Just Do It :: The Kool-Aid Man
Use the lead app to check in students and make sure any students not listed fill out a connect card digitally.
Do not move on until check-in has happened and any students not listed have filled out a connect card.
Extended Small Group
This is week 3 of 4 of this semester focused completely on what to do with our bibles. The bible is the infallible word of God given to us by God so that we can know him better. Infallible means that it is incapable of containing mistakes. It is completely trustworthy and the most powerful tool we have access to when it comes to growing our faith. Having the skill set and the tools to not only read but digest our bibles is our hope at the end of this series. Our first week we learned the basics of the bible. This week we talk about The Kool-Aid man.
Life Book Challenge Check in
Celebrate anyone who brought their life book with them.
Our first challenge was to read acts 1 and 3 of the life book once. Some of us missed our target, and we re-upped our challenge.
Our second challenge was to take this card with the basic questions we asked and re-read acts 1 and 2 before our next Extended Small Group, which is tonight. Then If/when you have eureka moments put a small note in your life book and bring it back in April :).
Use the target found in your small group bucket
Who hit the target?
What kept us from hitting our targets?
For anyone who brought their life book back with eureka moments share them and celebrate them. (Also leaders please let Chad or Heather know that so we can celebrate too)
Now re-up for the target at hand and challenge everyone to commit.
Introduction – The Kool-Aid Man!
Oh Yeah!
We watched the Kool-Aid man destroy a lot of property before we got in here and Chad explained this is just an easy way to remember a super simple method for studying the bible.
OIA - It stands for Observation, Interpretation, Application
I want to walk you through each step of O.I.A. and let you in on how it works. After each step, you’re going to practice that step. Let’s look at the steps in O.I.A.
Step 1. Observation
The first step in O.I.A. is Observation. Observation asks, what does the passage say? Observation is taking something in. It’s watching something and getting the whole picture. It’s paying attention to what you see playing out before you. The first step to deeper Bible study is observation.
OBSERVATION
Let’s talk about a few things you can do to help you observe the text and take it all in.
Read the entire passage to take in the whole thing. Don’t stop until you’ve read the entire thing. Take it all in.
Ask questions. Write down the questions you have as you read. You may have questions about meaning, why something happened, who someone is. Things like “Why does this verse say that?” or “What does he mean when he says…”, “What does this one word mean …”
Note details. If certain details jump out at you highlight it, underline it, or write it down.
Practice Observation
Now that you know the first step is Observation, we’re going to practice it. Individually Read Luke 10:38-42. Get a feel for the whole story. Read slowly or re-read if you have to. Note details that jump out to you and write down questions you have about what is happening on the paper you have. You will be discussing these questions in the next step.
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Step 2: Interpretation
After you’ve observed that’s going to bring us to the second step of OIA, which is Interpretation. Interpretation asks: What does this passage mean? It is the explanation. It’s where we find the meaning to our questions; it’s when all of the observations from the first step start to make sense.
INTERPRETATION
Let’s look at how we interpret scripture.
Use study Bibles. This is one of the main purposes of study Bibles. They put notes about the verses at the bottom because they want to help people understand what scripture is saying. If you get hung up on what scripture says, read the notes in our study Bibles.
Google it. Seriously this one is really important. I Google stuff all the time and more often than not, I find what I’m looking for. Google will help link you to articles and blog posts that might help you.
Talk to someone older and wiser. Notice I say older AND wiser. Someone might be old, but they might be really dumb when it comes to the Bible. Make sure that someone who is older actually knows what he or she is talking about when it comes to the Bible.
Practice Interpretation
One of the ways we interpret scripture is by discussing it with other people. As a group, discuss the questions you wrote down in the last step and discuss the questions below. Use your study Bibles for reference if you happen to have one.
What did Mary do during Jesus’ visit?
What did Martha do during Jesus’ visit?
Why was Martha annoyed and upset with Mary?
What did Martha tell Jesus to do?
How did Jesus respond to Martha?
What is the tone of Jesus’ response?
What does Jesus mean in verse 42?
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Step 3: Application
So let’s review OIA so far. The first step is Observation where you take everything in. The next step is Interpretation where you search for meaning. The last step is Application. Application asks: What does this passage mean to me? This is where we bring things home. It is here where scripture impacts our lives. We’ve learned something and now we ask, “What are we going to do with it?”
APPLICATION
Let’s look at how we apply scripture.
Figure out what part of the passage most stands out to you. Sometimes certain verses or the actions and words of characters in the story stand out to us. Pay attention to this, as it might just be the Holy Spirit telling you what you should pay attention to.
Reflect on your life and ask what needs to change? This is where you’re going to do some introspection. You’re going to look at what you just learned and then you’re going to look at yourself and you’re going to ask, how do I need to change to be more like Jesus? How do I need to change to be more aligned with the Bible?
Determine what actions to take. Once you’ve figured out how you need to change start thinking about what you’re going to do differently.
Allow God to encourage you in your faith growth. We should finish knowing that there are things that should change and things that we should do differently. But at the same time we should feel encouraged that we’ve just spent time with God. We should be encouraged that in the time that we just spent, we’ve become a little more like Jesus and He’s the only one who makes us good anyway.
Practice Application
Application is where we bring the scripture home. As a group discuss the following items:
Who do you identify with most: Mary or Martha and why?
How/where/when do you act like Mary? How/where/when do you act like Martha?
Even though Jesus is talking to Martha in verses 41 and 42, he also talks to us today. What is he saying to us in these verses?
Who are we to be more like -- Mary or Martha?
What is your takeaway from this passage?
NEW CHALLENGE:
It’s time for our new challenge. This week I want you to read your “Life Book” following along with your Bible as you go through the book of Mark. Go through OIA on one chapter from the book of Mark. The goal of OIA is to apply God’s word to our lives and let it change us to be more like Jesus. I want you to go OIA and you need to generate at least one application for your own life. When you have that application point send it to me /or us (depending on the number of leaders) and let Moxie know via the text phone number (678-798-8338) or in their DM’s on instagram.
One last thing. One of the most valuable things in the life of a Jesus follower is the people they do life with. So let's help each other. Keep each other accountable and check in with each other.
Finish by praying as a group.
We will know we have hit our target if:
-Everyone leaves with a Life Book (either theirs or a new one)and a print of the OIA process.
-Everyone has participated in the excercises from the small group time.
-The students have understood and accepted the challenge to read the Life Book and the Book of Mark in their bible using the OIA process this week.
-The students are working towards an application point and know to loop us in.