Growth Group (08) 10-12-2025 - You Don’t Have to Like Them, Just Love Them

📘 Cooperating with God’s Plans

A 5-Week Growth Group Bible Study Theme: Learning to trust, align with, and act on God’s will — even when it stretches us.

📅 Week 1: God’s Plans Are Good — Even When They’re Hard

📅 Week 2: God’s Plans Require Surrender

📅 Week 3: God’s Plans Often Involve Others

📅 Week 4: God’s Plans Stretch Our Faith

📅 Week 5: God’s Plans Are Bigger Than Us

📅 Week 6: The Weight of Emotional Debt 26 Nov 2025

📅 Week 8: You Don’t Have to Like Them, Just Love Them

Scripture:

Luke 6:27–36 “27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Big Idea: Love is a choice, not a feeling. Leader Notes:

Share Barry’s quote and unpack the difference between liking and loving.

Explore agape love — other centered, unconditional, sacrificial, and active.

Discussion Questions:

Who is someone you find hard to like?

What does it look like to love them anyway?

How did Jesus love people who rejected Him?

Prayer Prompt: Ask God for the grace to love beyond comfort. Weekly Challenge: Do one kind act for someone you struggle to like.

📅 Week 9: Redeemed to Reconcile

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17–20 Big Idea: We are ambassadors of reconciliation. Leader Notes:

Discuss how redemption isn’t just personal — it’s relational.

Reconciliation doesn’t always mean restoration, but it always means peace.

Discussion Questions:

What’s the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation?

How can we pursue peace without compromising truth?

What does it mean to be an ambassador of reconciliation?

Prayer Prompt: Pray for broken relationships in the group or community. Weekly Challenge: Write a letter (even if unsent) to someone you need to reconcile with.

📅 Week 10: Living Redeemed Together

Scripture: Romans 12:9–21 Big Idea: Redeemed relationships are marked by grace, humility, and peace. Leader Notes:

This is the “so what” week — how do we live this out daily?

Encourage vulnerability and celebration of growth.

Discussion Questions:

What’s changed in your relationships since starting this study?

Which verse in Romans 12 stands out most to you?

How can we support each other in living this out?

Prayer Prompt: Thank God for His redeeming love and ask for strength to live it out. Weekly Challenge: Share one testimony of relational healing with the group.

📘 Spot the Real Enemy

A 5-Week Growth Group Bible Study Theme: Learning to identify spiritual warfare, avoid misdirected battles, and fight with God’s armor.

📅 Week 11: The Enemy Is Not Who You Think

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10–12 Big Idea: Our real enemy is not flesh and blood — it’s spiritual forces of evil. Leader Notes:

Many conflicts are misdirected at people instead of the spiritual source.

Help the group reframe relational tension as spiritual warfare.

Discussion Questions:

When have you mistaken a person for the enemy?

How does Ephesians 6 shift your perspective?

What does it mean to “stand against the schemes of the devil”?

Prayer Prompt: Ask God to reveal areas where you’ve misidentified the enemy. Weekly Challenge: Journal one conflict and ask: “What’s the spiritual root?”

📅 Week 12: Recognizing the Enemy’s Tactics

Scripture: Genesis 3:1–7; John 8:44 Big Idea: The enemy uses deception, division, and doubt to derail us. Leader Notes:

Satan’s first tactic was twisting truth.

Lies often sound like half-truths — help the group learn to spot them.

Discussion Questions:

What lies has the enemy whispered to you?

How do deception and division show up in your relationships?

How can we guard our minds against subtle attacks?

Prayer Prompt: Pray for discernment and truth to overcome deception. Weekly Challenge: Identify one lie you’ve believed and replace it with Scripture.

📅 Week 13: Fighting the Right Way

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:3–5; Romans 12:17–21 Big Idea: We fight spiritual battles with spiritual weapons — not revenge, gossip, or control. Leader Notes:

God’s weapons are truth, love, prayer, and forgiveness.

Encourage the group to resist worldly reactions.

Discussion Questions:

What “weapons” do you tend to reach for in conflict?

How do you take thoughts captive in real life?

What does it mean to overcome evil with good?

Prayer Prompt: Ask God to equip you with His weapons, not the world’s. Weekly Challenge: Respond to one conflict this week with grace instead of retaliation.

