Wk 1: Relationships That Make You Better
This is the opportunity for your group to discover what God might be saying to you out of the
weekend experience, and how you can respond through a group discussion.
*These questions are designed to help you create meaningful conversations. Adjust the
questions as needed, and don’t feel like you need to answer all of them.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What do you remember most about your first best friend? What made that connection
stick?
2. Curt pointed out research that shows churched people have more connections than
unchurched people. 75% of churched people surveyed said their lives feel meaningful,
while only 49% of unchurched people said the same. Do you see a correlation
between having connections with others and feeling your life is meaningful?
Read Romans 16:1-16.
3. What stands out to you from this list of people? Why do you think the author of this
passage, Paul, took time to name these people and describe their roles in his life?
4. Curt said that some of our strongest bonds come from serving together on a shared
mission. He gave an example of his deep bond with various friends and how serving
together in ministry has created a bond. Can you think of someone you have shared a
mission with, whether big or small?
5. Curt also shared that if you want to increase connection, one way to do that is through
expressed affection and affirmation. How comfortable are you with expressing
affection or affirmation to others?
6. We heard this weekend about Dr Henry Cloud’s favorite experiment done to measure
the stress level of a monkey in two scenarios. It was discovered that the monkey’s
stress level lessened when a companion monkey was put into the cage with him; it
helped just to be together through hardship. Have you ever experienced someone
going through a mutual sacrifice with you, especially in a hard time, and how did that
impact your relationship?
7. Think of one or two people you would like to deepen connection with, such as a friend,
co-worker, sibling, spouse, child, or parent. Which of the three connectors (Shared Mission, Expressed Affection, Mutual Sacrifice) could you use to grow closer with them this week? What could it look like practically?
8. What are some ideas we can consider this season to grow connections in our group?
9. In the spirit of mutual sacrifice, let’s take some time to share prayer requests and pray
for one another.
Put It into Practice (a few ideas for this week)
Shared Mission:
Join a Serve Team! If you’re not already serving, choose one area at church or in our
community to serve alongside others. Better yet, invite a friend to serve with you.
Expressed Affection:
Each day this week, write down 1-2 affirmations or appreciations for someone in your life,
and share them with that person.
Mutual Sacrifice:
Practice the ministry of presence by choosing one person who is walking through a difficult
season. Be there for them physically or emotionally—no advice needed, just presence.
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