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THE REAL DEALGetting Back to the Basics

© 2009 Randall House Copying, distributing, or sharing this study beyond the use of the purchasing church or single campus site is a breach of ethics and illegal. It is also a breach of the license agreement to remove this statement from the study or from any customized or derivative study. To purchase this study or others like it, visit http://AccessBibleStudies.com

ISBN: 9780892651467

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THE REAL DEAL— GETTING BACK TO THE BASICS The Real Deal is a four-week study focusing on God’s design for the Church. With a myriad of options available to express one’s faith, it is important to remember the true purpose and essence of the Church. Unless believers build their life on the foundational bedrock of God’s Word, it is all too easy to lose focus and find themselves in need of a little shock therapy—bringing them back to what they need and want to be.

This study will lead participants to see what their core values should be, how to keep their focus where it belongs, what happens when that focus is lost, and the urgency of getting back to basics as a church.

It is very important to get the word out for this study in every way possible. The following session titles and objectives are structured for use in church bulletins and newsletters, emails, text messages, tweets, statuses, or Facebook groups.

The Tie That Binds:Group members will discover the core essentials of a faithful church and encourage one another to embrace those essentials.

It’s All About Focus: Group members will discuss what it means to maintain a first love relationship with Christ and why it is very important.

The Problem With Pretenders:Group members will look at what happens when a church loses its focus.

Shock Therapy: Group members will be honest with each other about the urgency of restoring focus and getting back to basics.

The main lesson is for you—it is written to you the facilitator. This curriculum is written to be discussion-driven and application-oriented. Tips have been provided for you along the way to help you and the group feel comfortable discussing the various topics.

Access Downloadable Curriculum • Introduction

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Access Downloadable Curriculum • Session 1 The Tie That Binds

THE TIE THAT BINDSMATERIALS NEEDED

Bibles•

Copies of student handouts•

Extra pens or pencils•

Blueprints or pictures of buildings under construction•

LESSON OBJECTIVEDiscover the core essentials of a faithful church and encourage one another to embrace those essentials.

CONNECTTo begin this session, give each participant a copy of the handout “So What Is Church All About Anyway?” Give the group a few minutes to complete the handout. Once everyone is finished, go over the questions, asking for volunteers to share answers. Be sure and allow the most time for members to discuss question #3: List the things you think are most lacking or needful in most churches today. Emphasize this is not a gripe session, but rather a chance to be honest about what they see lacking or needful in their church experience.

CONSIDERDisplay pictures of blueprints or buildings under construction. Point out that every building must have both sound design and construction to last. Ask: What all goes into designing and constructing a building well? Lead the class to consider things such as the architect, budgeting for the project, plans, quality building materials, skilled craftsmen, etc. If there are any builders or carpenters in the group, call on them for their input.

Distribute copies of the handout “One Another.” Ask: What does it take to hold a church together (to keep it on the right track)? Allow time for everyone to record the answers. Don’t discount anyone’s answer, but at the same time have the group consider how important some of these issues really are. Ask: Do we tend, for example, to depend on people or finances more than we should? Are we ever guilty of majoring on minors while missing the main things?

Read Ecclesiastes 4:12 and Ephesians 4:4-6. Ask: If the strongest possible cord to bind something has three strands, what three strands make up the rope that binds the church together? Read Ephesians 4:5 again. Those three strands are one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.

One Lord

Challenge group members to write down differences they see in people in their own church fellowship. This should be positive, focusing on how many different kinds of people belong to the family of God. Consider Jesus’ disciples for a moment. Ask the class to think of the differences that existed among the disciples. For example, Peter was a rough fisherman, while Matthew was a tax collector. Did those differences ever cause problems?

Ephesians 4:4-6. Ask: If the strongest possible cord to bind something has three strands, what three strands make up the rope that binds the church together? Read Ephesians 4:5 again. Those three strands are one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.

