Tongue on Fire
Fun Crowd Breaker: Get a jar of Maraschino Cherries w/ stems and have a contest whose the fastest at tying the stem in a knot with their tongue.
Kid's Story/ Opening Story:
1) Think of a story from your on life where someone spoke words of life to you? How did that impact you?
2) Think of a story from your life where someone spoke words that stole life from you? How did that impact you?
Read James 3:1-12
Matt. 12:36 says, “We will have to give an account for each careless word spoken.”
1. How did God speak to you through last week's sermon entitled "Tongue of Fire"? What are you doing about it?
2. Think about the power of words in the Body of Christ. Share how you have seen this truth come to life in the body of Christ. Begin with positive examples then a few negative.
3. How do you resonate with James' analogy of "fresh water coming from a salty spring"(vs.12)? What is this saying to you and I?
4. Looking at the two characteristics of what makes a spiritually abusive leader and share with one another how that speaks to you?
a. The leader who feels insignificant and seeks significance by gaining domination over others. He or she is plagued by inner doubts and fears. This person may have been personally wounded by spiritual abuse in the past and may grab power as a form of self-defense. There may be no desire to hurt; the injuries to others are simply a byproduct of this person’s quest to become somebody while protecting themselves, not allowing anyone to get too close.
b. Power seeking ministers attempting to compensate for a sense of inner weakness will often put their heel on the necks of those under their authority. Leaders who secretly themselves unqualified often wield a heavier hand than those who are secure.
5. Look at the two characteristics of what makes you and I vulnerable to spiritual abuse and talk about what connects? What does it tell you about how important it is for you and I to have a healthy view of God?
a. Those who are brought up to believe that God is a perfectionist tyrant will be vulnerable to leaders who call for religious performance as the way to please Him.
b. Others who suffer chronic guilt (either true guilt or false guilt) and seek to remedy that guilt through religious works are also potential victims of leaders who will manipulate and control them.
6. It's a heart issue. So let's look at the heart. Anyone God is asking you to forgive? Begin your prayer "Lord I forgive __________________ for ..." Then name the hurt and the emotion. Don't forget to forgive yourself.
Pray for a Deeper Encounter w/ Jesus / Fullness of the Holy Spirit on a heart level.
Some Helpful Quotes:
Ken Blue says, “One strategically placed abusive leader has the power to thwart life in the church just as a misplaced placenta blocks life in a mother’s womb.”
As the cliché goes. “Hurt People Hurt people.”
Philip Yancey writes, “In my 25 years of journalism I have received my share of mixed reviews. Even so, as I read through stacks of letters, I get a strong sense for why the world at large doesn’t automatically associate the word grace with evangelical Christians.”
Ken Blue goes on to say “Today when church leaders set themselves up as keepers of the gate, using religious performance rather than faith in Jesus as the criterion for acceptance, they become strategically placed leaders who thwart the life of the body of Christ.”