LifePoint Top 10

D-Life
LifePoint’s Core Christian Doctrines

Discussion Guide

About Us:
LifePoint Church is created for the Glory of God, Committed to the Word of God, to Live Sent with the Gospel of God.

We fulfill our mission through weekly worship environments for all ages, in Gospel Centered Community and Ministry, Sending with the Gospel with unity of purpose, and  living generously with what God has given us.

LifePoint Worship Gatherings are every Sunday at 9 & 10:30am at one of our 3 Middle Tennessee campuses.  For more info go to LifePointchurch.org

 

LifePoint’s History 

Beginning over 100 years ago as First Baptist Church Smyrna, LifePoint is a dynamic, growing church that has a heart for our local communities, the nations, and the world. LifePoint is a multi-site congregation, meaning one church meeting in multiple locations with campuses locally and globally.

Although the church has a long and significant history, LifePoint continues to adapt and change to the needs of families, communities and the world so that all can know the joy of a Christ-centered life. Through innovative practices and a culture that is real, relaxed, and relational, LifePoint continues to see authentic life-change in the lives of individuals, families, and entire communities.

We believe that the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) requires us to move beyond the walls of our local church building and send the church to be the church.

 

Living the D-Life: 

To help fulfill the Great Commission we have developed D-Life. What is D-Life? D-Life refers to a lifestyle of disciple-making.  According to Jesus, living the D-Life is every believer’s supreme purpose in life.  (Matthew 4:19; 28:19-20).

Living the D-Life is not a program; it is a life-style!

The D-Life App is a simple tool to help you live a lifestyle of disciple-making.  We suggest you discuss the LifePoint Core Christian Doctrines with a group of 3-5 people of your same gender.  Whether you are involved in a small group or not, this could be a time for you to join 3-5 others for a focused study of these doctrines. Our desire is for you to invest you time in this group for 6 months to a year, then each person multiply into new gender-based, disciple-making groups. In that time you should be able to journey through LifePoint Core Christian Doctrines. Following completion of the LP Core Christian Doctrines, your group may want to consider using the the follow-up conversations on the back.

  • What this represents: our goal is for every LifePointer to journey through these together in a sub-group or small group.
  • This plan is to work through these core doctrines at your own pace with intention to multiply and start another D-life group in a few months.
  • Purpose: D-Life represents an opportunity for Christ followers to discuss core Christian doctrines in a safe, small environment with 3-4 others of the same gender.

 

New Testament 1 year plan

Old Testament 1 year plan

LP Top 10 Disciplines:
I. Assurance of salvation: Your group should be able to confidently express to others their own assurance of salvation based on his/her personal faith in Christ and one or more promises from the Bible.

Activities:
1. Have group members share their experience/process of becoming a Christ-follower.
2. Have each clarify with each other how they know they are a Christ-follower.
3. Review Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8; Romans 10:9-10 & Romans 12:1-2 as a group.
4. Memory Verse for the week: 1 John 5:11-12
5. Discuss other Scriptures from list below

Scriptures:
I John 5:13
John 1:12-13
1 John 5:11-12
Romans 8:16
John 6:47

More Resources
-Beginning, First Steps for New Disciples, Lifeway
-What Every Christian should know about Growing, LeRoy Eims
-Christian Beliefs, Grudem
-Why Believe, Greg Laurie
-Can I be sure I’m Saved, RC Sproul

II. Baptism
A common discussion around LifePoint concerns baptism. Many of the people God is sending to LifePoint have a Catholic background and want more info on why we baptize by immersion. As one of the two sacraments of the church, it is important to understand what baptism means and who should be baptized. Baptism is a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, therefore, it is a necessary and meaningful practice that is packed with rich symbolism. Simon himself believed and was baptized. Acts 8:13

Activities
1. Open with each person sharing about his/her baptism experience.
2. Discuss the purpose of baptism. Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Acts 2:41; 1 Peter 3:20-21
3. Discuss what Ephesians 2:8-9 says about baptisms as work.
4. Memorize Acts 2:41

