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Date: August 29, 2021
Lead Others to Serve
The Point: Lead others to serve God.
Get Into the Study
Use the following information to introduce Question #1.
Begin by sharing this news item:
Peyton Manning was inducted into the pro football Hall of Fame on August 8. Manning played college ball with the Tennessee Volunteers before moving on to a professional career with the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos. During his career, Manning earned 14 Pro Bowl selections and two Super Bowl rings. When he retired in 2015, Manning was the NFL’s all-time passing leader.
Manning chose his father Archie Manning as the person to present him during his enshrinement into the Hall of Fame. Speaking about his father, Peyton said, “(He) never was my coach, but always was my mentor. I can only think of about two or three games that he missed since I was in high school or college and in the NFL, obviously he didn’t go to all the road games, but watched every one of them, bit his fingernails the entire time. Just a no-brainer as far as picking him to present me and just couldn’t have a more appropriate person to do that.”
Archie Manning was also a pro football quarterback, playing most of his career for the New Orleans Saints. “Football carved out a place for my favorite quarterback, my hero, my role model, my dad Archie Manning to pass on something he loved to me,” Peyton Manning said.
Say: For the Manning family, football was the “family business,” and Peyton Manning followed in his father’s footsteps.. Then call attention to Question #1 (In whose footsteps do you one day hope to follow?) and invite volunteers to respond.
Information for this post was gleaned from:
Get Into the Study [Option from Adult Leader Guide]
In advance, play a video of someone following in another’s footsteps. Then ask Question #1.
Study the Bible
Use the following information to introduce Question #4.
Begin by sharing this news item:
In June, the BBC news reported that billionaire Warren Buffett has donated another $4.1 billion worth of his company’s shares to charity. As the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett is known for giving away huge sums of money to worthy causes. Buffett said, “Over many decades I have accumulated an almost incomprehensible sum simply by doing what I love to do. I’ve made no sacrifice nor has my family. Compound interest, a long runway, wonderful associates and our incredible country have simply worked their magic. Society has a use for my money; I don’t.”
Say: Some people might point to Warren Buffett’s wealth and his generous giving to charity as evidence of a life well-lived. Then call attention to Question #4 (What are the characteristics of a life well-lived?) and invite volunteers to respond.
Information for this post was gleaned from:
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57585239
— Donna McKinney wrote these Leader Extras. Donna is retired from a career with the federal government of the United States. She is a veteran Bible study group leader living in North Carolina.
Additional Questions
Icebreakers
- What words of wisdom do you treasure from someone you trust?
- Who inspires you to step up your level of service to the Lord?
- What is a good lesson you’ve learned from watching the life of someone older than you?
1 Kings 19:19-21
- When have you left something behind in order to follow God?
- Who has helped you understand discipleship and how to grow spiritually?
- What do you find challenging about passing your mantle to the next generation?
2 Kings 2:6-11
- Who has taught you the most about serving God?
- Who are you currently teaching about serving God?
- What would you say to a new believer to help him or her follow Christ faithfully?
2 Kings 2:12-14
- Where do you have an opportunity to lead others to serve God?
- How are you passing down what you know about God?
- What can Elijah and Elisha’s relationship teach us about mentoring others in the faith?
For Those in Your Group
Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought:
What Drivers Ed Taught Me About Discipling Others
Podcast
Click here for a 20-minute podcast for both the group member and the leader.
Podcast (adultsleadertraining): Play in new window | Download
Has this podcast been updated with the correct podcast for the last lesson on Elijah?
Yes, the podcast link has been corrected. Sorry for the inconvenience.