The important thing is that your teammates have to know you're pulling for them and you really want them to be successful.   (Kobe Bryant)

Reading & Reflection from the book, Shaping The Journey of Emerging Adults:​

  • Read about Grant’s roommate situation (pp. 126-130).  How important do you think it is to have roommates that share your beliefs?  What challenges might be added or subtracted in having roommates who believe differently than you?  How can you safeguard against “spiritual erosion” whether your roommates share you beliefs or not.

  • Read “The Christlife in Relationships” (pp. 150-152).  If you think of your roommate, suitemate or teammate situation, do you see both a causal and a communal aspect? If one is missing, is there a way for you to reconnect everyone with the aspect that is missing?

  • Read “Growing in Community” (pp. 162-163).  What response do you have to the image of Redwood trees when thinking about relationships with your roommates or teammates? What are your own assumptions about how “deep” your roots must be with others for the relationships to be supportive or meaningful?

Explore Scripture

Meditate on one or more of the following passages. Always look them up in context.  Take some time to really explore the verse in relation to this topic.  Look for encouragement or wisdom that helps you think about how to face the challenge of living in community.  Make a note of what you discover to share later.  See "Learn More About Ways to Study Scripture" below for help in getting the most out of the verse.

  • Psalm 133:1

  • Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

  • Luke 10:27

  • Romans 12:1-8, 15

  • I Corinthians 1:10

  • Galatians 6:1-2

  • Ephesians 4:3

  • Colossians 3:14

  • Hebrews 10:23-25

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