Scriptures:
Galatians 3:27
1 Corinthians 12:13
Romans 6:3-5
I John 1:5-10
Luke 3:16

More Resources
-What is Baptism?, RC Sprouls
-Believer’s Baptism, Sing of the New Covenant in Christ, Schreiner & Wright
-Baptism, Marcus Bieschke , Rightnow Media.org
-Simple Truth About Baptism, Francis Chan blog “Guided by Truth”

III. Obedience/Separation from sin
Help your group be obedient to Christ’s instructions by helping them avoid sin. Memorizing scriptures will assist them in this endeavor. Pray as a group and challenge each other daily via texts and calls through solicitation of prayer for each other, and accountability questions at each meeting.

Activities:
1. Pray with each other about being obedient.
2. Pray for each other by name and requesting the protection habitual sins that conflict with obedience.
3. Have each person share a personal story of victory over sin in his or her life.
4. Memorize 2 Corinthians 6:17-18.

Scriptures:
1 John 1:5-2:2
James 1:12
2 Timothy 2:19-22
Romans 6:12-14
Proverbs 10:17

Resources:
New Christian’s Handbook, Everything New Believers Need to Know, Max Anders
A Godward Life, John Piper
Making Peace with Your Past, Tim Sledge via Safe Harbor

IV. Biblical Spirituality
Because we are created for community, we gather all ages into small groups for relationships built around God’s Word. In small groups, Christ-followers are engaged in foundational Bible study as they experience care and community. Our desire is that everyone who calls LifePoint home will be connected to a Small Group.

Activities:
1. Discuss your favorite Bible translation and why it is your favorite.
2. Share how to use a Bible’s Concordance and cross-references.
3. Read a section of the Bible together and discuss inductive questions What? So What? Do What?
4. Memorize Acts 2:42

Scriptures:
2 Timothy 3:16-17
2 Peter 1:21
Psalm 119:105
Acts 2:42
Deuteronomy 17:19; 6:6-7
Colossians 3:16

Resources:
What Every Christian should know about Growing, LeRoy Eims
What is the Church? RC Sprouls
Thirty Days to Understanding the Bible, Max Anders
Living By the Book, Howard Hendricks
Follow Me, David Platt
Multiply, Francis Chan

V. Prayer
Although length of prayers are not the means by which to judge a prayer warrior, there seems to be value in the amount of time one devotes to prayer. Another area shows signs of spiritual growth is in the comfort of praying out loud in a group. Help your group become more comfortable with prayer this week.

Activities:
1. Share some answers to prayer from the last month.
2. Have each member share the name of their prayer warrior.
3. Listen carefully during prayer request time, you can learn a lot about a person during this time.
4. Pray as a group. Vary the methods from week to week.
5. Request different group members to pray for your specific needs.
6. Assign each of them someone to talk with about prayer.
7. Memorize Matthew 21:22

Scriptures:
Thessalonians 5:17
Matthew 6:6
James 5:17
1 John 3:22
Matthew 21:22

Resources:
-Effective Prayer, J. Oswald Sanders
-Praying Like Jesus, Lifeway
-Disciples Prayer Life, Lifeway
-Does Prayer Change Things?, RC Sproul
-Praying with Paul, Lifeway

VI. Will of God
Knowing and doing the will of God can be two very different worlds in which to live. As people grow in Christ, clearly understanding the will of God can be very confusing. Through this exercise your group should discover specific steps to take to see God’s will for each life more clearly.

Activities:
1. Share stories and experiences of how you have come to learn the will of God for your life.
2. Have group discuss the will of God for their individual lives and family.
3. Have group share how they plan to watch for God’s activity and discover His will over the next few months.
4. Memorize John 16:13

Scriptures:
Psalm 119:105
Proverbs 15:22
John 16:13
Romans 12:1-2
Jeremiah 29:11

Resources:
Awestruck, Life Bible Study
Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby
Finding the will of God in a Crazy, Mixed-up World, Ti LaHaye
Can I know God’s Will, RC Sproul

VII. Identity in Christ
Explore our identity as you abandon any image of yourself that is not from God. Examine the teaching of Jesus, as well as other Scriptures, to discover how to have a vital relationship with Jesus and actually become more like Him in every aspect of your life.

