Others Matter

By SoulRio
Posted on April 18, 2005

This is a great study for new and experienced groups. We need to visit this often to remind us of the ministry that Jesus gave all Christians, to bring God's love to people. Some great questions to ask our group, "What if our Rio Link (home church) didn't exist?" "Would anyone notice?" "What difference are we making?" "Do we see God working in other's lives, and how can we lead them to Christ?".....
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Hand out the Others Matter list of values....
SoulRio RioLinks are where others matter and where…
o RioLink members are “sold out” on the belief that others matter to God.
o RioLinks pray for God’s intervention in the lives of specific friends and relatives (“sphere of influence”) who do not know Jesus as savior.
o Each member of the RioLink purposely arranges their life to work as a team to help the RioLink bring at least two people to Christ each year.
o RioLinks communicate who Christ is by serving others in their community.
o Our non-churched community perceives SoulRio as a safe, non-judgmental, fun place to experience family.
o RioLink members see value in group growth and the birthing of new groups.
o Outreach, and the creation of “community”, must be the lifestyle of each RioLink. “Community” deserves to be expanded at all costs to all other people who do not have “community”.

• Read Acts 2:46-47 (NASV), “And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
• What were the Christians doing to lift up Jesus in their lives and draw people to the Lord?

Early Christians were involved in having “community.” When people see others having true community, people will come seeking because there is a hunger in their lives for community.

The church must go where the people are. We are responsible to introduce them into community. In order to be a God honoring church we must allow the gifts of the community to connect with the unbelievers every day.

• Read Acts 11:19-26 (NIV), “19Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 20Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. 22News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. 25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.”

The news spread to the Greeks in Antioch. They were first called “Christians” in Antioch.

• Read 1Corinthians 12:12 (NASV), “For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.”

Paul communicated that sometimes gifts are seen as glamorous and others as not so glamorous. God gives the greater honor to what we consider to be the insignificant gifts. It is through those gifts that people who are lost are connected to community.

• What is your gift and how can God invest it into the life of a seeker to help that person experience community?
• How are you going to adjust your life to help your RioLink win at least two people to Christ.
• Have four people share their life journey. Things to include may be:
o Where you were born.
o Your childhood (what was it like, parents livelihoods, where you lived, home environment, memories, salvation experience, etc.).
o Your high school years (what were they like, jobs you had, how would your friends describe you, most memorable times, dating life, heartaches, etc).
o Adult years (marriage, jobs, college, kids, trials, death of loved ones, where you see yourself in 10 years, etc.).

Witness - Others Matter
• Who are the people that are lost in our lives that we are being intentional about reaching for the Lord?
• What are the ways we are being intentional about spending time with them?

Works - Everybody Serves
• How have you served the RioLink with your talents or gifts this week?
• How can you serve this coming week? (Champion some people you know who have served the RioLink this past week).

Youth	Ice Breakers	Simple Churches	Serving the Community	Worship
God Stories	Summer Outreach	Stories of Generousity