Here you will find two particular tools Westwood members use weekly that enhance our participation in our weekly worship services. First, you will find our weekly Worship Prep Guide that Pastor Gerald puts out each Friday. This guide includes some thoughts to help us all prepare for the message coming up on Sunday. Second, you will find our weekly Life Group Guide. This guide includes a small way to interact with Sunday’s message & passage that helps each of us to reflect upon and internalize God’s Word.

Week of 11.10.19

Use this daily guide to help you internalize this week’s passage & message!
 
Sunday [KNOW]:
In a journal, reflect on today’s sermon by finishing any or all of the following:
I never knew…
I was reminded…
A question I still have…
I was challenged…
I was convicted…
A truth I could share is…
 
Monday [KNOW>BE]
Spend some time today doing the following:
  1. Select a portion of this week’s sermon passage to memorize this week.
  2. Write your selected portion and read it to yourself throughout the day today.
 
Tuesday [Be]:
In a journal, spend some time meditating and writing about the following:
  1. Read the sermon passage again.
  2. Write a prayer of response, guided by the sermon passage. (May include adoration, confession/repentance, thanksgiving, petition, etc.).
  3. Write your selected portion of the Scripture several times to aid in memorization.
 
Wednesday [BE>DO]:
Think about this week’s questions for group discussion.
  1. Read Philippians 1:12-26 together, in light of Acts 28. What can we learn from Paul’s perspective on his imprisonment in Rome?
  2. Why do you think we are often tempted to doubt the power of the gospel? What does this passage teach about the ultimate triumph of the gospel?
  3. Do you typically view your own life as a part of this same story we have followed through the Book of Acts? How does that perspective change the way we view and live our lives?

 

Thursday [DO]:
In a journal, spend some time considering the following:
  1. What insights have you had while internalizing this week’s passage?
  2. How specifically will you seek to apply its truths in your home/workplace/life in general?

Read more...

Week of 10.20.19

Use this daily guide to help you internalize this week’s passage & message!
 
Sunday [KNOW]:
In a journal, reflect on today’s sermon by finishing any or all of the following:
I never knew…
I was reminded…
A question I still have…
I was challenged…
I was convicted…
A truth I could share is…
 
Monday [KNOW>BE]
Spend some time today doing the following:
  1. Select a portion of this week’s sermon passage to memorize this week.
  2. Write your selected portion and read it to yourself throughout the day today.
 
Tuesday [Be]:
In a journal, spend some time meditating and writing about the following:
  1. Read the sermon passage again.
  2. Write a prayer of response, guided by the sermon passage. (May include adoration, confession/repentance, thanksgiving, petition, etc.).
  3. Write your selected portion of the Scripture several times to aid in memorization.
 
 
Wednesday [BE>DO]:
Think about this week’s questions for group discussion.
  1. In Paul we see a consistent gospel witness, no matter the context. Do you find it difficult to try to have a consistent gospel witness in everyday interactions with others? Why? How can this passage encourage us?
  2. How does this episode in Paul’s life demonstrate the necessity of living a life that is in accord with the stature we claim to have (in Christ) and the message we proclaim?
  3. Spend some time praying together for boldness in being a gospel witness in the days ahead. Pray for boldness in engaging guests who come to the Fall Family Festival. How might you plan to do that?
 
Thursday [DO]:
In a journal, spend some time considering the following:
  1. What insights have you had while internalizing this week’s passage?
  2. How specifically will you seek to apply its truths in your home/workplace/life in general?

Read more...

Week of 10.13.19

Use this daily guide to help you internalize this week’s passage & message!
 
Sunday [KNOW]:
In a journal, reflect on today’s sermon by finishing any or all of the following:
I never knew…
I was reminded…
A question I still have…
I was challenged…
I was convicted…
A truth I could share is…
 
Monday [KNOW>BE]
Spend some time today doing the following:
  1. Select a portion of this week’s sermon passage to memorize this week.
  2. Write your selected portion and read it to yourself throughout the day today.
 
Tuesday [Be]:
In a journal, spend some time meditating and writing about the following:
  1. Read the sermon passage again.
  2. Write a prayer of response, guided by the sermon passage. (May include adoration, confession/repentance, thanksgiving, petition, etc.).
  3. Write your selected portion of the Scripture several times to aid in memorization.
 
Wednesday [BE>DO]:
Think about this week’s questions for group discussion.
  1. Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 together. How do we see Paul living out this text through the present passages in Acts?
  2. How does it encourage you to know that the Lord uses wounded soldiers in his mission? 
  3. What have you seen in Paul’s defense so far that can prepare you to share the gospel to a hostile audience, if the occasion ever presented itself?
 