Activities:
1. Share a recent victory over sin with each other.
2. You are defined by God and God alone. He identifies you as His own (2 Corinthians 1:22). Discuss how this verse impacts our life at home, work, play, etc.
3. Share the evidence of the Holy Spirit working in your life?
4. Discuss areas in which each of you lack peace with God.
5. Memorize Romans 6:6

Scriptures:
John 1:12
Ephesians 1:5
Romans 15:7
Romans 6:6
1 Corinthians 12:27

Resources
What Does it Mean to be Born Again? RC Sproul
My Identity in Christ, Gene Wilkes
Identity: Who You Are in Christ, Eric Geiger
How to be Human, Life Bible Study

VIII. Influencing/Live Sent
As Christ-followers, we each have the commission to influence our community and world as we “go” about our days sharing the love, justice and truth of God. This is lived-out by modeling a Christ-centered life and sharing the Gospel with those in our circles of influence and what LifePoint calls Live Sent.

Activities:
1. Pray by name for 3 unchurched/lost friends/neighbors/co-workers.
2. Have everyone discuss their opportunities to Live Sent
3. Throw a Matthew Party (Luke 5:29)
4. Memorize Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9-10

Scriptures:
Romans 10:9-10
1 Peter 3:15
Mark 16:1516
Romans 1:16
Matthew 5:16

Resources:
Just Walk Across the Room, Bill Hybels
The Art of Personal Witnessing, Lorne Sanny
How Should I Live in this World? RC Sproul
Share Jesus without Fear, Bill Fay
How Many Touches, http://www.lifebiblestudystore.com/blog/how-many-touches/

IX. Generosity/Stewardship
The cultural message is that making more money and buying more stuff will solve our problems. We’re a culture of want and need. Stewardship is not really a Christian word, but an Old English word from around the time of the King James translation of the Bible. Generosity not only applies to money and tithing, but to all of our resources: time, talent, networks, stuff, …
Activities
1. Discuss what faithfulness with money looks like.
2. What principles and/or philosophies do you use to manage your money?
3. Discuss a sample budget: tithe, save, living expenses, housing & debt, giving, investing, etc.
4. Discuss each others resources, besides money, an how you could use them to Live Sent.
5. Memorize Malachi 3:10

Scriptures:
2 Corinthians 8:14-15
1 Chronicles 29:6-9
Psalm 11:24-25
Proverbs 24:
Acts 20:35

Resources:
Fields of Gold, Stanley
The Treasure Principle, Alcorn
Smart Money, Smart Kids, Ramsey
Financial Peace, Ramsey
Manage, Caring for all God entrusted to us. Threads by LifeWay

X. Multiplication
Multiplication for a disciple means knowing how to win another person to Christ and then shepherd that person on their Christ-Centered Journey through the Five Characteristics of a Disciple. Multiplication is not about teaching a class or just meeting with a few others, but is experienced when a person grows and develops into a dedicated, fruitful, Christ-Centered disciple who then goes on to lead others to Christ and help them grow on their journey.
A Disciple…
1. Knows where his/her members are on the Christ Centered Journey. (Survey here: http://groupleader.org/eforms/discipleship-health-survey/7/)
2. Knows where he/she is taking them. (Next steps on their Christ Centered Journey: http://LifePointchurch.org/smyrna-journey)

3. Leads their members through the basics of the faith. (Use Christ Centered Journey booklet for suggestions on scripture, books, classes, and resources.)

Activities:
1. Discuss the memory verse that has had the most impact on you over the last 9 sessions.
2. Discuss how this D-Life Group has impacted your family
3. Share the names of five other men/women whom you plan to invite to your new D-Life group.
4. Memorize 2 Timothy 2:2

Scriptures:
1 John 1:8
Ecclesiastes 7:20
Hebrews 13:20-21
Philippians 2:12-13
Matthew 28:19-20
Acts 6:7

Resources
Multiply, Francis Chan
Christian Beliefs, Grudem
Follow Me, Platt
Discipleshift, Putman