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Ask: How can we be so different in our own fellowship and yet be united? Do people have to all think, talk, and act exactly alike to be united? Point out that such sameness doesn’t even exist in a marriage. We are sometimes guilty of trying to create unity in the church through sameness, yet that is contrary to God’s design. Read 1 Corinthians 12:14, 18-20. Explain: Imagine a body with nothing but a head and feet. As grotesque as that sounds that is what we end up with when we replace true unity with uniformity. Our unity is found in our common relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord. It is only as we come together, with all our differences, under the single banner of the Lordship of Christ that we find real unity!

Go back to the illustration of marriage. Ask: Can a marriage be better because of the different strengths each partner brings into that union? Can our differences, united under one head, actually make the church stronger? Have the group brainstorm what differences they see in each other that makes the group stronger than any one individual.

Point out: It is Christ as our head that makes all those differences work together for God’s glory. Understand, we are not talking about being different for difference sake but rather being unified under the Lordship of Christ. Ask: How does Christ’s Lordship bring us together? For example, if two believers have wronged each other, what will Christ’s common Lordship lead them to do?

One Faith

Ask: What is faith? The “one faith” mentioned in Ephesians 4 is something more than believing in facts or making some verbal affirmation about Christ. Note that each of these strands depends on the one before it. This isn’t faith in faith. It is faith in the one Lord, Jesus Christ. Read Hebrews 11:1. Our faith isn’t just words. It is something far more substantial.

The church is held together because it is built on the one foundation in life that is substantial. Only faith in Christ as Lord can unite us in a way that is safe from the attacks of Satan and the world. Take a moment to highlight some of the main verses in Hebrews 11 and consider what faith in God enabled the heroes of the Old Testament to do and be. Now, read Hebrews 12:1-3. Ask: Do you see how it is our common focus on Christ that perfects us as individual believers and as a Body? Why is that focus necessary?

One Baptism

Read 1 Corinthians 12:13. Ask: What does this verse mean? It has been said that water baptism is the outward expression of an inward reality. Have the group say the Pledge of Allegiance together. Now as great as that is for citizens, a far greater declaration is being identified with Christ and His body through public baptism.

Ask: What are we declaring when we are baptized? Baptism is a public declaration of our death to sin and self and life in Christ. It is our public identification with all that Christ is and has done for us.

COMMITThe three-strand cord that binds the church is this: one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. Ask the class: How strong is the cord if one of the three strands is minimized?


In many countries like India, it is not one’s verbal profession of faith that brings persecution. The new convert’s family and friends forsake him or her when that person is publicly baptized. Why? Even Hindus and Muslims understand the importance of such a public identification with one’s beliefs as baptism.

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Call attention to the “one anothers” on handout “One Another.” Remind the group our unity in Christ ensures the strength and stability of the church. Have the members read the first three Scriptures and fill in the blanks with the action each Scripture is calling them to take toward each other.

For example, John 13:34 tells us to love one another and Romans 12:10 says to be devoted to one another.

Encourage group participants to finish the list in the coming week and pray for God’s empowerment to live out those one another’s faithfully. As they work through this list they should ask God to show them where they need to focus more.

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So What Is Church All About Anyway?1. In one minute or less draw a picture of a church.

2. If you had to write a one-sentence slogan describing your church, what would it be?

3. List the things you think are most lacking or needful in most churches today.


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One Another1. List the top ten things every church needs to hold it together.

2. There are over 20 “one another’s” in the New Testament. Some versions may use the phrase “each other” or something similar. Throughout the next week, record the action believers are called to take toward each other, and then pray for God to help you fulfill these.

John 13:34 - ________LOVE___________________

Romans 12:10 - ________DEVOTION_______________

Romans 12:16 - _________________________________

Romans 15:7 - _________________________________

Galatians 5:13 - _________________________________

Ephesians 4:25 - _________________________________

Ephesians 4:32 - _________________________________

Colossians 3:9 - _________________________________

1 Thessalonians 4:18 - ________________________________

1 Thessalonians 5:11 - _________________________________

1 Thessalonians 5:13 - _________________________________

James 5:16 - _________________________________

1 Peter 4:9 - _________________________________

StudentHandout

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