📅 Week 14: The Armor of God

Scripture: Ephesians 6:13–18 Big Idea: God provides armor to protect and empower us in battle. Leader Notes:

Walk through each piece of armor and its purpose.

Emphasize prayer as the glue that holds it all together.

Discussion Questions:

Which piece of armor do you struggle to wear consistently?

How does each piece help you “stand firm”?

What role does prayer play in spiritual warfare?

Prayer Prompt: Pray through the armor of God, piece by piece. Weekly Challenge: Memorize Ephesians 6:13–18 and pray it daily.

📅 Week 15: Victory Is Already Won

Scripture: Colossians 2:13–15; Revelation 12:10–11 Big Idea: Jesus has already defeated the enemy — we fight from victory, not for it. Leader Notes:

The cross disarmed the powers of darkness.

Encourage confidence and hope, not fear.

Discussion Questions:

How does knowing the enemy is defeated change your mindset?

What does it mean to “overcome by the blood of the Lamb”?

How can we live in victory daily?

Prayer Prompt: Thank God for the victory of Jesus and ask for boldness to live in it. Weekly Challenge: Share your testimony with someone as a weapon of victory.

📘 Do It All for Jesus

A 5-Week Growth Group Bible Study Theme: Living with purpose, devotion, and integrity in every area of life — for the glory of Christ.

📅 Week 16: Whatever You Do, Do It for Him

Scripture: Colossians 3:17, 23–24 Big Idea: Every action — big or small — can be worship when done for Jesus. Leader Notes:

Explore the context of Paul’s letter: household roles, work, and daily life.

Emphasize that “whatever you do” includes ordinary tasks.

Discussion Questions:

What does it mean to “do everything in the name of the Lord”?

How can your work or daily routine become worship?

What changes when you see Jesus as your true boss?

Prayer Prompt: Ask God to help you see every task as an opportunity to honor Him. Weekly Challenge: Choose one mundane task and do it intentionally for Jesus.

📅 Week 17: Wholehearted Devotion

Scripture: Mark 12:30; Romans 12:1–2 Big Idea: Loving Jesus means offering our whole selves — heart, soul, mind, and strength. Leader Notes:

Discuss how worship is more than singing — it’s surrender.

Explore the idea of being a “living sacrifice.”

Discussion Questions:

What part of your life is hardest to surrender to Jesus?

How does renewing your mind help you live for Him?

What does wholehearted devotion look like in your week?

Prayer Prompt: Invite God to reveal areas of half-heartedness and renew your passion. Weekly Challenge: Set aside 15 minutes daily for focused devotion — prayer, Scripture, or worship.

📅 Week 18: Relationships That Reflect Jesus

Scripture: John 13:34–35; Philippians 2:3–5 Big Idea: Our love for Jesus is shown in how we treat others. Leader Notes:

Jesus said love would be the mark of His followers.

Humility and service are key expressions of Christlike love.

Discussion Questions:

How do your relationships reflect Jesus?

What does it mean to “consider others better than yourself”?

Who is God calling you to love more intentionally?

Prayer Prompt: Ask God to help you love others with His heart and humility. Weekly Challenge: Serve someone this week in a quiet, sacrificial way.

📅 Week 19: Resting in Jesus

Scripture: Matthew 11:28–30; Psalm 46:10 Big Idea: Doing everything for Jesus includes resting in Him — not striving. Leader Notes:

Rest is not laziness — it’s trust.

Jesus invites us to work from rest, not for rest.

Discussion Questions:

What keeps you from resting in Jesus?

How does rest reflect trust in God’s control?

What rhythms of rest help you stay spiritually healthy?

Prayer Prompt: Surrender your burdens and ask Jesus to teach you His rhythm of grace. Weekly Challenge: Practice Sabbath rest — unplug, slow down, and spend time with Jesus.

📅 Week 20: Living for His Glory

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31; Galatians 2:20 Big Idea: Our lives are not our own — we live to glorify Jesus in everything. Leader Notes:

“Whether you eat or drink” — even the smallest things matter.

Christ lives in us — our story is now His.

Discussion Questions:

What does it mean to live for God’s glory?

How does Galatians 2:20 shape your identity and purpose?

What’s one area of your life you want to realign with Jesus?

Prayer Prompt: Dedicate your whole life to Jesus — again or for the first time. Weekly Challenge: Share your testimony with someone and invite them to live for Jesus too.