Big Idea

A growing relationship with God will naturally expand what is supernaturally plausible.

Scripture

1 Corinthians 12:1-11, James 5:14-20

Icebreaker & Opening Thought

1. If you could be any age for the rest of your life, what age would you choose? Why?
2. We are beginning a new series titled “Naturally Supernatural” where we’re exploring how a growing relationship with God will naturally expand what we believe is possible. To what degree are you curious and skeptical about claims of supernatural activity?

Bible Discussion

3. Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. What do you notice? Try to make as many observations as you can.
4. This list contains gifts that seem out of the ordinary: words of knowledge, healing, prophecy, and speaking in tongues, to name a few. How do you feel about these being gifts God might want to give his people today?

Life Application

5. As we grow in our relationship with God, our view of God and God’s power will expand, which usually reveals that our understanding of God fits in a “box.” In what ways do you think you put God in a box?
6.  A plausibility structure is our understanding of what God can do in and through us. Our structure grows when we stretch our thinking with four exercises below. Which of these stretching experiences would be the most helpful to you to grow your plausibility structure?

Four Stretching Exercises

1. Theology: A deepening understanding of God’s supernatural activity that’s rooted in Scripture. Read the Bible – there is a lot of supernatural stuff in there! See the resources in the leader’s guide that will stretch your thinking.
2. Testimonies: Hearing stories of how people have experienced God’s supernatural activity in their lives. Who are people you know that could share their story about their experience of God?
3. Tactics: Practical instructions on engaging with God in his supernatural activity to naturally bring the supernatural into our lives. Throughout this series, we’ll be sharing several tactics to live naturally supernatural lives.
4. Trust: Overcoming fear and doubt to believe God is acting in supernatural ways and wants to include us in that work. God does for our good and does it out of love!

Challenge

Can we all commit to stretching our thinking around what God wants to do in our life? Which stretching exercises do you want to try during this series?