Thursday [DO]:
In a journal, spend some time considering the following:
  1. What insights have you had while internalizing this week’s passage?
  2. How specifically will you seek to apply its truths in your home/workplace/life in general?

Read more...

Week of 10.6.19

Use this daily guide to help you internalize this week’s passage & message!
 
Sunday [KNOW]:
In a journal, reflect on today’s sermon by finishing any or all of the following:
I never knew…
I was reminded…
A question I still have…
I was challenged…
I was convicted…
A truth I could share is…
 
Monday [KNOW>BE]
Spend some time today doing the following:
  1. Select a portion of this week’s sermon passage to memorize this week.
  2. Write your selected portion and read it to yourself throughout the day today.
 
Tuesday [Be]:
In a journal, spend some time meditating and writing about the following:
  1. Read the sermon passage again.
  2. Write a prayer of response, guided by the sermon passage. (May include adoration, confession/repentance, thanksgiving, petition, etc.).
  3. Write your selected portion of the Scripture several times to aid in memorization.
 
Wednesday [BE>DO]:
Think about this week’s questions for group discussion.
  1. Which one of the points from Sunday’s message about freedom in Christ resonated with you and why?
  2. What does it mean to defend the faith? How can we allow this defense to become muddled and even harmful to gospel advance? How can we guard against this?
  3. How should the gospel shape our response to cultural hostility?
 
Thursday [DO]:
In a journal, spend some time considering the following:
  1. What insights have you had while internalizing this week’s passage?
  2. How specifically will you seek to apply its truths in your home/workplace/life in general?

Read more...

Week of 9.29.19

Use this daily guide to help you internalize this week’s passage & message!
 
Sunday [KNOW]:
In a journal, reflect on today’s sermon by finishing any or all of the following:
I never knew…
I was reminded…
A question I still have…
I was challenged…
I was convicted…
A truth I could share is…
 
Monday [KNOW>BE]
Spend some time today doing the following:
  1. Select a portion of this week’s sermon passage to memorize this week.
  2. Write your selected portion and read it to yourself throughout the day today.
 
Tuesday [Be]:
In a journal, spend some time meditating and writing about the following:
  1. Read the sermon passage again.
  2. Write a prayer of response, guided by the sermon passage. (May include adoration, confession/repentance, thanksgiving, petition, etc.).
  3. Write your selected portion of the Scripture several times to aid in memorization.
 
Wednesday [BE>DO]:
Think about this week’s questions for group discussion.
  1. How did this week’s message help you better understand what gospel-focus really looks like within the life of a believer?
  2. Why must striving to live such a gospel-focused life begin with rightly placed affections? What does that look like? How do we pursue that?
  3. How can we evaluate our own lives to see whether we are more self-focused or gospel-focused? How can the focus on good things really be obstacles for us living our lives for the best thing? How can making decisions that the wisdom of the world affirms really be keeping us from truly living for Jesus and his kingdom?
 
Thursday [DO]:
In a journal, spend some time considering the following:
  1. What insights have you had while internalizing this week’s passage?
  2. How specifically will you seek to apply its truths in your home/workplace/life in general?

Read more...

Week of September 22, 2019

Use this daily guide to help you internalize this week’s passage & message!
 
Sunday [KNOW]:
In a journal, reflect on today’s sermon by finishing any or all of the following:
I never knew…
I was reminded…
A question I still have…
I was challenged…
I was convicted…
A truth I could share is…
 
Monday [KNOW>BE]
Spend some time today doing the following:
  1. Select a portion of this week’s sermon passage to memorize this week.
  2. Write your selected portion and read it to yourself throughout the day today.
 
Tuesday [Be]:
In a journal, spend some time meditating and writing about the following:
  1. Read the sermon passage again.
  2. Write a prayer of response, guided by the sermon passage. (May include adoration, confession/repentance, thanksgiving, petition, etc.).
  3. Write your selected portion of the Scripture several times to aid in memorization.
 
Wednesday [BE>DO]:
Think about this week’s questions for group discussion.
  1. How does the attitude displayed by Paul in v. 22-24 fly in the face of both the attitude of our collective culture and our own natural tendencies? What has to happen in a life to come to exude this sort of attitude?
  2. A huge aspect of Paul’s ministry was his desire for others to SEE IN HIM a pattern to follow. Why is this a key aspect to making disciples? Is this thought convicting to you? If so, why?
  3. How does this week’s message and passage compel you to pray for your pastors and elders? How might you seek to encourage them? How does this passage instruct you as to how to pray for them?
 
Thursday [DO]:
In a journal, spend some time considering the following:
  1. What insights have you had while internalizing this week’s passage?
  2. How specifically will you seek to apply its truths in your home/workplace/life in general?

Read more...